Quotes of Therese

On Love over other things

“I am of such a nature that fear makes me recoil. With love I not only advance, I fly!” -The Story of a Soul

“Love knows no such word as impossible, but believes 'it may and can do all things.'” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 5, p74 quoting form The Imitation

“I understood that love comprised all vocations, that love was everything.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 13, pg 179

“O Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is Love!” -The Story of a Soul, Chapter 13, pg 179

"In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love, and then I will be all things." -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 13, pg 179

“Finally, I realized that love includes every vocation, that love is all things, that love is eternal, reaching down through the ages and stretching to the uttermost limits of earth. Beside myself with joy, I cried out: "O Jesus, my Love, my vocation is found at last – my vocation is love!” I have found my place in the bosom of the Church, and this place, O my God, Thou has Thyself given to me: in the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be Love!... Thus shall I be all things and my dream will be fulfilled." -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 13, pg 179

"How unhappy I should be in heaven if I could not do little favors for those whom I love." -Balthasar p74, N38 (LC 68)

“I cannot think for long of the gladness that awaits me in heaven. One expectation alone makes my heart beat faster  – the love that I can receive and can return. I think of all the good I can perform after death, getting children baptized, helping priests and missionaries and the whole Church…" -Balthasar p73, N 68-69 (LC 94-95)

“Heaven for me meant nothing but love.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 5, pg 72

“One evening, not knowing in what words to tell Jesus how much I loved Him, and how much I wished that He might be everywhere honored and served, the sad thought forced itself upon my mind that from the depth of hell there would never go up to Him one single act of love. From my inmost heart I then cried out that I would gladly be cast into that place of torment and blasphemy to make Him eternally loved even there. Of course this could not be for His glory, since He desires only our happiness, but love must needs speak foolishly.” -Story of a Soul, Chpt 5, pg 72

"It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to Love." -Letter 197 to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart (17 September 1896). This quote is the first line of Pope Francis' 2023 Apostolic Exhortation on "Confidence in the Merciful Love of God"

"I count only on love." -Letter 242 to Sister Marie of the Trinity (6 June 1897): Letters II, p. 1121.

On God’s Mercy

“To me He has manifested His Infinite Mercy and in this resplendent mirror I contemplate His other attributes. There, each appears radiant with Love; His Justice perhaps more than the rest. What a sweet joy to think that Our Lord is just – that He takes into account our weakness and knows so well the frailty of our nature. What then need I fear? Will not the God of infinite justice, who deigns to pardon lovingly the sins of the Prodigal Son, be also just to me, "Who am always with Him"?” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 8, pg 123, end of quote from the Prodigal Son story in Luke 15:31

“No, I cannot share this fear [of eternal damnation], I am too little to get myself damned. Little children do not get damned.” -Balthasar p355 (H 263)

“I have to tell you, little brother, that we don't understand Heaven in the same way. You think that, once I share in the justice and holiness of God, I won't be able to excuse your faults as I did when I was on earth. Are you then forgetting that I shall also share in the infinite mercy of the Lord? I believe that the Blessed in Heaven have great compassion for our miseries. They remember that when they were weak and mortal like us they committed the same faults themselves and went through the same struggles, and their fraternal tenderness becomes still greater than it ever was on earth. It's on account of this that they never stop watching over us and praying for us.” -Maurice and Therese, p209, letter of Aug 10, 1897

“From the depths of my heart I cried, Oh my divine master, must it be only your justice which has its victims? Hasn't your merciful love need of them too? It is everywhere rejected and ignored. Those on whom you long to lavish and seek a retched fleeting happiness in other creatures, instead of flinging themselves into your arms and welcoming the flames of your divine love.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 9

“I beg you, do not drag yourself any longer to His feet; follow that "first impulse that draws you into His arms." That is where your place is.” -Maurice and Therese, letter of July 26, 1897

