Words from St. Therese

I'm currently reading "Story of a Soul," by St. Therese of Lisieux. Through it, Jesus has been granting me unimaginable graces and insight into living a holy life. I wanted to share today one small passage that was particularly inspiring, especially on those days when we feel nothing is really "going our way."

Here is an example which will express my thoughts at least a little. Suppose a clever physician's child meets with a stone in his path which causes him to fall and break a limb. His father comes to him immediately, picks him up lovingly, takes care of this hurt, using all the resources of his profession for this. His child, completely cured, shows his gratitude. Things child is no doubt right in loving his father! 

But I am going to make another comparison. The father, knowing there is a stone in his child's way, hastens ahead of him and removes it but without anyone's seeing him do it. Certainly, this child, the object of his father's tender foresight, but unaware of the misfortune from which he was delivered by him, will not thank him and will love him less than if he had been cured by him. But if he should come to learn the danger from which he escaped, will he not love his father more? 

Well, I am this child, the object of the foreseeing love of a Father who has not sent His Word to save the just, but sinners. He wants me to love Him because He has forgiven me not much but all. He has not expected me to love Him much like Mary Magdalene, but He has willed that I know how He has loved me with a love of unspeakable foresight in order that now I may love Him unto folly. 

St. Therese was so blessed during her life, and upon reading the beginning of her book, one can easily be led to lose heart because she had so few trials. However, St. Therese did have trials, but she got through them loving God all the way. Each person is allowed only as much suffering as he can handle (and with Grace, we can pass through each trial). No one person has more or less grace from God depending on the amount of suffering they are enduring, for God loves each of us the same.

And, even if we do think we are being dealt every blow, who's to say God hasn't been removing many other trials from our paths without our even knowing about it? This passage really puts God's unimaginable love and grace into perspective. I like to remind myself of it when I feel I am not loved, or have just been dealt a heartbreak. God is still there for us. He cures us, like the physician, when we do fall, and continues to move even more objects out of our way without our knowing. Let's all remember to thank Jesus all the more for His love and help.