IN order that Love may be fully satisfied it must needs stoop to very nothingness and transform that nothing into fire. - Thérèse of Lisieux

Do you realize
that Jesus is there
in the tabernacle
expressly for you-
for you alone? He
burns with the
desire to come into
your heart… don’t
listen to the demon,
laugh at him, and
go without fear to
receive the Jesus of
peace 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.

"MY DEAR LITTLE CÉLINE, — Jesus offers you the cross, a very heavy cross, and you are afraid of not being able to carry it without giving way. Why? Our Beloved Himself fell three times on the way to Calvary, and why should we not imitate our Spouse? What a favour from Jesus, and how He must love us to send us so great a sorrow! Eternity itself will not be long enough to bless Him for it.
...
Now we have nothing more to hope for on earth — "the cool evenings are passed" — for us suffering alone remains! Ours is an enviable lot, and the Seraphim in Heaven are jealous of our happiness.

The other day I came across this striking passage: "To be resigned and to be united to the will of God are not the same; there is the same difference between them as that which exists between union and unity; in union there are still two, in unity there is but one." Yes, let us be one with God even in this life; and for this we should be more than resigned, we should embrace the Cross with joy."