In order to deepen her knowledge, Little Thérèse did what the Apostles did when they took Our Lord aside and asked Him to explain His parables to them. She spoke His language and thereby slipped into the depth of the Heart of God to snatch from Him secrets of perfection and love and reveal them on earth. She saw what she expected to see, an abyss of simplicity and uncomprehended love.

The fundamental disposition of heart which Little Thérèse spoke of: it is a mixture of humility, of trust, of habitual recourse to God in distress; it is even sometimes a kind of supernatural joy at experiencing one’s misery and great need of help from above at every moment. In short it is the Truth, true Divine Love, the true light which we must welcome and increase within ourselves by the practice of fraternal charity.

In spite of her beautiful desires, St. Thérèse was simplicity itself. What looks great and sublime in her was necessary for her canonization so that her Little Way might have some authority, but the essence of the Little Way is simply confidence, humility, and the greatest simplicity. This was not affected by her beautiful desires for suffering and martyrdom.

To give God full freedom to do what He pleases with us—that is true love, absolute trust. Have a constant desire to prove your love to Jesus.

Mother Agnès of Jesus, O.C.D. (Pauline Martin)

Little Counsels of Mother Agnes of Jesus, OCD Saint Therese’s Sister, Pauline (excerpt), Compiled by the Discalced Carmelite nuns of Ada (Parnell) Michigan

Featured image: Photographer Satria Bagaskara captured this image of a little white butterfly from the Pieridae family in Klojen, Jawa Timur, Indonesia. Image credit: pexels.com (Stock photo)

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/09/25/agnes-trulove/

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