The last words penned by the hand of Soeur Therese were: "O Mary, were I Queen of Heaven, and wert thou Therese, I should wish to be Therese, that I might see thee Queen of Heaven!"
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[1] Cf. Matt. 20:23.
[2] Cf. Ps. 67[68]:28.
[3] Cf. Prov. 1:4.
[4] Judith 15:11.
[5] Ecclus. 11:12, 13, 22, 23, 24.
[6] Jer. 10:23.
[7] Cf. Psalm 93[94]:18.
[8] _Imit.,_ I, xvi. 4.
[9] John 14:2.
[10] Cf. Psalm 111[112]:5.
[11] Cant. 1:2.
[12] Cf. 2 Esdras 4:17.
[13] Matt. 25:36.
[14] Prov. 16:32.
[15] Luke 2:50.
[16] Luke 2:33.
[17] Ps. 118[119]:112.
[18] Ephes. 6:17.
[19] Cf. Cant. 5:7, 3:4.
[20] In this and the following "counsel" it should be remembered that it is a Novice-Mistress who is speaking. [Ed.]
[21] Cf. Ephes. 6:17; Isaias 61:21.
[22] Cf. John 3:8.
[23] Luke 22:32.
[24] Cf. Gen. 2:17. A play on the French: _Tu mourras de mort._ [Ed.]
[25] Apoc. 22:12.
[26] Prov. 10:12.
[27] Cf. Isaias 6:2.
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LETTERS OF SOEUR THeReSE THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS
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LETTERS OF SOEUR THeReSE TO HER SISTER CeLINE
I
J.M.J.T.
May 8, 1888.
DEAREST CeLINE,--There are moments when I wonder whether I am really and truly in the Carmel; sometimes I can scarcely believe it. What have I done for G.o.d that He should shower so many graces upon me?
A whole month has pa.s.sed since we parted; but why do I say parted?
Even were the wide ocean between us, our souls would remain as one. And yet I know that not to have me is real suffering, and if I listened to myself I should ask Jesus to let me bear the sadness in your stead! I do not listen, as you see; I should be afraid of being selfish in wishing for myself the better part--I mean the suffering. You are right--life is often burdensome and bitter. It is painful to begin a day of toil, especially when Jesus hides Himself from our love. What is this sweet Friend about? Does He not see our anguish and the burden that weighs us down? Why does He not come and comfort us?
Be not afraid... . He is here at hand. He is watching, and it is He who begs from us this pain, these tears... . He needs them for souls, for our souls, and He longs to give us a magnificent reward. I a.s.sure you that it costs Him dear to fill us with bitterness, but He knows that it is the only means of preparing us to know Him as He knows Himself, and to become ourselves Divine!
Our soul is indeed great and our destiny glorious. Let us lift ourselves above all things that pa.s.s, and hold ourselves far from the earth! Up above, the air is so pure... . Jesus may hide Himself, but we know that He is there.
II
October 20, 1888.
MY DEAREST SISTER,--Do not let your weakness make you unhappy.
When, in the morning, we feel no courage or strength for the practice of virtue, it is really a grace: it is the time to "lay the axe to the root of the tree,"[1] relying upon Jesus alone. If we fall, an act of love will set all right, and Jesus smiles. He helps us without seeming to do so; and the tears which sinners cause Him to shed are wiped away by our poor weak love. Love can do all things. The most impossible tasks seem to it easy and sweet. You know well that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them. What, then, have we to fear?
You wish to become a Saint, and you ask me if this is not attempting too much. Celine, I will not tell you to aim at the seraphic holiness of the most privileged souls, but rather to be "perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect."[2] You see that your dream--that our dreams and our desires--are not fancies, since Jesus Himself has laid their realisation upon us as a commandment.
III
January, 1889.
MY DEAR LITTLE CeLINE,--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. He heaps his favours upon us as upon the greatest Saints.
What, then, are His loving designs for our souls? That is a secret which will only be revealed to us in our Heavenly Home, on the day when "the Lord shall wipe away all our tears."[3]