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

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.

But above all I imitate Mary Magdalene’s behavior, her surprising — or rather her loving — audaciousness that charmed Jesus’ Heart and captivates mine [Lk. 7:36–38]. Yes, I feel it. Even when I might have on my conscience all the sins that can be committed, I would go with a heart broken with repentance to throw myself into Jesus’ arms, because I know how much He cherishes the prodigal who comes back to Him [Lk. 15:20–24]. It’s not because God, in His kind mercy, has preserved my soul from mortal sin that I rise and go to Him in confidence and love.

I saw that I wasn’t loving them as God loves them. Oh! Now I understand that perfect charity consists in bearing with others’ faults, in not being surprised at their weakness, in being edified by the little acts of virtue that we see them practice. But above all I understood that charity ought not to stay enclosed in the depths of the heart. Jesus said, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” [Mt. 5:15]. It seems to me that this lamp represents charity, which ought to illumine and cause to rejoice, not only those who are the dearest to me, but everyone in the house, without any exception.