| Age | Sources and Pages | Code Number | Quotations | Relevant Key Words, Phrases and Their Code Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6? | SS 38. |
17-6-1 | I loved God very much and offered my heart to Him very often, making use of the little formula Mother had taught me. |
14-6-1 (The Little Way) |
| 6~7 | SS48 -49. |
17-6-2 |
In the evening at that moment when the sun seems to bathe itself in the
immensity of the waves, leaving a luminous trail behind, I went and sat
down on a huge rock with Pauline. Then I recalled the touching story of
the “Golden Trail.” I contemplated this luminous trail for a long time.
It was to me the image of God's grace shedding its light across the path
the little white-sailed vessel had to travel.
|
24-6-2 (Mercy of God, Graces), 39-6-4 (Pauline) |
| 9~10 | GCI 157, Dec. 1882 or Jan. 1883, from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-9-1 | …I know nothing, nothing but one thing, we must love God more and more…. |
39-9-6 (Pauline) |
| 10 | SS 73. |
14-10-1 | …I must admit this type of life had its charms for me. Wisdom is right in saying: “ The bewitching of vanity overturns the innocent mind!” (Wisdom 4:12.) At the age of ten the heart allows itself to be easily dazzled, and I consider it a great grace not to have remained at Alencon. The friends we had there were too worldly; they knew too well how to ally the joys of this earth to the service of God. They didn't think about death enough, and yet death had paid its visit to a great number of those whom I knew, the young, the rich, the happy! I love to return in spirit to the enchanting places where they live, wondering where these people are, what became of their houses and gardens where I saw them enjoy life's luxuries? And I see that all is vanity and vexation of spirit under the sun, (Ecclesiastes 2:11.) that the only good is to love God with all one's heart and to be poor in spirit here on earth. |
9-10-1 (Poor in Spirit), 14-10-1 (The Little Way), 24-10-1 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 10 | GCI 156, Jan. 1883, LC6: from Mother Marie de Gon- zague. |
17-10-2 | Therese, let us love Jesus very much. | |
| 11 | SS 77. |
17-11-1 | Ah! how sweet was that first kiss of Jesus! It was a kiss of love; I felt that I was loved, and I said:.“I love You, and I give myself to You forever!” There were no demands made, no struggles, no sacrifices; for a long time now Jesus and poor little Therese looked at and understood each other. That day, it was no longer simply a look, it was a fusion; they were no longer two, Therese had vanished as a drop of water is lost in the immensity of the ocean. Jesus alone remained; He was the Master, the King. Had not Therese asked Him to take away her liberty, for her liberty frightened her? She felt so feeble and fragile that she wanted to be united forever to the divine Strength!… |
8-11-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 14-11-2 (The Little Way), 15-11-1 (Union with Jesus), |
| 11 | SS 79 -80. |
17-11-2 | The day after my communion, the words of Marie came to my mind. I felt born within my heart a great desire to suffer , and at the same time the interior assurance that Jesus reserved a great number of crosses for me. I felt myself flooded with consolations so great that I look upon them as one of the greatest graces of my life. Suffering became my attraction; it had charms about it which ravished me without my understanding them very well. Up until this time, I had suffered without loving suffering, but since this day I felt a real love for it. I also felt the desire of loving only God, of finding my joy only in Him. Often during my Communions, I repeated these words of the Imitation:“ O Jesus, unspeakable sweetness, change all the consolations of this earth into bitterness for me.” This prayer fell from my lips without effort, without constraint; it seemed I repeated it not with my will but like a child who repeats the words a person he loves has inspired in him. |
2-11-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 5-11-1 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 14-11-3 (The Little Way), 18-11-2 (Holy Communion), 24-11-1 (Mercy of God, Grace), 29-11-1 (Consolation) |
| 11 | SS 83 -84. |
17-11-3 |
…Without having drunk the empoisoned cup of a too ardent love of
creatures, I feel I cannot be mistaken. I have seen so many souls,
seduced by this false light, fly like poor moths and burn their
wings, and then return to the real and gentle light of Love that
gives them new wings which are more brilliant and delicate, so that
they can fly towards Jesus, that Divine Fire “which burns without
consuming.” Ah! I feel it! Jesus knew I was too feeble to be exposed
to temptation; perhaps I would have allowed myself to be burned
entirely by the misleading light had I seen it shining in my eyes.
It was not so for me, for I encountered only bitterness where
stronger souls met with joy, and they detached themselves from it
through fidelity.
I have no merit at all, then, in not having given
myself up to the love of creatures. I was preserved from it only
through God's mercy! I know that without Him, I could have fallen as low as St. Mary Magdalene, and the profound words of Our Lord to Simon resound with a great sweetness in my soul. I know that “ he to whom less is forgiven, LOVES less,” (Luke 7:47.) but I also know that Jesus has forgiven me more than St. Mary Magdalene since He forgave me in advance of preventing me from falling. Ah! I wish I could explain what I feel…. |
8-11-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 15-11-2 (Union with Jesus), 16-11-2 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-11-2 (Mercy of God, Grace), 45-11-1 (Magdalene) |
| 11 | SS 84. |
17-11-4 | …He wants me to love Him because He has forgiven me not much but ALL. He has not expected me to love Him much like Mary Magdalene, but He has willed that I KNOW how He has loved me with a love of unspeakable foresight in order that now I may Love Him unto folly! I have heard it said that one cannot meet a pure soul who loves more than a repentant soul; ah! how I would wish to give the lie to this statement! |
16-11-3 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 34-11-1 (Repentance, Contrition) |
| 11 | GCI 193, Mar. 14, 1884, LC26: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-11-5 | …Ask Him to accept me soon for His little Spouse and that I will love Him only. |
39-11-8 (Pauline) |
| 11 | GCI 200, May 6, 1884, LC 31: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-11-6 | …Let us think of nothing but Jesus! |
39-11-12 (Pauline) |
| 11 | GCI 201, May 6, 1884, LC 32: from Fr. P. Pichon |
17-11-7 | …Your dear little letter pleased me very much. I was very happy to find in it the promise of a very childlike remembrance on this beautiful day when He, who will be the God of your heart, will be unable to refuse you anything. Ask for yourself, along with me, the grace of loving Him as much as He wills to be loved by your heart, and for myself a great number of souls to save. |
16-11-4 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-11-1 (Salvation of Souls), 24-11-4 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 14 | SS 99 -98. |
17-14-1 |
…He made me a fisher of souls.
I experienced a great desire to work for
the conversion of sinners, a desire I hadn't
felt so intensely before. I felt charity enter into my soul, and the need to forget myself and to please others; since then I've been happy! One Sunday, looking at a picture of Our Lord on the Cross, I was struck by the blood flowing from one of the divine hands. I felt a great pang of sorrow when thinking this blood was falling to the gound without anyone's hastening to gather it up. I was resolved to remain in spirit at the foot of the Cross and to receive the divine dew. I understood I was then to pour it out upon souls. The cry of Jesus on the Cross sounded continually in my heart: “I thirst!” (John 19:28.) These words ignited within me an unknown and very living fire. I wanted to give my Beloved to drink and I felt myself consumed with a thirst for souls. And yet, it was not the souls of priests that attracted me, but those of great sinners; I burned with desire to snatch them from the eternal flames. |
2-14-1 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-14-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 13-14-1 (Joyful Soul), 14-14-1 (The Little Way), 22-14-1 (Salvation of Souls), 27-14-1 (Sinners, Sins), |
| 14 | SS 100 -101. |
17-14-2 | … After this unique grace my desire to save souls grew each day, and I seemed to hear Jesus say to me what he said to the Samaritan woman: “ Give me to drink!”(John 4:7.) It was a true interchange of love: to souls I was giving the blood of Jesus, to Jesus I was offering these same souls refreshed by the divine dew. I slaked His thirst and the more I gave Him to drink, the more the thirst of my poor little soul increased, and it was this ardent thirst He was giving me as the most delightful drink of His love. |
22-14-2 (Salvation of Souls), 24-14-1 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 14 | SS 102. |
17-14-3 | …I experienced already what God reserved for those who love Him (not with the eye but with the heart), and seeing the eternal rewards had no proportion to life's small sacrifices, I wanted to love, to love Jesus with a passion, giving Him a thousand proofs of my love while it was possible. |
2-14-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-14-2 (The Little Way) |
| 14 | SS 104. |
17-14-4 |
…As the Imitation says, God communicates Himself at times in the midst
of great splendor or “gently veiled, under shadows and figures.” It was
in this way He deigned to manifest Himself to our souls, but how light and
transparent the veil was which hid Jesus from our gaze! Doubt was impossible,
faith and hope were unnecessary, and Love made us find on earth the One whom
we were seeking. “Having found us alone, he gave
us his kiss, in order that
in the future no one could despise us.” (Canticle of Canticles 8:1.) Graces as great as this were not to be without fruit and it was abundant. The practice of virtue became sweet and natural to us. At the beginning, it is true, my face betrayed the struggle, but little by little this vanished and renunciation was easy, even the first call of grace, … |
2-14-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-14-2 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 24-14-3 (Mercy of God, Graces), 28-14-2 (Peace) |
| 14 | SS 105. |
17-14-5 | …It was with such an intention that Jesus showered His graces so lavishly upon His little flower, he, who cried out in His mortal life: “I thank thee, Father, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and revealed them to babes,” (Matthew 11:25.) willed to have His mercy shine out in me. Because I was little and weak He lowered himself to me, and He instructed me secretly in the things of His love. Ah! had the learned who spent their life in study come to me, undoubtedly they would have been astonished to see a child of fourteen understand perfection's secrets, secrets all their knowledge cannot reveal because to possess them one has to be poor in spirit! |
8-14-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-14-1 (Poor in Spirit), 10-14-1 (Littleness), 14-14-3 (The Little Way), 16-14-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-14-5 (Mercy of God, Graces), 44-14-1 (Reveals to the Little Ones), 48-14-1 (The Wise and the Prudent) |
| 14 | SS 106. |
17-14-6 | The place was Carmel. Before “resting in the shadow of him whom I desired,” (Canticle of Canticles 2:3.) I was to pass through many trials, but the divine call was so strong that had I been forced to pass through flames, I would have done it out of love for Jesus. |
2-14-4 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials) |
| 14 | SS 111 -112. |
17-14-7 |
Many things happened before my trip to Bayeux; exteriorly my life
appeared to be as usual. I studied, took lessons in drawing from
Celine, and my clever teacher recognized in me an aptitude for her
art.
