THE L LE WAY
THE LITTLE WAY T Spirtuali o T of Lx
BE BRO
P
Transated by E Introducon by PAUL McPTL
First pubshed in English in by Darton, Longman Todd Ltd Spencer and Court 442 Wdsworth Hgh Street London S 4 This etion pubished Tslation© and Darton, Longman d Todd Introducon© Paul McParlan Ognly published L G by Les dtions du Cerf, 2 bouevrd tour-Maubourg , Paris © 4 Les Edions du Cerf ISBN 22-22 The rght of Beard Bro to be dentied the Author of ths work h been serted in accordance with the Copyght, Designs and Patens Act A catalogue record for ths book s avilabe from the Brish Lb
Phototypeset by ntype London Ltd Pnted d bound n Geat Bn by Page Bros, Noich
THE BEGGAR On ws ddn rom s now s om s On ws on o s now s om s . H Kng s om down ord of sprm ron A ggr log non or n kng T msr o os s om os sl T r o s s s md o How nd o Wy Nr rs nor povry old m n odn H s p on poor mns smok o sow s w w s T wlss gm, nsml wl Hs gmnd o r nd vns AGHRB ornnry Prsn mys
CONTETS
1 2 3 4 5
Introducion by Paul McParan Preface Bibiographica Note A Practic a Joke A Grea Man' Chariy The Force of Sience The Impossible Sep
6 Even Death .. 7 Mercy: A Polued Idea? 8 usce, My Lad Isn't Your Conce' Gory and the Beggar Conclusion The Du of Being Happy
1 8 15 24 37
5 58 68 87 101
RODUCON
There e many books about St Thse of Lisieux, but tis one ads out. It is magnicent I approached it not expecng to entu, but ended up entled I ssct at t had-headed appoached Thse for e book beaes ae aiauo of shee wonde hee at whatkewise he h fond He i completely won over in spite of himsel so it seems A a esult, what he ites is bot convincing and pofoundy engaging Bed Bro ches deep, deeper han y oter sudy I know ad reves te ogic of Thrse's wiess the inner connectons forged not by common sense but by te Gospe in a is gloios pdox. Unexpected insighs abond a rich epresenaon of hity h is say, and ere is wisdom on eve page Bo ks te quesons we want to k and is tenacio in his search fo ea answe How c God be bot ong ad just? Whee is te ue face of God? Thrse, whose every moment a living retaton of Jansenism1 and who deteinedy chose to dedcate hee to Gods Mercl Love er t to his Jusce, promp a emakabe esponse. Ad what of death, nowadays so feaed, so hushed up? Bo boy says at it is being moe and more ecieny stoen om us Does cing it necessly prompt despar? Thse, who kew ngt befoe e estenaliss maelloly allows us to eclaim dea at which in e is most essently o. But what of he eveday? It seems to me that perhaps here in paicl she mees e needs of our age In our everyday ives we ae ed by infoaon d ne, noay bad ne We were surey never met to bear the oubes of e whoe wod each day in our minds and heas e do, televsion and newspapes inte to do Thee have ays en w here mines ee and evoons somewhere else but only recenty have tey al come into ou homes, bngng ei buden of dise What can te avege peon do about it a? At a me when so my peope fee ovehe lmed and insignicant Thrse shows not just how to cope, but how it realy is possible to make a profound derence om tin te imited scope of ou o outne When a child, he pye fo te
1 The pessiistic heresy mintaining that whout a sc ace fom God, the
oce of hs commdmen impoble d heeoe that hum being ae c of ehe a nal o a spea deteinism. Jsensm fostered seve d gosm i relgio pctce and ligeed n Fnce d elwhee long er i condemnaon by Pope Innocent X in
X
du
murderer Pzni, were answered, she reised at even in her ittlene she cod me a derence a lfe-ing erence to oes. A she matured, in e Cael at Lisie she ce to rease that it w precisely be of her littlene tat she could do tis and tatw te insight that set her ee d opened up te whole word to her. However the greatest insighs do not come eiy d Thrse sll felt restless mes,to tinkng had On to be out ininhe world dac 896 ings inat order make athat dshe erence reeat justdoing a year before she ded she felt te desire to be 'a or, a piest an apostle, a ma d ten read St Paul telling he Contians that e is te best y of all and tat anyhing done witout love is empty Suddenly she realised that in te dy of Chst she could be te ert U f wtout whi ch no apostle would preach te Gospe d no maty woud shed heir blood Love contains U vocaons, she cied out My vocaon is love This w how in te imied space of her convent she could make a derence to te whoe world by doing howeve In te ited space of our own homeseveything, and our o livesr small, we cout do of te se ' spend my heaven doing good on eh, she sd on her deatbed My real mission is soon to begin hat of teaching sous my litte y the way of spiriual childhood the y of t d absolute sef�uender Those words coud so eily sound r eckless even si lly like te ld ncies of a little rl The ct is tat they were spoken in matuiy by one who had been tough geat kness and sueng d who now had te claty of scy aut her Thrse suddenly becomes so much more approachable when we realise at she rey received y consolaon in her pye, often feeling tat Jesus w leep in her boat she put it, and that she endured great temptaions aganst ith itself in her lt ilness which w severe She sd: ' would never have believed that it w possible to ser so much I can only explan it by my intense desire to save sos She reased what Chrst endured in his Psion d she w happy to she it She actuy wemed te chce to py without consoaon te best poibe proof of her love She realised at a child hed in its mohers s cant ely see the mothers ce so she contented heef t the cetanty of Gods embce and ddnt woy if she codnt see him in e daress This young wom w physically weak but a spiitua giant She sho up so much of our baganing wt God d teaches u to st d to love come what may Most of l, she teaches u that by doing even te smaest tings in e ound of our daly fe with st d loe we can join t Chst in the salon of te word Beard Bro specically looked to the eveyday when he ote his book n intdtin t le wth Thrse of Lisie This new edion for her centenay is mely d greatly to be wecomed
Fr Paul McPal Heytrop Coege London
PREFAE A gowing i ld , w gownps xpl ni ons o y ing, sks wy God md wold And s i ppns d n g s nsw. W only o ls n o w s s o sy As s , plny o sons o no doing so sin ls dys oso Csiniy, no on s po d d mo di o inspid o Gospl. n iny ds o p o wold w om om wo ii momns n y: oss n l Apl nd y y, nd mon o snsin nd o Spmb mgin is min: wo dgs blow o nd bds n s o dgs o mo nd l is los En if smm s ws o, w dys o snsin bo gpsi yo pin nog o wiwill s siion. So i is wi o is s Csins T mgin is min. o l o dl ys my b misspn o wso B siion n s ill b sd. Poi dd yo wi i so. To my i nd l n d xmpl o Ts o isix os w dys o npd snsin bo s T lil wy is plly nong ll nd y i n s siion yo no w l l bo lif dy, yo n bgin Cp 3 . T boo i s ons d o pis o ps o n iy C ps ; op, Cps 6 my, Cps ; knowdg o God nd imn o ppinss Cps 1 Tis book is no i nndd o b s dy i of s o isix b a irouio o le wi Ts o Lisi x
BIBLIOGRAPHIAL OTE Quoions houghou h ook h nsos own son in mny ss no English nslion xiss Th min xs Thss L Histoie dune Ame Copondance gnae Deies Entetiens nd Posie Ohs id inud Conseils et souvenis did y Sis Gni, h oil ouns o h Pos o nonizion podings nd Fondation Fonation du Camel de Lisieux ( 857 94 Aill in Engish Autobiogap a Saint: The Sto a Soul (Collins onn nd Thss Collected Lettes J. Shd (Shd & Wd
PT JOKE
'o o lov od w ll yo sng nd yo ngo s m s yosl Ts s pogmm And nyon sod v d o ySps mns ss n j sly n ld s pogmm on o Holy smpl s 'p l jok wod Gods mos ld ss o wold ody ddn nd mos ommonpl o nls T sm ng ppls n lvs o ll sns nd vn n l of Cs N W nk w know ll n nd w vn y dsovd nyng om ng sw l Nomn gl Cm ssgnd o g n ml o oss s ws wo And y s s w fo KlRn on ys o s gs of Co og ps y o sylmns o n Chistliche nnelicheit n d mny sps o s sn s psonl y n d w ngs ng o mly ong And w o pln w nd lmos plsv o m so yo old s wy ny wold n sy ol o dng so T so mny o ngs wo nkng o n wod nd no ndng lo plnon T yo v n nsll 'ng ong nd s n ld Soy o S T ss plsv Rn w sn d on o fllownns mkd O Ss Ts o Cd Jss wl soon dd nd ly n mgn w Rvnd o wl nd o sy o on s s gon won sy o , n l yo o s l l ss m ng s s s s nly nv don nyng wo llng T. So ow w o p Ts o s T so m ny pp n
osls l gp ngdl nn ny gp n syl povn mddss wo ks vl; sply gp l of sng o ssm o Rl gnon o ollv nd pol l nss wn wold s v l of s nd vn s only n of n s
Th l Wa
e. Appenes e etnly dsougng Possbly sedd e one ptu moment some useul ontbuton to mke o te Cu ? Bu y soul d e ste ou tme o e t t no? e spen long tm e exmnng ese objeto ns n d my on luson s t tey dont old te tey mke tue o e e tougt. om tee gnones nd nd e e esutese o ouobjetons netbe nby tendeny sem to degde ge. e men sm s subte one Fs t e ee n d e n o u on m nd s so t e do n t e t o go nd ook o ouseles. en e t ke tn gs ste p ute And e end up by syng s s e esel ould so e sd 'Wt does se mtte nyy? So mu o te eest nd smplest bdgement o te Gospel ee pop ounde d. o te best ppoes to teCs y e look nds t se o One s eux s oeed by one o tose nsould mst em o s so te n pots: Emmnue oune. ou ould dly expet o ge te key to e oks om someone lke m but n 1 939 e ote 'One o te e obstles e e ound s ys bee n te mddelss style n te snt dsgused e eosm. At e pont noneteless e e oes us e key to bsolute det ment And n n ge en t e md dlels s pon o e n not l to seem tete ey nttess Cstnjokes lng mynt t be tt ts s one o Holy Sptsoptl pdox o Dne ey men tt te myst ees o loe t ts most d ent sou ld be debeey dden unde su ommonple extenls? 'One o t e Hol y Spt s ptl jokes . en obsee o tte kno se stll s mong m osest ontempoes my mly my ends nd o ey tey seem een to e ed t se ote en t tkes so lttle tme to do so d'es tnk etnly one o te HolyesSpts jokes. An t e best ngts onesn do n te umstn s t o mke people nt to ed o eed e o dont elly kno e you see. ulte tt to ed te essentl pts o t se sd nd ote ould tke l s long s Russn noel. So lets no open ts ol ume o stoes nd ptues n e se det nd desp t t yout nd ted nnoene te stuggle beteen dk ness nd t beteen te el nd te ounteet beteen mtu
ty nd ldod. s one o te lelest bookstnk mgnble. Po dentlly ble.tContempoy. ou my you kno bout t ledy s tougt dd. But n t tee s no end to edsoeng s esness t s uteness t s m medy ts st engt ts genus ndeed 'unde te most ommonple extenls But
lJok
bwa h book dosn vad th issus. I das wih th os sous and ast sca pab son s of f why da th how a w o hop o h as can w pinc igious do ub ts, b shakn by h and si stay fahfu why do w hav o su Possiby on ought to hav ovd o sud aady bfo on can undsand h bo pop y, jus as on has to hav ovd a nd s ud bfo on canoundsand th Gosps
A stue to strpped?
