Do not believe that I am swimming in consolations; oh,no! my consolation is to have none on earth. Without showing himself, without making his voice heard, Jesus teaches me in secret. It is not by means of books, for I do not understand what I am reading, but at times a word like this one that I drew out at the end of prayer (after having remained in silence and aridity) comes to console me: ” Here is the Master I am giving you; he will teach you all you must do. I want to have you read in the book of life wherein is contained the science of love.” The science of love, oh! yes, this word resounds sweetly in the ear of my soul. I desire only this science. Having given all my riches for it, I look upon this as having given nothing, just as the spouse in the sacred canticles…. I understand so well that it is only love that can make us pleasing to God that this love is the only good that I ambition. Jesus is pleased to show me the only road which leads to this divine furnace, and this road is the abandonment of the little child who sleeps without fear in his Father’s arms… “Whoever is a little one, let him come to me,” said the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Solomon, and this same Spirit of Love has said again: “Mercy is granted to little ones.” In his name, the prophet Isaiah reveals to us that on the last day: “The Lord will lead his flock into pastures, he will gather together the little lambs and will press them to his bosom, and as though all these promises were not enough, the same Prophet, whose inspired glance was already plunged into the eternal depths, cried out in the Lord’s name: “As a mother caresses her child, so will I comfort you; I will carry you on my bosom, and I shall rock you on my knees.”… After language like this, there is nothing to do but be silent and weep in gratitude and love… Ah! if all weak and imperfect souls felt what the littlest of all souls feels, the soul of your little Therese, not one would despair of reaching the summit of the mountain of love, since Jesus does not ask for great actions but only abandonment and gratitude.
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus
+1897 Doctor of the Church
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