St. Therese of Lisieux on HUMILITY & DISCOURAGEMENT

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**Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), **
Carmelite, Doctor of the Church
"If anyone wishes to be first,
*** he shall be the last of all ***
and servant of all"
Jesus…! How great is your humility, O divine King of Glory, in submitting yourself to all your priests without distinguishing between those who love you and those who, alas!, are lukewarm or cold in your service. You come down from heaven at their call; they can make the hour of the holy sacrifice earlier or later, but you are always ready. O my Beloved, how meek and humble of heart (Mt 11,29) you seem to me beneath the veil of the little, white host.
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You could not have humbled yourself more to teach me humility; in the same way, in response to your love, I want to desire that my sisters should always set me in the lowest place and to be able to convince myself that this place is truly mine…

I know, O my God, that you cast down the proud soul but give an eternity of glory to those who humble themselves. I want, then, to set myself in the lowest place, sharing your humiliation so as to «have an inheritance with you» (Jn 13,8) in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yet, Lord, you know my weakness. Each morning I take up my resolution to practice humility and, by evening, I realise I have still committed many failings of pride.

Seeing this, I am tempted to discouragement.
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      However, as I well know, discouragement is also an act of pride! And so, O my God, what I want to do is to base all my hope on you alone. You can do all things, so be pleased to bring to birth in my soul the virtue I am looking for. And to obtain this grace from your infinite mercy, I will say repeatedly: «O Jesus, meek and humble of heart: make my heart gentle and humble as yours!»
 
This reminds me of a special time in my life that I was the most joyful than I have ever been–knowing that I am weak and yet trusting in God to help me evolve (however slowly) into something greater moment by moment. I believed that my failures were just something to work past–God’s way of keeping me grounded and honest with myself. I am so sorry to say I have lost this, as every sin makes me crumble in discouragement. It even makes me feel kind of strange that St Therese felt discouraged by her sins, considering her life. I mean I KNOW she would have never dreamed of doing things I have done.

Barbara Therese, thanks for the reminder and the slap in the fanny—I will get it together.
 
fyrefly said:
This reminds me of a special time in my life that I was the most joyful than I have ever been–knowing that I am weak and yet trusting in God to help me evolve (however slowly) into something greater moment by moment. I believed that my failures were just something to work past–God’s way of keeping me grounded and honest with myself. I am so sorry to say I have lost this, as every sin makes me crumble in discouragement. It even makes me feel kind of strange that St Therese felt discouraged by her sins, considering her life. I mean I KNOW she would have never dreamed of doing things I have done.

Barbara Therese, thanks for the reminder and the slap in the fanny—I will get it together.
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Hi there Firefly…We are all sinners, even our saints who are “sinners who don’t give up”. St. Therese, of course, was very right (Doctor of The Church as she is) that discouragement is a form of pride…for pride is telling us that we are better than the sinner we now discover ourselves to be. The latter is pure expectation or imagination presented by pride, while the latter is the truth of the matter and humility (as St. Therese did) will accept this reality and simply do what is necessary (repent and/or go to Confession) and keep walking with courage and perseverance trusting abundantly in God’s Mercy…and no matter our type or nature of falling or sin - for God’s Mercy is greater than any sin whatsoever that anyone could ever even imagine.
When we do this…walk on with courage and perseverance trusting in God’s Mercy, it is in fact an act of praise and thanksgiving for His Mercy…hence, the greater the sin of which we have repented, the greater our praise and thanksgiving of God’s Mercy in walking on, leaving our sin behind us. For God, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation also, not only forgives, He completely forgets. “Go thou and do likewise”

Blessings and regards…Barb:)
 
Hi I haven’t writen for some time but I look at this heading and tothe name Therese and even the thought of Therese brings me to write.
Humility yes I cry out for that and hear the voice of Jesus telling me little things, little because i am a little one who can hear only little things.
I yern so much for humility and think that anything Jesus did for me could never be neer to any thing I could ever do,they all seem so bi9g compared to mine. How could anything I ever do be as Jesus ever did for me? The littlest things that are never known or seen by others, things I practice alone to keep my mind on Jesus. And yet my little things seem so unable to find a place in entering into the relm of asking Jesus to see how I love Him.

In discouragement I find that Therese own words come to me each time I faulter, " I see myself as a little bird so small too little to go up the step, falling down two and only able to go up by the help of the hand of Jesus". This is the way for me.
And yet it is the little things others seem to frown at, the giving up of things such as university degree’s, to take a job with those picking up rubbish walking away from money since Jesus tells us that He knows all we need. “Seek first the kingdom of God and ALL things will be given unto you” these are the words for me. These words seem to give light to my desire to humiliate my humanness, walk with those no none wants around. It seems that these are the roads Jesus tells us ( me any way) to walk putting out a helping hand, even what seems foolish.
There seems to be some light at the end of the road that I walk that I hope leads to Jesus.
And though I faulter I will walk on at times not knowimg where to or where the darkness leads…but I feel Jesus love right there leading me, and so your prayers join with others helping only by my writing in this forum.

Godbless.
 
What a beautiful and absolutely edifying Post!!! Thank you!
 
St. Therese is so encouraging and helpful.
St. Therese pray for us!
 
BarbaraTherese said:
dailygospel.org/www/popup-comments.php?language=AM&id=1251

**Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), **
Carmelite, Doctor of the Church
"If anyone wishes to be first,
*** he shall be the last of all ***
and servant of all"
Click to expand...
Very nice Barbara 🙂 I like this part the best.

I realize I have still committed many failings of pride. Seeing this, I am tempted to discouragement. However, as I well know, discouragement is also an act of pride! And so, O my God, what I want to do is to base all my hope on you alone. You can do all things, so be pleased to bring to birth in my soul the virtue I am looking for. And to obtain this grace from your infinite mercy, I will say repeatedly: «O Jesus, meek and humble of heart: make my heart gentle and humble as yours 🙂
 
nice2000 said:
Very nice Barbara 🙂 I like this part the best.

I realize I have still committed many failings of pride. Seeing this, I am tempted to discouragement. However, as I well know, discouragement is also an act of pride! And so, O my God, what I want to do is to base all my hope on you alone. You can do all things, so be pleased to bring to birth in my soul the virtue I am looking for. And to obtain this grace from your infinite mercy, I will say repeatedly: «O Jesus, meek and humble of heart: make my heart gentle and humble as yours 🙂
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Hi Barb! is there any more from Therese on that point I love it please inform me or add more and let me know. Thank you
Godbless
 
Thank you, Barb :hug1:

The words of St. Therese have helped me, tremendously. God bless you, for posting them here.

MV

St. Therese, pray for us. @};-
 
littleone said:
Hi Barb! is there any more from Therese on that point I love it please inform me or add more and let me know. Thank you
Godbless
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Hi littleone…What I have posted into this thread landed in my Inbox as the meditation for a Daily Gospel - and this particular Daily Gospel site has some excellent meditations often. I dont think St. Therese’s autobiography is online, but it is not a large book and available in paperback thus would not cost a great deal. All the encouragement and the Little Way one could need could be found in her autobiography.
I am going out today, but will check through my files probably tonight and see what I might be able to find…most of what I have I think are commentaries (essays/articles) about St. Therese and her Little Way, not the writings of St. Therese herself.

Blessings and regards…Barb:)
 
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