In 1949 whn Sainism was at its hight, th afomniond mmanu Mouni ntctas in pbic cospondnc with Fancs ading Commnist wondd what h on coudofwish th a fo good. Ths is what h wot W wod not paicuay hav wshd yo Tito; what w do wish yo a h indvidua o coctiv uivants of a St Ths Th monhs bfo th 1914 wa, Pop Pis X wshing o o Ch is ans a mod fo thi iv s, said of Ths th at sh was h gas saint of odn tims Sh was baid nin yas a whn, ivd,at sh n woud was canonsd anothhad woshyas 195hav Sincbn thn,fy. thatSh mddcass g who ntd Cam a th ag o n to sk obvion and sf acn h, csivy poccpid with oving Jsus, and dy ng o tbcuosis a th ag o wntyou ik an y ot h gs in h nin tnt h cntu ythis nobo dy th cntn ay of whos bith was cbatd n 1973has sbsny actd th ivs of mi ons fom dith Piaf to th ast v pops. Thhas fbn of hs ointo Lisi has un though incuding ightynin ditions, tansatd thityv anguags Rs sian, Chins, Aabic, Tkish and Swahii. Nt to h Bib it s h most widy ad igos book in Fnch And o Los Angs o Ghadaia fom Biut t Oso fom Winnpg to M ico you wi nd h in h Camit hab with h oss a h ady undoubdy on of th most widy vd womn of h twn tit h cntu y This bing s o is i t o job tod ay to fubish th a
satu gifo d tha pctand o ca onsid whh is o ny atotap th t fb tan u is fo Ths th d vouoftLsiu D o w nd to ha any mo abo h anng down oss What can a costd nun possiby hav to say ha s vant o o sugg fo a bt wod sh appanty havng d h wod I has bn
4
The Lttle Wa
sid o r kow drig r lifim, s s mis p fo drsood r sic B if yo o srip o yo c drsd r s i rlly wor or? B is so sr pi dos o srippd o Ad si x wi Widsor Csl d Ei Towr, ig o o mos i Erop c rly poplNo o isid gssdplc scop o w roio wic srs ispir idd: pops d pop drsoo mc soor illc ls W is s lik ?
Mystica coical eveyting by tuns Tl d srog wi cildlik ir, wi oic xprssio o mc cocg wisom prfco d prspiccy o pr so o fy A li go oygoody o wom yo wold gi com mio wi o sdig r o cofsso s l s w ggo lod o mokys ysc comc y y rs c mk yo wp wi doio d s s siy mk yo f w lgr d rigyrc T s isw mos i iw porwy ri prB srd o r, pd rrio riorss Ts is is sci o mk ' grs s of modr ims? ckily w g d l o simoy o Bsis ow oiogrp y wi g o wywo d compl d r mos for sss compios igio s sris o iiws, i som css o ow from dy o dy r ii g grip pg fsci io of li lisio progrmm A rog ppr commoplcss o s s pios ido ps smc cosis ly mrg s ody o s i r ws: that wth The o L e we ae t he peece o omeoe who aced wth the two ab e whch all me expeece e e ad God wet all the wa et tll ea o comade s s p my m ig cood wi yss o from d o possiiis o coic cofro y swrg yss wic is cd God
Allisi isoook plc m mr dw o iismor o wi o cil o ogr y cooig wkcss ss s Gks o ogr m mry cooig is gl wi r i Erop rgi o r Bck D i iddl Ags modr m coroig s oiss d
A Patial oke
5
dsp qs o mi o lim, idiidl d b qs o osld ic xisc i sml qi i c O colss iss s o m mi co ssmi o is oic ci o o s smi bs o pss lim qsioi sd oo b Ts Ts m ol pi i, do i i o m s omc li lc, i mo o is cl s m is o bi lo o Ad o s is o s (Cms ' p d o si s H msss o pl H os o m m odi s i Gos s o o s oi Go os s m, Go osT sm Go do s s s o ood s oi d bo o d Go o olm i Ts Go is o s s c c oo Ts Go d o o il c i od Absc s Go Go is m ol ss Ad s oo pc is gt W sd b ss sodi m, o s m i mmo o lmios co o ic si m om os c s Booi sis oics dss ms o moc m, si so m o o om d o ss m o ddm o li - ll ossss C o s ms o bli o d ol m om soi o oi p oi oo od o i o i o o o ool ss , ss o icio o s Ts d o o i soci s T, s d bcom O s s s oTo o boom o olm id so o i T s o b m s m o m o Ad i cloiss o Cm m i m B lisd m dm s bs cs co mi m ss o scic id o mdom . o s iss i os o di s Yy ccd o o 2 d cp o s is o Cos T s d
o os is cm ss os s Tisli s i os o docos, d cAposl s o l mos c s o i io o A s d od pc is o co o oc io, o s i, i mbcd l ims d
6
Th l W
acs . Thn n th css o y dious joy I caid ov s y vocation! A ggler, a soder
nd that Ths was to pov thoughout h ths bing a stugg against dsi and th tiuh o ov a a onc Whn sh was on y ou yas od h oth did Whn sh was nin th sist who had takn h oths ac t h to nt Ca. nd th onths at sh had ntd th convnt hs h dayovd ath . H was ctid and snt th yas o atocious sung Pop gossipd about it in th town and insd th convnt: Isntdsai h bcaus hav aThs bcoto nuns ach t was nahsbutdaughts ov suond bv that a was possib. Facd with th abyss o h do and acd with th abyss o an nvisib oost nub God sh chos a jus t as sh had at th ag o ou. Ths was a ght a stugg : this di dn t sto h bing aaid o a spid . . and o having to batt unsuccssuy against h adoscnt as h sn stivnss and h tonting scups Sh adittd as uch Bng thsn yosti ungst wasn t usd to aab doing thi o ys . My t vnssI ad unb . . .ngs . I wou d w. k a Magda n and thn wp ov having wt. B ut tha t u stous nght t was 5th Dcb 1886 I cvd th gac o ging o ch dh ood n a wod th ga c o y copt con vsion. W w on ou way ho o idnight ass nd Ths thn ats how ooking owad to nding h stocking u o psnts sh ovhad h ath say 'Luckiy this wi b th ast ya Thn instad ocoty bustin g into tas as'Inwas h wont Ths cons bcoing changd: a ash h task dating ntd o to tn yas was achivd by Jsus y on th stngth o y go wi In a wod I t chaity nt y hat th nd to ogt ys in od to ak oths happy and o t hat o n t I hav bn happy ys Sh bca a s odi and a nd on t sh did But sh had to gh t o th outs t vn to nt Ca. Sh was bay tn
Sh anagd connay vin c th h bisho ath. a Butusd. h u nc thnwas th usd. supio Sh o th convnttoand ight sh woud go o th Pop. nd th povinca cht dcidd to tak advantag of a jouny to Ro thn und dscusson to ais th att with Lo XIII.
A tl ok
7
Sh hd chosn Whitsundy 1887 o gn h ths pissio ythng ound u s ws xcty to ou tst w w owd th do w coud wsh, nd I usd t o s y th t ou ws t h i d o thy h ppinss . To tu n ons bck on this hd to b c t o choic . I chos W hitsun dy. A dy I p dd withdsth Hoy to py o nd tot insp thth wo w hic h IAposts sho ud h t o sy Wsn it th i job wth to hp tid chd who God dstind by py nd scc to bco th post o posts? H th ws psu d d. But th w sti th oth s And th jouny to Ro did not in ct cy th dy This is how sh dscibd h intiw with th Pop God subjctd to gt ny ods bo owing to nt C Lt t you wht hpp nd whn Itois th Pop I ydidn t wnt co ho wthou t spking thitdPop I sd wht ou tod to to sy in you tt (Th poo Pop is so od tht h igh t o st b dd H cn hdy spk t I shoud ik to h bn b to xpin y pob but th w s no w y o doin g so Th Hoy Fth sipy sd to I it is Gods wi, you wi n t S h hd to wit But ntuy yon hd to gi in to th gi who ws t to sy, I not id o nyon I wys gon wh I wntd I thncssy Id h wiggdjoks though On o Hoy Spiit s pctic Ysthi o u gs. st concuson ust nitby b tht Ths o Lisiux, how uch sh pps to b nicy bought up itt Non iss, ws sodi, wioth u o ny o th gnts who God hs isd up o us though u nd th os t comm onpc o xtns jus t so th t w shoud gt th point
'A GREAT MA
I the coue of ivte uiece with the Biho of Beux ieux 19 Piu XI eloe the teec to etimetle he imge the ue thi exeio to ecibe he 'A get m The biho e the Poe wo bck to he co ve t whee the cme omethig o f hock to the u who wee i thi ki g of he ' thei litt le gel But Th e h ecibe heelf i im l tem 'me fo w echoig Tee of Avil exhottio to he ughte to be ' the equ of tog m Thee i o quetio o f egilig Th e of iieux glo She oet ee tht ht ee to be oe i fo u to ieg ecoceive m eim to of ee i w h t eect h i ie the eq uiittg of the getet of the git ou hito fo u eh the wiftet of gui e to t he Goe Sh e h iee c ue ev olutio e e ol t th e begiig of t. A evolu tio with iite c oeq uece i ce it i b e o t he Goel itel he he wet ito the covet he w ftee hl Iie life fom beig 'heve A helet mit 'Nothig wheIt I m w withf Jeuiit lee But thee i iece tge how lge m het eem to be whe I coe ll the teue of the wol ice c ee tht ll of them ut togethe cou eve tf it et whe coie Jeu how mll t eem o be I wt to love him o much To love him moe th he h eve bee lov e I e the cov et w o ee e te ti l ife oe me l fo ev e moth ou t of tweve li tte too i tt le ee
the oom o beig il hete eg to ive with ocol ot oe of he ow choice ick Smiligl hecom ote he ecto whee I woke oo h tke the hbt oe me moe th oe occio fo uttig m elfeteem i it lce uefoot
t Mn
9
A w
ke a wao howeve he oe he be o o ge woue aue uch ha ea make me all back wh love o ol ava ce bu 'I kow h om exeece whe I eel ohg whe I am u able o o a o ac e vue ha leaue he me o look o lle oouie g wa o gvg oe leaue o Jeu ha he emie o he wol o eve maom obl uegoe A mle o ace o a kl wo whe wou a he a ohg o look co . Fo he ece o he waae coie Neh u emak I have hee ee me h e he e am e a mel Bu o he h ee he wo me She ve uckl came o ealie ha he wa o goi g o ach ieve ahg o he w a o ue le he wihou gh ehe ohe lluo. hough wa havig o eaiohe chlh ea oheel he e ohe wa eve aa o he u h eve a a o 'lvg he u h o uo e S oh whehe hi alie o heel he faul he ow lmao he amil he commui he e o i he e eah el She wa o aai ha he uh mg h mih he. Quie he eve e. u h o he wa eve hu u o he ha covee he ue wa o vo b iamg I e a o evaig he ue o cheag o g o o ecue ui heel o ull g he hewoul wool ove h ow a wei a l o ou hocomig am a ee am ohwih mmeiae u wa volve A hu he ou omehig geae il: u oeg o he he gae o eeo. Ceail he wa a evoluioa o howeve b ebellg aga ohe eole bu b u immeiae a abolue o he la. He ie Clie who wa ole ha he wa a eee he cove i ea ae he eoe ha oe a wachg he behavou elmuch momeail icouage a o he Oh whe I hikhe how I il have o acquea he im meae ee h o ou a how uch I have o loe A wha h e ai h e h e u o he oo . I am h k g ow eo o acual o ha mo imeive bu oe lea he e he a eghee moh he la bale hee i he ak e ace o ace wih Go a ace o ace wih eae a eah O 2 Al 896, he a bloo o he ime havg ee o
he goehe o be ou il hehe ligh. Ou omog obece h e o cell elgh lama buu waie ollowg beoe coveg ha he ha ee ha a haemohage O Go Fa Jeu wa leae o give me he hoe o oo gog o ee hm i heav e . . I el wha eeme lke a wave g g a
0
The Little Wa
eethg to m i I it kow what t wa bt thoght that eha wa goig to ie a m o wa ooe wth o Bt the hock wa ch that a ew a late he ete the ight o at h. The ceoth the tth o eligio wee to be o o m o e coo latio to he o the emaiig eightee moth he ha to live. heGo eaA a a Came te he eow covee e t e ace o theDig Chita thi qite o he ke athexloe. O all the iet whom he met the coe o he e two o l the co e o a igle covato ha bee o a ea he to he B eligio itct a moe o le otaeol he wet beo the toto cae b ea a the gom om which the Chch wa the eig ithot ealiig the eect o he tgge he wa to eew the ace o Go o millio Fo the Go o a ih met what o hel eac he with thejtice Chch he btitte hel a aw the to beigo the eece o the Goel hoe a tt Th wa he geat icove. A what he eicovee i.e the lovig kie o a Go wo came ow to eath i the gi e o a begga he wa to liv e to te la t. Sh e i t meel ta lk abot it he ca ie thig the livig h t t to the at The 'lat coveatio with he ite ig he a ix mot o lie ae availabe i it i l etail Th The obt cotittio blooittig o o Goo F ia 896. S heha gohe ovt thatattack bt aoe a late the tbecloi ha beco me ieveible a he ie b iche ove the ext ix moth The a he icovee that eath wa evtabe he a: 'The o thg I eal wih o ow i to love til I ie o love Thi wa o 9 e 89 I l the bega bigig thig owtai i eaie o he bial The ha boght he alliae ow ( i avac) to ila he · o ae he the eat h oe hejoll ite elate. Th e ght ig hto o it thogh oe oooa exc aime Oh thee goe aliae It wil be waitig ea to t coe o." T he cale howa te bcke t ikle ha bee t ea i he oom ext to the ima She gee a mch a ake o them to be t whee he col ee them She e to look at them om time to tme with eviet atiactio. Smiig he a o ee that cale whe the The come to ca me o that wll be
t m ha mtt me the that caletickthat too i gl" Thebt heo wet ove give evethig wo hae a ate he ie hail goig ito eve etai o he bia ig ex eo whch mae mle whe al we wate wa to c. e weet otg he he wa the o ecoagg .
