The Difficult Sister

There is in our Community a Sister who has the faculty of displeasing me in everything, in her ways, her words, her character — everything seems very disagreeable to me. And yet, she is a holy religious who must be very pleasing to God. Not wishing to give in to the natural antipathy I experienced, I told myself that charity must not consist in feelings but in works.

Then I set myself to do for this Sister what I would do for the person I loved the most. Each time I met her I prayed to God for her, offering Him all her virtues and merits. I felt this was pleasing to Jesus, for there is no artist who does not love to receive praise of his works, and Jesus, the Artist of Souls, is happy when we do not stop at the exterior but, penetrating even to the inmost sanctuary where He has chosen His dwelling, we admire its beauty.