The reason we do not correctly discern all the above-said things, as well as many others besides, is that we attach either love or hatred of them at first sight. Obscured by these emotions, the intellect does not judge them rightly for what they are.

Lest this deception find a home in you, be sure to always keep your will purified and free from from disordered affection to anything whatsoever. When some object is placed before you, observe it carefully with the intellect and consider it with maturity. Do this before you are moved to desire it from love, if it brings you delight, or to reject it from hatred, if it involves something contrary to our natural inclinations. This way, the intellect, unencumbered by passion, remains clear and at liberty; it can know the truth and penetrate both into the evil which lies hidden beneath false pleasure as well as the good which is covered by the appearance of harm.

But when the will has first inclined itself to love or abhor something, the intellect cannot know it well, because the affection which now stands in the way confuses the intellect, so that it values the thing differently from what it is. Through this misrepresentation, the will moves itself to love or hate the object more ardently than before, contrary to every order and law of reason. Such affection darkens the intellect further, and in this darkness makes the object appear even more lovable or hateful than before. Thus, if one does not observe this rule I have given (which is of the highest importance in this entire exercise), these two very noble and excellent powers, the intellect and the will, come miserably to walk always from darkness into deeper darkness and from error into greater error, as in a spiral.

Therefore, daughter, keep yourself with all vigilance from every disordered affection to anything whatsoever, which you have yet to examine carefully with your intellect and recognized for what it truly is. Rely above all on grace and on prayer, as well as your spiritual father’s judgment. I want you to observe this especially when performing exterior works that are good and holy, sometimes more than with other works. After all, the very fact that these works are good and holy risks a greater danger of self-deception and indiscretion. You could incur significant damage under certain circumstances of time, place, or measure, or on account of obedience. It is well-known that many have in this way encountered danger in their otherwise praiseworthy and most holy exercises.