A G Mn
ut t was the sae Thse who sad at abut the sae te w s aby gong to face up to dyng? And when sene sa when she coud hady speak h what a tebe ness w yu ust have sueedes! What a ecy t s t ave ath d dn t have f a t I shud have ked y sef wthut a ent s hestatn. What ae you up to now? You ought t be tng to go t see p. I cant. I n too uch pan s o I pay ng A nd what ae you sayng to Jesus?I not sayng anthng ovng h
i kill hsl And so thugh the ong onths the chokng ts and haeohages went onyes ndeed as fo ons of othe peope whose sste and we ght say spokesan she knew hesef o b e Then gan gene attacked he ntestnes St Thse hed thugh t d dn t stop he fo beng tepted t k hesef o n sevea c ca sns f ddnt thedont Fathcot I cou sucde neve endue a ths She pan h aazed that have athests oe ften. end ued t he va ous teatents of the day: bsteng cautesat syup of sugs fcton wh the hoseha gove (of whch she sptedy eaked h to be cuycobed as I have been s wose than aythng you can agne!) Nothng coud shake he tus t h h w sad f e s! soeon e sa d t he She eped: Les not sad! Not at a t s vey gay If you sad E es sad I coud undestand Its The wng to appy fe fo to what has thngs gt t coe to an end. wod shoudthe nywod be used heaveny fo what w neve de and then fe snt sad but gay vey gay e sste who wa s nusng he asked h e to say soethng nce to the docto. h dea othe thats not y stye at a. Let h thnk what he kes I ony ke spcty I hate hubug. eeve e what yu ask wud be wong f e to do She had eant t ey on Soeone ot he than hes ef and was anous to po ca he
se cet : Thestay ttette weven be judge d wt h et eepostn dnessevenAnd can cetany n a vey espnsbe yu yu ve t be vey d. f h ad ded at the age of eghty f ha d been t Ch n a a ove the wo d shoud I a conv nced have ded as tte as I a today And t s tten that at the ast the Ld
1
The Litte Wa
wll aise o save all he eek and hule on eah I doesn say o udge bu o ave. And Thse wen on aking ohe people lugh uppoing he wiing and iving Sh e had been s uggling hough he pevous eigheen onhs in he dak nigh o he soul, no longe eelng any consolaion o Bu he one aihhing She eained had uly ake he place he a he abe o he hopeless absolue: tust in ove. Sh e had given hesel o soe one who could n o possibly l e h e down And he love was o uph he oen o dying, o he space o a Cedo he daknes s was on aside he died saying 'h, I love hi y God I love you
e an being confonting te abyss Thse o Lisieux has been downed b adiiona elgious a plase saues and oses hs has given any peope an excuse o no sudying he eevance o he e Now we ae bee paced o ake an assessen o exaple who wee he conepoaies She was bon a he oen baud ough ou A Sea on in He Dooevsky had pushed Rebes w yeas eoeIn And wo yeas ae, Nezsce poduced TheHuman a too Human. ha yea , 87 en ch soc ey was sh aken y ou cises he end o he ancoussan Wa, he end o he s aican Councl a new cononaon beween Caholics and he Sae he bh o he Thid epublic) and he eginning o a new deae beween science and eligion Caude Benad pulshed he chae o al oden scence i 878: his ntoduction to the Expeimenta ethod)
Thus, nneeenh cenuy, so qucklyha eegaed o conep dew oassheclose, we do well o eee a he vey oen when Thse wen hough he pesonaliy change suddenly discoveing he ue vocaion wha she called he convesion) a Chsas 886 whe n sh e was heen a nd a h al eud wa s say ng wih Chaco and acquiing he pincpa insighs o eudian s he s heo y o psychoana lyss da es o 896 a yea ae Thse s deah ) ax ha d died hee yeas beoe ha sa e yea
886 Antichit Niezsche o publishd ond oo and ou Evihe andsae was pepaing The pubicaion, which cae yea as Thse ene d Cae l ( 888 Claude w as conve ed he sae day as sh e was, and Chal es de oucauld he sa e yea And on he sae Chisas Day, 886 hee appeaed in he bookshops The
A Get Mn
1
Coesso n E-Feethnke b Leo Tai an ipose whose caee was o aec hes. Ma Niezsche Feud he hee gians doinaing oden hough. Wih he he ae o oses is ove. And in ac he onl wa o appeciain Thse o Lisieu oda is b adding he
su ae l o hei the cop anHee I islies hehe sae bal Suel e al aong line: mn oontng byss genius one he aong woen who wen he ahes, o he end When she oped o he good sh e k newand sas wha i would have been li ke i sh e ha d oped o upue loneliness and evil and when she pusued he ues o God she knew ha i wasn piail a case o seeking hi bu o his seeking he: H e will ge ied o aking e wai o hi long beoe I ge ied o waiing o hi.
Wh is e oi o f si? ugh we o coplain abou he Chuchs canonising people o he boo o he pile You see alhough Thse belongs o he heoic line o ho se who have gon e all he wa: people like S Augusine ascal and Dosoievsk, also beongs ha ohe goup Kiekegaad who he Chuch has held up she as eaples sinceohe Fench evoluion Who do we nd in his second goup? Benadee o Loudes he daughe o a an (wongl) suspeced o being a ciinal Caheine Labou an illieae peasan he Cu d As and oung Thse o Lisieu o he id dle clas ses. esuabl i is one o he Hol Spiis uses o have his essage deliveed b siple ceaues like hese And he sae has been said oohn X XIcanonised I I he aes bo Who adecaes ope Wil be he la s o be oall pehaps Whal hese aes is ha wha was peviousl eseved o piileged being ike Benad o Claiau Ignaiu Loola o ohn o he Coss we now nd being oeed o eveone he oppouni o tiuping ove te nui f ou fte o iuphing ove ea o lonein ess in he ace o un ce ain ove he uue a nd d ea h And Th se i is who eve als he seces o his deocaisaion o he dak nigh o he soul o us Accod-
ing o he us we eve each hve eplosive innie sengh capble o wihin conueing ea anThis sengh, sough b he pophes and gea evoluiona gues o he daand hee Thse is in coplee ageeen wih heeiss eiss in each o us We can oveco e ea ve ea ea o h e uu e ea o ou
1
The Ltle Wa
own liitatons ea o othes ea o deah ea o se Al you wh o have toiled and w ep coe . . Al ae ca ed. Thee s only one condition on which beneting o this innie stengh depends: that o accepting the tuth about ou incapacity and because o this o choosing t he pah o tusting to t he as t cetainy oneItos he ost contagiously loving pesonalties n es huan hisoy. ting t hat beoe ecognisin g o woking ou the theoy o woens ights the Chuch should have been outanked even jolted by this gil whose genius we have still not entiely gasped Thse the memoy o a heoic little gil o es sage o today quote a pi est witing o ietna in Novebe 17: St Thses centenay 17 alls well hee aong these eote people Hee in Dalat we have Koho tibesen piitive peoples the o High lateThei au The mountain people h ee ae hauntoted by eaoea spiis eligion centes on animal blood placate the ange o the spiis To dae as Thse did to sile at a spii To say ou Fathe to a spiit T o dedicate on esel to loving a spit What a beakthough ay he yea 17 bing Heavens endenes s to the people whee w e ae lving. H ee t he spiit o the Sun SietNgkao (Cutoyouhead) the spiit o he ainbow Jop ha ( Su ckyoub lood like a vapi e) the spiit o Thunde CongCo (Hackyouinhal) spiit ( Clawyouand eatyou) and he the othes a eoallWae agatKuansa man At ast Thse will tell the o a God who is o as side 'Cutoyouhead 'Suckyoublood Clawyouandeatyou classwa se ual ity daily oppession Dont we a ll have ou ow n evil 'spiits Which o us doesnt need to be deliveed o ea What would be ne than to lean once oe to say 'u Fahe with conviction
HARITY
Wh a ki d o appea ca Thr se o Lisieux have or you g peope o oday We ay as we adi i our iediae assupio is ha hi s Carei o acs ao her us be o he eri ver ecey proves whe ehe are ag pree seed i aie heir rue igh Ye haexp he opposi e is rue. Take or isace soehg h a ieress eve h e youges o us a d which ca be ex pressed i oe wor d h e coec ive i e soida riy i ie soidariy i seekg a eai g o ie i workig i sharig. Did Thrse have a sese o he coecive Uhesiaig y we aswer yes she did ad ore ha ayoe u o a y od coecive She ive d ad s he died or h e greaes coe cive o easiy he a Yebee he circusaces her o ieher were such a she igh have iduced o aoback ow ieress however obe ad spiriua hey igh be o her ow pey preoccupaios however apparey viruous she igh as we do very egiiaey have suck o a coecive he oe os iediaey coceri g her which woud have bec oe her coec ive her i e aiy her ie cove her ie ow her Church
at lagest collectve u wha ieresed her ad very eary i her ie oo was ha os uiversa o voca ios a vocai o bidi g her o erey o a i e coeci ve o a pr ojec o a idea o a srugg e b u o he u iverse eire. Whe exhaused by iess by ever she waked he coisers
o Lisieux woud abou issioaries adived oerwas up eve her srugge orshe he. u hik he coecive or which she arger her soidariy was o oy wih her eowChrisias bu a d especiay du rig he as eighe e ohs o her iewih h e hopeess wih aheiss wih (o use her ow expressio) a
The Lle Wa
teilit The people ho he then called he bothe ee al thoe who had l o t thei bea ing ho could no longe nd a eaning to thei live The lage collectve o the all that o the dep ived the lot the hopel e the cuh ed o the poo all ove the old Foenough thi e ne collective he had a n ae a nae place buto onethehich he ade etaodinaily ne Itcoon a har And hee I ee you to hat ut uely be one o the geatet docuen t on the topic in huan liteatue o that you can gap hat it ean I ean the thd pat o he So a Soul I t ean not eely accepting hateve coe and tanong it into a vitue into capital into a teaue to be peeved and deende d but (a S ohn ay) vg he truh I the evolution hich thee by th eeveything Chuch coui ld be put o e odThe � houldopeated a accodng toinhe given by int God but at te ae ie eveything till ha to be done Thi a evolutionay Eighy yea beoe the Second atican Council The had gaped the adical change o attitude tha thi equie chaity i a uggle not ught out eely at the level o idea o concep but in daily lie n living and yet thi canno be done ecep in the nae o a love eceived o on high and tancending f e u act he g ht i he go e o a in chaity it i repoe o Someoe' good pleaure, a he conanly a to the good pleaue o Soeone ho love he nd thi n t he coonplace o uti ne of eveyday le By becoing incanate God conented to be coonplace and The end u o the innite gandeu o the coonplace o he th a he eod overo, the ot i potant one oeed o eey Chtian hich coni o euing to alo do thee to be any gap in lie beteen hat e ay and hat e
Eveytg s gve everytg as stl got to doe The had ade a habit o iling heneve he ok wa inte-
upted a nun coing hethe ith o ithout good eaon to ak oby help She ention thi huoouly in he lat anucipt We on the othe hand in iila cicutance ae tepted genty to intiate to the peon akng o help that we ae dong the a avou The did no yield to thi teptation he a not the
Cha
17
