Naught else art Thou but Love!
Until two days before her death Therese wished to be alone at night; however, notwithstanding her entreaties, the infirmarian used to rise several times to visit her. On one occasion she found our little invalid with hands clasped and eyes raised to Heaven.
“But what are you doing?” she asked; “you should try to sleep.”
“I cannot, dear Sister, I suffer too much! then I pray…”
“And what do you say to Jesus?”
“I say nothing, I love Him!”
Story of A Soul, Chapter XII
A Sister was speaking to her of the happiness of Heaven: Therese interrupted, saying:
“It is not that which attracts me…”
“What is it then?”
“Oh! it is LOVE! To love, to be loved, and to come back to earth to make LOVE loved.”
Story of A Soul, Chapter XII
Love alone have I ever given to the good God; with love He will repay me.
Story of A Soul, Chapter XII
Her last words - looking at her crucifix: “OH!…I LOVE HIM!…MY GOD, I…LOVE…THEE!!!”
Story of A Soul, Chapter XII
O my God, Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to love Thee and to make Thee loved, to labor for the glory of holy Church by saving souls still on earth and by delivering those who suffer in Purgatory. I desire to accomplish Thy Will perfectly, and to attain to the degree of glory which Thou hast prepared for me in Thy Kingdom; in one word, I desire to be a saint, but I know that I am powerless, and I implore Thee, O my God, to be Thyself my sanctity.
Since Thou hast so loved me as to give me Thine only Son to be my Saviour and my Spouse, the infinite treasures of His merits are mine; to Thee I offer them with joy, beseeching Thee to see me only as in the Face of Jesus and in His Heart burning with Love.
Again, I offer Thee all the merits of the Saints - in Heaven and on earth - their acts of love and those of the holy Angels; and finally I offer Thee, O Blessed Trinity, the love and the merits of the Holy Virgin, my most dear Mother; it is to her I entrust my oblation, begging her to present it to Thee.
Her Divine Son, my well-beloved Spouse, during His life on earth, told us: “If you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it to you.” (John 16:23). I am then certain that Thou wilt hearken to my desires…My God, I know it, the more Thou willest to give, the more dost Thou make us desire. Immense are the desires that I feel within my heart, and it is with confidence that I call upon Thee to come and take possession of my soul. I cannot receive Thee in Holy Communion as often as I would; but, Lord, art Thou not Almighty?…Remain in me as in the Tabernacle - never leave Thy little Victim.
I long to console Thee for the ingratitude of the wicked and I pray Thee take from me the liberty to displease Thee! If through frailty I fall sometimes, may Thy Divine glance purify my soul immediately, consuming every imperfection - like to fire which transforms all things into itself.
I thank Thee, O my God, for all the graces Thou hast bestowed on me, and particularly for making me pass through the crucible of suffering. It is with joy I shall behold Thee on the Last Day bearing Thy scepter - the Cross; since Thou hast deigned to give me for my portion this most precious Cross, I have hope of resembling Thee in Heaven and seeing the sacred stigmata of Thy Passion shine in my glorified body.
After exile on earth I hope to enjoy the possession of Thee in our eternal Fatherland, but I have to wish to amass merits for Heaven; I will work for Thy Love alone, my sole aim being to give Thee pleasure, to console Thy Sacred Heart, and to save souls who will love Thee forever.
At the close of life’s evening I shall appear before Thee with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that Thou wouldst count my works…All our justice is tarnished in Thy sight. It is therefore my desire to be clothed with Thine own Justice and to receive from Thy Love the eternal possession of Thyself. I crave no other Throne nor other Crown but Thee, O my Beloved!…
In Thy sight time is nothing, one day is as a thousand years (Cf. Psalms 89:4). Thou canst in an instant prepare me to appear before Thee.
That I may live in one Act of perfect Love, I OFFER MYSELF AS A VICTIM OF HOLOCAUST TO THY MERCIFUL LOVE, imploring Thee to consume me without ceasing, and to let the tide of infinite tenderness pent up in Thee, overflow into my soul, that so I may become a very martyr of Thy Love, O my God!
May this martyrdom, having first prepared me to appear before Thee, break life’s thread at last, and may my soul take its flight, unretarded, into the eternal embrace of Thy Merciful Love.
I desire, O Well-Beloved, at every heartbeat to renew this Oblation an infinite number of times, till the shadows retire (Cant. 4:6) and I can tell Thee my love eternally face to face!
[Signed]
MARIE-FRANCOISE-THERESE
DE L’ENFANT JESUS ET DE LA SAINTE FACE
Exiled afar from heaven, I still, dear Lord, can sing, -
I, Thy betrothed, can sing the eternal hymn of love;
For, spite of exile comes to me, on dove-like wing,
Thy Holy Spirit’s fire of rapture from above.Beauty supreme! my Love Thou art;
Thyself Thou givest all to me.
Oh, take my heart, my yearning heart, -
Make of my life one act of love to Thee!Canst Thou my worthlessness efface?
In heart like mine canst make Thy home?
Yes, love wins love, -O wondrous grace!
I love Thee, love Thee! Jesu, come ILove that enkindleth me,
Pierce and inflame me;
Come, for I cry to Thee!
Come and be mine!Thy love it urgeth me;
Fain would I ever be
Sunken and lost in Thee,
Furnace divine!All pain borne for Thee
Changes to joy for me,
When my love flies to Thee,
Winged like the dove.Heavenly Completeness,
Infinite Sweetness,
My soul possesseth Thee
Here, as above.Heavenly Completeness,
Infinite sweetness,
Naught else art Thou but Love!
Poems of Sr. Teresa, Carmelite of Lisieux,
known as The Little Flower of Jesus,
Translated by S.L. Emery,
