I hope you don’t find me impertinent. I love you very much. You have often been rather like my favourite saint. I hope Jesus has told you this. I’m sure he knows.

But I have to speak my mind, even though I love you – or maybe because I love you.

I’ve been reading a biography of you recently, and in one of your letters you write of the Muslim people of Morocco and Algeria,

It is not possible for me to practice the precept of brotherly love without consecrating my life to doing as much good as possible for these brothers of Jesus who lack everything since they lack Jesus.

My brother Charles, this sounds a bit depressing! I know you motivated yourself by your extreme language. That’s just your personality – and I like it. But dear brother, maybe you wore yourself out too much by language like this.

It’s not true that someone who is, or is potentially, a brother of Jesus necessarily lacks Jesus! He’s always knocking at the door. And although they might not known him explicitly (and that would certainly be better!), they might know him still.

I know that you know this now, because you see Jesus face to face, and I’m sure he’s told you. But if you wouldn’t mind taking a quick look at these posts of mine, I hope they might make you smile, because I made them while thinking of you:

• In What Sense are our Neighbours “Potentially” Members of Christ? (06-08-2012)
• Those Who Do What is True Come to the Light (A Brief Reflection) (18-03-2012)
• God Enters into Dialogue with Each Non-Christian Soul (11-08-2012)

I hope you like this. I want to meet you someday soon.

With love,
Ben