ie o he own ie A he beginning o an ee peiod he pepaed heel o be dibed h, he a, nohing eve ook he b pie he wa ead o be dibed: I wan o be I con on b eing And o a al wa h app Th e i e i no w i dJne, 1 897 Fo he pa ei gh da he ha known ha he be ced e ngho o ceain he o heillne oeicanno e ake oe Saining han h al he an h o o cl ib he ai o he oo wh ee he cel l i Exha ed b eve he oce h eel b obedie nce o w ie h e con i n aio n o he l ieo When p in he gaden in h e inv alid chai pev iol ed b he paaled ahe Soeie I wold be wiing abo chai an d ve o en oeone wold coe and i nep e hen I wold n o o be ipaien , and o pacie wha I wa wiing A oon a ake p She pen, one o ok onH a, heI holde hialong nk icoe wil l ae ehe i nn he hwih a ahe li le cha. dck, chi cke n, h e doc o vi i al l i g i o he i ll . Adi e dl hi doen la lon g, b he e o e han one ch aia ble nn and ddenl anohe haake la a ew owe in lap poibl hinking o inpie e wih po eic ho gh. B poei c hog h ae no wha I waning j now and I hod have peeed he owe o a wai ng on hei ak Even all ied o opening and hing weched I open (which won a open) and execiebook a eolel ha I anohe coping book o hogh o he al and Gopel o o Speio bihda. And hi i e enogh, ince I don in he qoaion Beloved oh e, I e I h old ak e o lag h i I old o abo al advene in he gove o Cael I dob i I can have wien en ine wiho being ineped Thi wol dn no all have ade e lagh o even a ed e, b o love oand God ae o o kind o e) oano look happ ab and ove al oie b e o(who Thee ee hee goe he haake, who ha j aid oo ile ie o nd i iing, w iing all da lik e ha " Don wo" I aid, I look a i I wiing a lo, b eall Ive had wien a hing." h good he aid, looking ea ed , b all he ae I ve g lad wee haakin g I ake a i le bi o diacion o o " The ac i i a ve big diacion
Being ve eniive he knew ocold peonal expeience how peing a acleheel, o niend eak be. When he ahe ilne aeced hi bain, hee wee plen o hee. Behind hee agoniing ha, he e pinpick a he cal led he , The allowed heel o ee onl he gene hand o he Je And he
Th Ll Wa
kn ew ha h e lea st o he suengs oeed u p in love could save a soul. hse knew that t he s th ng about lvin g he Gospe l is ha we have o do it wh ou neaest neghbou with soeone who we ouselves have not chosen. She wasealsed caeultha nontocounty sop sho dis at ee nal appeaanc es She quickly likes ae oen caused by the ac tha people allow heselves o be eseised by the oe obvious aults o those aound the instead o akig an eot to discove the good qualties. Thee is she wote in the couny one siste who has the gt o displeasng e wh ateve she does ound he way s he wod s h e chaacte al l vey d isag eeabl e. And yet sh e s a holy elgio us who ustal be disl veyike acceptable God wishing gve way to he not natu which I toelt so toldnot ysel thato chaty should consst in eelngs but in woks. I then set ysel o doing o his siste wha would have done f o the peson who love best. Each t e e t he I payed to God o he oeing up al l he viues an d eits. knew hat this was pleasing to esu s. Hee we have Thse at gips with dislke and he iedae eaction is positive one No content wth esstng he antipathy to atonhe un whose chaacte wasnun soehwat 'igid eteel y iiaing she decided that he in question usand have qualies and eits known to God alone We poceed: wasn content wth payin g a lo o the nu n who c aused e so a ny stuggles ted to do eveything coud o he and wheneve was tepted to answe he dsageeably gave he y sweetest sle nstead and ted to change the subject. . ten eeting this nu n in h e couse o y wok wheneve y st uggles b ecae to o viol en would q u he el As shesuspeced neve hawhat d t hethe slightest inkling about he shed.neve otives weeooy yeelngs behavou and is stil convinced that I like he vey uch. ne day a eceation she said to e looking vey plea sed S ste Thse o h e Chld Jesu s woul d you ind ell ing e what you n d so a tac tive abou e Wheneve you look at e see you sle What at tacted e [Th se coents wa s Jesus hi dd en i n the dept hs o he soul. Chaity the collective a giants battle n a dayoday
outine inspied anothe lovetothan ous. And tobutput the nby ishing touches what Thse wote in Th Sto a Soul hee is the stat ee nt ade by he eld e ss e a e at he Pocess fo canonisation This is how he stoy ends She concealed he dislike so well that unde the pesson that she lked
Char
19
h parcula r nun very uch I el raher jealu and ad her ne day I can hep elling yu ne hng ha upe e . . . I ee e ha y u ike Si er T hre S Auguin e beer han e And I dn hnk hi i righ ince Gd creaed aly e when all aid and dne Bu yu away ee ple aed ee he ha candraw any her cnclun ince yu never ee anyhngI lke pleaed be wih e She laughed gdnauredy bu never gave e he lighe hin abu he dlke which h relgu inpired in her Cnider hi augh and hi ience An indicrein hry year aer Thre deah wa repnible r he nun dicvering ha he wa he religiu in quein in he Sto a Soul Al he her nun n he cnven had gueed lng ag bu he had never ecgnied herelf reainng cnvnced ha he bee nhea nun cn lain h be e ain Bu ne day Cann Trahad ver alway chaplain irriaed ynd eaure by he aid religiu ld her in a bad eper ha had been he al alng Ye he unli ied grandeur he rdinay where every day 'he uh ha ' be lived. I ee very iple in h elling bu wha rengh and curage i ake In he la nh her life he acquired an even beer underanding he r demand and iprance he ecnd canden I unde d wha i ean b ere f cur e bu I hadn graped he inner eaning eu wd The ecnd canden i ike he r Fr He mean ha we huld n eely lve u neighbur a mu ch a we l ve urelve bu hu d le him a much a He eu lve hi and wi l g n vi ng hi he end he wrd Then far frm nding hi prgrae impibe The add: 'h Lrd I knw ha yu never cand u knw weakne b eer ha n Ia u Yu knw he veryip weib haeI Y cud nevey ve y ie in religin ch a yu lve he if yu y eu did n keep lving he in e. h hw I lve hi ne w cmand en i nce i a ure e h a yu r wi i lv in al he wh yu cand e e Thr e cnc ude Lve aln e i wha c u n Fr e lve yu a uch a yu ve me hal have brrw yur ve hen ane hal I nd epe
The Lle Wa
A secod coveso
Beng a Chisian eans consening o a second convesion like S ee a e his beay al like S au S Augusine S Fancis oan o Ac and so on And Thse shows us clealy and s py wh a he laws eagovening ne day i becoes longe oenough o poess syse ohis sasying ideals no evennoenough poclai he, o ell he o ohe people o peach he, o discuss his o ha change in lie o Chuch o ake sides in he debae beween paye and poiics. Beyond his, hee is anohe conveson oeed us a second convesion o ollow Soeone o he end o be eady o bun o u boas o ake a ah whee i is no longe a a e o o ing o C hi s and Chi si ani y bu o eeing i Yes o peeing i no eelyhe choosing iye Fisoen convesions can be violen hough exciing second see iossible. Ye hee is no hisiani y wi hou he econd. his is whee Th se o Lsieuxs coplee evoluion begins iving he uh in eveyday lie, bu in he n a e o a lo ve co ing o on high and hence a nscending a ll ou ey iiaions, ey evasions and pey evenges. Thse undesood his and willed i o he end Counless anecdoes illusae he anasic powes o concenaion on living he uh in he opounies oeed by he coonplace I n he vey sile, vey diec so o lie Thse ade he sa e evesal o pioiies as he Second aican Council was lae o ak e h e hasis alling ahe o n he wa y you live h an he way you hink She believed ha God appeas in he evens o evey day a God esen and saying o each individual 'Ae you willing Nohing upses e she said nohing desoys y pans Nohing a all Co ae his wih he w ods o Lume Getum issued by he Second aican 'Accodingly all ie Chisians in he all condiions duies andCounci cicusances o hei and hough hese will san c iy heselves o e and oe i hey eceiv e all hing s wi h aih o he hand o he heaveny Fahe and cooeae wih he divi ne will , hus showing oh in ha eoa l sevice he love wih which God has oved he wold. And he coneoay wie Loew coens: 'Whaeve hapens coes o e lieally as a esen o God, a pesen in he double sense o esence and gi.
he e sen o en coe s o eyin bed he o o o an acio n oeed o asked o e Whehe aking celebaing ass cleane ing he vegeabes o aking y counion, waiing o he bus o saying y ayes a ha oen he acion oeed e is he pes ence whic h God is a king in y lie Comme l vat [ vble
har
2
ld wae d e is There are may practical examples o show how chariy imposed a uity o Thrses lie ad how exacly she ew how mulaneou to reouce he ow wil love others ad respod o God. Thee three aspecs o charity come i or ascedi o meri adimi oy toether provide the dyamism ove to oder be carried to the ad beyod, loyal o the ast Oe o Thrse s ovices, he oe whom sh e probably oved mos amost certaiy the liveliest o her compaios a Parisia ad a wa recorded may icidets coceri her Her testimoy ive at the Process is particularly valuabe ad teli. Oe day ased he r which was beter to o ad rise his a he coldwater ap o to stay ad out with hot water laudry. replied O hwash th atthem s a easy questio W he ii tthe coss you a She e or o o to the cold ta p, ha t mea s it m ust cos othe rs a eot oo so o I o the other had the weathers hot, stay or preerece i he laudry By tai the worst places, you practise selmorticatio ad at the same time charity or others sice you leave hem he better oes" Aer that I realised why I used to see he o to he lau dry whe the weather was hot ad mor e particulary to the most airessthearts it I witmetioed esse d heriheroic actswho o charity co o exio with hoyoreliious her Lie had heiac displeasi her whateve r she did She used to lavish so mu ch a te io ad aectio o h er tha you miht have thouht it a part icuar riedship We miht recall two other stories here as ar trascedi hei commoplace exteras A elderly u was alleric to he sce o owers Someoe made t he covet a rese t o som e aricia oes ad hrse put them i a theirritab cloister Comi chapel she otice d theby oldthe ustatue mae le little est out ureoW ha t should we have doe i the circumstaces? The ormal reactio would have bee to et a rise out o her by letti her mae a uss ad mae hersel loo silly With a li ttle more virtue we miht have explaied that there was othi to be worried abou because he owers were t real Thrse immedia tely rasped t he si ta tio ad with absolute ad istat realism iterveed beore aythi could
happe by sayi, other loo how ca ly imitate ature ow 'Oh, I a wor ddoThrse had well be epeople eih bou had recoised who her eihbour was O aother occasio, i was o do with etti he Chrismas ee th rouh the arde ate o the cove The siste port ress coud
22
Th Ll ay
aae o her ow ad dui receatioot a very cheerul ecreatio Thrse otedcae o as Thrse to ive a had. Thse ew ha he u sitti ext to he was desp era ely axious or a chae SstataeThrse olded her sewi up very sowly ivi the u ext to her tie to et to her eet. The portress soethi this: sho Its uld clear Sister Thse you e i said o hurry t < helplie What we hav e do e? Withthat a li ttle vrue ad a lit tle orethouht we cou ld have show ou rsel ves o to advatae Dear Siste Soadso it will do you ood You o istead o e it wil ae a ice ch ae or you Wi th a lit tle ore virtue we iht have hit o the sae stratae but at the por tresss retortat the rebue publicly adiisteredwe should have protested Thrse said othi She was later to coet, ad here ies the ub Sice the I have ever aai dared pass judeet o ayoe.
