The Joys and Challenges of a Solitary Life

[Shin]

It is wrong to pass one's time in fretting, instead of sleeping on the Heart of Jesus.

A soothing thought!

It reminds me of a quote from St. Padre Pio!

[Therese]

I don't understand what St. Therese meant about the general confession business, seeing she wouldn't go telling lies.  If somebody knows what she meant, then please enlighten me. 

[Therese]

It is wrong to pass one's time in fretting, instead of sleeping on the Heart of Jesus.

A soothing thought!

It reminds me of a quote from St. Padre Pio!

Indeed, worry is useless.  Now praying and hoping are two things we could use a lot of!

[whiterockdove]

Therese, I wondered about that same passage when I was writing it!  It seems there are a lot of paradoxes in "The Story of A Soul"
I don't know the answers but I like the book.  I guess it's important to remember that although she is a Doctor of the Church, she was very young when she wrote these things.
Just think if she would have lived to be an old woman!  Who knows how different her writings would have been.
God Bless you, my sister in Christ 

[Therese]

Therese, I wondered about that same passage when I was writing it!  It seems there are a lot of paradoxes in "The Story of A Soul"
I don't know the answers but I like the book.  I guess it's important to remember that although she is a Doctor of the Church, she was very young when she wrote these things.
Just think if she would have lived to be an old woman!  Who knows how different her writings would have been.
God Bless you, my sister in Christ  

I'm sure that this passage in question leaves others with questions too, Whiterockdove.  Because St. Therese was a saint growing up I believe that her statement about general confession had to have been true somehow.  It is my guess that St. Therese would have remained her child-like self up until a ripe old age, if she had died older.  What do you think?  I say this because it is as though she were destined to remain everybody's "Little Therese," as she was called by others--everything about her life seemed to mold her into "Little Therese."  And her little way would have certainly kept her in spiritual childhood.  How I love this saint!  Thanks so much for posting quotes of hers, Whiterockdove!  I'm nearly all finished re-reading her Last Conversations.  This is a good book about her at the end of her life.  I have several good books about St. Therese.  God bless you, too, dear Whiterockdove!  

[whiterockdove]

You are so welcome, Therese!

Heres some more from "Story of A Soul":

"To me it seems that humility is truth. I do not know whether I am humble, but I do know that I see truth in all things."

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"Indeed you are a Saint!"

"No, I am not a Saint, I have never wrought the works of a Saint. I am but a tiny soul whom Almighty God has loaded with His favours."

"The truth of what I say will be made known to you in Heaven."

But have you not always been faithful to those favors?"

"Yes, from the age of three I have never refused our our Good God anything. Still I cannot glorify myself. See how this evening the tree-tops are gilded by the setting sun. So likewise my soul appears to you all shining and golden because it is exposed to the rays of Love. But should the Divine Sun no longer shine thereon, it would instantly be sunk in gloom."

[Therese]

St. Therese was so very humble, her humility is a key component of her little way of spiritual childhood.

[whiterockdove]

Here's an aspiration for today;

In your laws I take delight.
I will never forget your word.

[Therese]

Here is another one:

Jesus, have mercy on me, help me!  Mary, intercede for me!

[Shin]

Splendid aspirations!

Here is another!

Loosen for me: all the bonds of sin:
My Lord Jesus Christ: help me.

[Therese]

I like it, Shin, for it shoots like a dart from my heart to the heart of my Lord (uniting the two), which is what an ejaculation/aspiration is supposed to do.  Yours is nice, Whiterockdove and I just prayed it again.  My aspiration came from St. Alphonsus.  He has some beautiful aspirations found in the back of his book, The True Spouse of Jesus Christ.  I think I found this aspiration I posted somewhere in one of the chapters of his book and not at the end of it.

[Shin]

Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini!

The True Spouse of Jesus Christ is one of my most loved books Therese. Whiterockdove, if you have not read this book, put it on the top of your list, it is precious.

To take delight in the Lord's laws, what a wonderful thing.

[Therese]

Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini!

The True Spouse of Jesus Christ is one of my most loved books Therese. Whiterockdove, if you have not read this book, put it on the top of your list, it is precious.

To take delight in the Lord's laws, what a wonderful thing.

The True Spouse of Jesus Christ is most excellent! A former spiritual director of mine once told me to make it my book, and so I did.  I've re-read it a number of times and have always gotten so much out of it.  Yes, Shin, Whiterockdove should read it. 

[Shin]

I am truly so happy with the aspirations we have been sharing too.

Let's keep sharing them!

[Therese]

Alright, Shin, I'll try to contribute some good ones that I really like, one's that shoot up like fiery darts straight from my heart up to Heaven.

Here is one:

My Jesus, mercy!

[Therese]

Here is another one:

Jesus, my Love, come to me!

And another:

Speak, Lord, your servant heareth.