| Age | Sources and Pages | Code Number | Quotations | Relevant Key Words, Phrases and Their Code Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8~9 | SS 72. |
4-8-1 | When reading the accounts of the patriotic deeds of French heroines, especially the Venerable JOAN OF ARC, I had a great desire to imitate them; and it seemed I felt within me the same burning zeal with which they were animated, the same heavenly inspiration. Then I received a grace which I have always looked upon as one of the greatest in my life because at that age I wasn't receiving the lights I'm now receiving when I am flooded with them. I considered that I was born for glory and when I searched out the means of attaining it, God inspired in me the sentiments I have just described. He made me understand my own glory would not be evident to the eyes of mortals, that it would consist in becoming a great saint! This desire could certainly appear daring if one were to consider how weak and imperfect I was, and how, after seven years in the religious life, I still am weak and imperfect. I always feel, however, the bold confidence of becoming a great saint because I don't count on my merits since I have none, but I trust in Him who is Virtue and Holiness. God alone, content with my weak efforts, will raise me to Himself and make me a saint, clothing me in His infinite merits. I didn't think then that one had to suffer very much to reach sanctity, but God was not long in showing me this was so and in sending me the trials I have already mentioned. |
2-8-3 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 8-8-1 (Weakness, Frailty), 14-8-1 (The Little Way), 16-8-1 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 21-8-1 (A Saint), 24-8-1 (Mercy of God, Grace), 25-8-2 (Glory) |
| 10 | GCI 160, Feb. 7 -Mar. 25, 1883, from Mother Marie de Gon- zague |
4-10-1 | Trust and confidence! | |
| 14 | SS 131 -132. |
4-14-1 | …She became my saint of predilection, my intimate confidante. Everything in her thrilled me, especially her abandonment, her limitless confidence which made her capable of virginizing souls who had never desired any other joys but those of the present life. St.Cecilia is like the bride in the Canticle; in her I see “a choir in an armed camp.” (Canticle of Canticles 7:1.) Her life was nothing else but a melodious song in the midst of the greatest trials, and this does not surprise me because “the Gospel rested on her heart,” and in her heart reposed the Spouse of Virgins! |
2-14-11 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-14-7 (The Little Way), 21-14-1 (A Saint) |
| 14 | SS 133. |
4-14-2 | …My heart beat strongly and my prayers were fervent when Jesus descended into the hands of His Pontiff. However, I was filled with confidence, for the Gospel of the day contained these beautiful words: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke12:32.) No, I did not fear, I hoped the kingdom of Carmel would soon belong to me; I was not thinking then of those other words of Jesus: “And I appoint to you a kingdom even as my Father has appointed to me…” (Luke22:29.) In other words, I reserve crosses and trials for you, and it is thus you will be worthy of possessing this kingdom after which you long; since it was necessary that the Christ suffer and that He enter through it into His glory, (Luke 24:26.) if you desire to have a place by His side, then drink the chalice He has drunk! (Matthew 20:21-22.) |
2-14-12 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 5-14-3 (Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation), 25-14-2 (Glory) |
| 14 | SS 143. |
4-14-3 | …I really want to believe I must have appeared unreasonable in not accepting my three months exile joyfully, but I also believe that, without its appearing so, this trial was very great and made me grow very much in abandonment and in the other virtue. |
2-14-15 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials) |
| 14 | GCI 289, Oct. 8, 1887, LT 27: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
4-14-4 | …In spite of everything, I feel that I am filled with courage; I am sure that God is not going to abandon me. Now, as Uncle told me, my time of trial is about to begin. Oh! pray for me; pray for your Theresita. You know how much she loves you; you are her confidante. I would really have to see you, but this is still a sacrifice to offer Jesus. Oh, I want to refuse Him nothing, and even though I feel sad and alone on this earth, He still remains with me. And has not St. Teresa said: “God alone suffices.”… |
2-14-16 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-14-3 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 14 | GCI 313, Nov. 9, 1887, from Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
4-14-5 | …rest in the Heart of Jesus; abandon yourself to Him, and He will not abandon His little Theresita. | |