A olitical diesio
Cyics ay wie o the oreoi as ediyi covet twadde But whe soeo e leads ever deviati ro such absolu te sthat le ce ad cocetratio it isasolie extraordiary such a victory over sel it testies to a streth uch reater tha our ow i a word to Gods Ad i thi s explaatio still stri es us as haceyed, t eas that we stil havet becoe aware how crue ad bewideri the siplicity o the coopace ca be Not Thrse howeve that aster o charity aster ad exeplar o the secod coversio alie to all ors o deceit with her pitiless yet sweet lucidity iOe itelyosweet sice expressi the out tederess God hisel her bioraphers, see i her li iotatios (ad certaily she had soe ephasises that Thrse had o political dies io True sh e did ot practise poli tics b ut this d oes t ea t ha t her li e had o political diesio. Ideed wouldt it be the reatest o political victoriesad I ea poitica i its ora ses or a Christia today to achieve her victorious charity that is, a charity reusi to classiy or to
cotast opeople or bad, thus repudiati dadly alady peopleasatood lare ad Chistias i particularthe ow as aichaeisthe reusal to beieve that ood ad evi exist i parale or hat ay evil ca uliately escape the eects o love? Thrses revolutio is to have poved that the opposie is true ad
Cha
23
to show u s th at every oe o us ca practise this vicrious charity i everyday li e There are o bad people who ca u ti ma tey escape victorious charity, Gods victory. There are o bad people to be eimiated For a Christia or Thrse love aloe i the a evet will triumph over all strie betwee classes iterests or roups commuio o saits thecalled 'collective, is possible the colectiveThe arisi rom Gods victory, 'charity ord your chid ass you to orive her brothers, she cosets to eat the bread o sorrow a s lo as you wish a d has o desire to leave thi s tabl e lade with bitteress, at which poor siers eat util the day you choose. ay all ot yet elihteed by the lumious torch o the Faith eve tually see its lih t Jesu s, i th e table soie d by th em has to be puri ed by a soul who loves ou I am more t ha h appy to eat thelibread o ht o trial u til you are pleased to admit me to your idom
4
THE FORCE OF SILECE
e ast i te ocesta I the od days my commit y had a reat sese o B irth days ad aiversaries ere celebrated ith happy relarity. Practical jokes spared either procra tr or s perior Th e ere the prodc t oshared aectio a d o a very ise tradi tio The ca me th e ae o qestioi ad the period o the socalled social scieces: sch 'boreois etertaimets had to stop Speriors took riht The res lt : morose ess. N o more itars o more ci ars. No i t ill take years to ivet a e art o lie ie as ot bori i the Carmeite covet at Lisiex Thrse had bee as deeply happy i reliios as i amily lie She aays emphasised this. ore tha ty times i h Sto a Soul she applies the ord happy to hersel Alo ith happiess joy ad pleasr e i t is o e o the most req e tly sed ords i her Lttr ad i her Lt Covatio I i the orchestra o the sos o God Philip Neri ad Thomas oor those price s o hm or ad ood at replay t r mp et ad dobl ebas s Thr se o Lisiex ad Fracis o Assisi d o bt edly play the te or oboe: precise clear expected ever od i to the ear It is I sppose impossible o ayoe ot havi led the reiios lie beore 190 to imaie the deree to hich a commity o this sort (i hich the ay o lie dpedi o the reliios order ivolved had varied so little over the previos three to seve ce-
tries cold ollo a peitetial rle o icredible rior (cold sle ep as ti ad sim l taeosly e joy a happy sese o com m ity I dot imaie people have ever lahed so heartily as they sed to ah i covets ystical comical everythi by trs We m st ot overlook Th rses ses e o hmor I t col d have bee
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cuel to othes. It eve was. Thouh it was emoselessy so o hesel Oe da y someoe will ha ve o a ayse how mu ch she owed hee to he athe Thei eatioship was i oe espec hat o 'a doube ac Thse was vey ood at impesoatios She has a paticula i o mimici the toe o voice ad maeisms o othe people Loie w as sate at theieest Pocess seesses se o hu mou is by o m eas o to seoday i Fo chaiusty, this it exp the iou ad oce o t t h Th ses busts o lauh te ae wha se t he ee ad wil l always s et he ee om the act ivit ies o sua ici mixes ad plastestatueaes o the oe had ad he heoies o psychohistoical theoloises eulaly closi i o he o the othe By he steth i tedeess by the extaodiay i he odiay, we ca a ll tace the o tlies o a sa ctity possible also o ouselves
e deocatsato of oless Facis o Assisi would pobably have made a state spiitual di ecto eea l the h isto y o hs od e oes to show this . You ca t expect eve yoe to b ead eveythi d tli mitat have all ecess ay q alities o that, she ce Th taily se haddihe iosthWe may js tiably as , o istace whethe she had a sucie t love o lie. Thi s i s whee he sese o humo seem s so im pota t I he case as we have said, it was the podct o a ioous yet tede ead o tth, o a awaeess o limitatios bt without alse idulece, the patiece o the lttle way ad the acceptace o o loe bei he ow maste hse had chose ot to tead he heihts ot to pactiseothe aistocatic typeieci o spiituality deivi om a miscoceptio Blle ad the he covet. He me talit y wa s q ite op posite ad s he stay ed bavely loya l to he ow i t ui tio, the views o some o the othe u s owi thstadi . Vey liely she ot this taste o seleacemet ad teacity om he mothe Zlie ati, thoh Thse tasomed it ito the hidde maispi o he whole lie she coseted to bei 'othi to bei eaded as othi ad to owi hesel to
be eaded as such By poo clii aithuless i little thisthe avoed oud o the thetosmpe the ealisticshe esces holiess om the pejdice sodi it (C De eeste Acal it de Th se de Lisieux , Carml, o 1 6 . Sh e did ot set stoe by this appaetly exaodiay by statli deeds as she caled
2
Th
thths as no t hr tte ay h nee st honss r ang o eocratsaton e ght uote hoas Mrton t hrses t t e ay s an ec t reecton o an y eat or su e no t on tnng to cut an o ro h s orna est nc or to ve h n to haves one ha entru ste to the angs th other roang n ths vale o tears ntroucton to Th Chng T
H h ws sil too late eperenc e has taught e tha t e shou n ot eva uate eole by ther vces bu t contra rse y hat they have et nt act an by hat there or s stll let n the oLtt chhood hoever eeppure have to search t Bernanos Angl. e on t have to go on ver y ar t o se e ho hrses v rtue can an stll oes have a lberatng eect. ter the rst Process or her eatcaton n 191 people onere hether she ha suere enough. In contrast at the secon Process n 9517 e see the retche nu ns alln g over theselves to ephasse hrs es s uer ngs Mother Mare e Gonzagues lac o unerstanng an so orth here sply too e are concerne hrse even better an ore t has been sa o St Thoas unas that he ne ho to becoe a sant thout beng a bore to other people. hrses vrtue oul certanly be a bore t ere prarly o the orer o ecep tnal su erng or o sprtual nstruct on. Bu t t s o the every ay orer: spe realstc a gabe crue an soetes cruel an thn everyones reach. eretoperecty about ths. t the o Her her ellonuns lne ss sh e use have to targht e ecn e a e nbegnnng utes eore eals. ne ol nun as shoce at ths an coane on the grouns tha t t as an nrngeent o the rule. ster Thr se o th e Chl Jesus oul ony have ha to say a or or to to justy herse an pacy the nun n queston he orbore to o so oe lng her conuct on that o the Blesse Vrgn ho preerre to et hers el be eae rather than just y herse to t ose ph . . he
ou spea as to e abo h ut thesV behav e an Ma ry her greoten at etho slence resrgn erves as h erour. strength thes bass o her perecton Sr Genevve) hat treasures e shou n n regous le ere e to o as hrse : bear al an say nothng! Sr Mare o the Sacre Heart)
Th Fo o Sl
2
he herse constantly reverted to this and is ve cear on the topic. It is very sipe aways unepected as vared as the cond tions o daiy lie to learn never to deend onese never to stiy onesel never to u dge hastiy aways to resp ect cond ences ra her di e than spea hen we are isund ersto an d isu dged wh at is the point eending ourselves e shoudanlet dthe atter dr o op an d sa y nothing i t isorsoepaining lov ey to say nothing aow ours elves to be udged or good or ill ! e dn t nd anywhere i n t he Gospel that May Magdalen oered epanations when her sister accused her o doing nothing si tting at Jesuss eet. h e did nt say h Martha i ony you new how happy I a! I ony you wer e hearing wha t I can hear! nd anyhow Jesus his e has tod e to stay here!o she chose to say nothing. h blessed the sience thatgiou ves such peaceontooccas the soul! there ve ew perect reli s wh o dont ion doh things in aare sapdash way thi n ing I do n t uch c are or this . . Theres no har in ta ing here in doing as I thin there " How ra re the ones who alway s do the bes t they can! et these a re the on es wh o are hap piest. I t is the sa e wit h silence too . ha t good i t doe s the so ul what d eects i n charty it prevents as well as all sorts o other dicuties! I particulary ention sience since this is wher e we all short ost o al . hen you very sicwrong in body everyone doesthey theirshut bestout to the loodraughts aer you; i itsare soething with your chest and the n urse is there see you ha ve ever ythi ng you want h why don t we do the sa e or our si sters spiritual ilnesses This is what God ass o e and i I get better this is wh at I shall go on doing with all y heart. I a nun is spiritualy sic unpleasing in every respect other people avod her loo asance at her and instead o trying to loo ater her soeties say wounding things which she has neither norbeabiity to lie bear! hen heal th onesthe whostrength ought to treated that sincereally they its bei the ng t could happily endure being huiliated despised and orsaen. o you see I intend to resee y sies y aection and y atten tions or the sic ones That is what I consider to be true charty e ig ht a dd one urther teling reec tion; when Thrse el l sic hersel s he said e ar sisters pray or the ortally sic poor. I you only new what it elt e How ittle it taes to lose patience! e
ust be charitable to everyone wouldnt believed it beore Thrse said it and proved t I'hen shehave entered Carel I have to adt there was an undue tendency to laness evera religios did o course eep the rule properly but there were others and a cons ider abe n ube r who did in act abus e it. The e ant o God
Th Ll a
applie hersef t her uty thut bthering abut hat thers g ht be ng I never nce sa her linger i th the grups f nu ns h use t gather run the Mther Priress t hear the nes hen she cae ut f the parlur; nr listen t breaches f charty n u r great a ly srr s sh e as uch re curageus th an e ere.sa fter e abut ha been the parlur frhea instance an hear the g very nes ur in f ather s st ate f lth instea f cheerin herself up by taing t us she ieiately resue her utes n the cunity Mther gnes). hen fr instance in refectry sene frgt t serve her she as please an u nt ra attentin t it. She u say I a le ne f the truly pr Theres n pint in taing a v f pverty if yu nt inten t suer the eects." Seties a nun u pass ral asan her use n sethi se ha sai Shs ehe fun ths ute natu t sa y thng atThr by virtue f pverty ha n re right t this particular pssessin than t any ther ne Mther gnes) The Servant f G as faith ful i n cntrll ing her teper . . . lth ugh sh e ha a v ery li vey iag inat in she neve r she . . She avise e never t tell her ab ut anythin g th at ha ups et e hle I as still isturb e She ul say hen yu are escribing an interir cnict even t Reveren Mther never it ih ai the nun prve t r f having thethe cause f having cplaint put rebue right; buth spea ith cplete et ach en t. If yu nt feel e tache an there i s sti ll s uch as a spar f passi n in yur heart it is re perfect t say n thin g an ait . . since speaing in th ese circ ustanc es en nly a es at ters rs e. " Sh e ala y prac tise this avice in her n behaviur never as she seen t run t Reveren Mther in the heat battle; she alays aite until she as istress f herself S r Genevi ve) . Hert he eler sister Marie this alst shcing is unusual t see sae invari ablefun eua nii ty the sae sileItfrever n se nes lips . . . even ur ng he r rst reals. Cnseu entl y I ha n iea h uch she as suering in her great teptatins against fath fr instan ce unti l I rea her anuscript af ter she as ea (Sr Marie f the Sacre Heart)
e stegt to esst Sr Genevive rites I as thirteen years l hen y father tl e that he as ging t have e taught raing. Thrse as
Th Foc Slnc
29
