To cleric Pietro Guidazio
E III, 1465
"Believe my experience; the devil would like to deceive you and me; he succeeded in part against you; against me, in regard to you, he failed completely. Have complete trust in me, as I have always had in you."
My dear Guidazio,
You will always be restless and unhappy until you put into practice the obedience you promised and surrender yourself entirely to the guidance of your superiors. Until now, the devil has cruelly tormented you, pushing you to do the opposite.
From your letter and from our discussions, there appears to be no reason to dispense you from your vows. If such a reason existed, I would have to write to the Holy See, to whom such matters are reserved. But coram Domino I advise you to give consideration to abneget semetipsum [Mt 16:24] and make sure you are the vir oboediens loquetur victorias [Pr 21:28].
Believe my experience; the devil would like to deceive you and me; he succeeded in part against you; against me, in regard to you, he failed completely.
Have complete trust in me, as I have always had in you; not in words but in deeds, in effective willingness, in humble, prompt, unlimited obedience.
These are the things that will bring you spiritual and temporal happiness and will bring me true consolation.
May God bless you and grant you the precious gift of perseverance in goodness; pray for me, who am with with a father's affection,
Yours most affectionately in Jesus Christ
Fr John Bosco
