Ecstatic feeling after reading St. Therese

[Le_Bonvivant]

Hi dear brothers and sisters,

Last year in july I was reading Saint Therese de Lisieux’ beautiful book The story of a soul.

As I read the part in which she explains the meaning of the words ‘draw me, we will run’ from the canticle of canticles followed by an explanation of how she applies the words of Jesus for herself and that God’s love is an abyss she cannot sound, I suddenly had a feeling of complete joy and happiness that was so great I cannot describe it. It lasted for two weeks and I had the feeling God was near me, helping me with everything and I felt completely peaceful and confident, like complete ecstasy.

Now I know that sometimes people manage to feel great after meditating on a bible text or praying really long, when they are trying to get this feeling themselves. But I did not try to do anything, nor did I expect it, it really just happened.

In the weeks leading up to this I had been reading in Therese’s book and read that she lost her childhood joy and then suddenly got it back one Christmas day (she called this her Christmas grace). I too, lost the great feelings of confidence and peace I had as a child, although at a later age than Therese, and had asked her to get this feeling back just like she did that Christmas day.

So, what I think is that she prayed for me and that I felt the effect when I was reading. But why so sudden and why when reading this certain passage? Does anyone have an idea what this was all about? Sadly this feeling didn’t hold on and after a week or two it was gone, I have been praying to get it back since and hope to get it back forever.

 

[reggieM]

What a beautiful post - thank you for sharing that!
I love St. Therese. She has helped me so many, many, many times.
You have found a friend - yes, i would say she was praying for you.
Regarding that passage - it is about romance and love. Not the human kind. But is about how God loves us, as a spouse of our soul. We are drawn to Him, and He to us. God runs to us that way.
So, it makes sense to me that you receive ecstatic joy at that moment.
But also be careful. I think she would teach us that those moments of incredible joy are a gift meant to help us run on the path to God. But we shouldn’t put our heart on those consolations. Instead, put your heart on Him. No matter what you are feeling, happy or sad. You had a great grace - experiencing divine love like that.
Don’t worry, He will bring it back again - and she will keep praying for you.
But it is meant just for a short time, on earth. It is a taste of the sweetness in heaven, where that joy will never end (and will be even far greater).
St. Therese will teach you that the greatest joy is to be able to give yourself in suffering, to Him - as she did for so many years. But she just let Jesus carry her, and she really put aside everything else. That is the little way of a child. That is her spiritual genius to teach us that.
In any case, God bless you and keep “drawing near” to God, as you have been doing so well!!

 

[CB_Catholic]

What a beautiful post - thank you for sharing that!
I love St. Therese. She has helped me so many, many, many times.
You have found a friend - yes, i would say she was praying for you.
Regarding that passage - it is about romance and love. Not the human kind. But is about how God loves us, as a spouse of our soul. We are drawn to Him, and He to us. God runs to us that way.
So, it makes sense to me that you receive ecstatic joy at that moment.
But also be careful. I think she would teach us that those moments of incredible joy are a gift meant to help us run on the path to God. But we shouldn’t put our heart on those consolations. Instead, put your heart on Him. No matter what you are feeling, happy or sad. You had a great grace - experiencing divine love like that.
Don’t worry, He will bring it back again - and she will keep praying for you.
But it is meant just for a short time, on earth. It is a taste of the sweetness in heaven, where that joy will never end (and will be even far greater).
St. Therese will teach you that the greatest joy is to be able to give yourself in suffering, to Him - as she did for so many years. But she just let Jesus carry her, and she really put aside everything else. That is the little way of a child. That is her spiritual genius to teach us that.
In any case, God bless you and keep “drawing near” to God, as you have been doing so well!!

This. Such wise words. Thank you.