presen oo a he ime and I could see her eyes ligh up wh envy hopi ng agains hope ha my faher wo uld say ha s he cou ld ea n oo ha he said was ow my lile queen how woul d yo u e o have drawing lesson s?" She was jus going o ans wer when Mae spoe u p a nd sai d ha he house was al read y ful o daubs" whh needed carred dayhrough. hseBu sad nohng. o one hadfaming any ideaMarie wha she was he going ae recalng he n cid en a few wees bef ore she di ed s he confessed o m e ha s he had fel so viole n a desire o ex pos ula e h a she s l l wondeed afe all hose years how she had ever had he srengh o ress. From he momen she enered our Carmealhough she was only feenshe was reaed less han genly She was gven he sales lefovers o ea e used o say in he ichen o ones going ea ha , es give i o hehe Child esus. never o refuses anyhing" And so,Siser righohrse he endo fof wee you She would see omelee o herring eep urning up on her plae hough cooed he previous Sunday n refecory she and he nun siing nex o her were suppo sed o shar e a bole of cider so small ha hardy hed wo glas sfuls Consequenly she dran none s o as n o o deprive her neighbour. She could have aen waer from he wae jug bu absained so ha no one woud noice hree days before she hough she bis refrained for waedied r, no whicorured we usedbyo fever pu a few of ice from she alasng so refained from asing for he grapes whe n hes e were ho ugh les sly lef o u of her reach Seeing her loo a her gass realised ha she was morifying herself and said, ould you lie some iced waer?" She replied, es would very much I hen said Bu Reverend Moher has ordered you o as for whaever you need so under obedience do so She said do as for wha need Bu when I haven grapes She even neveralowed claimedohers anyhing bac ha wasany aen away don frm as her She o rob her you migh say of he inelecua gfs which God had so liberally besowed on her for, n recreaon, f people oo advanage of he wiy remars o repea hem as of her own invenion she would wiligly le hem have he honour o f am using ohers, wi hou eve aing hei eal orgin (Sr Marie of he Sacred Hear) One wners evening a he beginnng of 895 wo and a half
yearshr before died was wihChild my wo sisers and se)Sser whenhrse Siser hrse of he Jesus was (Marie ellin g me abou cerain icidens in her chldhood Siser Marie of he Sacred Hear (my elder siser Marie) said o me, Oh Moher, wha a py no o have a l his down on paper f you were o as Sise hr se
30
Th Ll ay
o he Ch id esu s o write her chidho eores or us how ne ha woud e ha an e ceent idea relied an urni ng o iser Thrse o he Chid esus who was laughing as hough we were aing un o her said order you o wrie e everyhing you can reeer aou your chidho The ervan o God se o wor u ndeher r oed was her Prioress he ony during reeience iesince and gave e Moher her eerciseoo on wroe 0 anuary 9 or y ir thday. was a even ing rayers. Pass ing e on her way o her sta ister Thrse o the Chid esus nel down and handed e this treasure. acnowedged i wih a sie n and u the anuscri on our sa wihout oening it did no have occasio n to read i uni aer the elec ions in he sring o h at sae year noiced he vir u e o the erv an o Go d or a e r her ac o oedience he rwha headaout i o again. heday never ased e i she haddid read not heroher oo nor hought it ne when tod her hadn had ie to read any o i she did not see the ea s ut out ( Moh er gnes) . ' was noticed tha t i n recreation he never s oe rs never g ave her oinion unless it was ased or. nd yet with her quic ind wha wity enera ing re ors ust oen have rung o her is! n he a rlou r she show ed he sae di scretion s o uch s o that even in h erather ailyshe circle eo le used. e o say ha Thrse had noenere ersonaliy or went ignored used totsay tha having d th e; onven oo young her educaion had een cut shor and hat this would aec her or the rest o er lie (r Genevive). n the las days o her lie this was in high suer) when she was urning with ever wanted o tae he shee o her eet to ae her coo ler u she said Perhas his isn aow ed Mother Marie de Gonzague had to ld us so e tie eore hat even i n s u er i Jesus was etter o ee our hersel lne ts on and iser hrse the Child did no consider disensed y i nTess roorac ising oedience and orticaion ne word ro her woud have go her the relie which a sic eole tae as a aer o course wihout so uch as iagining hey need erission (r Marie o the acred Heart).
'Sose Reveed Mote wee to tow it o te? t the rst Process Moher gnes deosed he aso said nce a dead the anuscrit (her liesory) should e rined withou
Th Fo o Sln
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delay. I sad S yu thnk yu w d god t sus by eans o the anuscrpt?es ts an nstruent whch Gd w use to answer y prayers. I wl d gd t al srts sus ecept recpents f exceptna g races.But , I went n su ppse Reverend Mther were t thrw t n the re?el st shu ld n t havethnk the east rrywas r the leasttdubt abut ss by n shuld spy thatw Gd gng answer y y prayers ther means Mther gne s agan: e ha d been havng an n ta te cnv ersa tn abut the lttle prtance en attached t hdden vrue. (hrse repled) hat s what struck me abut the e f ur Father S t Jhn f the Crss whe n they used t say Brther Jhn f the Crss? hy hes a less than rdnary relgus! er gnes nl ytrealse the thwas end f hear partcu l fe th at theMth cldn du bte wng th e sad tetwards f he r hea larly panful rdeal fr her ever hwever was she seen t rub her hands n wnter r adp an atttude gvng the leas hnt f her suerng She never sad, Its very cld r ts ht She never cplaned abut anythng. ne day ne f he nuns tryng t x the Servan f Gds scapula r, ran he p n thrugh the ateral and thrugh her skn as well Sster Thrse f the Chld Jesus gave n sg n an wen tver, n w wrknevus n the ,refectry severa hur s dIncheerfu the end ly , hwe shethbeher came she sa d,fr tha t sh e mgh n be p ractsng bedence . and pulled the pn u t f her shulder Sser Mar e f the rnty dep sed a t th e rst Prcess: ne day I had a vl en he adache and Sster h rse f the Ch ld Jes us wa nted me g and tell Reve ren her hen I dem urred sayng that t wuld be a way f askng fr sympathy, she sad t e, hat wuld yu say yuahad the sameand bgatn n yu as had when I f was pstulant nvce?psed ur nvcestress rdered e t tel her whenever I had a stachache Snce I had ne every day, ths rder was an abslue trture t me. henever he smachache c ame n, wul d rather have taken a gd hd ng than g and ell her bu under bedence I dd tell her each te Havng frgtten the rder she had gven e, the nvcestress used t say, Pr chld, yur health wll never allw yu t keep the
Rule ts much a sran yu wuld Mther Mare d et Gnza gueffr medcfr ne fr ertshe whch theask la tter wu ld shw her dspl easur e by sayng, Gd heavens , that grl s always cpanng! e ce t Carmel t suer; f she cant bear her wes why desn she leave? Even s, went n cnfessng y
32
Th Ll a
somachaches unde obedience fo a long long ime a he is of being sen aayunil evenualy God aing py on my eaness ganed me he favou of being dischaged fom he obigaon of having o el he hs
'I woldt ave ased a ge
n anuay 1 896 Mohe Maie de Gonzague had begun a cam paign o have Sse Genevive sen o he Camel a Saigon and had ied o pospone he dae of he pofession fo easons of ealousy hse did no hesiae o poes hee ae inds of odeal hch neve o be used his esue as lae o be menoned n ough he Pocess n Augus, 1896 hen he depaue of Mohe Agnes fo a Cam el in he missions a s unde discussion, he si uaion a s quie dieen hse explains had no only assened o being exiled among an unnon peope buhich as much hade fo m also assened o my sises being exled shall neve foge Augus, 1896 he day hn he missionaies acually lef and hen hee gone s oo a seious possibiliy ha Mohe have ouldn have aised a ngeAgnes o sopof heJesus goingmigh bu fel despeaely sad a hea Jesus said nohng he oud no calm he empes And ep saying o him My God, fo love of you accep al l f you ish i am eady o sue un il d e of gief Jesus as saised ih my assen Bu a fe monhs lae he depaue of Sise Genevive and Sise Mae o he iny as also mooed and hen sueed n que a dieen ay, hough vey i n ma ely and veyhey deeply o f alMy l h esy ials and disappoinmens hich ould ep havehining o endue as blac ih clouds ye he dephs o my hea emained calm and a peace She neve abandoned his esolue aiude of mind, especially as egads he sises e m us pay paicula aenion o eeping he Rule Afe being in he palou, don sop and al among you selves f o ha is lie being a home and youe no depiving you
selves anyhing. And am gone, ae cae nohas o sa eadingofamily life, no o hen epea ihou pemssion ha been said in palou, and fuhemoe no o as pemission unless some hing useul s involved She as heself exemely caeful abou his, even hough mean gieving he sse, Mohe Agnes she
Th Fo o Sln
33
told h er n othi ng abo ut h er early haemor rhages or ourte en mo nths She had normed her Prioress and that was enough simary or two years, she told her nothi ng about Father R oul land a mis siona y prest who had been entrusted to her as her sprtua brother; her oreal o ait h was simi lar y to be concealed rom her sis ter s Theon n, 29two thswas beore she the diedright , whe th ings at the worst ulmon y, s he t o have to nspea out.were A nun had r repeated something to her which had been said in recreation: 'hy do people t al about Si ster Th rse o the Child esus as though s he were a sant? True, she has practised virtue, but ths wasnt virtue acqui red throug h hu miliat ons and least o all throug h su ern g. Thrse then said to Mother Agnes, And when you thn what I have suered since earli est chi dhood I t s good or me at t he poi nt o death Agnes)to see what a poor opinon creaures have o me Mother H er di scre ion was su ch that i seem ed na tural t o h e r char acte r even in moments of crisis n Sunday morning, 29 uly, 189, a telegram conveyed he news to isieux that Monsieur Martn had ded at a Musse 'That a ternoon Sister Marie o the Sacred Heart was later to relate, 'Madame Maudelonde ased to see us in the parlour I can st ill see poo r lit le Thr se Sh e wa s pale an d ollowed us withoherutway, a wo and rd In rlourany sheatention hard ly satoidher, any since thing she either, thatin was nothe onepapaid was the youngest
Yo wll be set away Yes, kow Say thi ng, havi suchasesteem or oes elf asup o when le ohone ers tae prideingono place isnt thengsame not darg to spea ough ne inciden s enough to illustrate this The dae is the end o 892 he three oungest members o the community, Thrse wa s the sac rstan and Sis ers Marie Madeleine and M arthe were he coos The la s n amed, who was jolly but rather supid , had become unduly attached to he Mother Prioress Mother Marie de h So Soul, Thrse Gonzague, 'lie a dog to its maser In
relates how on 8and ecember sheSiser made up herthat mind do he r duty as novicemistress explain to Marhe hertoattachment was excessive ha however she doe not relae is related by her sster Agn es , ie the rs t ha T hrse was tai ng tha t day. Thrse 'had decid ed to ope n the eyes o her companion, who was being to o
34
Th Ll ay
attentive to Mother Marie e Gonzague She eighe up the riss involv e in oing so a n then too Sister gnes of ess into her conence I can still see her that evening in the sacristy the latter as to testify Pray har for me she sai in a serious tone The Besse Vi rgin has ins pire me to e pain m at ters to Sist er Mar the. Tonight I am t o tell thin about I sai But you ru ngoing the ris of her havijust ng hat you r ors repea her. te an then Reveren Mother on t be able to bear the sight of you an you il be sen t aay to anoth er convent. es I no she replie but since I m no sur e that its my uty to spea I can t let the poss ibe conse uenc es eter me . For her sience as never to be purchase at the price of truth Her L Convaon give n umerou s proofs of this ala ys ith that touch of hum our ith sheHeart asse nte g nothe more than sh e as Sister Marie of thehich Sacre sai to to bein her that anges oul accompany our or to atten her eathbe an that she ou see them in all their raiant beauty Such pictures say nothing to me. can only thrive on truth. This is hy I have never esire to have visions n earth you ca n t see heaven or the angels as the y are. I oul rath er ait until I m ea n again hen I thin all my life ho har I ve alays foun it to say the rosar y Sh e ha ityou in he sa y I to isnt s baIastellit the looshole [ying of love] provie canr toactually it.a n truth; if people ont ant to hear it they shoulnt as me n '0 my Go I trul y ant to hear you I beg you ans er me hen I humbly say hat is the truth? et me see things as they are let nothing bin me to it n on the a y she ie: I have only ever sought the truth. Ho impressive this is For a long hile at evening meitation my place use to be in ront un ho cur ious huse o I thi n mus t have been of an aencepti onalha soula for sheuir harlyanever a boo Tha t as ho I notice s soon as this nun came in she use to begin maing a funny little noise hich soune lie to shells being rubbe together I as the only person to notice this since I have very acute hearing a bit too acute sometimes) I cant tell you Mother ho tiresome I foun this little noise longe to turn roun an loo at the person ho as maing it an ho as
obviously una areBut of her neris m. IItfelt asit the onlybeay o to bring ing it to her notice. eepman in my heart oul better enure this for love of Go an not upset the nun So I ept still. I trie to unite myself to Go an forget the little noise It as uite useless I coul feel t he se at breaing ou t an as force mer ely to
Th Fo Sln 3 ae a p raye r o su ering, but whi le I was suering tried not to pray n an rritabe way bu t oyuly a nd peaceul y, at le as t n y nn er so u I th en dd y best t o ove th e horr d t tle nose nstead o try ing not to hear i twhich coul dn t be don co nce ntr ate d on ste ning to i t as though it were a agn cent concert an d y entre
edtaton was spent in oerng this concert to esus.
