Our self-surrender…
Love consumes us only in the measure of our self-surrender.
— Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
The way of love…
How sweet is the way of Love! True, one may fall, one may not be always faithful, but Love, knowing how to draw profit from all, very quickly consumes whatsoever may displease Jesus, leaving naught but humble and profound peace in the innermost soul.
–Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
In the tabernacle…
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… The guest of our soul knows our misery; He comes to find an empty tent within us – that is all He asks.
–Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Beautiful prayers…
I have not the courage to force myself to seek beautiful prayers in books; not knowing which to choose I act as children do who cannot read; I say quite simply to the good God what I want to tell Him, and He always understands me.
–Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Spiritual dryness…
[W]hen I am in this state of spiritual dryness, unable to pray, or to practise virtue, I look for little opportunities, for the smallest trifles, to please my Jesus: a smile or a kind word, for instance, when I would wish to be silent, or to show that I am bored.If no such occasion offer, I try at least to say over and over again that I love Him. This is not hard, and it keeps alive the fire in my heart. Even should the fire of love seem dead, I would still throw my tiny straws on the ashes, and I am confident it would light up again.
–Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
God is better…
I assure you that God is much better than you believe. He is content with a glance, a sigh of love. As for me, I find perfection very easy to practice because I have understood it as a matter of taking hold of Jesus by his heart. Look at a little child who has just annoyed his mother. If he hides away in the corner in the sulky mood and in fear of being punished, his momma will not pardon him . But if he comes to her, holding out his little arms, smiling, and saying: “Kiss me, I will not do it again,” will his mother be able not to press him to our heart tenderly and forget his childish mischief? However, she knows her dear little one will do it again on the next occasion, but this does not matter; if he takes her again by the heart, he will not be punished.
–Saint Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)
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