CONFIDENCE
What offends Jesus, what wounds Him to the Heart, is want of confidence.
I LETTER TO HER COUSIN MARIE GUÉRIN
Believing that I was born for glory, and seeking the means to attain to it, it was revealed to me interiorly that my glory would never be visible to mortal eyes but would consist in becoming a saint. This desire might well seem presumptuously bold, considering how imperfect I was, and how imperfect I am still after so many years in religion; and yet I feel ever the same audacious confidence of becoming a great saint. I count not on my merits, having none; but I trust in Him who is Virtue and Holiness itself. He alone it is who satisfied with my feeble efforts will raise me up even unto Himself, will clothe me with His merits and make me a saint.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. IV
Ours is an age of inventions: nowadays, with the rich a lift saves the trouble of climbing the stairs. And I, fain would I too find a lift to bear me up unto God, for I am too little to climb the rugged steps of perfection.
Then I turned to the Holy Scriptures, seeking from them an indication of this lift, the object of my desires; and I read these words which have issued from the very mouth of the Eternal Wisdom: “Whosoever is a VERY LITTLE ONE, let him come to me.”[54] Then I drew nigh unto God divining truly that I had discovered what I sought: wishing however to know what He would do with the very little one, I continued my research and here is what I found: “You shall be carried at the breast and upon the knees; as one whom the mother caresseth so will I comfort you.”[55]
Ah, never came words more sweet, more tender, to gladden my soul. Thine arms then, O Jesus, are the lift which must raise me up even unto Heaven! For this I need not grow, on the contrary I must remain little, I must ever tend to become yet more little. O my God, Thou hast gone beyond my expectations, and I—I will sing Thy mercies! Thou hast taught me, O God from my youth: and till now I have declared Thy wondrous works. And unto old age and grey hairs[56] will I proclaim them.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. IX
Since it has been given to me too, to understand the love of the Heart of Jesus, I own that it has chased all fear from mine! The remembrance of my faults humiliates me, and urges me never to depend upon my own strength which is nothing but weakness: still more does this remembrance speak to me of mercy and of love. When, with all filial confidence we cast our faults into the devouring furnace of love, how should they not be totally consumed?
V LETTER TO HER MISSIONARY “BROTHERS”
Though we must needs be pure indeed to appear in the presence of the God of all Holiness, yet I know too that He is infinitely just; and this justice which affrights so many souls is the ground of my joy and my confidence. Justice not merely exercises severity towards the offender; it moreover recognizes a right intention, and awards to virtue its recompense. I hope as much from the Justice of the good God as from His Mercy; it is because He is just, that “He is compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy. For He knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are but dust. As a father hath compassion on His children, so hath the Lord compassion on us!”[57]...
Listening to these beautiful and consoling words of the Royal Prophet, how can we doubt but that the good God will open the portals of His Kingdom to His children who have loved Him even unto sacrificing all for Him, who have not only left their kindred and their country, for the sake of making Him known and loved, but, still further, desire to give their life for Him?... Most truly has Jesus said that there is no greater love than this! How then could He suffer Himself to be outdone in generosity? How could He purify in the flames of Purgatory souls consumed by the fire of Divine Love?...
That is what I think of the justice of the good God; my way is all confidence and love, I do not understand those souls who fear so tender a Friend.
VI LETTER TO HER MISSIONARY “BROTHERS”
That joy to think that God is just, that is to say, that He takes our weakness into consideration, that He thoroughly knows the frailty of our nature. Of what then, should I be afraid? Must not the good and infinitely just God, who with such tender mercy deigns to pardon the Prodigal Son, must He not be just towards me too—who am always with Him?[58]
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. VIII
I want to make you understand by a very simple comparison how much Jesus loves souls, even the imperfect, who trust in Him. Suppose the father of two wayward and disobedient children, coming to punish them, sees one tremble and draw away from him in terror; while the other, on the contrary, throwing himself into his arms, says he is sorry, promises to be good henceforward and begs for a kiss as punishment. Do you think the delighted father will withstand the filial confidence of this child? He knows nevertheless that his son will fall again many a time into the same faults, but he is disposed to pardon him always, if always there be an appeal to his heart.
I say nothing of the other child: you must understand that his father cannot love him as much or treat him with the same indulgence.
VIII LETTER TO HER MISSIONARY “BROTHERS”
Truly the Heart of Jesus is more grieved by the thousand little imperfections of His friends than by even grave faults of His enemies. But it seems to me that it is only when His own chosen ones make a habit of these infidelities, and do not ask His pardon, that He can say: “These wounds which you see in the midst of My Hands: with these was I wounded in the house of them that loved Me.”[59]
For those who love Him and who come after each little fault and throw themselves into His arms, begging His forgiveness, the Heart of Jesus thrills with joy. He says to His Angels what the father of the prodigal son said to His servants: “Put a ring on his finger and let us rejoice.”[60] Oh! the goodness and the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus, how little is it known! True it is, that to share in these treasures we must humble ourselves, must acknowledge our nothingness, and that is what many souls are unwilling to do.
