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CHAPTER IV. VOCATION. ""Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." — ST. LUKE XI, 28. Among the persons who made the reform of our holy Mother Saint Teresa illustrious in the 18th century, we can mention Venerable Mother Teresa of Saint Augustine, in France, and in Italy, the subject of this biography, our Venerable Sister Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart. The first is a star of highest magnitude, which shines the more brilliantly as she exchanged a life of royalty for that of a barefoot religious; the last is only a flower, but so spiritually beautiful, fragrant, and perfect that it is one of the most precious ornaments of our Order. If the first fills us with admiration, the second charms us. Anna Maria in due time made it evident that the Divine Spouse wished her for Himself alone, and her confessor saw it with holy joy. Her father alone seemed not to realize it. The human heart is so made; it turns away from what it fears. At the age of sixteen "Our Angel," as her worthy father loved to call her, decided to consecrate herself to Our Lord; but her choice of an order was undecided. The Divine Master had chosen for her. He had destined her for Carmel, and permitted that our seraphic Mother herself should be the direct interpreter of His will. In September, 1763, a friend of her childhood, Cecilia Albergotti, of a noble family of Arezzo, her birthplace, before taking the holy habit in the Monastery of Saint Teresa, at Florence, paid her a farewell visit. After their conversation, Anna Maria suddenly felt her soul seized by a powerful movement of the Divine Spirit; and while in this state she heard, or felt certain she heard, a voice say to her aloud: "I am Teresa of Jesus, and I wish you to be with my daughters." Greatly moved, beside herself with delight and joy she ran to the most Blessed Sacrament and begged Him most affectionately to make her understand more clearly if this voice was from Him, if she should believe it and act in conformity to it. Immediately, again placed under the influence of the Holy Spirit, she heard clearly the same voice repeating to her: "I am Teresa of Jesus, and I tell you that you will soon be in my monastery." All disquiet then disappeared, being replaced by a great peace; her vocation was decided. She, however, kept her secret to herself; she did not even make it known to her father. He came some months later to take her back to her home, where, according to the wish of her parents, she was to make a free choice of a state of life.
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