| 14 | GCI 329, Nov. 11, 1887, L C62: from Mother Marie de Gon- zague. |
4-14-6 | …Yes, confidence, dear child of my heart; everything that Jesus wills is marked with the seal of the Cross, and we must not drag this Cross but carry it! The longer you live, my treasure, the more you will understand all the sacrifices for his love that the grace of the vocation Jesus has given you merits…. |
2-14-19 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-14-4 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-14-7 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 14 | GCI 332, Nov. 14, 1887. |
4-14-7 | …I have such a great confidence in Him that he will not be able to abandon me; I'm placing all in His hands. | |
| 14 | GCI 353, Nov. 20, 1887, LT 36: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
4-14-8 |
…Oh! Pauline, if you could only have read my heart, you would have seen
there a great confidence…. …Oh! Pauline, I cannot tell you what I felt. I was crushed. I felt I was abandoned, and, then, I am so far, so far…. I was crying a lot when writing this letter; my heart is heavy. However, God cannot give me trials that are above my strength. He has given me the courage to bear this trial. Oh! it is very great…. But, Pauline, I am the Child Jesus' little ball; if He wishes to break His toy, He is free. Yes, I will all that He wills. |
2-14-22 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-14-6 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 39-14-10 (Pauline) |
| 14 | GCI 359, Nov. 23, 1887, from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
4-14-9 | …It is an act of abandonment that you must make, that is God's will for you! | 16-14-8 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 39-14-13 (Pauline) |
| 15 | GCI 442, Jul. 5 -9, 1888, LT 55: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
4-15-1 | Yes, I desire them, these agonies of the heart, these pinpricks about which the lamb speaks. What does it matter to the little reed if it bends? It is not afraid of breaking, for it has been planted at the edge of the waters, and, instead of touching the ground when it bends, it encounters only a beneficent wave which strengthens it and makes it want another storm to come and pass over its frail head. Its weakness gives rise to all its confidence. It cannot break since, no matter what happens to it, it wants only to see the gentle hand of its Jesus…. |
2-15-12 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 8-15-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 39-15-10 (Pauline) |
| 15 | GCI 463, Oct. 14, 1888, LC 87: from Fr. P. Pichon. |
4-15-2 | Oh! yes, paint Jesus in your soul. Tell the Blessed Virgin to take up the brush herself. Ah! that your heart may reflect only Jesus, Jesus alone! Confidence! The divine Child will continue His work in you. Haven't you felt this during these blessed days of retreat? | |
| 15 | GCI 475, Nov. 2-4 (?), 1888, LC 92: from Sr. Marie of the Angels. |
4-15-3 | Courage and confidence. Knowing that my little Therese is a prey to sadness is a cloud in the heaven of my retreat; may Jesus scatter the cloud and bless the dear little Benjamin of my heart a thousand times. | |
| 16 | GCI 567 -568, May 30, 1889, LT 93: to Marie Guerin. |
4-16-1 |
Should I tell you something that has given me much sorrow?… It is that my little Marie has given up her Communions…on the feast of the Ascension and on the last day of Mary's month!… Oh! what sorrow this has caused Jesus!… The devil has to be very clever to mislead a soul in this way!… But don't you know, my dear, that this is the only goal of his desires? The evil one knows well that he can't make a soul that wants to belong totally to Jesus commit a sin, so he tries to make the soul believe it has. It is already much for him to put disturbance in this soul, but to satisfy his rage something else is needed; He wants to deprive Jesus of a loved tabernacle, and, not being able to enter this sanctuary, he wants, at least, that it remain empty and without any Master!… Alas, what will become of this poor heart?… When the evil has succeeded in drawing the soul away from Holy Communion, he has won everything…. And Jesus weeps!… Oh, my darling, think, then, that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone; He is burning with the desire to enter your heart…so don't listen to the devil, mock him, and go without any fear to receive Jesus in peace and love!…. …what offends Him and what wounds His Heart is the lack of confidence!… Dear little sister, receive Communion often, very often…. That is the only remedy if you want to be healed, and Jesus hasn't placed this attraction in your soul for nothing. |
14-16-11 (The Little Way), 15-16-1 (Union with Jesus), 18-16-1 (Holy Communion), 27-16-2 (Sinners, Sins), 50-16-4 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 16 | GCI 595, Nov. 21, 1889, LC 119: from Sr. Marie of the Angels. |