VII LETTER TO HER MISSIONARY “BROTHERS”
Our dreams, our desires of perfection are not vain imaginations, since Jesus Himself has given us this commandment, He said: “Be you, therefore, perfect, as also your Heavenly Father is perfect.”[61]
II LETTER TO HER SISTER CÉLINE
Truly I am far from being a saint. I ought not to rejoice at the aridity of my soul, but attribute it to the scantiness of my fervour and fidelity. I ought to grieve because I fall asleep very often during my prayer and my thanksgiving. Well, I do not grieve! I reflect that little children when they sleep are as pleasing to their parents as when they are awake; that in order to perform operations, doctors put their patients to sleep; in fine, that the Lord knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are but dust.[62]
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. VIII
I have no fear of the last combats, nor of the physical suffering how great soever it may be. The good God has always come to my assistance, He has helped me and led me by the hand from my earliest years.... I count on Him ... my sufferings may reach their furthest limits, but I am sure that He will never abandon me.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII
It is confidence, and confidence alone, that must lead us to Love.... Does not fear lead us rather to think of the rigid justice by which sinners are warned? But that is not the justice that Jesus will show to those who love Him.
VI LETTER TO SŒUR MARIE DU SACRÉ-CŒUR
O Jesus, suffer me to tell Thee that Thy Love reacheth even unto folly.... What wilt Thou, in face of this folly, but that my heart dart upwards to Thee—how can my confidence have any bounds?
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XI
It is not because I have been shielded from mortal sin that I lift up my heart to God in trust and love. I feel that even if there lay upon my conscience all the crimes one could commit I should lose nothing of my confidence. Broken-hearted with compunction I would go and throw myself into the arms of my Saviour. I know that He cherished the Prodigal Son, I have heard His words to Mary Magdalene, to the adultress, to the Samaritan woman. No one could frighten me, for I know what to believe concerning His Mercy and His Love. I know that in one moment all that multitude of sins would disappear—as a drop of water cast into a red-hot furnace.
It is related in the Lives of the Fathers of the Desert that one of them converted a public sinner whose misdeeds scandalized the whole country. Touched by grace this sinful woman was following the saint into the desert, there to do rigorous penance, when, on the first night of her journey, before she had even reached the place of her retreat, the bonds of life were broken by the impetuosity of her loving contrition. The holy hermit at the same moment saw her soul borne by Angels into the Bosom of God.
That is truly a striking instance of what I want to express, but one cannot put these things into words....
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XI
Happy indeed am I to die and go to Heaven, but when I think on those words of our Lord: “Behold, I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his works,”[63] I reflect that He will be very much embarrassed as regards me: I have no works.... Well, He will render to me according to His own works!
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
THE SERVANT OF GOD
THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS
(The Little Flower of Jesus)
One evening as they were telling her something which had been said at recreation, touching the responsibility of those who have the charge of souls, Sœur Thérèse de l’Enfant Jésus spoke these beautiful words: “‘To him that is little, mercy is granted.’[64] It is possible to remain little, even in the most important offices; and is it not written that at the end the Lord will arise to save the meek and humble of the earth?[65] It says not to judge but to save.”
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII
A novice questioning as to whether our Lord were not dissatisfied with her on account of her many miseries, Sœur Thérèse made answer:
“Set your mind at rest: He whom you have chosen as your Spouse possesses certainly every perfection that can be desired; but, if I may dare to say it, He has at the same time one great infirmity: He is blind! And there is a science which He knows not, that of calculation. These two points which would be most lamentable deficiencies in an earthly spouse, render ours infinitely lovable. Were He to consider our sins and reckon with them, do you not think that in the face of all these sins He would cast us back into nothingness? But no, His love for us makes Him absolutely blind!
“See for yourself: if the greatest sinner on earth, at the hour of death repent of his transgressions and expire in an act of love, immediately, without calculating on the one hand the numerous graces abused by this unhappy man, nor on the other, all his crimes, Jesus sees nothing, counts nothing, but the penitent’s last prayer, and delays not to receive him into the arms of His Mercy.
“But to render Him thus blind, to hinder Him from doing the least little bit of reckoning, we must know how to lay siege to His Heart; at that point He is defenceless....”
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
To another, who bitterly repented of a fault just committed, Sœur Thérèse said:
“Take your Crucifix and kiss it.”
The novice kissed the feet.
“Is that how a child embraces her Father? Put your arms round His Neck immediately and kiss His Face.”
She obeyed.
“That is not all, He must return your caresses.”
And she had to hold the Crucifix to each cheek; then Thérèse said:
“That is well, now all is forgiven!”
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
Having caused her pain, a novice went to ask pardon of Sœur Thérèse, who replied with emotion: “If you only knew what I feel! Never have I so well understood with what love Jesus receives us, when, after a fault we beg Him to forgive us. If I, His poor little creature, feel such tenderness for you the moment you return to me, what must pass in the Heart of the good God when we return to Him?... Yes, surely, more swiftly yet than I have just done, will He forget all our iniquities, never again to remember them.... He will do even more—He will love us still better than before our fault!...”
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES