49 Chapter Four Faith, the fourth virtue mentioned in the Gospel, which you should possess and cultivate in three ways, in imitation of the Virgin. The Virgin Mary was always most firm in faith, and from this faith, in order to please God, she thought, spoke and acted as follows: She conceived the Son of God in faith, humility and obedience. She went up to the hill country, and, entering Zechariah’s house, she greeted St. Elizabeth. Indeed, in view of all this, St. Elizabeth congratulated her: “Blessed is she who trusted the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” [cf. Lk 1:45]. According to the example and in imitation of the Virgin, consecrated souls, in order to please God, must be firm in faith [cf. 1 Pt 5:9], because without faith it is impossible to please God [cf. Heb 11:6]. Through faith, they must also conceive Jesus and climb the mount of perfection, so as to be able to do some good in Zechariah’s house, that is, in the Church or in the religious institute. To truly greet St. Elizabeth is to share in the good works of the saints. No one, therefore, can be received into this Order who is not a faithful Catholic, or is
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