ose o loge able to sea o sum up al those anecdotes and indicate what most shows the smplicty, greatness, realism and practcal intelgnce nherent in hrse ueeverybody our wordss are enough the orce o sien ce expre Sien ce which is s wvithrtin reach is surey the best way o ss ing both ove and stren gthl ie the silence o Ch rst and the V rgn at azareth o begin with, ths may be attributed to al sorts o derent motives practice, devotion, obedience spirtual prowess. ever m nd I ths is ept up or a lietim e, i t must be recognised as cong rom anoth er typ e olove Someone else had traced the pa th hrse was doing her best to mitate him But she was d even urther at thisnor third stage was no longer atter sel mortcation even o imittating Christ buta by orce o o huilia tions, o just consentin g to join the category o the dep rived, o thos e no longer able to spea She new the description o the Suerng Seant in Isaiah 5 by heart. hat she had read, she saw come to pass in her ather, then in hersel She perceved the meaning and vast scope o this: not only an invitation to imitate the hidden ie o azareth but a cal l to be un ited with him wh o a l his le ept si e nt about his di vini and experienced hu milia tion to the point o being put to death lie ty a slave. hus, or her, sience not only maniests the presence o charity permeating her daytoday lie and all her virtues but aso shows tha t hope is the airest ruit o chari ty in any lie his s wh y we sh al deal with hope ater charity For hrse silence became what n the cruellest o circum stan ces best revealed h ow determi ned sh e was to eave the nitiatve to God It was ths absence o persona inter
vention to put right whichh,hrse admired the Virgn (h er silence wt things h regard to Josep or nstance) Asnthough si ence alone coud tell God Its up to you. Silence becomes a poweru snce i t show s t ha t accepting ou r own limi tat ions comp etely and by say ng nothng we go on hopi ng al the sam e, li e an ie 3 : 1-)
36
Th Ll
lie Job ie all hose faced wih Gods sience Ths is he oen of he ipossible sep, of he las circlhope And for Thre, i seeed Go d was no prepared o ac in he sho r e r She here fore consened o ener he silence of he Sering Servan who caled for help wih violen claor and ears (Hebr. 57) and was heard or srengh will lie in sience and hope says he Carelie Rle
5
THE IMPSSIBLE STEP
Pr o , r o , ooi orward o dah Bu i wo iv you wha ou ho oly a dr dar ill, h da r o x ic o Who wro a rblliou hiloohr, drivooa draio by hha horror o h modr world,omo a dru addic uicidal ri? uy auchr No, Thr o Liiux wro i, i bd, o 9 Ju 1897, hr moh bor h did Sh addd 'I ha wri ay mor or I mih bi blahmi I ar I ma hav aid oo much alrady Y, wi h Thr o Liiux , ou c a xc all or o urri. I h iu o hr chari h u o rdicovr h radur o ordi ar lihr ama d h dicoi mioaohr o haawr r u colc which w all blo oiv orobabl h r ha h ca o r u oday h o i ac h a w d mo o all I ha a am or hr o Lii ux i wa h rui o a ru o h dah wih dah Sh iid ha i houd b o o a ar hr ma Darl h aid h ric or h rih o a o i i h o h rui o chari I w a h u ima i l u by Chri, ora b aci dah, a uri hi crid Holy ac oward hi ahr ad ad hi brohr h, crucid or u, ou od, od wh hav ou ora m? Y a am cr ha am ma ha am i i ord u by Thr h i o ho aai ho or, a h cad i , hr i l way o ru u bwar hr choic o word a iv h wro i mrio li wa, i ou , i Such ur o hr a c oul d a l b miladi wr w o uo h rrrd o omhi ay
or ior a o wihi our i,vro ad hi i ihr a dih cuulia I iaccac dicu bu co v wh li m much wor ha o could vr imai I i ay, i i oxicai rui h rouh h dar o h la dr a vryhi io h voidcoi o ollow Chri, o ay Y o
38
Th Ll ay
the last snce e are sure o beng loved. nd i aradoicay eveythng as so dsosed as to thro Thrse bc on herse hereas e have seen her outgong in charty to the vastest colectve that ever coud be so the sae is true here: everything in her ie seeed set to reduce her to desair, et the reverse occurred she discovered and redscovered the ay o hoe.
ss of y hen I consder this asect o Thrse o sieus essage t aays brngs t o nd a onder ul Russan legend called Th Sta o ay sees stars so ell to descrbe le andalays ours. Here t is ThereFor aretalays n the sy but her e cannot see the snce the sunlight hdes the. The stars o day ore bliantly beaut ul even than those o nght can ony be see n, says t he lege nd n dee st ll ells. Perched high n the sy and nvsb le to th e eye , these stars are only reect ed i n the bo es o the arth on the blac rror o th e ater on hich they shed their rays. nd i e can not see the hen e loo don ro the ellhead ths s ether
because snt dar enough or because thesn surace the ater isnthet stater l enough or bec ause the el tse t deeoenough. Perhas e shouldnt even be looing don the el ro outsde but ro the bott o o the ell . uards ou understand the drt o the arable ur hearts one day a u tated by sorr o our lves a t certan oents lunged i n dar ness and night can be and are in the ord today aong our elloen the ells n hch the daystar s reected here t del lsthat love t o all aarent star s called Hoe yet Thitscan s tarbecoe s nvsible to noral sight t slesthout estence vsbe hen our lves reach rocbotto nd then e are, as Thrse also as, at one th the very heart o annd es, n the deths o distress o deeat o anguish there shnes hoe
lssi y t w o By redscovering the ay o ercy, Thrse challenges us to tae a ne loo at God and she also suons us to tae a ne loo at an Hoe s n ashon th theologans again et note that the
Th Impobl Stp
39
concp o Chrisi n i s jo urny pig rig n ous s n bsou y cssi c on . S P u n s Chrisin by pt h is o sy, s bingningowrswhisyoco. his concp ws n up n rs in on wy or nohr by os h s rs o h spiri u i. Grgory o yss giv s on of h ris os rns o hisi in inhisrs conry on o f Eous n whr h sriing porrys h Chrisin o h ous h Chosn Pop. ionysius h Aropgi S Bnic, Gui u S hirry ry o pinpoin h sgs or grs o his iinrry iwis S Trs o Avi wih hr y Pton n Th Ino Ctl, n Sohn o h Cross wih Th Ant Mount Cl Chrisin i is journy, crossingovr, sohing ynic Bu nu br o novis ppr in hrss ssg . Sh os no bou 'grs o prcion uni prvious
srs o h spiriu i Sh os no y ou hr wy s n iinrry wih vrious sgs Fc wh h is wor up ino incu syss by h srs princ shows hr h sh cnno oow hs 'sgs Hr inuiions r horoughy groun in princ . igh b pu i his i s sip icion bu g o h hr o h r c wih h n sg, Thrs is p o hn, os hr h rs on, sh nows, ' sh' nvr g h r bu sc his vwih ry ipossibiiy o rching h rs sg which opns h wy or hr ihou b ing ou h bush sh ops uch spr, or cooui synony or h wor 'wy (vi) o wi p h (hmn) whn sp ing o sbnonn s 'h ony ph ing o h ivin Furnc i ov h ony possssion h cov wy ssy, ccoun h os inucb o orn Hr n on igh hosornsion siuions cs insprb roi nyon i ( his poin hoogy n nh ropoogy join hns) h poin o prur o i sir h poin o brown spir An sh h princ boh o h u Dr o bgin w ih, vryhng is obc objc o sir crri in hr cs o h rs o niy Sh s or or ss orc o
cu iv pry o hoosphr os hrw ho young ssir, hr w s hu businss ryng o o s hrBing sis h rs is os iporn or ru unrsning o h pry uiy o hop in S Thrs, s so or unrsning h i wy no o jugg wy h pr py by sir s vrywhr
40
Th Ll ay
a h ous and rsi ss o h nd d spi a sbacs as Th So a Soul bars winss) Dpar hr w ony nd o rca Thrs s way of h cross hr moh r did whn sh was four hr sis r and mohrsub siu f for h Carm whn Thrs was nin; h bwidring srugg wih hrsf asingyar for and hr yars and vrging on uni hr hirnh Chrismas convrsion; hrnurashnia srugg o nr Carm in h cours of which sh rid vry possib mans and was si rfusd hr admianc o h Carm foowd hr monhs ar by h rauma o hr fahrs inss ormning hr am os o in sani y Thn n in ya rs of convn ua if dis racd by hr fahrs surings; nx h s h orda of h na ighn monhs: h ria of faih in a ba agains dspar wih h mos absou o dou o b abou abocuminaing u havn abou God; and mpaions nay six monhs agony h andfuur choing in h mpa ion o do aw ay wih hr s n h as d ay of a hr sisr Mohr Agns was o hrow hrs a h of h Sacrd ar o bg ha Thrs now a h vry imi of hr srngh migh no a ino na dspair was as hough God had aowd Thrss mssag o b auhnicad bfor h ys of h nr word sh was o iv and push h possibiiis of hop o hir umos imis
e lle way Thrs sars ou from a doub crainy (as w a do) Firs a shodisov covrs and innsofdsir and ha o dowihin goodh r sh has an inradicab 2 A h sam im howvr sh ras s ha sh wi no vn manag o cimb h s sp o h sairway which sh woud hav o ascnd o bcom somon worhwhi as sh supposs God wishs hr o b hav aways ound whn comparing mysf o h sains ha hr is h sam dirnc bwn hm and m as
bwn a mounain is pa prcingbyh havns andsr h obscur gran of sandwih roddn undrfoo pop in h Th sains hav aso don siy hings bu hy did gra hings bcaus hy wr ags Jsus am oo i o do gra hings.
