“Give us some advice as to how we ought to act concerning our spiritual direction,” they said to her. “With great simplicity and without depending too much on assistance, which may fail you at any moment. You would soon be forced to say with the Spouse in the Canticles: ‘_The keepers ... took away my veil from me and wounded me_,’ it was only ‘_when I had a little_ PASSED BY _them I found Him whom my soul loveth_.’[97] If with detachment you humbly inquire where is your Beloved, _the keepers_ will direct you. Nevertheless, most frequently, you will find Jesus only after you have _passed by_ all creatures. For my part, I have many a time repeated this verse of the Spiritual Canticle of St. John of the Cross: Send me no more A messenger Who cannot tell me what I seek. All they who serve Relate a thousand graces of Thee; And all wound me more and more, And they leave me dying, WHILE THEY BABBLE I KNOW NOT WHAT.” _Trans. D. Lewis, M. A._ COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES FOOTNOTES: [95] Matt., xviii, 6. [96] Ephes., vi, 17. [97] Cant., v, 7; iii, 4. [Illustration] THE BLESSED VIRGIN How I love the Blessed Virgin! Had I been a Priest, oh! how I should have spoken of her. She is represented as unapproachable, rather ought she to be shown as imitable. She is more Mother than Queen. I have heard it said that all the Saints are eclipsed by her radiant brightness as the sun at rising makes the stars disappear. How strange that seems--a mother eclipsing the glory of her children! I think quite the contrary. I believe that she will immensely increase the splendour of the elect.... The Virgin Mary! how simple does her life appear to me.... HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII Sometimes I find myself saying to the Holy Virgin: “Do you know, O cherished Mother, that I think myself more fortunate than you? I have you for Mother and you have not, like me, the Blessed Virgin to love.... You are, it is true, the Mother of Jesus, but you have given Him to me, and He, from the cross gave you to us as our Mother, so we are richer than you. Of old it was your desire that you might be the little handmaiden of the Mother of God; and I, poor little creature, I am, not your servant, but _your child_: you are the Mother of Jesus and you are _my Mother_.” XIII LETTER TO HER SISTER CÉLINE O Mary, if I were Queen of Heaven and thou wert Thérèse, I fain would be Thérèse to see thee Queen of Heaven! 8 September, 1897. Last words written by Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus. [Illustration] VARIOUS SUBJECTS