4-16-2 | …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), 8-16-2 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-16-1 (Poor in Spirits), 10-16-2 (Littleness), 12-16-3 (Humility, Humbleness), 14-16-14 (The Little Way), 16-16-14 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 17-16-16 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 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. |
4-17-1 | 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), 17-17-1 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), |
| 17 | GCI 665, Sep. 3, 1890, LC 137: from Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
4-17-2 | …He isn't giving you any consolation because you are in His arms, and you are not walking, He is carrying you…. Does the child in its Father's arms need any other consolation?… and so I can picture Jesus carrying His little grain of sand, and, burdened with this light load, He is running in search of souls…. The little grain of sand stirs, it leaps when it sees some poor wounded lambs hidden in the bushes…. And Jesus is pleased with its desires. He saves the poor sinners with the help of His little grain of sand…. | 22-17-3 (Salvation of Souls), 27-17-1 (Sinners), 29-17-6 (Consolation), 39-17-6 (Pauline) |
| 18 | SS 173 -174. |
4-18-1 | …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. | 17-18-1 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 38-18-1 (Disposition) |
| 20 | GCII 795 - 796, July 6, 1893, LT 142: to Celine. |
4-20-1 |
…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), 3-20-1 (Silence, Hidden), 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 Suffering), 28-20-1 (Peace), 42-20-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 20 | GCII 801, Jul. 18, 1893, LT 143: to Celine. |
4-20-2 |
…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. |
11-20-1 (Nothingness), 14-20-4 (The Little Way), 17-20-4 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 37-20-1 (Time), 43-20-1 (Darkness) |
| 21 | GCII 863, July 7, 1894, LT 165: to Celine. |
4-21-1 |
…For a long time, our harps were hung on
the willows of the shore.” (Psalm 136:4 and 2.)
We were not able to use them!… Our
God, the
Guest of our soul, knows
it well, so He comes to us with the intention of finding an abode,
an EMPTY
tent, in the midst of the
earth's field of battle. He asks
only this, and He Himself is the Divine Musician who takes charge of
the
concert…. Ah! if only
we were to hear this ineffable harmony, if
one single vibration were to reach our ears!…. “We do not know how to ask for anything as we ought, but the spirit pleads within us with unutterable groanings” (St. Paul, Romans 8:26.). We have, then, only to surrender our soul, to abandon it to our great God. What does it matter, then, if our souls be without gifts that sparkle exteriorly since within us the King of kings shines with all His glory! How great must a soul be to contain a God!… And yet the soul of a day-old child is a Paradise of delights for Him; what will it be, then, for our souls that have fought and suffered to delight the Heart of our Beloved?… |
2-21-7 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 15-21-2 (Union with Jesus), 25-21-1 (Glory) |
| 22 | SS 178. |
4-22-1 |
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), 7-22-1 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 16-22-5 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 17-22-3 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity) |
| 22 | SS 180. |
4-22-2 |
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. |
14-22-3 (The Little Way), 17-22-7 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-22-6 (Mercy of God, Graces), 27-22-1 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 22 | SS 188. |
4-22-3 | …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), 14-22-5 (The Little Way ), 17-22-9 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity) |
| 22 | SS 189. |
4-22-4 | …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. |
7-22-4 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-22-6 (The Little Way), 17-22-11 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 40-22-1 (Participation to Salvation), 42-22-3 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 23 | SS 198 -199. |
4-23-1 |
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…. |
8-23-3 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-3 (Littleness), 17-23-5 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 23-23-3 (The Joy of Sufferings), 27-23-1 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 23 | SS 200. |
4-23-2 |
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…. |
7-23-2 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 8-23-4 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-4 (Littleness), 17-23-6 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-23-1 (Mercy of God, Graces), 42-23-3 (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), 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) |