Above all, I was growing in love for God; I felt
within my
heart certain aspirations unknown until then, and at times I had
veritable transports of love. One evening, not knowing how to tell Jesus that I loved Him and how much I desired that He be loved and glorified everywhere, I was thinking He would never receive a single act of love from hell; then I said to God that to please Him I would consent to see myself plunged into hell so that He would be loved eternally in that place of blasphemy. I realized this could not give Him glory since he desires only our happiness, but when we love, we experience the need of saying a thousand foolish things; if I talked in this way, it wasn't because heaven did not excite my desire, but because at this time my heaven was none other than Love, and I felt, as did St. Paul, that nothing could separate us from the Divine Being who so ravished me! |
14-14-4 (The Little Way), 25-14-1 (Glory) |
| 14 | SS 114. |
17-14-8 |
…Ah!what that trip cost me! God had to give me a very
special grace
to overcome my timidity. It's also very true that “love never finds
impossibilities, because it believes everything is possible, everything
is permitted.” (TIC, III, 5:4.) It was surely only love of Jesus that
could help me
surmount these difficulties and the ones that followed, for it pleased
Him to have me buy my vocation with
very great trials. Today, when I am enjoying Carmel's solitude ( resting in the shadow of him whom I have so ardently desired (Canticle of Canticles 2:3.)), I find I paid very little for my happiness, and would be ready to bear with even greater trials to acquire it if I still didn't have it! |
2-14-8 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 24-14-6 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 14 | SS 121 -122. |
17-14-9 | I understood true greatness is to be found in the soul, not in a name, since as Isaias says: “The Lord will call his servants by ANOTHER NAME,” (Isaias 65:15.) and St. John says: “ To him that overcomes I will give a white stone, and on the stone a NEW NAME written which no man knows but the one who receives it.” (Apocalypse 2:17.) It is in heaven, then, that we shall know our titles of nobility. Then shall every man have praise from God (1 Corinthians 4:5.) and the one who on earth wanted to be the poorest, the most forgotten out of love of Jesus, will be the first, the noblest, and the richest! |
7-14-3 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 9-14-2 (Poor in Spirit), 14-14-5 (The Little Way), |
| 14 | SS 125. |
17-14-10 | When I saw all these beauties very profound thoughts came to life in my soul. I seemed to understand already the grandeur of God and the marvels of heaven. The religious life appeared to me exactly as it is with its subjections, its small sacrifices carried out in the shadows. I understood how easy it is to become all wrapped up in self, forgetting entirely the sublime goal of one's calling. I said to myself: When I am a prisoner in Carmel and trials come my way and I have only a tiny bit of the starry heavens to contemplate, I shall remember what my eyes have seen today. This thought will encourage me and I shall easily forget my own little interests, recalling the grandeur and power of God, this God whom I want to love alone. |
1-14-2 (Self-love, Nature), 2-14-10 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-14-1 (Silence, Hidden), 7-14-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-14-6 (The Little Way), |
| 14 | GCI 291 -292, Oct. 14, 1887, LC 54: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-14-11 | …Always be faithful to Him and fear nothing…. Oh! what a blessing for you to be only fifteen and to love Him alone, alone, without any sharing!… You are the little St. John of Jesus always leaning on His Heart; you listen only to Him, you want only Him. |
39-14-6 (Pauline) |
| 14 | GCI 310, Nov. 8, 1887, LD: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-14-12 | …In order to enter the House of the heavenly Spouse you must have some trials, you must knock several times, you must weep, knock and weep again. Then there will come a moment when the door will finally open, and what has opened the door if not desire, suffering, and love?. |
2-14-17 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 39-14-7 (Pauline) |
| 14 | GCI 312, Nov. 9, 1887, LC 57: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-14-13 | …Don't forget that He wept there often; very often; He wept there with love and with the desire to see all souls take flight towards Him, and He wept with sorrow when seeing so few would love Him in the future!. |
2-14-18 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 39-14-8 (Pauline) |
| 14 | GCI 358, Nov. 23, 1887, LC 66: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-14-14 | …I learned that My little ball was filled only with My love. I learned that it really wants to suffer for Me. I learned that it wants only Me…This kiss will be the seal of My Heart; no one will be able to break it, no one…. Oh!how happy I am! How I love My little ball! I can pierce it! I can do all I want with it and always it repeats:‘Jesus, I love You! Jesus, I love You! To rejoice, to suffer, to suffer again! All that You will, my dear little Jesus.’”. |
2-14-23 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-14-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 39-14-11 (Pauline), |
| 15 | GCI 400 -401, March 18 (?), 1888, LT 43B to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-15-1 |
…Oh, Pauline, when Jesus will have placed me on the blessed shore of Carmel,
I want to give myself totally to Him, I want to live no longer but for Him. Oh,
no, I shall not fear His strikes, for, even
in the most bitter sufferings, I
always feel that it is His gentle hand that is striking. I really felt this at
Rome at the very moment when I would have believed the earth could have given
way beneath my steps. I desire only one thing when I shall be in Carmel, and it is to suffer always for Jesus. Life passes so quickly that really it must be better to have a very beautiful crown and a little trouble than to have an ordinary one without any trouble. And then for a suffering borne with joy, when I think that during the whole of eternity I will love God better. Then in suffering we can save souls. Ah! Pauline, if at the moment of my death I could have a soul to offer to Jesus, how happy I would be; it would be a soul that would have been snatched from the fire of hell and would bless God for all eternity. |
2-15-5 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-15-2 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-15-2 (The Little Way), 22-15-2 (Salvation of Souls), 23-15-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-15-1 (Time), 39-15-3 (Pauline) |
| 15 | GCI 408, Mar. 27, 1888, LC 78: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-15-2 | …Let us love Jesus, who has loved us so much! Let the little fiancee have no fear of following her Beloved on the road to Calvary. She must learn that He is “a Spouse of blood” and that, to resemble Him and bear the name of Spouse worthily, she must always prove her love through suffering. |
2-15-7 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 39-15-8 (Pauline) |
| 15 | GCI 467 -468, Oct. 20, 1888, LT 65: to Celine. |
17-15-3 | When I think that if God were to give us the entire universe with all its treasures that this would not be comparable to the lightest suffering! What a grace when, in the morning, we feel no courage, no strength to practice virtue; that is the moment to put the axe to the root of the tree. Instead of wasting our time gathering a few baubles, we can dip into diamonds, and what a profit at the end of the day…. It is true that sometimes, for a few moments, we look with scorn at gathering our treasures, and this is the difficult moment. We are tempted to leave all behind, but in one act of love, even unfelt love, all is repaired, and Jesus smiles. He is helping us without seeming to do so, and the tears that the wicked make Him shed are dried by our poor and feeble love. Love can do all things, and the most difficult things don't appear difficult to it. Jesus does not look so much at the grandeur of actions or even their difficulty as at the love which goes to make up these actions…. |
2-15-16 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-15-5 (The Little Way), 24-15-3 (Mercy of God, Graces), 41-15-1 (Unfelt Love), 42-15-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 15 | GCI 475, Nov. 2-4 (?), 1888, LC 92: from Sr. Marie of the An- gels. |
17-15-4 | …Jesus is a Spouse of blood, and He is drenching your nuptial dress in the blood of the Lamb…let Him, you will not regret it! Little Therese of the Child Jesus, let the Child play games with His very dear ball; smile at Him still, smile at Him always, and the more He makes you suffer the more you are to love Him! Let everything in your souls sing the intoxicating songs of Calvary, and, in this, be more than a cicada on the ground but be rather a little Nightingale from Paradise! |
2-15-17 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), |
| 15 | GCI 488 -489, Dec. 27, 1888, LC 97: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
17-15-5 | Entirely surrounded by thorns, your vocation appears to me more beautiful and more radiant. Oh! I envy your privileged lot; suffering for Jesus and what sufferings! This is the engagement gift. God is molding your heart, even its most delicate fibers. Let Him do with you and with your holy patriarch all He wills to do. There is nothing in divine Providence that is not inspired by the love of a Father. |
2-15-19 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-15-5 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 16 | GCI 500, Jan. 6, 1889, LT74: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-16-1 |
If you only knew how much I want to be indifferent to
the things of this earth. What do all created beauties mean
to me, I would be unhappy possessing them, my heart would
be so empty!… It is incredible how big my heart appears to
me when I consider all earth's treasures. But when I consider
Jesus, how little it appears to me!!
I would so much like
to love Him!… Love Him more than He has ever been loved!…
My only desire is to do the will of Jesus always! To dry away
the little tears that sinners make Him shed…. Oh! I do not
WANT Jesus to have any sorrow. On the day of my espousals,
I would like to convert all the sinners of this earth and
to save all the souls in purgatory!… The Lamb of Jesus is going to laugh when it sees this desire of the little grain of sand!… I know that it's folly, but, nevertheless, I would like it to be this way so that Jesus have not one single tear to shed. |
7-16-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-16-4 (The Little Way), 16-16-2 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-16-1 (Salvation of Souls), 27-16-1 (Sinners, Sins), 39-16-2 (Pauline), 50-16-1 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 16 | GCI 504, Jan. 7, 1889, LT 76: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-16-2 |
How good He is to me, He who will soon be my Fiancee; how
divinely lovable He is when not wanting to allow me
to attach myself to ANY created thing.
He knows well that
if He were to give me a shadow of HAPPINESS, I would attach
myself to it with all my energy, all the strength of my heart,
and this shadow He is refusing me; He prefers leaving me in
darkness to giving me a false light which would not be
Himself!… Since I can't find any creature that contents me,
I want to give all to Jesus, and I don't want to give to
the creature even one atom of my love. My Jesus always makes
me understand that He alone is perfect joy, when He appears
to be absent!… Today more than yesterday, if that were possible, I was deprived of all consolations. I thank Jesus, who finds this good for my soul, and that, perhaps if He were to console me, I would stop at this sweetness; but He wants that all be for Himself!… Well, then, all will be for Him, all, even when I feel I am able to offer nothing; so, just like this evening, I will give Him this nothing! Although Jesus is giving no consolation, He is giving me a peace so great that it is doing me more good!… |
7-16-5 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 11-16-2 (Nothingness), 28-16-1 (Peace), 29-16-2 (Consolation), 39-16-3 (Pauline), 43-16-1 (Darkness) |
| 16 | GCI 508 -509, Jan. 6-9, 1889, (?), LC 104: from Sr. Marie of the Angels. |
17-16-3 | …Bless him for the ardent desires He is giving you to love Him and gain souls for Him. What does it matter if your heart is little, provided your desires are very great! Desire, desire again and always to love Him whom you will never love enough. Your aridities, your sufferings, these are something to offer Jesus both for Himself and for souls! You know very well, there are little flowers which don't always have to be touched by the rays of the sun; for them to develop to their plenitude, they need more shade than sun. Well, then, if Jesus wills that you be one of these flowers, what does it matter, as long as in the eyes of heaven you were blooming with all the splendor that the divine Gardner had given your soul in treating it in the way that He knows is suitable for it! |
2-16-13 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-16-3 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 16 | GCI 514, Jan.8, 1889, LT79: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
17-16-4 | Oh! the homeland…the homeland! How I thirst for heaven, there where I shall love Jesus without reserve! But we must suffer and cry in order to arrive there…well, then, I want to suffer all that will please Jesus; let Him do whatever He wills with His little ball. |
2-16-15 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-16-5 (The Little Way), 16-16-5 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 16 | GCI 529 -530, Jan. 23- 25(?), 1889, LT81, to Celine. |
17-16-5 |
You give me an impression, at this moment, of a person who is surrounded with
immense riches… the sight of them is lost over the horizon…. This person wants
to turn her back because, she says, too many riches embarrass her, she does not know
what to do with them; it is better to lose them, or that another take them!… That
other will not come, for these riches are prepared for the fiancee of Jesus… and
for her alone!… God would turn the world upside down to find
suffering in order
to give it to a soul upon whom His DIVINE glance has rested with an indescribable
love!… The things of this earth…what do they mean to us?… Should this be our homeland, this slime, so unworthy of an immortal soul… and what does it matter to us that cowardly men harvest the mustiness that grows on this slime? The more our heart is in heaven, the less we feel these pinpricks…. But believe that this is a grace and a great grace to feel these pinpricks, for, then, our life is a martyrdom, and one day Jesus will give us the palm. To suffer and to be despised!…what bitterness but what glory…. Suffer both again and always…. But all passes. |
2-16-18 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-16-6 (The Little Way), 24-16-3 (Mercy of God, Graces), 25-16-2 (Glory), 37-16-3 (Time) |
| 16 | GCI 529, Jan. 23 -25 (?), 1889, LT 81: to Celine. |
17-16-6 |
Yes, darling of my heart, Jesus is there with His
Cross! Privileged one
of His love, He wills to make you like Him!
Why be frightened at not
being able to carry this Cross without weakening?
