THOUGHTS OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS Nihil Obstat REMIGIUS LAFORT, S. T. D. _Censor_ Imprimatur JOHN CARDINAL FARLEY _Archbishop of New York_ NEW YORK, _October_ 22, 1915 [Picture of Saint Thérèse] SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS _The Little Flower of Jesus_ THOUGHTS OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS THE LITTLE FLOWER OF JESUS CARMELITE OF THE MONASTERY OF LISIEUX, 1873-1897 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH "PENSÉES" BY AN IRISH CARMELITE NEW YORK • PUBLISHED BY P. J. KENEDY & SONS • 1915 COPYRIGHT, 1915 BY P. J. KENEDY & SONS THE•PLIMPTON•PRESS NORWOOD•MASS•U•S•A TO PETITE THÉRÈSE AND MÈRE AGNÈS DE JÉSUS A LITTLE TRIBUTE OF REVERENT AND LOVING GRATITUDE FROM CARMEL OF KILMACUD _June_ 9, 1914 CONTENTS LOVE OF GOD LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR FAITH HOPE HUMILITY DETACHMENT MORTIFICATION OBEDIENCE POVERTY CONFIDENCE SELF-ABANDONMENT GRATITUDE ZEAL SIMPLICITY PRAYER HOLY COMMUNION SUFFERING THE DIRECTION OF SOULS THE BLESSED VIRGIN VARIOUS SUBJECTS PRAYER FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD THOUGHTS OF SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS LOVE OF GOD JESUS! . . . I would so love Him! Love Him as never yet He has been loved. . . IV LETTER TO MÈRE AGNÈS DE JÉSUS (_Her sister Pauline_.) THE science of love! Sweet is the echo of that word to the ear of my soul. I desire no other science. _Having given all my substance for it_, like the spouse in the Canticles, _I think that I have given nothing._ [1] HISTOIRE D'UNE AME, CH. VIII [1] Cant., viii, 7. WITHOUT love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing. HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. VIII ONE evening, at a loss for words to tell Jesus how I loved Him and how much I wished that He might be everywhere served and glorified, I reflected with pain that not one act of love would ever mount upwards from out of the depths of hell. Then I cried out that willingly would I consent to see myself plunged into that place of torment and blasphemy, in order that He might be loved there eternally. That could not really glorify Him since He desires only our happiness, but love makes one want to say a thousand foolish things. If I spoke thus, it was not that I did not long for heaven; but then, my heaven was none other than _Love_, and in my fervour I felt that nothing could separate me from the Divine object of my love. . . HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. V SEEING the eternal recompense so disproportionate to the trifling sacrifices of this life, I longed to love Jesus, to love Him ardently, to give Him a thousand proofs of tenderness while yet I could do so. . . HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. V