Quote of the day, 9 February: St. Thérèse

It was December 25, 1886, that I received the grace of leaving my childhood, in a word, the grace of my complete conversion. We had come back from Midnight Mass where I had the happiness of receiving the strong and powerful God.

Upon arriving at Les Buissonnets, I used to love to take my shoes from the chimney corner and examine the presents in them; this old custom had given us so much joy in our youth that Céline wanted to continue treating me as a baby since I was the youngest in the family. Papa had always loved to see my happiness and listen to my cries of delight as I drew each surprise from the magic shoes, and my dear king’s gaiety increased my own happiness very much.

However, Jesus desired to show me that I was to give up the defects of my childhood and so He withdrew its innocent pleasures. He permitted Papa, tired out after the Midnight Mass, to experience annoyance when seeing my shoes at the fireplace, and that he speak those words which pierced my heart: “Well, fortunately, this will be the last year!”

I was going upstairs, at the time, to remove my hat, and Céline, knowing how sensitive I was and seeing the tears already glistening in my eyes, wanted to cry too, for she loved me very much and understood my grief.

She said, “Oh, Thérèse, don’t go downstairs; it would cause you too much grief to look at your slippers right now!”

But Thérèse was no longer the same; Jesus had changed her heart!

Forcing back my tears, I descended the stairs rapidly; controlling the poundings of my heart, I took my slippers and placed them in front of Papa, and withdrew all the objects joyfully. I had the happy appearance of a queen.

Having regained his own cheerfulness, Papa was laughing; Céline believed it was all a dream! Fortunately, it was a sweet reality; Thérèse had discovered once again the strength of soul which she had lost at the age of four and a half, and she was to preserve it forever!

On that night of light began the third period of my life, the most beautiful and the most filled with graces from heaven. The work I had been unable to do in ten years was done by Jesus in one instant, contenting himself with my good will which was never lacking.

I could say to Him like His apostles: “Master, I fished all night and caught nothing” [Lk 5:5]. More merciful to me than He was to His disciples, Jesus took the net Himself, cast it, and drew it in filled with fish. He made me a fisher of souls.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Manuscript A, folio 45 r°–v°

Note: St. Thérèse mentions “the strength of soul which she had lost at the age of four and a half.” Saint Zélie Martin died when St. Thérèse was aged four and a half. “After she had a hemorrhage, it was at the very beginning of Tuesday, August 28, 1877, at exactly thirty minutes after midnight, after a very short agony, that Madame Martin died gently.” Our thanks to expert Maureen O’Riordan for providing these details of St. Zélie’s precious death.

Thérèse & Foley, M 2005, Story of a Soul: The autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Study edn, translated from the French by Clarke, J, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Photo 3 in the series of photographs of St. Thérèse was taken by Monsieur Poupet in February 1886, when Thérèse was 13 years old. Her Christmas conversion occurred several months later, on the night of December 25, 1886. This photograph was donated to the Carmel of Lisieux in 1917 by the family of Mr. Poupet, a photographer from Alençon. The photograph had been retouched by Céline in gouache and pencil but was later returned to its original state by professional restorers. Image credit: © Archives, Carmel of Lisieux via Discalced Carmelites (All rights reserved)