The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'une Âme): The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: With Additional Writings and Sayings of St. ThérèseThérèse, de Lisieux, Saint
Religion
The Story of a Soul (L'Histoire d'une Âme): The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux: With Additional Writings and Sayings of St. Thérèse
Thérèse, de Lisieux, Saint
Christian saints -- France -- Lisieux -- Biography; Lisieux (France) -- Biography; Thérèse, de Lisieux, Saint, 1873-1897
On October 31, 1887, alone with Papa, I started for Bayeux, my
heart full of hope, but also excited at the idea of presenting
myself at the Bishop's house. For the first time in my life, I was
going to pay a visit without any of my sisters, and this to a
Bishop. I, who had never yet had to speak except to answer
questions addressed to me, would have to explain and enlarge on my
reasons for begging to enter the Carmel, and so give proofs of the
genuineness of my vocation.
It cost me a great effort to overcome my shyness sufficiently to
do this. But it is true that Love knows no such word as
"impossible," for it deems "all things possible, all things
allowed." Nothing whatsoever but the love of Jesus could have made
me face these difficulties and others which followed, for I had to
purchase my happiness by heavy trials. Now, it is true, I think I
bought it very cheaply, and I would willingly bear a thousand
times more bitter suffering to gain it, if it were not already
mine.
When we reached the Bishop's house, the floodgates of Heaven
seemed open once more. The Vicar-General, Father Reverony, who had
settled the date of our coming, received us very kindly, though he
looked a little surprised, and seeing tears in my eyes said:
"Those diamonds must not be shown to His Lordship!" We were led
through large reception-rooms which made me feel how small I was,
and I wondered what I should dare say. The Bishop was walking in a
corridor with two Priests. I saw the Vicar-General speak a few
words to him, then they came into the room where we were waiting.
There were three large armchairs in front of the fireplace, where
a bright fire blazed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account