“I assure you that God is much better than you believe. He is content with a glance, a sigh of love… As for me, I find perfection very easy to practice because I have understood it is a matter of taking hold of Jesus by his heart… Look at a little child who has just annoyed his mother… If he comes to her, holding out his little arms, smiling and saying: ‘Kiss me, I will not do it again’, will his mother be able not to press him to her heart tenderly and forget his childish mischief? However, she knows her dear little one will do it again on the next occasion, but this does not matter; if he takes her again by her heart, he will not be punished.” -Letter 191 to Léonie, 12 July 1896

“Even his [God’s] justice (and perhaps this even more so than the others) seems to me clothed in love.” -Ms A, 83v.; cf. Letter 226 to Father Roulland, 9 May 1897

“One can say that hell has no place in Therese’s vision of the world.” -Balthasar’s commentary, Balthasar p354

"She probed the depths of divine mercy, and drew from them the light of her limitless hope." -Pope Francis about Therese, On Confidence in the Merciful Love of God

“More than divine justice, it was the fact that Christ’s love might be refused that troubled the heart of Saint Therese, because for her, God’s justice is understood only in the light of his love.” -Pope Francis, On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ, Oct24, 2024

On loving Affection for others

“Throughout my life it has pleased God to surround me with affection; my earliest recollections are of tender caresses and smiles.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 1, pg 5

“I feel very much united to my Céline. I believe God has not often made two souls who understand each other so well, never a dis­cordant note.” -From Therese to Celine, LT 142, July 6, 1893

“I was proud of my two big sisters, and thought of you from morning till night, you seemed so far away. When I was just learning to talk, Mama would ask me: "What are you thinking about?" and the invariable answer was: "Pauline."” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 1, pg 8

“The children are inseparable and need no other company… One morning Therese climbed out of her cot and made her way into Celine’s; when it was time to dress her nurse found the little one clinging affectionately to her sister: "Oh Louise!" she exclaimed, "do leave me here! Don’t you see we are just like the little bantams, we cannot be separated!"” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 1, pg 11

“After Celine, whom I found almost indispensable, I sought the company of my little cousin Marie, because she left me free to choose the games I liked best. Already we were united in close affection, as if God were showing us beforehand how one day in Carmel we should both embrace the same religious life.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 3, pg 31. Marie Guerin entered the Carmel of Lisieux Aug 15, 1895, taking the name Sister Mary of the Eucharist.

“God has made me so that once I love, I love forever.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 5, in response to unrequited friendship/affection

“I am profoundly grateful to Jesus who has never let me find anything but bitterness in earthly friendships” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 4, (audiobook Chpt 5, 19:12)

“It is impossible for one bound by human affection to have intimate union with God.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 4, (audiobook Chpt 5, 19:25)

“I have found nothing but bitterness where stronger souls have found happiness yet remained properly detached, so it is no merit on my part that I never became entangled in love of creatures. I was saved only by the great mercy of God.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 4, (audiobook Chpt 5, 20:05)

“All I wanted to teach her was that true love grows by sacrifice, and that the more thoroughly the soul rejects natural satisfaction the stronger and more detached its tenderness becomes.” -Therese speaking of her “closest friend” in the convent. After recognizing that their enjoyable conversations together “resembled mere worldly talk,” she gently confronted her about the dangers of “natural affection” getting in the way of spiritual love. After that tearful conversation, Therese notes,  “From that moment our affection was wholly spiritual…” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 11, p149-150 (Chpt 11, 8:09 audiobook)

“How glad I am that from the beginning I learned to practice self-denial! Already I enjoy the reward promised to those who fight bravely, and I no longer feel the need of refusing all consolation to my heart, for my heart is set on God. Because it has loved only Him, it has grown, little by little, till it can give to those who are dear to Him a far deeper love than if it were centered in a barren and selfish affection.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt11, pg 150

“Love is repaid by Love alone.” -A motto of Therese from John of the Cross. The Story of a Soul, Chpt13, pg 180.

On growth in Holiness

“How much the enforced delay helped me to grow in self abandonment, humility, and other virtues!” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 6, p95

“Many, many souls would become most holy if they had been properly guided from the very start… These innocent souls [children] were like soft wax on which any imprint could be stamped – of evil, alas, as well as of good.” -The Story of a Soul

“ ‘to the pure all things are pure’ -- that a simple and upright soul does not see evil in anything, since evil exists only in impure hearts and not in inanimate objects.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 6, pg 79. Quoting Titus 1:15.

