Category Archives: Therese of Lisieux
An even greater fullness of His love
These days my prayer is FULL of distractions. I remember two things to help me. One is advice from St. Francis de Sales. He says that when we encounter distractions, the best thing to do is to gently bring our minds back to the Lord. I think often our temptation when we find ourselves thinking …
At the top of the stairs
On those days when I think, “This is never going to change in me”, the Holy Spirit often reminds me of these words of St. Thérèse: “At the top of the stairs He is looking at your lovingly. Soon conquered by your vain efforts, He will come down Himself, and taking you in His arms, …
Greater tenderness
“The mystery of the Immaculate Conception allows us to understand how Mary is surrounded by the Father with greater tenderness and love than the love surrounding Eve before her sin. Through this mercy, Mary is able to enter into a unique intimacy with the Father; she is the beloved little child, the smallest, the ‘Benjamin.’ …
“Love your helplessness”
This is why I love Thérèse . . . when I come across these kinds of things she said: “Agree to stumble at every step, even fall, to carry your crosses weakly; love your helplessness, your soul will benefit more from it than if sustained by grace you accomplished with enthusiasm heroic actions which would …
“Everything brings us to Jesus.” ~St. Thérèse
Still poor
I’m wrestling with my poverty today, and that says a lot because what I really should be doing is just acknowledging that that is my human condition. Which just goes to show you how poor I am! So, what do I do? “Every day I begin again.” “If I were to live to eighty, I …
“Still as poor”
I always find this quote from St. Thérèse so encouraging: “If I were to live to eighty, I would still be as poor as I am now.” Encouraging because she is referring to her spiritual poverty and so we need not worry if we are feeling spiritually poor. . . and refocusing as well if …
Words on walls
Thérèse scratched on the wall of her cell: “Jesus is my only love.” Amy Carmichael wrote in 1893: “In my room in Japan I had two words written on my wall: Yes, Lord.” What words would you write on your wall?
Allow Jesus to love you
If you are surprised or discouraged because of falls, that means that you trusted in your own strength instead of allowing yourself to be carried in Jesus’ arms. . . . ‘What does it matter, dear Jesus, if I fall at each moment?’ writes St. Thérèse: ‘I see my weakness through this and this is …
Lenten resolutions
As you prayerfully consider Lent, pay close attention to these two pieces of sage advice from St. Jose Maria Escriva: Choose mortifications that don’t mortify others. A smile is often the best mortification. And I urge you again to look first to those things that impede your knowledge of God’s incredible love for you. Perhaps …
