| Age | Sources and Pages | Code Number | Quotations | Relevant Key Words, Phrases and Their Code Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | SS 33. |
3-4-1 | The day of Mamma's departure or the day after, Papa took me in his arms and said: “Come, kiss your poor little Mother for the last time.” Without a word I placed my lips on her forehead. I don't recall having cried very much, neither did I speak to anyone about the feelings I experienced. I looked and listened in silence…. | |
| 8 | SS 72. |
3-8-1 | It is true that in reading certain tales of chivalry, I didn't always understand the realities of life; but soon God made me feel that true glory is that which will last eternally, and to reach it, it isn't necessary to perform striking works but to hide oneself and practice virtue in such a way that the left hand knows not what the right is doing. (Matthew 6:3.) |
25-8-1 (Glory), 42-8-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 9? | GCI 150, Nov. 1882, (?) LC4: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
3-9-1 | …Yes, gather always these hidden little flowers about which we used to speak so much in the past!… |
2-9-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 39-9-5 (Pauline), |
| 14 | SS 125. |
3-14-1 | 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), 7-14-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-14-6 (The Little Way), 17-14-10 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity) |
| 15 | SS 149. |
3-15-1 | …Illusions, God gave me the grace not to have A SINGLE ONE when entering Carmel. I found the religious life to be exactly as I had imagined it, no sacrifice astonished me and yet, as you know, dear Mother, my first steps met with more thorns than roses! Yes, suffering opened wide its arms to me and I threw myself into them with love. I had declared at the feet of Jesus-Victim, in the examination preceding my Profession, what I had come to Carmel for: “I came to save souls and especially to pray for priests.” When one wishes to attain a goal, one must use the means; Jesus made me understand that it was through suffering that He wanted to give me souls, and my attraction for suffering grew in proportion to its increase. This was my way for five years; exteriorly nothing revealed my suffering which was all the more painful since I alone was aware of it. |
2-15-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-15-1 (The Little Way), 22-15-1 (Salvation of Souls), 24-15-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 46-15-1 (Revelations) |
| 15 | GCI 403, Mar. 18- 19, 1888, from Sr. Agnes of Jesus |
3-15-2 |
…Don't you see at last the mountain of Carmel. It is there, for intimacy
with Jesus
you will live hidden in His Heart…. Oh! yes,
HIDDEN! I desire
that Jesus' little toy be not admired by anyone in this world. If Jesus
wills to play with a grain of sand, He is free, the whole earth is His.
Why does He not always take the most beautiful souls for His spouses? Why,
instead of a grain of sand, does He not play with a diamond?
But Jesus
loves humility. Jesus loves what does not appear before the eyes of men,
what they trample underfoot, what they despise. Oh! humility, how beautiful
it is! Jesus loves it so much that He seeks for it everywhere on
the earth in order to make His heaven out of it. But it is rare. All
the beautiful, the truly beautiful is almost not to be found here below. I am sure that the little grain of sand understands me and that it will not ever wish to become a mountain, but, on the contrary, always little, lighter, in order to be lifted more easily by the breeze of love. |
7-15-3 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 10-15-1 (Littleness), 12-15-1 (Humility, Humbleness), 16-15-3 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 39-15-5 (Pauline) |
| 15 | GCI 427, May 12 -20, 1888, LT 49: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
3-15-3 | Ask that your little daughter always remain a little grain of sand, truly unknown, truly hidden from all eyes, that Jesus alone may be able to see it, and that it may become smaller and smaller, that it may be reduced to nothing…. |
2-15-9 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 10-15-3 (Littleness), 11-15-1 (Nothingness), 14-15-3 (The Little Way) |
| 16? | SS 152. |
3-16-1 |
…I understood what real
glory was.
He whose Kingdom is not of this world
(John 18:36.) showed me that true wisdom consists
in “desiring to be unknown
and counted as nothing,” in “placing one's joy in the contempt
of self.”