“The nearer one approaches God the simpler one becomes.” -The Story of a Soul, quoting one of her mothers

“At the beginning of my spiritual life – between the age of thirteen and fourteen – I often wondered what greater knowledge of perfection could come to me later on, for I thought it impossible to acquire a better understanding of it than I had then. It was not long, however, before I learnt that in this matter the more one advances, the farther one seems from the goal, and now I am not only resigned to seeing myself always imperfect, but the thought of it even affords me joy.” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt7, p107

“Even when I was three years old, there was no need to scold me in order to make me better. One kind word was enough, and has been all my life, to show me my faults and cause me to repent” -Balthasar p126, N 17

On living in the Present

"I prefer to think only of the present moment" -G472 (ET 337) on pg 69

“I have often noticed that God will not give me provisions. He nourishes me at each moment with totally fresh food; I discover it within me without knowing how. I believe quite simply that Jesus himself, hidden in the depths of my poor little heart, grants me the grace of working in me and that he suggests everything to me that I should do according to his will at the present moment” -The Story of a Soul, Chpt 8, pg 109

“Yes, life is a treasure . . . each moment is an eternity, an eternity of joy in heaven, an eternity of seeing God face to face, of being one with Him!” -Letter 96, October 15, 1889, to Celine

“My Song for Today” (Poem by Therese):

My life is an instant, an hour passing by.
My life is but a day escaping and fleeing.
You know well, O my god! to love you on this earth
I only have today.

Oh! I love you, Jesus, to you my soul aspires.
If only for one day remain my sweet support.
Come and reign in my heart, bestow your smile on me
if only for today!

Do I care if, O Lord, somber is the future?
To pray for tomorrow, oh no this I cannot!
But my heart keep unstained, in your shadow drape me
If only for today.

Thinking of tomorrow, I fear my fickleness.
I can feel in my heart sadness and despair bloom.
But I welcome, my God, trial and suffering
If only for today.

I am soon to see you on the eternal shore.
O, Divine Pilot! Whose hand is guiding me.
On these unruly waves please keep my boat in peace
If only for today.

Oh! Let me hide, my lord, let me hide in your Face.
From there I will not have to bear the world's vain noise.
Bestow your love on me, bestow your grace again
If only for today.

Near to your divine heart, passing things disappear
I'm no longer afraid of the fears of the night
Oh! Offer me, Jesus, a seating in this Heart
If only for today.

Living, Heavenly Bread, God-given Eucharist,
O sacred Mystery! You the product of Love...
Come inhabit my heart, Jesus, my pristine Host,
If only for today.

Deign to unite to me, sacred and Holy Vine,
So that this weakest branch can bear its fruits for you
So that I can give you well ripe and golden grapes,
My Lord, as of today.

This bunch of grapes of love, the seeds it bears are souls
I have but, to grow it, this one, this fleeting day
The fire of Apostles, I ask of you, Jesus,
If only for today.

Virgin Immaculate! You are my Guiding Star
Giving Jesus to me, uniting me to Him.
O Mother! let me rest, secluded in your veil
If only for today.

Holy Guardian Angel, take me under your wing.
May your fires cast light on this path I'm walking.
Come and direct my steps... I cry to you, help me
If only for today.

O Lord, I want your sight, without veils or clouds,
But still exiled from you, from afar I languish.
That your lovable face stays hidden, I may bear
If only for today.

Soon I will fly away, I will speak your praises
When the sunset-less day will dawn upon my soul.
Then on the Angels' lyre I'll be able to sing
The Eternal Today!...

On Abandonment & child-likeness
Abandonment of desires and expectations to God (non-attachment) like that of a trusting child.

On Early Childhood Faith
Therese as a child had an incredibly devout spirituality.

On the Little Way

On the Little Flower

On Energy, Vitality, and War
Therese identified with Joan of Arc, the martyrs, and the tales of great Christian heroes, but only through her own littleness, letting God be her greatness.

On Suffering
Therese had the desire to suffer redemptively, like her beloved Christ did in his Passion.