Jesus on the road to
Calvary fell three times, and, you, poor little child, you would not be
like your Spouse, you would not be willing to fall a hundred times if
necessary to prove your love for Him, rising with greater strength than
before your fall!… Celine…Jesus must love you with a special love to be trying you in this way. Do you know that I am almost jealous of you? To those who love more He gives more, and to those who love less He gives less!… |
2-16-17 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-16-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 16 | GCI 529 Jan. 23 -25 (?), 1889, LT 81; to Celine |
16-16-7 | But you don't feel your love for YOUR SPOUSE. You would like your heart to be a flame that rises up to Him without the lightest smoke. Don't forget that the smoke that surrounds you is only for yourself in order to remove from you the sight of your love for Jesus, while the flame is only for Him. At least,then He has this love entirely, for if He were to show it to us just a little bit, swiftly self-love would come like a fatal wind which extinguishes everything!… |
1-16-2 (Selflove, Nature) |
| 16 | GCI 537, Feb. 28, 1889, LT 82: to Celine. |
17-16-8 |
Oh! how it costs to give Jesus what He asks!…What joy that it
costs…
What an unspeakable
joy to carry our Crosses
FEEBLY… Has
the Lily-immortelle understood the poor grain of sand?….Your novitiate
is one of sorrow; what and inexplicable privilege…. Ah! dear little sister, far from complaining to Jesus about the Cross he is sending us, I cannot understand the infinite love that has drawn Him to treat us in this way…. Our dear Father must be much loved by Jesus to have to suffer this way, but don't you find that the misfortune that is striking him is really the complement of his beautiful life?… I feel, little Lily-Immortelle, that I am speaking real follies to you, but it does not matter. I still think very many others things about the love of Jesus which are perhaps much stronger than what I am saying to you….What a joy to be humbled; it is the only thing that makes saints!… Can we doubt now the will of Jesus concerning our souls?… Life is only a dream, and soon we shall wake up, and what joy… the greater our sufferings are the more infinite will be our glory… Oh, let us not lose the trial that Jesus is sending us, it is a gold mine to be exploited. Are we going to miss the chance?… The grain of sand wants to get to work, without joy, without courage, without strength, and it is all these titles which will facilitate the enterprise for it; it wants to work through love. |
2-16-19 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 12-16-1 (Humility, Humbleness), 14-16-7 (The Little Way), 16-16-7 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 21-16-1 (A Saint), 23-16-7 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-16-4 (Time) |
| 16 | GCI 552 -553, Apr. 4, 1889, LT 87: to Celine |
17-16-9 |
Your letter gave great sadness to my soul! Poor little Papa!…
No, the
thoughts of Jesus are not our thoughts, and His ways are not
our ways…. (Isaias 55:8.) He is offering us a chalice as bitter as our feeble nature can bear!… Let us not withdraw our lips from this chalice prepared by the hand of Jesus…. Let us see life as it really is …. It is a moment between two eternities…. Let us suffer in peace! I admit that this word peace seemed a little strong to me, but the other day, when reflecting on it, I found the secret of suffering in peace…. The one who says peace is not saying joy, or at least, felt joy…. To suffer in peace it is enough to will all that Jesus wills…. To be the spouse of Jesus we must resemble Jesus, and Jesus is all bloody, He is crowned with thorns!… “A thousand years in your eyes, Lord, are as yesterday, which has PASSED”!… (Psalm 90:4.) “On the banks of the river of Babylon, we sat and wept when we remembered Sion…. We hung our harps on the willows in the fields…. Those who led us into captivity said to us: ‘Sing for us one of the pleasant songs from Sion.’ How could we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land!” …Psalm of David… (Psalm 136:1-4.). No, let us not sing the canticles of heaven to creatures…. But, like Cecilia, let us sing a melodious canticle in our heart to our Beloved!… The canticle of suffering united to His sufferings is what delights His Heart the most!… Jesus is on fire with love for us… look at His adorable Face!… Look at His eyes lifeless and lowered! Look at His wounds…. Look at Jesus in His Face…. There you will see how He loves us. |
1-16-3 (Self Love, Nature), 2-16-24 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-16-10 (Renunciation, Forget self), 14-16-10 (The Little Way), 16-16-10 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 28-16-3 (Peace), 37-16-7 (Time), 41-16-3 (Unfelt Love), 50-16-3 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 16 | GCI 546- 547, March 12, 1889, LT 85: to Celine. |
17-16-10 |
Jesus' love for Celine can be understood only by Jesus!… Jesus
had
done foolish things for Celine…. Let Celine do foolish things for
Jesus…. Love is repaid by love alone, and the
wounds of love are
healed only by love. Let us really offer our sufferings to Jesus to save souls, poor souls!… They have less grace than we have, and still all the Blood of a God was shed to save them…. And yet Jesus wills to make their salvation depend on one sigh from our heart….What a mystery! If one sigh can save a soul, what can sufferings like ours not do?… Let us refuse Jesus nothing!… |
2-16-22 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-16-8 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-16-9 (The Little Way), 16-16-9 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-16-3 (Salvation of Souls), 24-16-4 (Mercy of God, Graces), 40-16-1 (Participation to Salvation), 50-16-2 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 16 | GCI 559, April 27, 1889, LC 111: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
17-16-11 |
Love all that comes to you from Jesus, everything, even
the most bitter
gall, the sharpest thorns, your most filial agonies, the divine
absences. Be obstinate in smiling at Our Lord just the same. Yes, you are right, it is better to love Jesus on His terms; there is more love on Calvary than on Thabor. Yes, yes, take joy in being nothing since Jesus is all. Bless God that you feel nothing, possess nothing, find nothing in yourself. |
2-16-25 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 11-16-3 (Nothingness), |
| 16 | GCI 576, July 14, 1889, LT 93: to Marie Guerin. |
17-16-12 |
Don't be troubled about feeling
no consolation in your Communions; this
is a trial that you must bear with love.
Don't lose any of the thorns you
are meeting every day; with one of them you can save a soul!… Ah, if you only knew how much God is offended! Your soul is so well made for consoling Him … love Him to folly for all those who don't love Him!… |
2-16-27 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 18-16-2 (Holy Communion), 22-16-4 (Salvation of Souls), 29-16-6 (Consolation), |
| 16 | GCI 577, July 14, 1889, LT 94: to Celine. |
17-16-13 | My soul doesn't leave you … it suffers exile with you!… Oh! how hard it is to live, to remain on this earth of bitterness and anguish…. But, tomorrow … in an hour, we shall be at port, what joy! Ah, what a good it will be to contemplate Jesus face to face all through the whole of eternity! Always, always more love, always more intoxicating joys… a happiness without clouds…. What has Jesus done, then, to detach our souls from all that is created? Ah, He has struck a big blow… but it is a blow of love. God is admirable, but He is especially lovable; let us love Him, then … let us love Him enough to suffer for Him all that He wills, even spiritual pains, aridities, anxieties, apparent coldness …. Ah, here is great love, to love Jesus without feeling the sweetness of this love … this is martyrdom…. Well, then, let us die as martyrs. Oh! Celine… sweet echo of my soul, do you understand? … Unknown martyrdom, known to God alone, which the eye of the creature cannot discover, a martyrdom without honor, without triumph…. That is love pushed to the point of heroism.… But, one day, a grateful God will cry out: “Now, my turn. ” Oh, what will we see then?… What is this life which will no more have an end?… God will be the soul of our soul… unfathomable mystery.… The eye of man has not seen the uncreated light, his ear has not heard the incomparable harmonies, and his heart cannot have any idea of what God reserves for those whom He loves. And all this will come soon, yes, soon. |
2-16-28 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-16-3 (Silence, Hidden), 7-16-11 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 8-16-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 14-16-12 (The Little Way), 15-16-2 (Union with Jesus), 16-16-12 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 23-16-11 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-16-10 (Time), 41-16-4 (Unfelt Love) |
| 16 | GCI 587- 588, Oct. 15, 1889, LT 96: to Celine. |
17-16-14 | …And if we love much, if we love Jesus with a passion, He will not be so cruel as to leave us for a long time on this earth of exile….Celine, during the SHORT MOMENTS that remain to us, let us not lose our time… let us SAVE SOULS…souls are being lost like flakes of snow, and Jesus weeps, and we…we are thinking of our sorrow without consoling our Fiance….Oh, Celine, let us live for souls…let us be apostles…let us save especially the souls of priests; these souls should be more transparent than crystal… Alas, how many bad priests, priests who are not holy enough… |
22-16-5 (Salvation of Souls), 37-16-11 (Time) |
| 16 | GCI 587- 588, Oct. 15, 1889, LT 96: to Celine. |
17-16-15 | Yes, life is a treasure…each moment is an eternity, an eternity of joy in heaven, an eternity of seeing God face to face, of being one with Him!… There is only Jesus who is; all the rest is not…. Let us love Him, then, unto folly; let us save souls for Him. Ah! Celine, I feel that Jesus is asking both us to quench His thirst by giving Him souls, the souls of priests especially. I feel that Jesus wills that I say this to you, for our mission is to forget ourselves and to reduce ourselves to nothing…. We are so insignificant …and yet Jesus wills that the salvation of souls depends on the sacrifices of our love. He is begging souls from us…. Ah, let us understand His look! There are so few who understand it. Jesus is giving us a hidden light!… Celine… life will be short, eternity is without end…. Let us make our life a continual sacrifice, a martyrdom of love, in order to console Jesus. He wants only a look, a sigh, but a look and a sigh that are for Him alone!… Let all the moments of our life be for Him alone!; let creatures touch us only in passing. There is only one thing to do during the night, the one night of life which will come only once, and this is to love, to love Jesus with all the strength of our heart and to save souls for Him so that He may be loved.… Oh, make Jesus loved!… | 2-16-33 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-16-4 (Silence, Hidden), 7-16-13 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 11-16-5 (Nothingness), 14-16-13 (The Little Way), 16-16-13 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-16-7 (Salvation of Souls), 37-16-12 (Time), 40-16-2 (Participation to Salvation) |
| 16 | GCI 595, Nov. 21, 1889, LC 119: from Sr. Marie of the Angels. |
17-16-16 | …Attached yourself to the Cross like
the ivy in order to die there if
Jesus so wills. May divine suffering be the center of your life; plunge
into this bottomless ocean, and may it engulf you as it did Jesus, for
there alone are life and happiness.
Always love to be little, so little
that the eyes of Jesus only may find you! Little grain of dust,
be unseen
by all in order to be seen by God alone. Be filled with confidence that good Jesus will do everything; rejoice at being poor, at feeling yourself so poor in order that, little beggar, you may have everything from the infinite charity and love of Jesus! Take flight to the All of your heart with wings of humility, simplicity, and love. Jesus loves you with a tender predilection, so pay Him in return, and be happy to love Jesus in suffering for Jesus! |
2-16-34 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 4-16-2 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 8-16-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-16-1 (Poor in Spirit), 10-16-2 (Littleness), 12-16-3 (Humility, Humbleness), 14-16-14 (The Little Way), 16-16-14 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 23-16-12 (The Joy of Sufferings), 31-16-2 (Simplicity of the Soul), 44-16-2 (Reveals to the Little Ones) |
| 17 | GCI 607- 608, Mar. 27, 1890, LC 126: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
17-17-1 | Let it not be enough for you to love Jesus.