 

[Sirach2]

Hi dear brothers and sisters,

As I read the part in which she explains the meaning of the words 'draw me, we will run’ from the canticle of canticles followed by an explanation of how she applies the words of Jesus for herself and that God’s love is an abyss she cannot sound, I suddenly had a feeling of complete joy and happiness that was so great I cannot describe it. It lasted for two weeks and I had the feeling God was near me, helping me with everything and I felt completely peaceful and confident, like complete ecstasy.

Now I know that sometimes people manage to feel great after meditating on a bible text or praying really long, when they are trying to get this feeling themselves. But I did not try to do anything, nor did I expect it, it really just happened.

May you treasure these words from 2 Cor. 1:3, “Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the God of all consolation!” Joys such as this, unexpected, and not sought through any effort of oneself, are only produced by God. Since it was given to you at the time of reading these words from St. Therese, it is also God’s way of sending you understanding of what occurred, and His assurance that He wishes to “draw you” also.

I discovered this when I had a similar experience during Mass when I heard the words, “Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory are Yours, Almighty Father.” Through this precise timing, God wished to teach me that my experience was union with the Triune God. I never forgot it, and my daily prayer is that I may do all for the honor and glory of God.

Trust your insight and praise God for His loving consolation to your spirit.

 

[Le_Bonvivant]

Thank you for your kind answers. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it.

I think it’s wonderful that so many people are helped by Therese, the saint who said she would spend her heaving doing good on earth is doing exactly that.

And for myself, yes it’s great to know God wanted to make me feel he wants to draw me to Him.

The other sentence reads literally, in my English translation, ‘God’s love has gone before me since the days of my childhood, it has grown with me, and now it is an abyss so deep i cannot sound it.’
Now could there be anything more wonderful God would want to let us know.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Thanks for sharing !

St Therese is my wife’s favorite saint.

When we were in France, after we visited her home and the convent she was in, it was all that was necessary for my wife to complete our trip to France. Everything else came in 2nd place for her.

Personally, St Bernadette is my favorite and my joy was visiting Lourdes.

Jim

 

[JoyousCatholic]

St Therese is my confirmation saint and I have experienced a similar feeling when meditating on her writings or praying to her.

To me, it feels a childlike carefreeness, innocence and joy.

So beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

Pax!

 

[fhansen]

Hi dear brothers and sisters,

Last year in july I was reading Saint Therese de Lisieux’ beautiful book The story of a soul.

As I read the part in which she explains the meaning of the words ‘draw me, we will run’ from the canticle of canticles followed by an explanation of how she applies the words of Jesus for herself and that God’s love is an abyss she cannot sound, I suddenly had a feeling of complete joy and happiness that was so great I cannot describe it. It lasted for two weeks and I had the feeling God was near me, helping me with everything and I felt completely peaceful and confident, like complete ecstasy.

Now I know that sometimes people manage to feel great after meditating on a bible text or praying really long, when they are trying to get this feeling themselves. But I did not try to do anything, nor did I expect it, it really just happened.

In the weeks leading up to this I had been reading in Therese’s book and read that she lost her childhood joy and then suddenly got it back one Christmas day (she called this her Christmas grace). I too, lost the great feelings of confidence and peace I had as a child, although at a later age than Therese, and had asked her to get this feeling back just like she did that Christmas day.

So, what I think is that she prayed for me and that I felt the effect when I was reading. But why so sudden and why when reading this certain passage? Does anyone have an idea what this was all about? Sadly this feeling didn’t hold on and after a week or two it was gone, I have been praying to get it back since and hope to get it back forever.

I experienced something like this many years ago. MANY years ago. While I’ve had other experiences for different purposes none of the others compared as far as the sheer ineffable peace and joy and love and gratitude I knew then. You were lucky, maybe- mine only lasted a few hours- and then I was jolted firmly back to earth by another set of circumstances. These things happen at God’s discretion, according to His wisdom, for His reasons. And one of the most common reasons, as I’ve come to understand it, is to get us even *more *fervent and expressive about our faith. Anyway, those experiences never quite leave us, even if we forget for awhile-and they can even blossom into greater fruitfulness as the years go by.