Thérèse of Lisieux Quotes

Can a victim of love find anything her Spouse sends terrible?

And I know that all that multitude of sins would disappear in an instant, even as a drop of water cast into a flaming furnace.d'Elbée, Jean du Coeur de Jésus

Jesus does not demand great actions from us, but simply surrender and gratitude.

to dedicate oneself as a Victim of Love is not to be dedicated to sweetness and consolations; it is to offer oneself to all that is painful and bitter, because Love lives only by sacrifice . . . and the more we would surrender ourselves to Love, the more we must surrender ourselves to suffering.

Our Lord has deigned to make me understand that by simple obedience I shall please Him best.

En un instante comprendí qué es la vida. Hasta entonces no me había parecido tan triste, pero ahora se me presentó en toda su realidad. Vi que no es más que sufrimiento y separación continua. Derramé lágrimas muy amargas, pues no comprendía aún la alegría del sacrificio; era débil, tan débil que considero una gran gracia haber podido soportar un dolor que parecía estar muy por encima de mis fuerzas. Si me hubiese enterado poco a poco de la partida de mi Paulina querida, tal vez no habría sufrido tanto, pero [26rº] al saberlo por sorpresa, fue como si una espada se me hubiera clavado en mi corazón.

Now, like a flower after the storm, I can raise my head and see that the words of the Psalm are realized in me: “The Lord is my Shepherd and J shall want nothing. He has set me in a place of pasture. He has brought me up on the water of refreshment. He has converted my soul. He has led me on the paths of justice for His Own Name’s sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils for Thou art with me.” (cf. Psalms 23).

I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord's living garden.

"May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." ...

Another time I was working in the laundry, and the Sister opposite, while washing handkerchiefs, repeatedly splashed me with dirty water. My first impulse was to draw back and wipe my face, to show the offender I should be glad if she would behave more quietly; but the next minute I thought how foolish it was to refuse the treasures God offered me so generously, and I refrained from betraying my annoyance. On the contrary, I made such efforts to welcome the shower of dirty water, that at the end of half an hour I had taken quite a fancy to this novel kind of aspersion, and I resolved to come as often as I could to the happy spot where such treasures were freely bestowed.

It is wrong to pass one’s time in fretting, instead of sleeping on the Heart of Jesus.

Just one such faint spark can set the whole world on fire.

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 have not the courage to make myself search for wonderful prayers in books; there are so many of them, and it gives me a headache. In any case, each one seems more beautiful than the one before. As I cannot day all of them, and do not know which to choose, I just act like a child who can't read; I tell God, quite simply, all that I want to say, and He always understands.
Prayer, for me, is simply a raising of the heart, a simple glance towards Heaven, an expression of love and gratitude in the midst of trial, as well as in times of joy; in a word, it is something noble and supernatural expanding my soul and uniting it to God.