To cleric Giovanni Bonetti

E I, 680

“The devil sees that you want to escape from his clutches for good, so he tries to deceive you. Follow my advice and carry on with peace of mind.”

St Ignatius, Lanzo Torinese, 20 July 1863

Bonetti my dear friend,

Do not worry in the slightest about what you write to me. The devil sees that you want to escape his clutches for good, so he is trying to deceive you. Follow my advice and carry on with peace of mind.

In the meantime, you can shake off your melancholy by singing this hymn by St Paul: Si delectat magnitudo praemiorum, non deterreat multitudo laborum. Non coronabitur nisi qui legitime certaverit [2 Tim 2:5]. Esto bonus miles Christi et ipse coronabit te [cf. 2 Tim 2:3].

Or sing with St Francis of Assisi: Tanto è il bene che io aspetto / ch’ogni pena mi è diletto, / il dolor si fa piacere, / ogni affanno un bel godere, / ogni angoscia allegra il cuor.[So great is the good that I await / that every pain is a delight to me, / pain becomes pleasure, / every worry a beautiful joy, / every anguish gladdens the heart.]

Of course, pray for me and I will not fail to also pray for you and do whatever I can to make you happy in time and eternity. Amen.

Yours most affectionately in Jesus Christo

Fr John Bosco