Thérèse of Lisieux

My only consolation lies in not having any here below.

La oración es un impulso del corazón, una simple mirada hacia el cielo, un grito de agradecimiento y amor en medio de la prueba o en medio del gozo. En fin, es algo [25vº] grande, sobrenatural que me dilata el alma y me une a Jesús.

It's true, I suffer a great deal — but do I suffer well? That is the question.

I thank Our Lord that He let me find nothing but bitterness in human affections. I should have been caught easily, and had my wings clipped...Our Lord knew that I was far too weak to face temptation; He knew that I would certainly have burnt myself in the bewildering light of earthly things, and so He did not let it shine in my eyes. Where stronger souls find joy but remain detached because they are faithful, I found only misery.

I am not dying; I am entering life.

I know now that true charity consists in bearing all our neighbors'defects — not being surprised at their weakness, but edified at their smallest virtues.

I understand and I know from experience that: 'The kingdom of God is within you.' Jesus has no need of books or teachers to instruct souls; He teaches without the noise of words. Never have I heard Him speak, but I feel that He is within me at each moment; He is guiding and inspiring me with what I must say and do. I find just when I need them certain lights that I had not seen until then, and it isn't most frequently during my hours of prayer that these are most abundant but rather in the midst of my daily occupations.

A soul in a state of grace has nothing to fear of demons who are cowards.

Un domingo mientras miraba una estampa de nuestro Señor crucificado, me impresionó profundamente la sangre que goteaba de sus divinas manos. Experimenté un gran dolor al pensar que esa sangre caía en tierra sin que a nadie le interesara recogerla. Resolví entonces permanecer en espíritu al pie de la cruz para recibir el divino rocío que de ella manaba, comprendiendo que luego tendría que volcarlo en las almas...

Life is your barque not your home!

It is consoling that he who must judge us dwell in us to save us always from all of our miseries, and to pardon us.

I find that trials help very much in detaching us from this earth. They make us look higher than this world. Here below, nothing can satisfy us. We cannot enjoy a little rest except in being ready to do God's will. [-] Truly, life isn't cheerful. It is very difficult to be attached to it. Au revoir, dear Pauline, my Confidante.

All is vanity besides loving God and serving Him alone.

I ENTREAT THEE TO LET THY DIVINE EYES REST UPON A VAST NUMBER OF LITTLE SOULS, I ENTREAT THEE TO CHOOSE, IN THIS WORLD, A LEGION OF LITTLE VICTIMS OF THY LOVE.

Offer to God the sacrifice of never gathering any fruit. If He will that throughout your whole life you should feel a repugnance to suffering and humiliation — if He permit that all the flowers of your desires and of your good will should fall to the ground without any fruit appearing, do not worry. At the hour of death, in the twinkling of an eye, He will cause fair fruits to ripen on the tree of your soul.