Ah! I desired that, like the Face of Jesus, “
my face be truly hidden, that
no one on earth would know me.” (Isaias 53:3.)
I thirsted after
suffering and I longed to be forgotten. How merciful is the way God has guided me. Never has He given me the desire for anything which He has not given me, and even His bitter chalice seemed delightful to me. |
2-16-2 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-16-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 11-16-1 (Nothingness), 14-16-1 (The Little Way), 23-16-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 24-16-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 25-16-1 (Glory) |
| 16 | GCI 499 -500, Jan .6, 1889, LT 74: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
3-16-2 | …He is riddling me with pinpricks; the poor little ball is exhausted. All over it has very little holes which make it suffer more than if it has only one large one!… Nothing near Jesus. Aridity!… Sleep!… But at least there is silence!… Silence does good to the soul…. But creatures! Oh! creatures!… The little ball shudders from them!… Understand Jesus' little toy!… When it is the sweet Friend who punctures His ball Himself, suffering is only sweetness, His hand is so gentle!… But creatures!…Those who surround me are very good, but there is something, I don't know what, that repels me!… I cannot give you any explanation. Understand your little soul. I am, however, very happy, happy to suffer what Jesus wants me to suffer. If He doesn't directly puncture His little ball, it is really He who directs the hand that punctures it!… |
2-16-10 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 23-16-4 (The Joy of Sufferings), 39-16-1 (Pauline) |
| 16 | GCI 577, July 14, 1889, LT 94: to Celine. |
3-16-3 | 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), 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), 17-16-13 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 23-16-11 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-16-10 (Time), (Unfelt Love) |
| 16 | GCI 587- 588, Oct. 15, 1889, LT 96: to Celine. |
3-16-4 | 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), 7-16-13 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 11-16-5 (Nothingness), 14-16-13 (The Little Way), 16-16-13 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 17-16-15 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 22-16-7 (Salvation of Souls), 37-16-12 (Time), 40-16-2 (Participation to Salvation) |
| 17 | SS 169. |
3-17-1 | …but I haven't said anything to you as yet concerning my good fortune at knowing our holy Mother Genevieve. This certainly was a priceless gift; God, who had given me so many graces, willed that I should live with a saint. Not one that was inimitable, but one who was made holy by the practice of the hidden virtues, the ordinary virtues…. |
14-17-1 (The Little Way), 16-17-4 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 21-17-1 (A Saint), 24-17-2 (The Mercy of God, Graces), 30-17-1 (Ordinary) |
| 17 | GCI 612, May 4, 1890, LT 103: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
3-17-2 | …Oh! how it longs to be reduced to nothing, to be unknown by all creatures. Poor little thing, it desires nothing any longer, nothing but to be FORGOTTEN… not contempt, insults, this would be too glorious for a grain of sand. Were one to despise it, one would have to see it, But to be FORGOTTEN!… Yes, I want to be forgotten, and this, not only by creatures but by myself. I'd like to be reduced to nothing to such an extent as to have no desire whatsoever…. The glory of Jesus, that is all;… |
2-17-4 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-17-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 11-17-1 (Nothingness), 14-17-2 (The Little Way), 25-17-1 (Glory), 39-17-1 (Pauline) |
| 17 | GCI 620, May 10, 1890, LT 106: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
3-17-3 |
…How happy I am to be always a prisoner in Carmel; I have no desire
to go to Lourdes to have ecstasies. I prefer (the monotony of sacrifice)!
