A letter from Mother Cabrini on Pentecost
May 23, 1890 New York
J.M.J.F
Oh, my daughters, have great confidence in the Holy Spirit! He can soften the hardest hearts, pacify the rebellious, sweeten embittered souls, inflame tepid souls, fortify the weak, steady the wavering, convert the proud to humility, the disobedient to obedience and the avaricious to poverty of spirit.
Therefore, my daughters, examining yourselves on these powers of the Holy Spirit, you can well understand whether he has descended upon you; if not, I beg you to recollect yourselves and do not cease inviting Him to come to you until you are truly transformed…
Let us be faithful in all things; let us beware of little faults as much as we would of big one and let our pure affections rise unsullied to the heart of Christ… Let us endeavor to be very humble, for if even a little pride nestles in our hearts we shall never be able to understand spiritual things; we shall delude ourselves by thinking that we are nearing a safe harbor when in reality we are miles and miles away.
Recently I accepted a good and humble postulant; I hope she succeeds in becoming a good missionary. Other candidates presented themselves to me but there were capable only, not humble… I need many subjects but I wish to have only those who are humble, detached from themselves and from their talents, for I am positive that a humble subject can [do the work of] fifty or more. Without humility, peace is lacking and grace departs…
May Jesus bless you all and enclose you in His Sacred Heart.
Yours affectionately in C.J.,
M. Franc. Saverio Cabrini
