Manifestation of the Divine

May 1968

Bonjour!

Bonjour, Douce Mère.

What have you brought?

Mother, this is the first week of the month and it is the day for the prayers.

Give me what you have brought.

Yes, Mother. (I give Her the calendar with the painting of ‘Enthusiasm’ ³¹.)

This is the month of May. Let me see what I had given for the previous month. (Looking at the painting for April) It is good. This is ‘Endurance’ ³².

(Then Mother concentrates and writes the prayer for May:)

Pour celui qui s’est sincèrement consacré
à l’œuvre divine sur terre
ce qui extérieurement paraît être le pire
apporte toujours la possibilité
des réalisations les plus totales.
Mais pour que vela soit accompli matériellernent
deux choses sort indispensables:
une stabilité invariable dans la foi
et une paix totale dans la confiance.
Donne-nous, Seigneur, cette foi et cette paix.

For one who has sincerely consecrated himself
to the divine work upon earth,
what outwardly seems to be the worst
always brings forth the possibility
of the most total realisations.
But for that to be accomplished materially,
two things are indispensable:
an unwavering stability in the faith
and a total peace in the trust.
Give us, Lord, this faith and this peace.

It is quite a lot of work for you . . . To have this peace and this faith in the Divine Grace, you understand, you must arrive at this equality whatever may happen; the trust in the Divine must not waver at all. A peace and a stability. It must be achieved during this year. A big task, getting all this. It is an entire programme for you.

But, Mother, I don’t understand it very well.

What is it that you don’t understand?

How do the worst of things always bring forth the most total realisations?

You see, it is like this: the very fact that the worst happens to someone shows that he hides in himself the possibility of the highest, the most total, the sublime. If there was not this deep downward movement, there could not be this contrary movement to rise to the highest possible. The terrestrial law is that contrary needs contrary; it hides itself as if behind the appearance. The most beautiful is hidden in the worst. But for the worst to reveal the possibility of opening to the highest possible, one must have an absolute faith, a total trust in the Divine Grace, and a complete and stable peace which does not waver whatever may happen. It is an unshakable and invariable peace which does not question, which does not doubt — an inner peace which is without excitement and without anxiety because it has an absolute trust in the Divine Grace. It is a state like this (gesture), tranquil, unwavering.

For He is the inner guide. And in all that happens, He is responsible. That is why one keeps this faith intact and this total peace through the worst of conditions. And what seems materially the worst in an ordinary consciousness is not so in another consciousness or in another kind of attitude. It is only a question of how one looks at things. As one sees them, or depending on the degree of importance one gives to them, so one perceives them.

But if we have this total peace and faith in the Divine, then all that happens is for the best possible. And with this trust, we can remain detached, without any reaction whatever, and remain unmoving in the face of all that happens. Well, in this case, the worst of calamities do not touch us. There is no pretention in all this. If one is sincere, then the worst things one can imagine become as if steps to the most total and sublime progress.

With this attitude one can climb to the highest possible heights. But one must have an unwavering faith and a perfect peace, like this (same gesture), tranquil, and tranquil in an absolute trust in the Divine. It is a state that exists. There is no doubt. It is a detached attitude, but confident and peaceful in all situations because it has found the inner link where outer storms have no access.

For it is total peace and faith in the Divine that are his guide. Nothing can shake him, nothing can touch him who has faith and an absolute peace. It is a little difficult and it takes some time; but with a sincere effort, what in the world is difficult? You must try to find this peace and this faith in whatever you do; then the Grace will always smile at you.

And you know, with this attitude one can do anything. It holds the key to all realisations. It is all-powerful. It can cure the worst diseases whatever they may be if one can have this inner consciousness. But one must be sincere and have this absolute trust, without faltering, and be as calm as possible. Then all goes well, and one says to oneself: “For He is my support. It is in Him and through Him that I act.” If we can develop this faith in us, then things appear completely different and in a new light, and the worst things always bring forth the possibility of more total realisations.

It is like this: since one wants to leap forward, one has first to go back a few steps, as if one were retreating, and then leap forward with élan. In the same way, when one sees something bad in oneself and it is repugnant, then immediately one wants to change it into something beautiful. This is because, behind what is ugly, there is lodged a spark of beauty of the highest kind one can find. This marvellous wonder calls to you and from your side you truly insist on change, it is as though the worst were leading you towards what is beautiful.

This is the law of Nature, since behind pain one finds sublime joy. In the same way, one must bear pain, extreme pain, to find the Divine who is the joy of ecstasy; it is the pain that ends in joy. Now have you understood?

Yes, Mother.

5 May 1968

(The next week, I wrote to the Mother:)

Supreme Lord,

Why do the worst things hold the possibility of the most total realisations?

(The Mother replied:)

It is necessary for the education of the world as long as it has not made the needed effort.

12 May 1968