What a joy to be so hidden that
nobody thinks of you!… To be unknown
even to persons with whom you live…. Silence, this is the language that alone can tell you what is happening in my soul!… |
2-17-7 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-17-3 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-17-3 (The Little Way), 23-17-2 (The Joy of Sufferings), 39-17-4 (Pauline) |
| 17 | GCI 621, May 19 -20, 1890, LT 107: to Celine. |
3-17-4 | …Dear Celine, I am happy for having been given this charge, for I have to tell you how much I think that God loves you and is treating you as one of His privileged souls…. Ah! you can well say that the reward is great in heaven since it is said: “Blessed are you when they persecute you and say falsely all kinds of evil against you.” (Matthew 5:11.) So rejoice and leap for joy!… Celine, what a privilege to be unknown on this earth!… Ah, God's thoughts are not our thoughts. If they were, our life would be only a hymn of thanksgiving!… |
16-17-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 17 | GCI 630, July 18, 1890, LT 109: to Celine. |
3-17-5 | 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), 16-17-7 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 17-17-4 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 22-17-1 (Salvation of Souls), |
| 17 | GCI 677- 678, Sept. 8, 1890, LC 141: from Sr. Marie of the Angels. |
3-17-6 |
Little virginal Spouse of Jesus, the Lamb, if you wish to follow Him one day
with the virgins in the homeland, follow Him each day in the path which He
traces out for you and which was His own!
May the cross, suffering, humility,
sublime poverty be your whole ambition, your joy! Love little Jesus. The gentle little Child became today your Spouse, and for Him make yourself little, very little, too, so well hidden in His Heart that He alone, His Immaculate Mother, and the angels of heaven may find you. |
2-17-11 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 10-17-1 (Littleness), 12-17-2 (Humility, Humbleness), 23-17-4 (The Joy of Sufferings) |
| 18 | GCII 721, Feb. 16 , 1891, LC 146: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
3-18-1 |
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), 17-18-3 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity) |
| 19 | GCII 752 -753, Aug. 15, 1892, LT 135: to Celine. |
3-19-1 |
…And this Beloved instructs my soul, he speaks to it in silence, in
darkness…. Recently, there came a thought to me which I have to tell
my Celine. It was one day when I was thinking of what I could do
to save souls, a word of the gospel gave me a real light. In days
gone by, Jesus said to His disciples when showing them the fields of
ripe corn: “
Lift up your
eyes and see how
the fields are already white
enough to be harvested,” (John 4:35.) and a little later: “
In truth, the harvest
is abundant but the number of laborers is small, ask then the master
of the harvest to send laborers.” (Matthew 9:37-38.) What a
mystery!… Is not Jesus
all-powerful? Are not creatures His who made them? Why, then, does
Jesus say: “Ask the Lord of the harvest that he send some
workers?” Why?… Ah!
it is because Jesus has so incomprehensible a love for us
that He wills that we have a share with Him in the salvation of souls.
He wills to do nothing without us. The Creator of the universe awaits
the prayer of a poor little soul to save other souls redeemed like it
at the price of all His Blood. Our own vocation is not to go out
to harvest the fields of ripe corn. Jesus does not say to us: “Lower
your eyes, look at the fields and go harvest them.” Our mission is
still more sublime. These are the words of Jesus: “
Lift your eyes and
see.” See how in my heaven there are empty places; it is up to you
to fill them, you are my Moses praying on the mountain, ask me for
workers and I shall send them, I await only a prayer, a sigh from
your heart! Is not the apostolate of prayer, so to speak, more elevated than that of the word? Our mission as Carmelites is to form evangelical workers who will save thousands of souls whose mothers we shall be…. |
5-19-1 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 14-19-1 (The Little Way), 16-19-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 22-19-1 (Salvation of Souls), 40-19-1 (Participation to Salvation), 43-19-1 (Darkness) |
| 19 | GCII 761- 762, Oct. 19, 1892, LT 137: to Celine. |