You must make Him loved. Without
that, would you be a daughter of St. Teresa? Now, to make Jesus loved we must
suffer, suffer very much. Be happy, then, since everything is
suffering and exile for you. Your wedding will carry the seal of the Cross just as your espousals did. How pleased I am to see you totally abandoned to God's good pleasure!… All that Jesus does is done well. His gifts are the best: nails, thorns, bitter gall, and chalice! Let us bless all Crosses, even the Cross of Caen. We are really crucified in the person of our venerable patriarch. Do you think that Jesus is not interested in our martyrdom? |
2-17-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 4-17-1 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), |
| 17 | GCI 615. May 5-6, 1890, LT 104: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. (Frag- ments.) |
17-17-2 |
It doesn't surprise me that you are having no consolation, for Jesus is
so little consoled that He is happy when He finds a soul in whom He may
take His rest without a lot of ceremony…. How proud I am to be your sister! And your little daughter, too, for it's you who taught me to love Jesus, to seek Him only …and to despise all creatures…. |
29-17-3 (Consolation), 39-17-3 (Pauline) |
| 17 | GCI 622, May 19 -20, 1890, LT 107: to Celine. |
17-17-3 | Celine, don't you find that on this earth there is nothing left for us! Jesus wills to have us drink His chalice to the dregs by leaving our dear Father over there. Ah! let us refuse Him nothing; He has so much need of love and He is so thirsty that he expects from us the drop of water that must refresh Him!… Ah! let us give without counting the cost. One day, He will say: “ now, my turn.” |
2-17-8 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), |
| 17 | GCI 630, July 18, 1890, LT 109: to Celine. |
17-17-4 | Celine, since Jesus was (alone in treading the wine) which He is giving us to drink, let us not refuse in our turn to wear clothing stained in blood… let us tread for Jesus a new wine which may quench His thirst, which will return Him love for love. Ah, let us not keep back one drop of wine that we can offer Him … and, then, looking about, He will see that we are coming to help Him!… His face was as though hidden!… Celine, it is still hidden today, for who understands the tears of Jesus? Dear Celine, let us make a little tabernacle in our heart where Jesus may take refuge, and then He will be consoled, and He will forget what we cannot forget: (the ingratitude of souls that abandon Him in a deserted tabernacle!…) |
2-17-9 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-17-5 (Silence, Hidden), 16-17-7 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-17-1 (Salvation of Souls), |
| 17 | GCI 630- 631, July 18, 1890, LT 109: to Celine. |
17-17-5 |
(Open to me, my sister, my beloved, for my
face is covered with dew, my
locks with the drops of night) (Cant. of Cant. 5:2.). That is what Jesus says
to our soul when He is abandoned and forgotten!…
Celine, forgetfulness,
it seems to me that it's this which causes Him the greatest
sorrow!… Papa!… Ah, Celine, I cannot tell you all I am thinking, it would take too long, and how say things that the mind itself can hardly express, deep things that are in the innermost recesses of the soul…. Jesus has sent us the best chosen Cross that He was able to find in His immense love…how can we complain when He Himself was looked upon as a man struck by God and humbled!… The divine charm delights my soul and consoles it in a marvelous way, at each moment of the day!… Ah, the tears of Jesus, what smiles!… |
2-17-10 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 12-17-1 (Humility, Humbleness), 29-17-5 (Consolation), 37-17-2 (Time), 50-17-1 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 17 | GCI 641 -642, July 27 -29, 1890, LT 109: to Marie Guerin. |
17-17-6 | Marie of the Blessed Sacrament!… Your name speaks your mission…. Console Jesus, make Him loved by souls…. Jesus is sick, and we must state that the sickness of love is healed only through love!… Marie, really give your whole heart to Jesus, He is thirsty for it, He is hungry for it. Your heart, that is what He longs for, even to the point that to have it for Himself He consents to lodge under a dirty and hidden nook!… Ah! how not love a Friend who reduces Himself to such extreme indigence, and how does one dare speak of one's poverty when Jesus makes Himself like His fiancee…. He was rich and He made Himself poor in order to unite His poverty to the poverty of Marie of the Blessed Sacrament…. What a mystery of love!… |
22-17-2 (Salvation of Souls) |
| 17 | GCI 662. Sep. 3, 1890, LT 114: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-17-7 | …He must look only at love. Ask Him to give me very much love too. I'm not asking for perceptible love, but a love felt only by Jesus. Oh! to love Him and make Him loved, how sweet this is!… |
39-17-5 (Pauline), 41-17-1 (Unfelt Love) |
| 17 | GCI 667, Sep. 4, 1890, LT 115: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
17-17-8 |
…
My soul is always in the subterranean passage, but it is very happy,
yes, happy to have no consolation whatsoever, for I find that then
its love is not like the love of earthly fiancees who are always
looking at the hands of their fiances to see if they have brought
them any gifts, or else at their faces to catch there a smile of
love which delights them… But the poor little fiancee of Jesus feels that she loves Jesus for Himself alone, and she wants to look at her Beloved's face only to catch there the tears which flow from His eyes which have delighted her by their hidden charms!… |
23-17-3 (The Joy of Sufferings), 29-17-7 (Consolation), 39-17-7 (Pauline) |
| 17 | GCI 684, Sep. 23, 1890, LT 120: to Celine. |
17-17-9 |
…It is Jesus alone who is conducting this affair, it is He, and I
recognized His touch of love…. You know the extent to which I wanted to see our dear Father again this morning; and now I see very clearly that it's God;s will that he not be here. God has permitted this simply to test my love…. Jesus wants me as an orphan. He wants me to be alone with Him alone in order to unite Himself more intimately with me, and He wills to give me in the homeland the very legitimate joys that He has refused me in the exile!… Celine, be consoled, for our Spouse is a spouse of tears and not smiles. Let us give Him our tears in order to console Him, and one day these tears will be changed into smiles of an ineffable sweetness!… |
2-17-12 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 15-17-2 (Union with Jesus), 16-17-9 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 18 | SS 173 -174. |
17-18-1 | …I felt disposed to say nothing of my interior dispositions since I didn't know how to express them, but I had hardly entered the confessional when I felt my soul expand. After speaking only a few words, I was understood in a marvelous way and my soul was like a book in which this priest read better than I did myself. He launched me full sail upon the waves of confidence and love which so strongly attracted me, but upon which I dared not advance. He told me that my faults caused God no pain, and that holding as he did God's place, he was telling me in His name that God was very much pleased with me. | 4-18-1 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 38-18-1 (Disposition) |
| 18 | SS 174, Oct. 8- 15, 1891 |
17-18-2 | …My nature was such that fear made me recoil; with love not only did I advance, I actually flew. | |
| 18 | GCII 721, Feb. 16 , 1891, LC 146: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
17-18-3 |
I understand the silence of your soul.
I see the depths of your heart. I can
read and read again your unexpressed thoughts. When advancing toward heaven, you will see better and better that to suffer is to love and to love is to suffer! Listen to Jesus when He reveals this admirable secret to you. Keep calm and serene in your whole exterior even when your interior is tossed by the tempest. This is a holy hypocrisy. You are blessed, dear little Lamb of God, at no longer finding any pleasure outside of Jesus. Jesus alone! What riches! |
2-18-1 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-18-1 (Silence, Hidden), |
| 18 | GCII 724, April 26, 1891, LT 127: to Celine. |
17-18-4 |
For the fourth time Therese is coming from the solitude of Carmel to wish you
a happy birthday…. Oh! how these wishes little resemble those of the world,
…
It is not health, happiness, fortune, glory, etc.,
that Therese desires for her
Celine; oh, no, it is exile; our heart is there where
our treasure is, and our
treasure is up above in the homeland where Jesus prepares a place near Himself.
I say
one place and not places, for no doubt
the same throne is reserved to
those who on earth have always been only one soul…. Together we grew up;
together
Jesus instructed us in His secrets, sublime secrets
that He hides from the mighty
and reveals to the little ones;… Yes, by separating us, He
has united us in a
way unknown up to that time to my soul, for since that moment I can desire nothing
for myself alone but for us both…. Ah, Celine!… Three years ago our souls had not yet been broken; happiness was still possible for us on earth, but Jesus cast a glance of love on us, a glance veiled in tears, and this glance has become for us an ocean of suffering, but also an ocean of graces and love. |
2-18-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-18-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 24-18-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 44-18-1 (Reveals to Little Ones), 50-18-1 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 20 | SS 173. |
17-20-1 | O Mother, it was especially since the blessed day of your election that I have flown in the ways of love. On that day Pauline became my living Jesus…. |
14-20-1 (The Little Way) |
| 20 | GCII 794 -795, Jul. 6, 1893, LT 142: to Celine. |
17-20-2 | …Now here we are, all five of us, on our way. What joy to be able to say: “I am sure of doing God's will.” This holy will is clearly manifested with regard to Celine. She is the one whom Jesus has chosen among us all to be the crown, the reward of the holy patriarch who has delighted heaven by his fidelity. How dare you say you have been forgotten, less loved than the others? I say you have been CHOSEN by privilege, your mission is all the more beautiful because, while remaining our dear Father's visible angel, you are at the same time the spouse of Jesus. This is true, perhaps Celine thinks, but I am not doing less than the others for God. I have more consolations and consequently less merits. “ My thoughts are not your thoughts,” says the Lord. Merit does not consist in doing or in giving much, but rather in receiving, in loving much…. It is said, it is much sweeter to give than to receive, and it is true. But when Jesus wills to take for Himself the sweetness of giving, it would not be gracious to refuse. Let us allow Him to take and give all He wills. Perfection consists in doing His will, and the soul that surrenders itself totally to Him is called by Jesus Himself “His mother, His sister,” and His whole family. And elsewhere: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word (that is, he will do my will) and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23.) Oh, Celine how easy it is to please Jesus, to delight His Heart, one has only to love Him, without looking at one's self, without examining one's faults too much…. |
14-20-2 (The Little Way), 16-20-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 29-20-1 (Consolation) |
| 20 | GCII 795 - 796, July 6, 1893, LT 142: to Celine. |
17-20-3 |
…when the sun became hot, the Beloved led us into His garden. He made
us gather the
myrrh of trial by separating us
from
everything and from
Himself. The hill of myrrh has strengthened us with its bitter scents,
so Jesus has made us come down again, and now we are in the valley. He
leads us beside the waters…. Dear Celine, I do not know too well what
I would like to say. Ah! let us be always
Jesus' drop of dew. In that
is happiness, perfection…. Fortunately, I am speaking to you, for other
persons would be unable to understand my language, and I admit it is
true for only a few souls.
In fact, directors have others advance in
perfection by having them perform a great number of acts of virtue, and
they are right; but my director, who is Jesus, teaches me not to count
up my acts. He teaches me to do all through love, to refuse Him nothing,
to be content when He gives me a chance of proving to Him that I love Him.
But this is done in peace, in
abandonment; it is Jesus who is doing all
in me, and I am doing nothing. I feel very much united to my Celine. I believe God has not often made two souls who understand each other so well, never a discordant note. The hand of Jesus touching one of the lyres makes the other vibrate at the same time…. Oh! let us remain hidden in our divine Flower of the fields until the shadows lengthen;… |
2-20-1 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 3-20-1 (Silence, Hidden), 4-20-1 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 7-20-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-20-3 (The Little Way), 16-20-2 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 23-20-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 28-20-1 (Peace), 42-20-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 20 | GCII 801, Jul. 18, 1893, LT 143: to Celine. |
17-20-4 |
…I had to go along quietly in peace and love, doing only what He was asking
me…. But I had a light. St. Teresa says we must maintain love.
The wood is
not within our reach when we are in darkness, in aridities, but at least
are we not obliged to throw little pieces of straw on it? Jesus is really
powerful enough to keep the fire going by Himself. However, He is satisfied
when He sees us put a little fuel on it. This
attentiveness pleases Jesus,
and then He throws on the fire a lot of wood. We do not see it, but we do
feel the
strength of love's warmth. I have
experienced it; when I
am feeling
nothing, when I am INCAPABLE of praying, of practicing virtue, then is the
moment for seeking opportunities,
nothings, which please Jesus more than
mastery of the world or even martyrdom suffered with generosity. For example,
a smile, a friendly word, when I would want to say
nothing, or put on a look
of annoyance, etc., etc. Celine, do you understand? It is not for the purpose of weaving my crown, gaining merits, it is in order to please Jesus…. When I do not have any opportunities, I want at least to tell Him frequently that I love Him; this is not difficult, and it keeps the fire going. Even though this fire of love would seem to me to have gone out, I would like to throw something on it, and Jesus could then relight it. Celine, I am afraid I have not said what I should; perhaps you will think I always do what I am saying. Oh, no! I am not always faithful, but I never get discouraged; I abandon myself into the arms of Jesus. |
4-20-2 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 11-20-1 (Nothingness), 14-20-4 (The Little Way), 37-20-1 (Time), 43-20-1 (Darkness) |
| 21 | GCII 838- 839, Jan. 21, 1894, LT 156: to Mother Agnes of Jesus. |
17-21-1 | Soon, He sees in the distance strange objects bearing no resemblance to the springtime flowers. A cross!… a lance!… a crown of thorns! And yet the divine Child does not tremble; this is what He chooses to show His spouse how much He loves her!… But it is still not enough; His infant face is so beautiful. He sees it disfigured, covered with blood!… unrecognizable!… Jesus knows that His spouse will always recognize Him, that she will be at His side when all others abandon Him, so the divine Child smiles at this bloodstained image, He smiles at the chalice filled with the wine giving birth to virgins. He knows that, in His Eucharist, the ungrateful will desert Him; but Jesus is thinking of His spouse's love, her attention. He sees the flowers of her virtues as they scent the sanctuary, and the Child Jesus continues to sleep on peacefully… He awaits the shadows to lengthen… the night of life to give way to the bright day of eternity!…. |
17-21-1 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 37-21-1 (Time), 39-21-1 (Pauline) |
| 21 | GCII 841, March or May, 1894, LT 157: to Celine. |
17-21-2 | Let the little exile be sad without being sad, for if tenderness of creatures is not concentrated on her, the tenderness of Jesus is totally CONCENTRATED on her. Now that Celine is without a home, Jesus Himself is well obliged. He is content to see His dear spouse wandering, this pleases Him! Why?… I myself know nothing about it…. This is Jesus' secret, but I believe He is preparing very beautiful things in His little house. … He has to work so much that He seems to forget His dear Celine…but, no, without being seen by her, he is looking at her through the window. … He is pleased to see her in the desert, having no other duty but to love while suffering, without even feeling that she loves!… Jesus knows that life is only a dream, so He is taking delight in seeing His spouse weeping on the banks of the river of Babylon! Soon the day will come when Jesus will take His Celine by the hand and will have her enter her little house which will have become an eternal palace…. Then He will say: “‘Now, my turn.’ You have given me on earth the only home that every human heart is unwilling to renounce, that is, yourself, and now I am giving you as a dwelling my eternal substance, that is, “Myself.” This is your house for all eternity. During the night of life, you have been homeless and solitary, now you will have a companion, and it is I, Jesus, your Spouse, your Friend, for whom you sacrificed all, who will be this Companion, who must fill you with joy from age to age!…” |
2-21-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-21-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-21-1 (The Little Way), 37-21-2 (Time) |
| 21 | GCII 851, April 26, 1894, LT 161: to Celine. |
17-21-3 | Do not fear, dear Celine, as long as your lyre does not cease to sing for Jesus, never will it break…. No doubt it is fragile, more fragile than crystal. If you were to give it to an inexperienced musician, soon it would break; but Jesus is the one who makes the lyre of your heart sound…. He is happy that you are feeling your weakness; He is the one placing in your soul sentiments of mistrust of itself. Dear Celine, thank Jesus. He grants you His choice graces; if always you remain faithful in pleasing Him in little things He will find Himself OBLIGED to help you in GREAT Things…. | 8-21-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-21-1 (Littleness), 14-21-2 (The Little Way), 24-21-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 42-21-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 21 | GCII 854, May 22, 1894, LT 164: to Sr. The- rese- Dosi -thee (Leo- nie). |
17-21-4 | Which of the Therese will be the more fervent?…The one who will be more humble, more united to Jesus, more faithful in performing all her actions through love!… Ah! let us pray for one another in order to be equally faithful…. Let us wound Jesus by our eye and by a single hair, this is, by the greatest thing and by the littlest. Let us not refuse Him the least sacrifice. Everything is so big in religion… to pick up a pin out of love can convert a soul. What a mystery!… Ah! it is Jesus alone who can give such a value to our actions; let us love Him with all our strength…. |
2-21-4 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 22-21-1 (Salvation of Souls), 42-21-2 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 21 | GCII 882, Aug. 19, 1894, LT 169: to Celine. |
17-21-5 | …We have only the short moment of this life to give to God… and He is already preparing to say: “ Now, my turn…” What a joy to suffer for Him who loves us unto folly and to pass as fools in the eyes of the world. We judge other as we judge ourselves, and since the world is senseless!… It naturally thinks we are the ones who are senseless!… But after all, we are not the first; the only crime with which Jesus was reproached by Herod was that of being foolish, and I think like him!… Yes, it was folly to seek out the poor little hearts of mortals to make them His thrones, He, the King of Glory, who is seated above the Cherubim…. He, whom the heavens cannot contain…. He was foolish, our Beloved, to come to earth in search of sinners in order to make them His friends, His intimates, His equals, He who was perfectly happy with the two adorable Persons of the Trinity!… |
2-21-10 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-21-4 (The Little Way), 23-21-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 27-21-1 (Sinners, Sins), 37-21-3 (Time), 49-21-2 (Trinity) |
21 | GCII 882 -883, Aug. 19, 1894, LT 169: to Celine. |
17-21-6 | We are not idlers, squanderers, either. Jesus has defended us in the person of the Magdalene. He was at table, Martha was serving, Lasarus was eating with Him and His disciples. As for Mary, she was not thinking of taking any food but of pleasing Him whom she loved, so she took a jar filled with an ointment of great price and poured it on the head of Jesus, after breaking the jar, and the whole house was scented with the ointment, but the APOSTLES complained against Magdalene …. It is really the same for us, the most fervent Christians, priests, find that we are exaggerated, that we should serve with Martha instead of consecrating to Jesus the vessels of our lives, with the ointments enclosed within them …. And nevertheless what does it matter if our vessels be broken since Jesus is consoled and since, in spite of itself, the world is obliged to smell the perfumes that are exhaled and serve to purify the empoisoned air the world never ceases to breathe in. |
14-21-5 (The Little Way), 45-21-1 (Magdalene) |
22 | SS 14. |
17-22-1 |
…
Perfection consists in doing His will,
in being what He wills us to be. I understood, too, that Our Lord's love is revealed as perfectly in the most simple soul that resists His grace in nothing as in the most excellent soul; in fact, since the nature of love is to humble oneself,… |
2-22-1 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 12-22-1 (Humility, Humbleness), 14-22-1 (The Little Way), 16-22-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-22-1 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 22 | SS 175. |
17-22-2 | …And just as Solomon, when he considered all the works of his hands in which he had place so much useless toil, saw that all is vanity and affliction of spirit, in the same way I recognized from EXPERIENCE that happiness consists in hiding oneself, in remaining ignorant of created things. I understood that without love all works are nothing, even the most dazzling, such as raising the dead to life and converting peoples. |
3-22-2 (Silence, Hidden), 14-22-2 (The Little Way), 23-22-1 (The Joy of Suffering), 42-22-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 22 | SS 178. |
17-22-3 |
And now I have no other desire except to
love Jesus unto folly…the
Flower I desired, my
dear Celine, I desire no other; she
is the one that I offer Him as my most delightful bouquet.… Neither do I desire any longer suffering or death, and still I love them both; it is love alone that attracts me, however. I desired them for a long time; I possessed suffering and believed I had touched the shores of heaven, that the little flower would be gathered in the springtime of her life. Now, abandonment alone guides me. I have no other compass! I can no longer ask for anything with fervor except the accomplishment of God's will in my soul without any creature being able to set obstacles in the way. |
2-22-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 4-22-1 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 7-22-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 16-22-5 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), |
| 22 | SS 179. |
17-22-4 | How sweet is the way of love, dear Mother. True, one can fall or commit infidelities, but, knowing how to draw profit from everything, love quickly consumes everything that can be displeasing to Jesus; it leaves nothing but a humble and profound peace in the depths of the heart. |
12-22-3 (Humility, Humbleness), 28-22-1 (Peace) |
| 22 | SS 180. |
17-22-5 | …It seems to me that if all creatures had received the same graces I received, God would be feared by none but would be loved to the point of folly: and through love, not through fear, no one would ever consent to cause Him any pain. |
24-22-4 (Mercy of God, Grace), 50-22-1 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains) |
| 22 | SS 180. |
17-22-6 | …I understand, however, that all souls cannot be the same, that it is necessary there be different types in order to honor each of Go's perfections in a particular way. To me He has granted His infinite Mercy, and through it I contemplate and adore the other divine perfections! All of these perfections appear to be resplendent with love; even His Justice (and perhaps this even more so than the others) seems to me clothed in love. What a sweet joy it is to think that God is Just, i.e., that He takes into account our weakness, that He is perfectly aware of our fragile nature. What should I fear then? Ah! must not the infinitely just God, who deigns to pardon the faults of the prodigal son with so much kindness, be just also towards me who “am with Him always”? (Luke15:31.) | 8-22-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 16-22-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-22-5 (Mercy of God, Grace) |
| 22 | SS 180. |
17-22-7 |
This year, June 9, the feast of the Holy Trinity, I
received the grace to understand
more than ever before how much Jesus desires to be loved. I was thinking about the souls who offer themselves as victims of God's Justice in order to turn away the punishments reserved to sinners, drawing them upon themselves. This offering seemed great and very generous to me, but I was far from feeling attracted to making it. From the depths of my heart, I cried out: “O my God! Will Your Justice alone find souls willing to immolate themselves as victims? Does not Your Merciful Love need them too? On every side this love is unknown, rejected; those hearts upon whom You would lavish it turn to creatures seeking happiness from them with their miserable affection; they do this instead of throwing themselves into Your arms and of accepting Your infinite Love. |
4-22-2 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 14-22-3 (The Little Way), 24-22-6 (Mercy of God, Graces), 27-22-1 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 22 | SS 181. |
17-22-8 | …Ah! since that happy day, it seems to me that Love penetrates and surrounds me, that at each moment this Merciful Love renews me, purifying my soul and leaving no trace of sin within it, and I need have no fear of purgatory. I know that of myself I would not merit even to enter there, but I also know that the Fire of Love is more sanctifying than is the fire of purgatory. I know that Jesus cannot desire useless sufferings for us, and He would not inspire the longings I feel unless He wanted to grant them. Oh! how sweet is the way of Love! How I want to apply myself to doing the will of God always with the greatest self-surrender! |
2-22-4 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-22-2 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-22-4 (The Little Way), 16-22-7 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 27-22-2 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 22 | SS 188. |
17-22-9 | …I understand so well that it is only love which makes us acceptable to God that this love is the only good I ambition. Jesus deigned to show me the road that leads to this Divine Furnace, and this road is the surrender of the little child who sleeps without fear in its Father's arms…. |
2-22-5 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 4-22-3 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 14-22-5 (The Little Way ), |
| 22 | SS 188. |
17-22-10 | … Ah! if all weak and imperfect souls felt what the least of souls feels, that is, the soul of your little Therese, not one would despair of reaching the summit of the mount of love. Jesus does not demand great actions from us but simply surrender and gratitude…. |
2-22-6 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-22-3 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 8-22-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 42-22-2 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 22 | SS 189. |
17-22-11 | …He has no need of our works but only of our love, for the same God who declares He has no need to tell us when He is hungry did not fear to beg for a little water from the Samaritan woman. He was thirsty. But when He said: “Give me to drink,” (John 4:7.) it was the love of His poor creature the Creator of the universe was seeking. He was thirsty for love. Ah! I feel it more than ever before, Jesus is parched, for He meets only the ungrateful and indifferent among His disciples in the world, and among His own disciples, alas, He finds few hearts who surrender to Him without reservations, who understand the real tenderness of His infinite Love. |
4-22-4 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 7-22-3 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-22-6 (The Little Way), 40-22-1 (Participation to Salvation), 42-22-3 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 22 | SS 277. |
17-22-12 |
I thank You, O my God! for all the graces You have granted me,
especially the grace of making me pass through
the crucible of
suffering. It is with joy I shall contemplate You on the Last
Day carrying the sceptre of Your Cross.
