St Therese: Chapter V

Continuing this series of posts giving you a flavour of the autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux. She lived a very private life and became a cloistered, Carmelite nun. She died very young at the age of 24. Despite this, she was to become one of the most widely known saints in history - and one of the favourite, with Christians of all ages and backgrounds.

• The grace of Christmas
• Zeal for souls
• First success
• Sweet intimacy with her sister Céline
• She obtains her father's permission to enter the Carmelite convent at 15
• Refusal by the Superior
• She appeals to the bishop of Bayeux

...if you ask the Father any thing in my name, he will give it you. John XVI, 23

Excerpts

First success in saving a soul

One Sunday, closing my book at the end of Mass, a picture of Our Lord on the  Cross  half  slipped  out,  showing  only  one  of  His  Divine  Hands, pierced and bleeding. I felt an indescribable thrill such as I had never felt before. My heart  was  torn  with  grief  to  see  that  Precious  Blood  falling  to  the  ground, and  no  one  caring  to  treasure  It  as  It  fell,  and  I  resolved  to  remain continually in spirit at the foot of the Cross, that I might receive the Divine Dew of Salvation and pour it forth upon souls. From that day the cry of my dying  Saviour—"I  thirst!"—sounded  incessantly  in  my  heart,  and  kindled therein  a  burning  zeal  hitherto  unknown  to  me.  My  one  desire  was  to  give my  Beloved  to  drink;  I  felt  myself  consumed  with  thirst  for  souls,  and  I longed at any cost to snatch sinners from the everlasting flames of hell.

In order still further to enkindle my ardour, Our Divine Master soon proved to me how pleasing to him was  my desire.  Just then I heard much talk of a notorious   criminal, Pranzini,   who   was   sentenced   to   death   for   several shocking  murders,  and,  as  he  was  quite  impenitent,  everyone  feared  he would  be  eternally lost.  How  I  longed  to avert  this  irreparable calamity!  In order  to  do  so  I  employed  all  the  spiritual  means  I  could  think  of,  and, knowing  that  my  own  efforts  were  unavailing,  I  offered  for  his  pardon  the infinite merits of Our Saviour and the treasures of Holy Church.Need I say that in the depths of my heart I felt certain my request would be granted? But, that I might gain courage to persevere in the quest for souls, I said  in  all  simplicity:  "My  God,  I  am  quite  sure  that  Thou  wilt pardon  this unhappy Pranzini. I should still think so if he did not confess his sins or give any  sign  of  sorrow,  because  I  have  such  confidence  in  Thy  unbounded Mercy;  but  this  is  my  first  sinner,  and  therefore  I  beg  for  just  one  sign  of repentance to reassure me."

My prayer was  granted to the letter. My Father never  allowed  us  to  read  the  papers,  but  I  did  not  think  there  was  any disobedience  in  looking  at  the  part  about  Pranzini.  The  day  after  his execution  I  hastily  opened  the paper, La  Croix,  and  what  did  I  see?  Tears betrayed  my  emotion;  I  was  obliged  to  run  out  of  the  room.  Pranzini  had mounted  the  scaffold  without  confessing  or  receiving  absolution,  and  the executioners were already dragging him towards the fatal block, when all at once,  apparently  in  answer  to  a  sudden  inspiration,  he  turned  round, seized the  crucifix  which  the  Priest  was  offering  to  him,  and  kissed  Our  Lord's Sacred  Wounds three  times. .  .  . 

Influential books: the  food  which  my  Divine  Master  abundantly  provided
me

For  a  long  time  I  had  nourished  my  spiritual  life  with  the  "fine  flour" contained  in  the Imitation  of  Christ. It  was  the  only  book  which  did  me good,  for  I  had  not  yet  found the  treasures  hidden  in  the  Holy  Gospels.  I always  had  it  with  me,  to  the amusement  of  my  people  at  home.  My  aunt used  often  to  open  it,  and  make  me  repeat  by  heart  the  first  chapter  she chanced to light upon. [Latin on scroll: Qui sequitur me non ambulat in tenebris : he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness... John VIII, 12]

Seeing  my  great  thirst  for  knowledge,  God  was  pleased,  when  I  was fourteen, to add to the "fine flour," "honey" and "oil" in abundance.This "honey" and "oil" I found in the conferences of Father Arminjon on The End  of  this  World  and  the  Mysteries  of  the  World  to  Come. While  reading this  book  my  soul  was  flooded  with  a  happiness  quite  supernatural. I experienced  a  foretaste of  what  God has  prepared  for  those  who love Him; and, seeing that eternal rewards are so much in excess of the petty sacrifices of this life, I yearned to love Our Lord, to love Him passionately, and to give Him countless proofs of affection while this was still in my power.

Fr Arminjon's book is available in English in paperback Or in a Kindle edition. See here.