At the close of life's evening I shall appear before Thee with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that Thou wouldst count my works . . . All our justice is tarnished in Thy sight. It is therefore my desire to be clothed with Thine own Justice and to receive from Thy Love the eternal possession of Thyself. I crave no other Throne nor other Crown but Thee, O my Beloved! . . . In Thy sight time is nothing, one day is as a thousand years. [9] Thou canst in an instant prepare me to appear before Thee. That I may live in one Act of perfect Love, I OFFER MYSELF AS A VICTIM OF HOLOCAUST TO THY MERCIFUL LOVE, imploring Thee to consume me without ceasing, and to let the tide of infinite tenderness pent up in Thee, overflow into my soul, that so I may become a very martyr of Thy Love, O my God! May this martyrdom, having first prepared me to appear before Thee, break life's thread at last, and may my soul take its flight, _unretarded_, into the eternal embrace of Thy Merciful Love. I desire, O Well-Beloved, at every heart-beat to renew this Oblation an infinite number of times, _till the shadows retire_ [10] and I can tell Thee my love eternally face to face! [_Signed_] MARIE-FRANÇOISE-THÉRÈSE DE L'ENFANT JÉSUS ET DE LA SAINTE FACE _Rel. Carm. ind._ Feast of The Most Holy Trinity. The 9th of June in the year of grace, 1895. [8] John, xvi, 23. [9] _Cf_. Ps. lxxxix, 4. [10] Cant., iv, 6. LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR THERE are moments when we are so wretched within, that we must needs hurry away from ourselves. The good God does not oblige us to remain at such times in our own company; indeed He often permits that it should be displeasing to us just that we may leave it. And I see no other means of going out of ourselves than by going to visit Jesus and Mary, that is, hastening to deeds of charity. COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES I APPLIED myself above all to practise quite hidden little acts of virtue; thus I liked to fold the mantles forgotten by the Sisters, and sought a thousand opportunities of rendering them service. HIST. D'UNE AME, CH. VII HAD I been rich I never could have borne to see a poor person hungry without giving him to eat. It is the same in my spiritual life: knowing there are souls on the point of falling into Hell, I give them my treasures according as I earn anything, and I have never yet found a moment to say: "Now I am going to work for myself." COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES I FEEL that when I am charitable it is Jesus alone who acts in me; the more I am united to Him the more do I love all my Sisters. If, when I desire to increase this love in my heart, the demon tries to set before my eyes the faults of one or other of the Sisters, I hasten to call to mind her virtues, her good desires; I say to myself that if I have seen her fall once, she may well have gained many victories which she conceals through humility; and that even what appears to me a fault may in truth be an act of virtue by reason of the intention.