Since You deigned
to give me a share in this very precious Cross, I hope in heaven
to resemble You and to see shining in my glorified body the sacred
stigmata of Your Passion…. After earth's Exile, I hope to go and enjoy You in the Fatherland, but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven. I want to work for Your Love alone with the one purpose of pleasing You, consoling Your Sacred Heart, and saving souls who will love You eternally. |
2-22-7 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-22-7 (The Little Way), 22-22-2 (Salvation of Souls), 24-22-7 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 22 | GCII 909, July 20 -21, 1895, LT 178: to Mme. Guerin. |
17-22-13 | … St. Teresa was very right in saying to Our Lord, who was loading her with crosses when she was undertaking great works for Him; “Ah! Lord, I am not surprised that You have so few friends! You treat them so badly!” On another occasion, she said that to souls whom God loves with an ordinary love He gives some trials, but on those He loves with a love of predilection He lavishes His crosses as the most certain mark of His tenderness…. |
2-22-9 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-22-8 (The Little Way), |
| 23 | SS 195. |
17-23-1 | I am only a child, powerless and weak, and yet it is my weakness that gives me the boldness of offering myself as VICTIM of Your Love, O Jesus! In times past, victims, pure and spotless, were the only ones accepted by the Strong and Powerful God. To satisfy Divine Justice, perfect victims were necessary, but the law of Love has succeeded to the law of fear, and Love has chosen me as a holocaust, me, a weak and imperfect creature. Is not this choice worthy of Love? Yes, in order that Love be fully satisfied, it is necessary that It lower Itself, and that It lower Itself to nothingness and transform this nothingness into fire. |
8-23-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 11-23-1 (Nothingness), 14-23-1 (The Little Way), |
| 23 | SS 195. |
17-23-2 | O Jesus, I know it, love is repaid by love alone, and so I searched and I found the way to solace my heart by giving you Love for Love…. | |
| 23 | SS 196 -197. |
17-23-3 |
…
What this child asks for is Love. She knows
only one thing:
to love You, O Jesus.
Astounding works are forbidden to her;
she cannot preach the Gospel, shed her blood; but what does it
matter since her brothers work in her stead and she, a little
child, stays very close to the throne of the King and Queen.
She loves in her brothers' place while they do the fighting.
But how will she prove her love since
love is proved by works?
Well, the little child will strew flowers, she will perfume
the royal throne with their sweet scents, and she will sing in
her silvery tones the canticle of Love. Yes, my Beloved, this is how my life will be consumed. I have no other means of proving my love for you other than that of strewing flowers, that is, not allowing one little sacrifice to escape, not one look, one word, profiting by all the smallest things and doing them through love. I desire to suffer for love and even to rejoice through love; and in this way I shall strew flowers before Your throne. I shall not come upon one without unpettaling it for You. While I am strewing my flowers, I shall sing, for could one cry while doing such a joyous action? I shall sing even when I must gather my flowers in the midst of thorns, and my song will be all the more melodious in proportion to the length and sharpness of the thorns. O Jesus, of what use will my flowers be to You? Ah! I know very well that this fragrant shower, these fragile, worthless petals, these songs of love from the littlest of hearts will charm You. Yes, these nothingness will please You. They will bring a smile to the Church Triumphant. She will gather up my flowers unpetalled through love and have them pass through Your own divine hands, O Jesus. And this Church in heaven, desirous of playing with her little child, will cast these flowers, which are now infinitely valuable because of Your divine touch, upon the Church suffering in order to extinguish its flames and upon the Church Militant in order to gain the victory for it! |
2-23-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-23-1 (Renunciation, Sacrifices), 10-23-2 (Littleness), 11-23-2 (Nothingness), 14-23-2 (The Little Way), 23-23-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 42-23-2 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | SS 197. |
17-23-4 | … But is PURE LOVE in my heart? Are my measureless desires only but a dream, a folly? Ah! if this be so, Jesus, then enlighten me, for You know I am seeking only truth. If my desires are rash, then make them disappear, for these desires are the greatest martyrdom to me. However, I feel, O Jesus, that after having aspired to the most lofty heights of Love, if one day I am not to attain them, I feel that I shall have tasted more sweetness in my martyrdom and my folly than I shall taste in the bosom of the joy of the Fatherland, unless You take away the memory of these earthly hopes through a miracle. Allow me, then, during my exile, the delights of love. Allow me to taste the sweet bitterness of my martyrdom. |
2-23-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 20-23-1 (Truth), 23-23-2 (The Joy of Sufferings) |
| 23 | SS 198 -199. |
17-23-5 |
And yet after all these misdeeds, instead of going and hiding away
in a corner, to weep over its misery and to die of sorrow,
the little
bird turns towards its beloved Sun, presenting its wet wings to
its beneficent rays. It cries like a swallow and in its sweet song
it recounts in detail all its infidelities, thinking in the boldness
of its full trust that it will acquire in even greater fullness
the love of Him who came to call
not the just but sinners. (Matthew 9:11.)
And even if the Adorable Star remains deaf to the plaintive chirping
of the little creature, even if it remains hidden, well, the little
one will remain wet, accepting its numbness from the cold and rejoicing
in its suffering which it knows it deserves. O Jesus, Your little bird is happy to be weak and little…. |
4-23-1 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 8-23-3 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-3 (Littleness), 23-23-3 (The Joy of Sufferings), 27-23-1 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 23 | SS 200. |
17-23-6 |
O Jesus, allow me in my boundless gratitude to say to You that Your love reaches
unto folly. In the presence of this folly, how can You not desire that my heart
leap towards You? How can my confidence, then, have any limits? Ah! the saints
have committed their follies for You, and they have done great things because
they are eagles. Jesus, I am too little to perform great actions, and my own folly is this: to trust that Your Love will accept me as a victim. My folly consists in begging the eagles, my brothers, to obtain for me the favor of flying towards the Sun of Love with the Divine Eagle's own wings! As long as You desire it, O my Beloved, Your little bird will remain without strength and without wings and will always stay with its gaze fixed upon You. … … I feel that if You found a souls weaker and little than mine, which is impossible, You would be pleased to grant it still greater favors, provided it abandoned itself with total confidence to Your Infinite Mercy…. |
4-23-2 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 7-23-2 (Renunciation, Self), 8-23-4 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-4 (Littleness), 24-23-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 42-23-3 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | GCII 935, Feb. 24- March 17, 1896, LT 185: to Sr. Gene- vieve (Ce- line). |
17-23-7 |
Through love, Celine will henceforth
press to her heart the thorns of
suffering and contempt, but she has no fear because she knows from
experience that Mary can change into milk the blood flowing from
wounds made by Love…. Celine is pressing the thorns with her left hand, but with her right she is embracing Jesus, the divine bundle of myrrh resting on her heart. Celine will bring forth souls for Him alone, watering the seeds with tears, and Jesus, always joyful, will carry the sheaves of Lilies in His hands…. |
2-23-5 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Cross, Trials), 22-23-1 (Salvation of Souls), 50-23-1 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains) |
| 23 | GCII 956, June 23, 1896, LT 189: to P. Rou- lland. |
17-23-8 | I feel very unworthy to be associated in a special way with one of the missionaries of our adorable Jesus, but since obedience entrusts me with this sweet task, I am assured my heavenly Spouse will make up for my feeble merits (upon which I in no way rely), and that He will listen to the desires of my soul by rendering fruitful your apostolate. I shall be truly happy to work with you for the salvation of souls. It is for this purpose I became a Carmelite nun; being unable to be an active missionary, I wanted to be one through love and penance just like Saint Teresa, my seraphic Mother…. |
22-23-2 (Salvation of Souls), 33-23-1 (Penance) |
| 23 | GCII 956 -957, June 23, 1896, LT 189: to P. Rou- lland. |
17-23-9 | For a long time I wanted to know an Apostle who would pronounce my name at the holy altar on the day of his first Mass….I wanted to prepare for him the sacred linens and the white host destined to veil the King of heaven…. The God of Goodness has willed to realize my dream and to show me once again how pleased He is to grant the desires of souls who love Him alone. | |
| 23 | GCII 966, July 12, 1896, LT191: to Celine. |
17-23-10 |
…At the time of the law of fear, before the coming of Our Lord,
the Prophet Isaias already said, speaking in the name of the King
of heaven: “Can a mother forget her
child?…Well! even if a mother
were to forget her child, I myself will never forget you.”
(Isaias 49:15.)
What
a delightful promise! Ah! we who are living in
the law of love,
how can we not profit by the loving advances our Spouse is making
to us… how can we fear Him who allows Himself to be enchained by
a hair fluttering on our neck. Let us understand, then, how to hold Him prisoner, this God who becomes the beggar of our love. When telling us that it is a hair that can effect this prodigy, He is showing us that the smallest actions done out of love are the ones which charm His Heart. Ah! if we had to do great things, how much we would have to be pitied? … How fortunate we are since Jesus allows Himself to be enchained by the smallest things.… It is not little sacrifices you lack, dear Leonie, is not your life made up of them?… I take delight at seeing you before such a treasure and especially when thinking you know how to profit from it, not only for yourself, but for souls …. It is so sweet to help Jesus by our light sacrifices, to help Him save souls that He bought at the price of His Blood and that are awaiting only our help in order not to fall into the abyss…. It seems to me that if our sacrifices are the hairs which captivate Jesus, our joys are also; for this, it suffices not to center in on a selfish happiness but to offer our Spouse the little joys He is sowing on the path of life to charm our souls and raise them to Himself…. |
1-23-1 (Self-love, Nature), 10-23-5 (Littleness), 13-23-1 (Joyful Soul), 14-23-3 (The Little Way), 22-23-3 (Salvation of Souls), 42-23-4 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | GCII 994 Sep. 13, 1896, LT 196: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
4-23-3 | …Without showing Himself, without making His voice heard, Jesus teaches me in secret; it is not by means of books, for I do not understand what I am reading, but at times a word like this one that I drew out at the end of prayer (after having remained in silence and aridity) comes to console me: “Here is the Master I am giving you; he will teach you all you must do. I want to have you read in the book of life, wherein is contained the science of LOVE.” The science of Love, oh! yes, this word resounds sweetly in the ear of my soul, and I desire only this science. Having given all my riches for it, I looked upon this as having given nothing, just as did the spouse in the sacred canticles…. I understand so well that it is only love which makes us pleasing to God that this love is the only good that I ambition. Jesus is pleased to show me the only road that leads to this divine furnace, and this road is the abandonment of the little child who sleeps without fear in its Father's arms.… |
3-23-1 (Silence, Hidden), 4-23-3 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 14-23-4 (The Little Way), 35-23-1 (Books), 42-23-5 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | GCII, p. 999, Sep. 17, 1896, LT197: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
17-23-12 | …Recall those words of Father: “The martyrs suffered with joy, and the King of Martyrs suffered with sadness.” Yes, Jesus said: “Father, let this chalice pass away from me.” (Matthew 26:39.) Dear Sister, how can you say after this that my desires are the sign of my love? … Ah! I really feel that it is not this at all that pleases God in my little soul; what pleases Him is that He sees me loving my littleness and my poverty, the blind hope that I have in His mercy…. That is my only treasure, dear Godmother, why would this treasure not be yours?… |
4-23-4 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 8-23-5 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-6 (Littleness), 14-23-5 (The Little Way), 24-23-2 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 23 | GCII 999- 1000, Sep. 17, 1896, LT 197: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
17-23-13 | Oh, dear Sister, I beg you, understand your little girl, understand that to love Jesus, to be His victim of love, the weaker one is, without desires or virtues, the more suited one is for the workings of this consuming and transforming Love…. The desire alone to be a victim suffices, but we must consent to remain always poor and without strength, and this is the difficulty, for: “The truly poor in spirit, where do we find him? You must look for him from afar,” (Proverbs 31:10.) said the psalmist…. He does not say that you must look for him among the great souls, but “from afar,” that is to say in lowliness, in nothingness…. Ah! let us remain then very far from all that sparkles, let us love our littleness, let us love to feel nothing, then we shall be poor in spirit, and Jesus will come to look for us, and however far we may be, He will transform us in flames of love…. Oh! how I would like to be able to make you understand what I feel!… It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love…. |
4-23-5 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 8-23-5 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-23-1 (Poor in Spirits), 10-23-7 (Littleness), 11-23-3 (Nothingness), 14-23-6 (The Little Way), 42-23-6 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | GCII 1030, Dec. 4, 1896, LT 203: to Mother Agnes of Jesus. |
17-23-14 | Little Mother is altogether too darling! … If she does not know what she is, I myself know it well and I LOVE her! … Oh, yes! but how pure my affection is!… It is that of a child who admires the humility of its Mother. You do me more good than all the books in the world!… |
12-23-1 (Humility, Humbleness) 35-23-2 (Books), 39-23-1 (Pauline) |
| 23 | GCII 1041 -1042, Dec. 26, 1896, LT 213: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-23-15 |
I assure you, Monsieur l'Abbe, I am doing all that is within my power
to obtain the graces necessary for you; these graces certainly will
be granted to you
since Our Lord never asks sacrifices from us above
our strength. At times, it is true, this divine Saviour makes us feel
all the bitterness of the chalice that He is offering our soul. When
He asks the sacrifice of all that is dearest in this world, it is
impossible, without a very special grace, not to cry out like Him in
the garden of agony: “
Father, let this chalice pass from me…however,
may your will be done and not mine.” (Matthew 26:39.) It is very consoling to think that Jesus, the Strong God, knew our weaknesses, that He trembled at the sight of the bitter chalice, this chalice that He had in the past so ardently desired to drink. Monsieur l'Abbe, your lot is really beautiful since Our Lord chose it for Himself and since He first wet His lips with the cup He is offering you. A Saint has said: “The greatest honor God can give a soul is not to give it much but to ask much from it!” Jesus is treating you then as a privileged one. He wills that you already begin your mission and that through suffering you may save souls. Is it not in suffering, in dying that He Himself redeemed the world?… Monsieur l'Abbe, you come seeking consolations from her whom Jesus has given you as a sister, and you have the right. Since Reverend Mother allows me to write you, I would like to respond to the sweet mission entrusted to me, but I feel the surest means of reaching my goal is to pray and to suffer…. Let us work together for the salvation of souls; we have only the one day of this life to save them and thus to give the Lord proofs of our love. |
2-23-14 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 5-23-1 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 8-23-7 (Weakness, Frailty), 14-23-8 (The Little Way), 16-23-5 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-23-5 (Salvation of Souls), 24-23-4 (Mercy of God, Graces), 29-23-1 (Consolations), 37-23-2 (Time) |
| 24 | SS 208. |
17-24-1 | …What she esteems and what she desires only is to please Jesus…. | |
| 24 | SS 216. |
17-24-2 | … When the human heart gives itself to God, it loses nothing of its innate tenderness; in fact, this tenderness grows when it becomes more pure and more divine. | |
| 24 | SS 220. |
17-24-3 | …Ah! I understand now that charity consists in bearing with the faults of others, in not being surprised at their weakness, in being edified by the smallest acts of virtue we see them practice. But I understood above all that charity must not remain hidden in the bottom of the heart. | 8-24-5 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-24-5 (Littleness), 14-24-3 (The Little Way) |
| 24 | SS 220 -221. |
17-24-4 |
When the Lord commanded His people to love their
neighbor as themselves, (Leviticus 19:18.) He had not as yet come upon
the earth. Knowing the extent to which each one loved himself, He was
not able to ask of His creatures a greater love than this for one's
neighbor. But when Jesus gave His Apostles a new commandment, HIS
OWN COMMANDMENT (John 15:12.), as He calls it later on,
it is no longer a question
of loving one's neighbor as oneself but of loving him as He, Jesus,
has loved him, and will love him to the consummation of the ages.