| 23 | GCII, p. 999, Sept. 17, 1896, LT197: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
4-23-4 | …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?… |
8-23-5 (Weakness, Frailty), 10-23-6 (Littleness), 14-23-5 (The Little Way), 17-23-12 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-23-2 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 23 | GCII 999- 1000, Sep. 17, 1896, LT 197: to Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart. |
4-23-5 | 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…. |
8-23-6 (Weakness, Frailty), 9-23-1 (Poor in Spirits), 10-23-7 (Littleness), 11-23-3 (Nothingness), 14-23-6 (The Little Way), 17-23-13 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 42-23-6 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | SS 208. |
4-24-1 | …The elevator which must raise me to heaven is Your arms, O Jesus! And for this I had no need to grow up, but rather I had to remain little and become this more and more. |
10-24-3 (Littleness) |
| 24 | SS 258 -259. |
4-24-2 |
…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…. |
17-24-8 (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 1093 -1094, May 9, 1897, LT 226: to P. Rou -lland. |
4-24-3 | …I know one must be very pure to appear before the God of all Holiness, but I know, too, that the Lord is infinitely just; and it is this justice which frightens so many souls that is the object of my joy and confidence. To be just is not only to exercise severity in order to punish the guilty; it is also to recognize right intentions and to reward virtue. I expect as much from God's justice as from His mercy. It is because He is just that “He is compassionate and filled with gentleness, slow to punish, and abundant in mercy”, (Psalm 102:8.) for He knows our frailty, He remembers we are only dust. As a father has tenderness for his children, so the Lord has compassion on us!!… |
8-24-9 (Weakness, Frailty), 24-24-8 (Mercy of God, Grace) |
| 24 | GCII 1093- 1094, May 9, 1897, LT 226: to P. Roulland. |
4-24-4 | This is, Brother, what I think of God's justice; my way is all confidence and love. I do not understand souls who fear a Friend so tender. At times, when I am reading certain spiritual treatises in which perfection is shown through a thousand obstacles, surrounded by a crowd of illusions, my poor little mind quickly tires; I close the learned book that is breaking my head and drying up my heart, and I take up Holy Scripture. Then all seems luminous to me; a single word uncovers for my soul infinite horizons, perfection seems simple to me, I see it is sufficient to recognize one's nothingness and to abandon oneself as a child into God's arms. Leaving to great souls, to great minds the beautiful books I cannot understand, much less put into practice, I rejoice at being little since children alone and those who resemble them will be admitted to the heavenly banquet.(Matthew 19:14.) |
10-24-8 (Littleness), 11-24-2 (Nothingness), 14-24-7 (The Little Way), 16-24-9 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 24-24-9 (Mercy of God, Graces), 35-24-1 (Books) |
| 24 | GCII 1134, June 21, 1897, LT 247: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
4-24-5 | I know there are some saints who spent their life in the practice of astonishing mortifications to expiate their sins, but what of it; “there are many mansions in the house of heavenly Father,” (John 14:2.) Jesus has said, and it is because of this that I followed the way He is tracing out for me. I try to be no longer occupied with myself in anything, and I abandon myself to what Jesus sees fit to do in my soul, for I have not chosen an austere life to expiate my faults but those of others. |
7-24-10 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-24-12 (The Little Way), 22-24-7 (Salvation of Souls), 27-24-5 (Sinners, Sins), 33-24-1 (Penance, Mortification) |
| 24 | GCII 1152 -1153, Jul. 18, 1897, LT 258: to l'abbe Bell- iere |
4-24-6 | 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), 7-24-12 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 14-24-13 (The Little Way), 16-24-14 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 17-24-18 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity) |
| 24 | GCII 1164 -1165, Jul. 26, 1897, LT 261: to l'abbe Bell- iere. |
4-24-7 | …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. |
11-24-3 (Nothingness), 12-24-6 (Humility, Humbleness), 17-24-19 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-24-12 (Mercy of God, Graces) |
| 24 | LC 50, May 27. Ascen -sion. |
