THE DIRECTION OF SOULS
Our Lord allowed me the consolation of closely studying the souls of children.
Considering these innocent souls I used to compare them to soft wax, upon which any impression may be stamped, the bad, alas! like the good; and I understood those words of Jesus: “But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones ... it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”[95] Oh! how many souls might attain to a high degree of holiness if wisely guided from the very first.
I well know that to accomplish His work of sanctification, God has need of no one, but just as He enables a skilful gardener to rear plants that are delicate and rare, granting him for this end all the knowledge necessary, while reserving to Himself the care of giving the increase, so, too, does He will to be aided in His divine culture of souls.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. V
As soon as I penetrated into the sanctuary of souls I judged at the first glance that the task exceeded my powers, and very quickly placing myself in the arms of the good God I imitated the little child, who, seized with sudden fear, tries to hide its golden head on its father’s shoulder, and I said: “Lord, Thou knowest it, I am myself too little to be capable of nurturing these Thy children; if Thou dost will to give to them, through me, what is suited to each one, fill Thou my little hand, and without leaving Thine arms, without even turning my head aside, I will distribute Thy treasures to the souls who come to me to seek sustenance. When they find it to their liking I shall know that it is not to me they owe it but to Thee; on the other hand if they complain, and find bitter what I offer them, my peace shall remain undisturbed, I will try to convince them that this nutriment comes from Thee, and I will carefully refrain from seeking any other for them.”
When I thus understood that it was impossible for me to do anything by myself, the task appeared to me simplified. Interiorly, I occupied myself solely in trying to become more and more united to God—knowing that the rest would be added unto me.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. X
From afar it seems easy to do good to souls, to make them love God more, to mould them after our own views and opinions. But coming closer one feels, on the contrary, that to do good without the divine assistance, is as impossible a thing as to bring the sun back after it has set. One feels that it is absolutely necessary to forget our own inclinations, our personal notions, and to guide souls, not by our own way—the way we ourselves go—but by the particular way that Jesus wishes to lead them.
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. X
When very young, and staying with my aunt, a book was given to me to read. In one of the stories I saw that the mistress of a school was much praised because she knew how to get on cleverly in the world without offending anyone. This phrase I remarked especially: “She would say to the one, ‘You are not wrong,’ and to the other, ‘You are right;’” and while I read I was thinking: “Oh!... I would not have acted thus; we must always tell the truth.” And so I do, always. Far more difficult it certainly is, for when told of some little vexatious occurrence, it would be easy to lay blame on the absent, and she who complains would at once be pacified. Yes, but ... I do quite the reverse. If I am not liked, what matter! Let no one come to me who does not want to hear the truth.
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
That a reprimand may be fruitful it must cost in the giving; and it must be given without a shade of passion in the heart.
One must not let kindness degenerate into weakness. When we have blamed justly we ought to leave it so, and not yield to feelings of distress at having given pain. To run after the aggrieved one in order to console her, is to do more harm than good. To leave her to herself is to force her to expect nothing from creatures, to have recourse to the good God, to see her failings and to humble herself. Otherwise she would grow accustomed to being consoled after a deserved rebuke and would behave as does a spoilt child, who stamps and cries, well knowing that this will make its mother return to wipe away the tears.
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
Let the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, abound in your lips and hearts.[96] If we have to do with a difficult soul, let us not be discouraged, nor ever abandon her. Let us have always “the sword of the Spirit” to reprehend her for her faults, and not allow things to pass for the sake of leaving ourselves in repose; let us fight unceasingly, even without hope of gaining the victory. What matter about success! Let us fight on, whatever be the weariness of the struggle. Let us not say: “I can make nothing of this soul, she does not understand; I must give it up.” Oh! what cowardice that would be. We must do our duty unto the end.
[Sœur Thérèse in these passages refers to her charge as Mistress of Novices.]
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
The novices expressed their surprise at finding that she guessed their most hidden thoughts.
“Here is my secret,” she said to them: “I never give you any advice without invoking the Blessed Virgin; I ask her to inspire me to say what will do you the most good, and I myself am often astonished at the things that I teach you. I simply feel in saying them to you, that I am not deceived and that Jesus speaks to you by my mouth.”
HIST. D’UNE AME, CH. XII
“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