3-19-2 | …And He answered: “The foxes have their lairs, the birds of heaven their nests, but I have no place to rest my head.” (Matthew 8:20.) This is where we must descend in order that we may serve as an abode for Jesus. To be so poor that we do not have a place to rest our head. This is, dear Celine, what Jesus has done in my soul during my retreat…. You understand, there is question here of the interior. Besides, has not the exterior already been reduced to nothing by means of the very sad trial of Caen?… In our dear Father, Jesus has stricken us in the most sensitive exterior part of our heart; now let us allow Him to act, He can complete His work in our souls…. What Jesus desires is that we receive Him into our hearts. No doubt, they are already empty of creatures, but, alas, I feel mine is not entirely empty of myself, and it is for this reason that Jesus tells me to descend…. He, the King of kings, humbled Himself in such a way that His face was hidden, and no one recognized him… and I, too, want to hide my face, I want my Beloved alone to see it, that He be the only one to count my tears…that in my heart at least He may rest His dear head and feel that there He is known and understood!… |
2-19-1 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-19-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 9-19-1 (Poor in Spirit), 11-19-1 (Nothingness), 14-19-2 (The Little Way), 15-19-1 (Union with Jesus) |
| 20 | GCII 795 - 796, July 6, 1893, LT 142: to Celine. |
3-20-1 |
…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), 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), 17-20-3 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 23-20-1 (The Joy of Sufferings), 28-20-1 (Peace), 42-20-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 20 | GCII 808- 809, Aug. 2, 1893, LT 145: to Celine. |
3-20-2 |
…Jesus does not will that we find His adorable presence in repose;
He hides
Himself; He wraps Himself in darkness. It was not thus that He acted with
the
crowd of Jews, for we see in the
gospel that the people were CARRIED AWAY
when He was speaking.
Jesus used to charm weak souls with His divine words,
He was trying to make them strong for the day of trial…. But how
small was
the number of Our Lord's friends when He was SILENT before his
judges!…
Oh! what a melody for my heart is this silence of Jesus…. He made Himself
poor that we might be able to give Him love.
He holds out His hand to us like a
beggar so that on the radiant
day of judgment when He will appear
in His glory, He may have us hear those sweet words: “
Come, blessed of
my Father, for I was hungry and you gave to eat; I was thirsty, and you
gave me to drink; I did not know where to lodge, and you gave me a home.
I was in prison, sick, and you helped me.” (Matthew 25:34-36.) It
is Jesus Himself who spoke
these words;
it is He who wants our love, who begs for
it.… He places
Himself, so to speak, at our mercy, He does not want to take anything
unless we give it to Him, and the smallest thing is precious in His
divine eyes…. Jesus is a hidden treasure, an inestimable good which few souls can find, for it is hidden, and the world loves what sparkles. Ah! if Jesus had willed to show Himself to all souls with His ineffable gifts, no doubt there is not one of them that would have despised Him. However, He does not will that we love Him for His gifts, He Himself must be our reward. To find a hidden thing one must hide oneself; our life must then be a mystery. We must be like Jesus, Jesus whose face was hidden…. “Do you want to learn something that may be of use to you?” says the Imitation. “Love to be unknown and accounted for nothing…. And elsewhere; “After you have left everything, you must above all leave yourself; let one man boast of one thing, another of something else; as for you, place your joy only in contempt of yourself.” What peace these words give to the soul, Celine. |
2-20-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-20-5 (The Little Way), 16-20-3 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 19-20-1 (The Words of God), 25-20-1 (Glory), 28-20-3 (Peace), 40-20-1 (Participation to Salvation), 43-20-2 (Darkness) |
| 21 | GCII 862, Jul. 7, 1894, LT 165: to Celine. |
3-21-1 | …But how sweet it will be to hear one day this very sweet word coming from the mouth of Jesus: “ You are the ones who have always remained with me in all the trials I have had, so I have prepared my kingdom for you, just as my Father has prepared it for me.” (Luke 22:28-29.) The trials of Jesus, what a mystery! He has trials then, He too?… Yes, He has them, and often He is alone in treading the wine in the wine press; He looks for consolers and can find none…. (Isaias 63:3 and 5.) Many serve Jesus when he is consoling them, but few consent to keep company with Jesus sleeping on the waves or suffering in the garden of agony!…Who, then, will be willing to serve Jesus for Himself?… Ah! we shall be the ones… Celine and Therese will unite always more and more; in them, will be accomplished this prayer of Jesus: “ Father, that they may be one as we are one. ” (John 17:21.) Yes, Jesus is already preparing His kingdom for us, just as His Father prepared it for Him. He prepares it for us by leaving us in the trial. He wills that our face be seen by creatures, but that it be as though hidden so that no one recognize us but Himself alone!… | 2-21-6 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-21-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 22 | SS 174. |
