You have now seen, daughter, the manner in which you
ought
to fight to conquer yourself and to decorate yourself with the virtues.
In
addition you should now make yourself aware that: to bring back victory
over
your enemies with the greatest of speed and ease, it is necessary to
fight.
Indeed, it is necessary that you should fight daily, in particular
against
love of self. Accustom yourself to receive as dear friends the insults
and
molestations that the world may give you. And from not engaging this
battle,
and from giving it little importance, it has happened, and it does
happen,
as I indicated above, that victories are difficult, rare, imperfect and
unstable.
I further advise you that you must undertake your struggle with
strength of
spirit, that you will easily acquire [victory] if you ask it of God. If
you
should think of the anger, the perennial hatred and the great number of
the
squadrons and armies of the enemy, you should consider instead how
infinitely
greater are the goodness of God and the love with which He loves you;
think
also of the number of angels in heaven and the prayers of the saints
that
fight on our behalf. From this very consideration it has come about
that
many fragile women have overcome
and
conquered all the power and wisdom of the world, all the assaults of
the
flesh and all of Hell's rage.
Because of this you should never let yourself be frightened, even if,
at times,
your enemies' battle grows hotter, and it may last your entire life,
and
certain falls threaten you from various quarters: in fact you must
know, beyond
what I have said, that our enemies' every energy and consideration are
in
the hands of our divine Captain, in whose honor we fight. Because we
esteem
him indescribably and because he himself calls us to the battle, not
only
will he never permit violence to be done to us, but, fighting himself
for
you, he will give you victory over them at a time of his pleasing, and
with
great reward for you -- even should he wait until the last day of your
life.
This alone is left to you: that you fight generously and that,
notwithstanding
your numerous wounds, you never abandon your weapons, nor give yourself
to
flight. In the end, so that you may fight with valor, you must know
that you
cannot avoid this battle: if you refuse to fight, you will die. Beyond
this,
we have to face enemies of such qualities and hatred, that we can
entertain
hope neither for peace or even a ceasefire.