| Age | Sources and Pages | Code Number | Quotations | Relevant Key Words, Phrases and Their Code Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | GCI 467 -468, Oct. 20, 1888, LT 65: to Celine. |
41-15-1 | 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), 17-15-3 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 24-15-3 (Mercy of God, Graces), 42-15-1 (Works, Actions, Great Actions) |
| 16 | GCI 511, Jan. 8, 1889, LT 78: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
41-16-1 |
…The lamb is mistaken in believing that Jesus' toy is not in
darkness! it
is immersed in darkness. Perhaps, and the little lamb agrees with this, this
darkness is light, but in spite of everything it is darkness….
Its only
consolation is a strength and a very great
peace, and, then, it wants to be
as Jesus wills it to be; that is its joy,
otherwise, all is sadness…. If you only knew how great my joy is not to have anything with which to please Jesus!… It is a refined joy (but in no way felt). |
2-16-14 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 16-16-4 (His Will, Perfection, Sanctity), 23-16-6 (The Joy of Suffering), 28-16-2 (Peace), 29-16-4 (Consolation), 39-16-5 (Pauline), 43-16-2 (Darkness) |
| 16 | GCI 546, Mar. 12, 1889, LT 85: to Celine. |
41-16-2 |
I have a need this evening to come with my Celine in order to plunge
myself into infinity…. I have to forget this earth….Here below,
everything tires me, everything is a burden to me….
I find only one
joy, that of suffering for Jesus, but this
unfelt joy is
above every
other joy!… Life is passing away…. Eternity is advancing in great strides…. Soon we shall live the very life of Jesus…. After having drunk at the fountain of all sorrows, we shall be deified at the very fountain of all joys, all delights…. Soon, little sister, with one look, we shall be able to understand what is taking place within the inner depths of our being!… |
2-16-21 (Sufferings, Sacrifices, Crosses, Trials), 7-16-7 (Renunciation, Forget Self), 23-16-9 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-16-6 (Time) |
| 16 | GCI 552 -553, Apr. 4, 1889, LT 87: to Celine |
41-16-3 |
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), 17-16-9 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 28-16-3 (Peace), 37-16-7 (Time), 50-16-3 (Jesus's Wounds, Pains and Tears) |
| 16 | GCI 577, Jul. 14, 1889, LT 94: to Celine. |
41-16-4 | 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), 17-16-13 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 23-16-11 (The Joy of Sufferings), 37-16-10 (Time) |
| 17 | GCI 662. Sep. 3, 1890, LT 114: to Sr. Agnes of Jesus. |
41-17-7 | …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!… |
17-17-7 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 39-17-5 (Pauline) |
| 24 | GCII 1117, June, 1897, (?), LT 241: to Sr. Martha of Jesus. |
41-24-1 |
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), 17-24-14 (Love Jesus, The Love of God, Charity), 22-24-6 (Salvation of Souls), 24-24-10 (Mercy of God, Graces), 37-24-3 (Time) |