Thoughts of Saint Thérèse

Description

St. Thérèse wrote a lot about virginity (transl. into Eng.), too, for example her letter #122, to Céline, 14 Oct. 1890 (Engl.):

Céline, faisons de notre coeur un petit parterre de délices où Jésus vienne se reposer… ne plantons que des Lys dans notre jardin, oui des Lys et ne souffrons pas d'autres fleurs, car les autres peuvent être cultivées par d'autres, mais des Lys, il n'y a que les vierges qui peuvent en donner à Jésus… «La virginité est un silence profond de tous les soins de la terre», non pas seulement de tous les soins inutiles, mais de tous les soins… Pour être vierge il faut ne plus penser qu'à l'époux qui ne souffre rien autour de lui qui ne soit vierge «puisqu'il a voulu naître d'une mère vierge, avoir un précurseur vierge, un tuteur vierge, un favori vierge et enfin un tombeau vierge». Il veut aussi une petite épouse vierge, sa Céline !… Il est encore dit que «chacun aime naturellement sa terre natale, et comme la terre natale de Jésus est la vierge des vierges et que Jésus est né par la volonté d'un Lys, il aime à se trouver dans des coeurs vierges».

Céline, let us make of our heart a little garden of delights where Jesus may come to rest… let us plant only lilies in our garden, yes, lilies, and let us allow no other flowers, for other flowers can be cultivated by other souls, but it is virgins alone who can give lilies to Jesus…. "Virginity is a profound silence from all cares of this earth," not only from useless cares but from all cares…. To be virgin we must think only of the Spouse, who allows nothing around Him that is not virgin "since He willed to be born of a virgin mother, to have a virgin precursor, a virgin foster-father, a virgin favorite, and finally a virgin tomb." He wants also a little virgin spouse, His Céline!… It is said: "Each one naturally loves his native land, and since the native land of Jesus is the Virgin of virgins and since Jesus was born by His will of a Lily, He loves to find Himself in virgin hearts." And I seem to be forgetting your trip… no, my heart is following you there.

It's a beautiful letter because it shows her virginizing her biological-spiritual sister. (St. Thérèse professed 8 Sept. 1890, about a month prior to writing that letter. Céline took the habit 5 Feb. 1895.)

328 brief quotations from The Story of a Soul, Counsels and Reminiscences, and her letters, arranged under 20 different topics. Shows her greatness of soul and that she was no Saint by accident. Beautiful and surprising! A book cherished by many. Impr. 192 pgs,