3-22-1 | … O Mother, among these ripe sheaves is hidden the little white flower; however, in heaven she will have a voice with which to sing of your gentleness and your virtues which she sees you practice every day in the darkness and the silence of life's exile! |
39-22-1 (Pauline), 43-22-1 (Darkness) |
| 22 | SS 175. |
3-22-2 | …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, (Ecclesiastes 2:11.) 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. |
14-22-2 (The Little Way), 17-22-2 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 23-22-1 (The Joy of Suffering), 42-22-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 22 | GCII 902 -903, April 28, LT 176: to Sr. The- rese- Dosi- thee |
3-22-3 |
…I assured you, I was very sad, but, one day, God
gave me to understand
that there was a great self-seeking
in this desire to pronounce my holy
vows. Then I said to myself: For my reception of the Habit, I was robed
in a beautiful white dress adorned with lace and flowers, and who was
thinking, now, of giving me any dress for my wedding? … This dress I
must prepare all alone; Jesus wills that no
one help me except Himself,
so with His aid I was going to set myself to the task,
to work with
fervor…. Creatures will not see my efforts which will be
hidden in my
heart. Taking care to forget myself, I shall
want no other look but that
of Jesus…. What does it matter if I appear poor and destitute of mind
and talents?… I want to put into practice this counsel from the
Imitation: “Let this one take glory in one thing, another in
something
else, but as for you, set your joy only in contempt of self, in My will
and My glory.” Or : “Do you want to learn something that will help
you; Love to be unknown and counted as nothing!…”
When thinking
this over,
I felt a great peace in my soul, I felt that
here was truth and peace! I
was no longer disturbed about the date of my Profession, thinking that
on the day when my wedding dress was finished, Jesus would come seeking
His poor little spouse…. (Note: This letter was written when she was 22 years old, recalling the final Profession days at the age of 17.) |
1-22-1 (Self-love, Nature), 7-17-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-17-5 (The Little Way), 16-22-9 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 20-22-1 (Truth), 28-22-3 (Peace) |
| 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.… |
4-23-3 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment), 14-23-4 (The Little Way), 17-23-11 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 35-23-1 (Books), 42-23-5 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | GCII 1046, Jan. 9, 1897, LT 216: to Mother Agnes of Jesus. |
3-24-1 | I would have liked not to have seen little Mother's tears flowing, but what I was happy to see was the good effect they produced, it was like magic. Ah! I am not vexed at anyone when my little Mother is scowled at, for I see only too well that the Sisters are merely instruments placed in the way by Jesus Himself so that little Mother's way (in little Therese's eyes) resembles the one He has chosen for Himself when He was a traveler on the earth of exile…. Then His face was as though hidden, no one recognized Him, He was an object of contempt…. Little Mother is not an object of contempt, but very few recognize her because Jesus has hidden her face!… |
39-24-1 (Pauline) |
| 24 | LC 36, Apr. 6, 1897. |
3-24-2 | 1. “ When we're misunderstood and judged unfavorably, what good does it do to defend or explain ourselves? Let the matter drop and say nothing. It's so much better to say nothing and allow others to judge us as they please. We don't see in the Gospel where Mary explained herself when her sister accused her of remaining at Jesus' feet, doing nothing! (Luke 10:39-40.) She didn't say: ‘Oh, Martha, if you only knew the joy I am experiencing, if you only heard the words I hear! And besides, it's Jesus who told me to remain here.’ No, she preferred to remain silent. O blessed silence that gives so much peace to souls!” |
28-24-5 (Peace), 45-24-4 (Magdalene) |
| 24 | LC 46, May 18. |
3-24-3 | 4 “I begged God to permit me to follow the community acts right up to my death, but He did not will it! I really could have attended them all, and I would not have died a moment sooner. I'm certain of this. Sometimes, it seems to me, that if I had said nothing, no one would have discovered that I was sick.” |
16-24-16 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 24 | LC 64, June 12. |
3-24-4 | “As far as I am concerned, what does it matter what others think or say? I don't see why I should be disturbed about it.” | |
| 24 | LC 96, Jul. 13. |
3-24-5 |
18 … She spoke to me, moreover, about the violence she had to do to herself to remove the spiders' webs from the alcove of St. Alexis under the stairs (She had a horror of spiders), and a thousand other details which proved to me how faithful she had been in her tasks, and what she had suffered from them without anyone's being aware of it. |
2-24-40 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-24-16 (Renunciation, Forget Self) |
| 24 | LC 103 -104, Jul. 20. |
3-24-6 |
1. She coughed up blood at three in the morning. “What would you have done had one of us been sick instead of you? Would you have come to the infirmary during the recreation periods?” I asked. “I would have gone directly to recreation, without asking for any information. However, I'd have done this quite simply so that no one would notice the sacrifice I was making. If I had come to the infirmary, it would have been to please others and not to satisfy myself. I would do all this in order to accomplish my little task and to draw down grace upon you, which the seeking of myself would certainly not accomplish. I myself would have drawn great strength from this sacrifices. If at times through weakness, I would have acted otherwise, I would not have been discouraged. I would have been careful to make up for my failures by depriving myself still more, without allowing this to be seen by others.” |
2-24-43 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-24-18 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 8-24-16 (Weakness, Frailty), 24-24-18 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 24 | LC 130, Aug. 3. |
3-24-7 |
5. I was talking to her
about
mortifications under the form of
penitential instruments: “We must be very restrained on this point, for often nature is involved in this matter more than anything else.” (*) Novissima Verba (Note:See the explanation on this book on pp. 8-9 of the LC) adds: She had told me on another occasion: “A passage in the life of Blessed Henry Suso struck me with regard to corporal penances. He had performed frightful penances which had destroyed his health; an angel appeared to him, telling him to stop. Then he added: ‘You are no longer to fight as a simple soldier; from this moment I shall arm you as a knight.’ And he made the Saint understand the superiority of the spiritual combat over corporal mortifications. “Well, little Mother, God didn't want me to be a simple soldier; I was armed from the beginning as a knight, and I went out to war against self in the spiritual domain, through self-denial in hidden sacrifices. I discovered peace and humility in this obscure struggle in which nature finds nothing for self.” |
1-24-9 (Self-love, Nature), 7-24-22 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 12-24-11 (Humility, Humbleness), 28-24-11 (Peace), 33-24-2 (Penance, Mortification) |
| 24 | LC 135, Aug. 5. |
3-24-8 |
9 “These words of Isaias: ‘
Who has believed our report?…
There is
no beauty in him, no comeliness, etc.,’ (Isaias 53:1-2.) have made
the whole foundation of my devotion to
the Holy Face, or, to express
it better, the foundation of all my piety. I, too, have desired to
be without beauty, alone in treading the winepress, unknown to
everyone.” 10 With reference to a certain confidence I had entrusted to her: “A Mother Prioress must always allow other to believe she is without any sufferings. This does us so much good, and it gives us so much strength not to speak of our troubles. For example, she should avoid expressing herself like this: ‘You have your trials and difficulties, but I have the same and many others, etc.’” |
4-24-16 (Trust, Confidence, Abandonment) |
| 24 | LC 137, Aug. 6. |
3-24-9 | 5. “Oh! How few perfect religious there are, who do nothing, or next to nothing, saying: I'm not obliged to do that, after all. There's no great harm in speaking here, in satisfying myself there. How few there are who do everything in the best way possible! And still these are the most happy religious. Take silence for example, what good it does to the soul, what failures in charity it prevents, and so many other troubles of all kinds. I speak especially about silence because it's on this point that we fail the most.” |