4-24-8 | 2 “I haven't any misgivings whatsoever about the final struggles or sufferings of this sickness, no matter how great they may be. God has always come to my aid; He has helped me and led me by the hand from my childhood. I count upon Him. I'm sure He will continue to help me until the end. I may really become exhausted and worn out, but I shall never have too much to suffer; I'm sure of this.” |
47-24-1 (Consistency of Spirituality) |
| 24 | LC 62 -63, Jun. 10. |
4-24-9 |
She was getting well and this surprised her; she was forced to get
hold of herself in order not to become sad: “The Blessed virgin really carried out my messages well; I'll give her some once more! “I tell her very often: ‘Tell Him never to put Himself out on my account.’ “He has heard this, and this is exactly what He's doing. I no longer understand anything about my sickness. Here I am getting better! However, I abandon myself to Him and I'm happy just the same. What would become of me if I did not nourish the hope of soon dying? What disappointments! But I don't have a single one, because I am totally content with what God does; I desire only His will.” |
16-24-19 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 24 | LC 69, June 30. |
4-24-10 |
1. I was speaking to her about certain saints who had led
extraordinary lives, such as St. Simon Stylites. She said: “I myself prefer the saints who feared nothing, for example, St. Cecilia, who allowed herself to be married and didn't fear.” |
21-24-3 (A Saint) |
| 24 | LC 77, Jul. 7. |
4-24-11 | 3. “This saying of Job: ‘Although he should kill me, I will trust in him’ (Job 13:15.), has fascinated me from my childhood. But it took me a long time before I was established in this degree of abandonment. Now I am there; God has placed me there. He took me into His arms and placed me there.” | |
| 24 | LC 87, Jul. 10. |
4-24-12 |
13 (During Matins) It came into her head that she wasn't seriously ill, that the doctor was mistaken about her state of health. She told me about these trials and added: “If my soul had not been filled in advance with abandonment to God's will, if it had been necessary that it let itself be submerged by these feelings of joy and sadness that succeed each other so quickly on this earth, this would have been a bitter pain, and I could not have borne it. But these changes only touch the surface of my soul…. Ah! nevertheless, they are great trials!” |
2-24-38 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-24-14 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 16-24-20 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity) |
| 24 | LC 89, Jul. 11. |
4-24-13 | “One could believe that it is because I haven't sinned that I have such great confidence in God. Really tell them, Mother, that if I had committed all possible crimes, I would always have the same confidence; I feel that this whole multitude of offenses would be like a drop of water thrown into a fiery furnace. You will then tell the story about the converted sinner who died of love; souls will understand immediately, for it's such a striking example of what I'm trying to say. However, these things cannot be expressed in words.” |
27-24-7 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 24 | LC 104, Jul. 20. |
4-24-14 | 3. “ Mortal sin wouldn't withdraw my confidence from me; don't forget to tell the story of the sinful woman! This will prove that I'm not mistaken.” |
27-24-8 (Sinners, Sins) |
| 24 | LC 106, Jul. 23. |
4-24-15 |
3. I was always telling her of my
fear that she'd have to suffer much more: “We who run in the way of love shouldn't be thinking of sufferings that can take place in the future; it's a lack of confidence, it's like meddling in the work of creation.” |
2-24-45 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-24-21 (The Little Way), 37-24-4 (Time) |
| 24 | LC 135, Aug. 5. |
4-24-16 |
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.’” |
3-24-8 (Silence, Hidden) |
| 24 | LC 137, Aug. 6. |
4-24-17 |
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.” |
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), 17-24-27 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-24-22 (Mercy of God, Graces), 28-24-12 (Peace), 29-24-4 (Consolation), 42-24-9 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 24 | LC 257, Jul. from a note of Mother Agnes of Jesus. |
4-24-18 |
I was asking her about
the “way” she wanted to teach to souls
after her death: “Mother, it's the way of spiritual childhood, it's the way of confidence and total abandon. I want to teach them the little means that have so perfectly succeeded with me, to tell them there is only one thing to do here on earth: to cast at Jesus the flowers of little sacrifices, to take Him by caresses; this is the way I've taken Him, and it's for this that I shall be so well received.” |
2-24-52 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 14-24-30 (The Little Way) |
Proceed to the next List 5: Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation.