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jokingly, I said to Him: “See O Lord, half the chair is
empty come and sit near me.” Sometimes it seemed He

would content me, and I felt such delight that I myself cannot
express it.

Sometimes, then, while I was working a little slowly and

listlessly, He would say to me: “Hurry up, help yourself, for
in the time you gain by helping yourself you will come and

be with Me in prayer.” Sometimes, He Himself would assign
to me how much work I was supposed to do. Then I would
pray Him to come and help me. “Yes, yes,” He would answer
me, “We will do it together, so that when you have finished,

we will be more free.” And it would happen that in one hour
or two I did what I was supposed to do during the whole day.

Then I would go to pray, and He gave me much Light and told
me many things, such that it would be too long if I wanted to
say them all.

I remember that while I was alone, working, I noticed that
the thread was not enough to finish that work, and that I would
need to go to my family in order to get some. So I turned to

Him and I said: “What is the purpose of having helped me,
my Beloved? As I see that I need to go to my family, I may
find people who may prevent me from coming back here, and
this time our conversation will come to nothing.”

“What, what?,” He said to me, “Don’t you have faith?”
“Yes.”

“Well then, do not fear, for I will make you complete
everything.” And so it happened; and then I would start to
pray.

If then, at lunch time, I ate something tasty, immediately
He would reprimand me interiorly, saying: “Have you perhaps
forgotten that I had no other taste but suffering for Love of

you? And that you must have no other taste but mortifying
yourself for love of Me? Leave it aside, and eat that which
you like the least.” And immediately I would take it and bring

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