Ah! Lord, I know you don't command the impossible.
You know better
than I do my weakness and imperfection; You know very well that never
would I be able to love my Sisters as You love them, unless You, O my
Jesus, loved them in me. It is because You wanted to give me this grace
that You made Your new commandment. Oh! how I love this new commandment
since it gives me the assurance that Your Will is to love in me all
those You command me to love! Yes, I feel it, when I am charitable, it is Jesus alone who is acting in me, and the more united I am to Him, the more also do I love my Sisters. |
8-24-6 (Weakness, Frailty), 14-24-4 (The Little Way), 15-24-1 (Union with Jesus), 16-24-4 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-24-3 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 24 | SS 237. |
17-24-5 |
…Love is nourished only by sacrifices,
and the more a soul refuses natural
satisfactions, the stronger and more disinterested becomes her
tenderness…. …in a word, dear Mother, I found a thousand reasons for pleasing my nature. How happy I am now for having deprived myself from the very beginning of my religious life! I already enjoy the reward promised to those who fight courageously. I no longer feel the necessity of refusing all human consolations, for my soul is strengthened by Him whom I wanted to love uniquely. I can see with joy that in loving Him the heart expands and can give to those who are dear to it incomparably more tenderness than if it had concentrated upon one egotistical and unfruitful love. |
1-24-2 (Self- love, Nature), 2-24-13 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-24-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-24-6 (The Little Way), 29-24-1 (Consolation) |
| 24 | SS 256. |
17-24-6 | … You know, O my God, I have never desired anything but to love You, and I am ambitious for no other glory. Your love has gone before me, and it has grown with me, and now it is an abyss whose depths I cannot fathom. Love attracts love, and my Jesus, my love leaps towards Yours; it would like a drop of dew lost in the ocean! For me to love You as You love me, I would have to borrow Your own Love, and then only would I be at rest…. |
25-24-1 (Glory) |
| 24 | SS 257 -258. |
17-24-7 | … I ask Jesus to draw me into the flames of His love, to unite me so closely to Him that He live and act in me. I feel that the more the fire of love burns within my heart, the more I shall say: “Draw me,” the more also the souls who will approach me (poor little piece of iron, unless if I withdraw from the divine furnace), the more these souls will run swiftly in the odor of the ointment of their Beloved for a soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive. No doubt, she will remain at Jesus' feet as did Mary Magdalene, and she will listen to His sweet and burning words. Appearing to do nothing, she will give much more than Martha who torments herself with many things (Luke10:41.) and wants her sister to imitate her. It is not Martha's works that Jesus finds fault with; His divine Mother submitted humbly to these works all through her life since she had to prepare the meals of the Holy Family. It is only the restlessness of His ardent hostess that He willed to correct. |
15-24-6 (Union with Jesus), 45-24-1 (Magdalene) |
| 24 | SS 258 -259. |
17-24-8 |
…Most of all I imitate the conduct of Magdalene; her astonishing or
rather her loving audacity which charms the Heart of Jesus also attracts
my own. Yes, I feel it; even though I had on my conscience all the sins that can be committed, I would go, my heart broken with sorrow, and throw myself into Jesus' arms, for I know how much He loves the prodigal child who returns to Him. It is not because God, in His anticipating Mercy, has preserved my soul from mortal sin that I go to Him with confidence and love…. |
4-24-2 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-24-5 (Mercy of God, Graces), 27-24-3 (Sinners, Sins), 45-24-2 (Magdalene) |
| 24 | GCII 1058, Feb. 24, 1897, LT 220: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-24-9 | …United in Him, our souls will be able to save many others, for this gentle Jesus has said: “ If two among you agree together on something which you ask from my Father, it will be granted them.” (Matthew 18:19.) Ah! what we are asking Him is to work for His glory, to love Him and make Him loved …. How would our union and our prayer not be blessed? |
5-24-3 (Prayer), 15-24-7 (Union with Jesus), 22-24-2 (Salvation of Souls), 25-24-2 (Glory) |
| 24 | GCII 1060, Feb. 24, 1897, LT 220: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-24-10 |
…If the Lord takes me soon with Him, I ask you to continue each day the same
prayer, for
I shall desire in heaven the same thing as I do on earth: To love
Jesus and to make him loved. Monsieur l'Abbe, you must think I am very strange; perhaps you are sorry to have a sister who seems to want to go and enjoy eternal repose and leave you working alone…. But rest assured, the only thing I desire is God's will, and I admit that if in heaven I were no longer able to work for His glory, I would prefer exile to the homeland. |
16-24-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 25-24-3 (Glory) |
| 24 | GCII 1069, March 19, 1897, LT 221: to P. Rou- lland. |
17-24-11 | …With all my heart I thank God for having left you on the field of battle in order that you may win numerous victories for Him; already your sufferings have saved many souls. Saint John of the Cross has said: “The smallest movement of pure love is more useful to the Church than all other works put together.” If it is so, how profitable for the Church must be your pains and trials since it is for the love of Jesus alone that you suffer them with joy. Truly, Brother, I cannot pity you since in you are realized these words of the Imitation: “When you find suffering sweet and when you love it for the love of Jesus Christ, you will have found paradise on earth.” This paradise is really that of the missionary and the Carmelite; the joy that worldlings seek in the midst of pleasures is only a fleeting shadow, but our joy sought and tested in works and sufferings is a very sweet reality, a foretaste of the happiness of heaven. |
2-24-18 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 22-24-3 (Salvation of Souls), 23-24-6 (The Joy of Sufferings), 42-24-3 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | GCII 1072, Mar. 19, 1897, LT 221: to P. Rou- lland. |
17-24-12 | I am not at all worried about the future; I am sure God will do His will, it is the only grace I desire. One must not be more kingly than the king… Jesus has no need of anyone to do His work, and if He were to accept me, this would be out of pure kindness; but to tell you the truth, Brother, I rather believe Jesus will treat me like a little lazy thing. I do not want this, for I would be happy to work and suffer a long time for Him. So I am asking Him to be content with me, that is, to pay no attention to my desires of loving Him in suffering or of going to enjoy Him in heaven. I hope, Brother, that if I were to leave this exile, you would not forget your promise of praying for me. You have always welcomed my requests with such great kindness that I am daring to make one more request from you. I do not want you to ask God to deliver me from the flames of purgatory; Saint Teresa said to her daughters when they wanted to pray for her: “What does it matter to me to remain until the end of the world in purgatory if through my prayers I save a single soul?” These words find an echo in my heart. I would like to save souls and forget myself for them; I would like to save them even after my death. So I would be happy if you were to say then, instead of the little prayer you are saying and which will be always realized: “My God, allow my sister to make you still loved.” |
2-24-19 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 5-24-4 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 7-24-8 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 16-24-7 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-24-4 (Salvation of Souls), 24-24-6 (Mercy of God, Graces), 37-24-2 (Time) |
| 24 | GCII 1085 Apr. 25, 1897, LT 226: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-24-13 | …When I was beginning to learn the history of France, the account of Joan of Arc's exploits delighted me; I felt in my heart the desire and the courage to imitate her. It seemed the Lord destined me, too, for great things. I was not mistaken, but instead of my soul a gentler and stronger voice, that of the Spouse of Virgins, who was calling me to other exploits, to more glorious conquests, and into Carmel's solitude. I understood my mission was not to have a mortal king crowned but to make the King of heaven loved, to submit to Him the kingdom of hearts. | |
| 24 | GCII 1117, June, 1897, (?), LT 241: to Sr. Martha of Jesus. |
17-24-14 |
Dear little Sister, yes, I understood all…. I am begging Jesus to make the sun
of His grace shine in your soul. Ah! do not fear to tell Him
you love Him, even
without feeling it. This is the way to force Jesus to help you, to carry you like
a little child too feeble to walk. It is a great trial to look on the black side, but this does not depend on you completely. Do what you can; detach your heart from the worries of this earth, and above all from creatures, and then be sure Jesus will do the rest. He will be unable to allow you to fall into the dreaded mire…. Be consoled, dear little Sister, in heaven you will no longer take a dark view of everything but a very bright view…. Yes, everything will be decked out in the divine brightness of our Spouse, the Lily of the valleys. Together we shall follow Him everywhere He goes…. Ah! let us profit from the short moment of life… together let us please Jesus, let us save souls for Him by our sacrifices…..Above all, let us be little, so little that everybody may trample us underfoot, without our even having the appearance of feeling it and suffering from it…. |
2-24-21 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 10-24-9 (Littleness), 14-24-8 (The Little Way), 16-24-10 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-24-6 (Salvation of Souls), 24-24-10 (Mercy of God, Graces), 37-24-3 (Time), 41-24-1 (Unfelt Love) |
| 24 | GCII 1133, June 21, 1897, LT 247: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-24-15 |
…I love them too, I love their repentance, and especially…
their loving audacity! When I see Magdalene walking up before
the many guests, washing with her tears the feet of her adored
Master, whom she is touching for the first time, I feel that
her heart has understood the abysses
of love and mercy of the
Heart of Jesus, and, sinner though she is, this Heart of love
was not only disposed to pardon her but to lavish on her the
blessings of His divine intimacy, to lift her to the highest
summits of contemplation. Ah! dear little Brother, ever since I have been given the grace to understand also the love of the Heart of Jesus, I admit that it has expelled all fear from my heart. The remembrance of my faults humbles me, draws me never to depend on my strength which is only weakness, but this remembrance speaks to me of mercy and love even more. |
5-24-5 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 8-24-11 (Weakness, Frailty), 12-24-5 (Humility, Humbleness), 14-24-11 (The Little Way), 24-24-11 (Mercy of God, Graces), 27-24-4 (Sinners, Sins), 34-24-2 (Repentence, Contrition), 45-24-3 (Magdalene) |
| 24 | GCII 1138, June? July?, 1897, LT 251: to Sr. Marie of Jesus. |
17-24-16 | Dear little Sister, do not be a sad little girl when seeing you are not understood, that you are judged badly, that you are forgotten, but lay a trap for everybody by taking care to do like others, or rather by doing for yourself what others are doing for you, that is, forget all that is not Jesus, forget YOURSELF for His love!… |
7-24-11 (Renunciation, Forget Self), |
| 24 | GCII 1142, Jul. 14, 1897, LT 255: to P. Rou- lland. The last letter to the missio- nary. |
17-24-17 |
Brother, you see that if I am leaving the field of battle already, it is
not with the selfish desire of taking my rest. The thought of eternal
beatitude hardly thrills my heart.
