The Story of a Soul by St. Thérèse of Lisieux

(Rockford: TAN Books, 1898/1997), 216

Chapter 2

praying in private: "The two hermits would say the Rosary, but on their fingers, so that they should not betray their devotions in public" (34)

re her reading, top of 47
"I did not realize in those days that one had to go through much suffering to become a Saint" (48)
First Communion: "I had to renew my ardor and fill my heart with freshly gathered flowers...I wanted all the flowers on earth to cradle Jesus in my heart." (49)
"I would not tell you everything, even if I could, for there are certain things which lose their fragrance in the open air" (51)
re Jesus, her desire to "disappear like a drop of water lost in the mighty ocean." (52)
She loved The Imitation of Christ (54) and as a child was called the "little doctor" (55)
"Here, in the silence, I found my one consolation: Jesus, my only friend." (61)

"As I closed my Missal after Mass one Sunday, a picture of the Crucifixion slipped out a little way, and I could just see one of the wounds in Our Lord's hands, with blood flowing from it. A strange new thrill passed over me. It pierced my heart with sorrow to see His Precious Blood falling, with no one bothering to catch it, and I made up my mind, there and then, to stay at the foot of the Cross, to gather up the dew of heavenly life and give it to others. The cry of Jesus as He died, 'I thirst,' echoed every moment in my soul, inflaming my heart with a burning love. I longed to satisfy His thirst for souls" (66)
"My spiritual life up to now had been nourished by the 'fine flour' of The Imitation and it was the only book which did me any good because I had not yet discovered the hidden treasures of the Gospels." (69)
- also St. John of the Cross Canticle of the Soul (71)

"I learned from experience that joy does not reside in the things about us, but in the very depths of the soul, that one can have it in the gloom of a dungeon as well as in the palace of a king." (99)

"Everything here delighted me, our little cell most of all; it was as though I had been transported to my far-away desert. But my happiness, I must say again, was a calm happiness." (105)
"I have come to save souls and above all to pray for priests" (107)
"The closer we come to God, the more simple we become." (108)
meditating on Surin's Foundations of the Spiritual Life (115)

"My act of humility acted like a charm in putting the devil to flight" (121)
"my faults did not cause God sorrow" (124)
"The works of St. John of the Cross have been such a source of light to me. Between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, I read no one else...I am rescued from this helpless state by the Scriptures and The Imitation, finding in them a hidden manna, pure and substantial; but during meditation I am sustained above all else by the Gospels. They sustain my poor soul's every need, and they are always yielding up to me new lights and mysterious hidden meanings." (134-5)

"Yes, all is well when one seeks nothing but the Divine Will...I have always wanted to be a Saint...in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a Saint." (140)
"I desire nothing at all now except to love until I die of love." (148)
"The smallest joy is a surprise when one expects nothing but pure suffering, and the very suffering becomes a supreme joy when sought as a priceless treasure." (150)
Like Merton: "I must admit that I am far from doing what I know I ought to do, but the very desire to do so brings me peace." (158)
flee temptation and act like a deserter (159)

Prayer, Divine Office, prayer books: "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." (172-3)
"All good things have been granted me since I no longer seek them out of selfishness." (176)
"I can only offer very little things to God. These little sacrifices bring me great peace of soul." (181)
"I have only to glance at the Gospels; at once this fragrance from the life of Jesus reaches me." (189-90)

"Jesus, my Love, I have at last found my vocation; it is love!" (199, cf 1 Cor. 12:31)

Topic: Spiritual Classics

Created: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2023-01-08-Sun