For a long time, suffering has become
my heaven here below, and I really have trouble in conceiving how I shall
be able to acclimatize myself in a country where joy reigns without any
admixture of sadness Jesus will have to transform my soul and give it
the capacity to rejoice, otherwise I shall not be able to put up with
eternal delights. What attracts me to the homeland of heaven is the Lord's call, the hope of loving Him finally as I have so much desired to love Him, and the thought that I shall be able to make Him loved by a multitude of souls who will bless Him eternally. |
2-24-24 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), |
| 24 | GCII 1152 -1153, Jul. 18, 1897, LT 258: to l'abbe Bell- iere |
17-24-18 | Yes, I am certain of it, after my entrance into life, my dear little Brother's sadness will be changed into a peaceful joy that no creature will be able to take from him. I feel it, we must go to heaven by the same way, that of suffering united to love. When I shall be in port, I shall teach you, dear little Brother of my soul, how you must sail the stormy sea of the world with the abandonment and the love of a child who knows his Father loves him and would be unable to leave him in the hour of danger. Ah! how I would like to make you understand the tenderness of the Heart of Jesus, what He expects from you. In your letter of the 14th, you made my heart thrill sweetly; I understood more than ever the degree to which your soul is sister to my own, since it is called to raise itself to God by the ELEVATOR of love and not to climb the rough stairway of fear…. I am not surprised in any way that the practice of familiarity with Jesus seems to you a little difficult to realize; we cannot reach it in one day, but I am sure that I shall help you much more to walk by this delightful way when I shall have been delivered from my mortal envelpe, and soon, like St. Augustine, you will say: “Love is the weight that draws me.” | 2-24-25 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 4-24-6 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 7-24-12 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-24-13 (The Little Way), 16-24-14 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 24 | GCII 1164 -1165, Jul. 26, 1897, LT 261: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
17-24-19 | …Regarding those who love Him and who come after each indelicacy to ask His pardon by throwing themselves into His arms, Jesus is thrilled with joy. He says to His angels what the father of the prodigal son said to his servants: “ Clothe him in his best robe, and place a ring on his finger, and let us rejoice.” (Luke 15:22.) Ah! how little known are the goodness, the merciful love of Jesus, Brother!… It is true, to enjoy these treasures one must humble oneself, recognize one's nothingness, and that is what many souls do not want to do; but, little Brother, this is not the way you act, so the way of simple and loving confidence is really made for you. |
4-24-7 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 11-24-3 (Nothingness), 12-24-6 (Humility, Humbleness), 24-24-12 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 24 | LC 43, May 9. |
17-24-20 | 3. “It is impossible, I know, but if God were not to see my good actions, I would not be the least bit disturbed by it. I love Him so much that I'd like to please Him without His being aware of it. When He knows it and sees it, He is obliged to reward me, and I don't want Him to have to go to this trouble.” | |
| 24 | LC 56 -57, June 4. |
17-24-21 |
2. A little later, being
alone with her, and seeing her
suffer very much, I said: “Well, you wanted to suffer,
and God hasn't forgotten it.” “I wanted to suffer and I've been heard. I have suffered very much for several days now. One morning, during my act of thanksgiving after Communion, I felt the agonies of death…and with it no consolation. 3. “I accept everything out of love for God, even all sorts of extravagant thoughts that come into my mind.” |
2-24-33 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 29-24-3 (Consolation) |
| 24 | LC 73, July 4. |
17-24-22 |
2. In the evening: “Our Lord died on the Cross in agony, and yet this is the most beautiful death of love. This is the only one that was seen; no one saw that of the Blessed Virgin. To die of love is not to die in transports. I tell you frankly, it seems to me that this is what I am experiencing.” |
2-24-36 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials) |
| 24 | LC 75, July 6. |
17-24-23 |
3 …I said to her:“You're really happy today; I feel
you've seen the Thief.” “Yes, each time I am sicker I see Him again. But even though I were not to see Him, I love Him so much that I'm always content with what He does. I wouldn't love Him less if He were not to come and steal me away; it's just the opposite. When He misleads me, I pay Him all sorts of compliments, and He doesn't know what to do with me.” |
|
| 24 | LC 99 -100, July 15. |
17-24-24 |
5. She told me about the following incident, the memory of which
was the source of a great grace to her: “Sister Marie of the Eucharist wanted to light the candles for a procession; she had no matches; however, seeing the little lamp which was burning in the front of the relics, she approached it. Alas, it was half out; there remained only a feeble glimmer on its blackened wick. She succeeded in lighting her candle from it, and with this candle, she lighted those of the whole community. It was, therefore, the half-extinguished little lamp which had produced all these beautiful flames which, in their turn, could produce an infinity of others and even light whole universe. Nevertheless, it would always be the little lamp which would be first cause of all this light. How could the beautiful flames boast of having produced this fire, when they themselves were lighted with such a small spark? “It is the same with the Communion of Saints. Very often, without our knowing it, the graces and lights that we receive are due to a hidden soul, for God wills that the saints communicate grace to each other through prayer with great love, with a love much greater than that of a family, and even the most perfect family on earth. How often have I thought that I may owe all the graces I've received to the prayers of a person who begged them from God for me, and whom I shall know only in heaven…. |
5-24-6 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 14-24-18 (The Little Way), 16-24-25 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 21-24-4 (A Saint), 24-24-17 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 24 | LC 102, July 17. |
17-24-25 |
6. …Saturday, at 2:00 in the morning, she coughed up blood : “I feel that I'm about to enter into my rest. But I feel especially that my mission is about to begin, my mission of making God loved as I love Him, of giving my little way to souls. If God answers my desires, my heaven will be spent on earth until the end of the world. Yes, I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth. This isn't impossible, since from the bosom of the beatific vision, the angels watch over us. “I can't make heaven a feast of rejoicing; I can't rest as long as there are souls to be saved. But when the angels will have said: ‘ Time is no more! (Apocalypse 10:6.) ’ then I will take my rest; I'll be able to rejoice, because the number of the elect will be complete and because all will have entered into joy and repose. My heart beats with joy at this thought.” |
14-24-19 (The Little Way) |
| 24 | LC 105 -106, July 22. |
17-24-26 |
1. Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart said: “You are attended to with
much love.” “Yes, I see that. It' an image of God's love for me. I've never given Him anything else besides love, and so now He gives me love, and that's not all. Very soon He'll give me more love. “I'm very much touched by this, for it's like a ray, or rather a flash of lightning in the midst of darkness; but only like a flash of lightning.” |
|
| 24 | LC 137, Aug. 6. |
17-24-27 |
4. “
I can depend on nothing, on no good works
of my own in order
to have confidence. For example, I'd like to be able to say
that I've carried out all my obligations of reciting my prayers
for the dead. This poverty, however, was a real light and a grace
for me. I was thinking that never in my life would I be able
to pay my debts to God; this was real riches, real strength for me,
if I wanted to take it in this way. “Then I made this prayer to God: O my God, I beg You, pay the debt that I have acquired with regard to the souls in purgatory, but do it as God, so that it be infinitely better than if I had said my Offices for the Dead. And then I remembered with great consolation these words of St. John of the Cross' canticle: ‘Pay all debts.’ I had always applied this to Love. I felt this grace can't be expressed in words; it's far too sweet! We experience such great peace when we're totally poor, when we depend upon no one except God.” |
4-24-17 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 5-24-8 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 8-24-18 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-24-3 (Poor in Spirit), 14-24-24 (The Little Way), 16-24-31 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-24-22 (Mercy of God, Graces), 28-24-12 (Peace), 29-24-4 (Consolation), 42-24-8 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | LC 139, Aug. 7. |
17-24-28 | 2. “Oh, how little God is loved on this earth, even by priests and religious! No, God isn't loved very much.” | |
| 24 | LC 141, Aug. 8. |
17-24-29 |
2. She was gazing at the sky through the window of the infirmary,
and Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart said: “You look up at
the heavens with so much love!” She was very tired at
the moment, and she answered simply with a smile; later on
she confided what she was thinking to me: “Ah! she believed I was looking at the sky and thinking of the real heavens! No, it was simply because I admire the material heavens; the other is closed against me more and more. Then immediately I said to myself with great gentleness: Oh, certainly, it's really through love that I'm looking up at the sky; yes, it's through love for God, since everything that I do, my actions, my looks, everything, since my Offering, is done through love.” |
14-24-26 (The Little Way), 42-24-10 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | LC 188, Sep. 11. |
17-24-30 | 7 “ Oh! no, I don't have any desire to see God here on earth. And yet I love Him! I also love the Blessed Virgin very much, and the saints, and I don't desire to see them.” | 46-24-5 (Revelations) |
| 24 | LC 206, Sept. 30. |
17-24-31 |
At six o'clock, when
the Angelus was ringing, she looked at the statue
of the Blessed virgin for a long time. Finally, at a few minutes past
seven, Mother Prioress dismissed the Community, and she
sighed: “Mother! Isn't this the agony!… Am I not going to die? …” “Yes, my poor little one, it's the agony, but God perhaps wills to prolong it for several hours.” She answered with courage: “Well… All right!… All right!” “Oh! I would not want to suffer for a shorter time!” And looking at her Crucifix: “Oh! I love Him!…” “My God… I love you!…” |
2-24-79 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials) |
| 24 | LC 217, Jul. 22, from a note of Celine. |
17-24-32 |
4. On July 22, I wrote to Aunt, Mme. Guerin: “The other day I was
reading a passage on the happiness of heaven to my little patient,
and she interrupted me, saying: “ That's not what attracts me….” “What then?” I asked: “ Oh! it's Love! To love, to be loved, and to return to the earth to make love loved….” |
14-24-29 (The Little Way) |
| 24 | LC 242, Sep. 1. |
17-24-33 |
With reference to Mother H. of
the Heart of Jesus, to whom the
infirmarians had to pay much attention: “How happy I would have been to be her infirmarian. This would have cost me much according to my natural inclinations, but it seems to me I would have taken care of her with so much love, because I think of what Our Lord said: ‘I was sick and you visited me.’” (Matthew 24:36.) |
1-24-11 (Self-love, Nature), 7-24-27 (Renunciation, Forget Self) |