Th Impobl Stp
3. Nx sh ncounr s mpa ons h sam os a s ou Rvo ohr pop don undrsad dscouagm a h brav dsrs w com o nohng or prd ad aggrssvnss: sha g hr a h sam, hy soon s And a hs coad prfcy accpab rasons o do as w as h sss o bcom somon worhwh As has bn sad, Ths comps h words honss champonshp 4 Sh hn maks a dcsv dscovry nsad of gg dscou agd sad o mysf, God woudn nspr m wh dss whch can b fud so n sp of my nss sha aspr o ho nss f hn dsp sbacks and mpaos, ha sam dw ng dsr rsss and hods rm hs mus man (sh asons) ha
sn somhng own bu ho hr dsr can noofbhr fud bucoms by hfrom samGod oknAnd aso mas ha h da h pcur ha sh has of hrsf sn hrs h And h us sh bg ns o arn o rfr h pcu r sh has of hrsf o somon s. Bu hs s ony a bgnnng 5 And onc mor h sbacks h ncapacy, h hpssnss grow wors and hs n connxon wh wha sh vry gmay hods darshr hr amiy hr vocaon s h ragdy of hr ahr, ar hand rvrss surdThr by hr ssr Moh Agns, whn c d prior ss of h Car m h rvrss su rd by hr ohr ssr Cin durng hr rs fw yars ar nrng h Carm and hr own, oo, as msrss of h novcs; nay h uima bwdrmn o h ria of faih Hr s no ongr a qus on of know ng h a sh s n capab o accompshng wha sh onc dramd for hrsf bu of smpy hoding on as as sh can, y n h darknss arovr day An xprinc w said shard many many day pop work ovr h fuur ovr hir chdrn ovr h prbms o marrd f, ovr oninss, ohr pops forgfunss ingraiud hardshi or pain Wha many many ohr pop ry dsray o do hod on and a h sam im go on ovng swy rusfuyhrs did for yars on nd 'Th darkss sms o mock m sayng: You dram of gh you dram ofposss
sngomp your bv mrgoffrom h nc assCraor ng fog orvr, rss on you pr ss on you hw darknss xncon And sh w n on ' h n k mus hav ma d mo r acs of fah n h a s yar h an in h who of h r s of my f
2
Th Ll a
6. Thn t ast discovry of a. Sh ray has nthing ft to ry on. r strng th? Sh has non ft. r dsirs? Thy hav com to nothing. thr pops stm famiy prid? r fathrs inss nursd in a madhous a pitfu obct at th ast had rmovd a usions on that scor
What wasonthr ftp frsshr to hod on yt to and on? rs tt way I am y a h fb chd my sti vrygowans mas m bod to or mysf as victim to your ov 0 Jsus! That s to say ony hr wanss hr incapacity hr distrss hr darnss hr nothingnss as th mas of raching God and of forcing by trus t th vry darnss to hav a maning. n y from th bott om of th w you s wi th daystars shd thir ight Whnc Thrss shout of victory ' 0 umnous Lighthous of ov I hav foun d th scrt o f capturing your toaov m ! ncountrs: That is thGod so utio n to th mpossibiitis which our ambition himsf puts his consuming am into our harts Thu s Thrs grasps th dcisiv way in wch hop rvrss th sit uation: bing a Christian do sn t prim ariy m an 'bi ng somon worthw hi n th con trary i t mans arnin g on acc ou nt of our incapacity to co mmit oursv s to somon s aring to shi ou r fucrum sinc at this point w or to God th on thng that h cann otthoughts gt wit whr hout us: oring of ourWith from Ths wr no pious shth was concrnd hart wh bood with if sh said: 'Mothr ts vry asy to writ difying things about suring but writing convys nothing ohing You hav to b suring to now And on anothr occasion: I am a baby and can nur n o mor n day wh n sh t sriousy im pd to do awa y wit h hrsf and wa s on th brin k o dspair sh sa id: 'rhaps I sha os my rason h if you ony nw how wak I f r aga in: I A r itt but not ingnss nothin or 'For . . .my And again 'Aas ampoo nothing vry wanss And m again part th ony insight I hav is into my own itt nothingnss. And ths dos mor or m than nw insights on th Faith Fr A atfoort obsrvs: 'What a itt sous mus t and w a bong to this catgory onc w bcom awar o ambitions to ovis b ab mor or ss at wi to chann th ivasiv forc of Gods own ov into th human hart. This is th scrt W hav to
rais to ta advan tag of our i ttnss anpractic tran sform it into a rason how for trusting and transpos it into th actua o 'bod sfabandonmnt. W hav to tak God by th hart.
Th Ipobl Sp
3
e oe of
o hav passionaty ds ird th A to hav pt hrsf from s in to hav sacri cd hr nt ir youth by s hutting hrs up in a co ist and dvoting hr if to sfsacric ony to mrg into th dar ns s of ion sWho coudofndtruth ur such a jou n? (Esh . Rnaut hat watinct s Thrs momnt th momnt wh had to) thin v rything out a ovr again God now sh ows m th tru th And again: Aas I am bac whr I was to gin with But I t mysf this with gra t contntmnt not with sdn s. ow swt i t is to f s o wa and i tt Sh had discovrd th tru fac of th God of Jsu s oring himsf to us in wanss an i a bggar waiting for our trust And sh anythng nw thatworthwhi th tim for Nvr bing to buthad onycom to accpt achiv agatotantrus xcddforvrby th xcss of ov confronting hr Thn for hr as or th Good Thif as fo St tr as for th Samaritan woman as for a th poor and sinfu th impossib stp bcam possib trust maing what in th nd smd too far away sud dny within rach. Exacty i th daystars but this is ony rvad at th bottom of th w Adopting this udgt otha is of down accpting su ringwith out bittrn ssof consattit nti b tground b incap acity by war inss by hpssns s by sin itsf prhaps this i tsf bcom s th way to ovrty and povrty obtins a from God t a stro Thrs xpodd th grim thrats whic h had n s tiing Ch ristian ity for cnturis an wighing us down f or ags past . For gnr atio ns of Christians bivd that you had to bcom a hro somon worthwhi to arn to hav n o fings to bcom i th gods as concivd of antiquity You to b worthwhibytoth gtStoic nar phiosophrs to od Thrs procaimd thhad opposit hr i tt way avai ab to vryon from dsir o dsp air (which is th gnra human ot) can bcom for vryon from darnss to trust th road adin g to God Thrs how s us t hat th way sm ingy rsrvd for privigd sous for grat mystics is avaiab for vryon ys your angui sh yur ar your t mp ta tion your war i nss can bcom th road to God
And us hrwith sh thos is onwho withnoth th anything most dprivd among o poorst ngr hav to ryand on ost And aso on with th gratst rvoutionaris th grat rbs with thos who do not wish to hav anything to ry on byond thm svs.
44
The Lile ay
For h r God is dad and so hr is o on o convrs wh Th r is auonomous a as, hnc n mor ar no mor imis. Wih h vouionars Thrs has vry ruy graspd h ac ha wihin us w hav an inniy xposiv orc ha o h s ars o day much gra r han an sun. Bu a his poin hir wa ys divrg. Forohr, our who chanc ourand onywho chanc uimay h ov ooishnss a God is ov has vd a nd is s indos us o h p oin o oy, o h oy o owring h ims and comin g a gga o g for our rus. 'A you who hav wp or sinnd com and you wi nd srngh nd pac n on condiion ha you d o no s k any ohr srn gh s whr and h d cisv sig n ha w hav un d his in n i s rngho which rs dram is ha w com o accp ys o ov and or our vry incapaciy and waknss Th xraordinary song o hop conaind in h rcords docu mnng Thrss as n mons on arh may w summd up in h words sh gaspd hr monhs o sh dd No, Im no dying Im aou o nr i
M y pe soal fls es s s to kee op g ' Wha Ths xprincd (hs puricaion ad nighnmn y hop) is a providnia pgumn o wha Chis ia ns su ry nd o xprinc oday Ths s cainy h sain or h wnyrs cnury Whn h Church, ik Ths n hr own i, is coc ivy and individuay undrgoing rias dous, darknss a onc b xcruciang and marvous or us Chrsians his mus sury h momn rhoping rusing,sh h usd momn o ruh. prsona ooishnss o kp o say Whay oh ooishnss do pop xpc o us hrisians now Ys whhr ivrs or no w and our rohrs can rdscov h ighs o daysars, hop Hr w ow o ousvs o rad wha is crainy on o h hgh warmarks o spirua and hoogica iau I man h xchang o s wn Ths and h sisr Mai o h Sacrd H a dad 1 4 6 and 7 Spm , 896 ' I you ha d
undrsood soyor aou my i man id you woudn m his Myh dss maryrdom nohing hyhav arnaskd wha giv m h im is s sns o us wh ich I in my har So how can you say a his, ha my dsirs a h sign o my ov? I know or a crainy ha his sn wha God nds pasing in my
The Impossible Sep
5
i sou Wha pass him is sing m ov my inss and my povry; i s h bind hop wh ich I hav in h is mrc y ou m us y and undrsand his Th vry dsir o b a vicim is nough bu you hav o consn aways o saying poor and snghss and ha is h di cu par If I coud on y ma you undrsa nd wha I f Trus and nohing bu rus is wha shoud ad us o Lo This was wrin jus a yar bfor hr dah. Mohr Agns was ing hr on day how sad and discouragd sh f afr comm iing a fau Thrs said ou d on do as I do Whn Iv commid a fau which mas m f sad I now of cours ha h sad ns s is h c of bing u nfai hfu Bu you do n hin I s op a ha do you? h no m no so siy I ma a poin of quicy ing Go d M y God I now I ds rv o f sa d bu m or i up in a So h Isam I hav nohi ng o o r y onup no Bu wo rs of min o rus coud asiy hav dcidd giv povry has bn a ra igh o m a ra grac I raisd ha nvr in my if ha d I bn ab o dischar g a sing on of my db s o God bu ha his coud b my ru richs and srngh if I wishd i o b so. So I said his prayr "0 my God I bg you discharg h db yours h if I wr vr unfaihfu if I wr o commi h vry as indiy I hin shoud f havrsignd o pay wih rrib ormnssor andof ha I coud no Iongr o dyingWha in diy do you man A pro ud hough wiingy nrain d I f for insanc I wr o hin I hav acquid suchandsuch a viru Im sur of bing ab o pracis i For hn I shoud b rying on my own srngh and whn you do ha you ar in dangr in faing ino h abyss Wha shoud I do wha woud bcom of m if I wr o ry on my own srngh I undrsand xacy why S r f oor r on himsf insad Gods srngh aonSIm surwas harying if S r had humy saidofoon Jsus as gran m h srngh o oow you o dah h woud hav rc ivd i im mdiay Jsu s coud of cour s hav sai d o S r As m or h srngh o do wha you wan o do Bu no bca us Jsu s wand him o undrsand how wa h was and bcaus h woud hav o govrn h who Church which is fu of sinn rs Js us h im xprinc for hims f how i a ma n
can wihou Gods Bfor S rs a ourbrohrs Lord saidThi o himdo Whn you havhp. rcovrd srnghn your man Convinc hm by your own xprinc how fb a human srngh is n vning whi ooing afr hr sisr in h inrmary during
Th Ll
matns Mothr Agns asd hr what sh mant by stayng a tt chd bor God Sh rpd man rcognsng ons nothngnss xpctng vrythng rom God as a tt chd wats or vrythng hs athr gvs hm man not worryng about anythng not tng to gt rch Evn among th poor a chd s gvn th ncssts o s says soon s hsmust grown russ p hm any morbutand You goup ouths to athr wor You cantostand on your own t now To avod havng that sad to m hav mad a pont o not gro wng up Bng t t aso mans no t crd tng ons wth th vrtu s on practcs undr th mprsson tha t on s ab to achv somth ng on on s own and v days b or sh dd Th tt w b judgd w th xtrm mdnss And you can crtany stay tt vn n a vry rsponsb poston vn you v to or b a vry odthword had dd a t th agconvncd o ghty hav had Chna ovr shoud am ddbn as to tt as am today And t s wrttn that at th ast th Lord w ars to sav a th m and humb on arth t dosnt say to udg but to v.
Diggig desie deee By ths approach Thrs o Lsux admraby xprsss th two aspcts o Chrstan hop and th rvrsa whch ths nvov (Whthr xprssd n trms o cassca or bbca thoogy th ssnta thng about Chrstan hop s th sam.) n th rst nstanc hopng mans watng or happnss. W ds r mor han w can gv oursvs som utur possb good gh too dcut to acqur on our a m th condmn dsr thou th aways mor. Th trbuatons oown hop ar trbua-d to tons o dsr or mor xacty o th da whch w crat o our svs through th projcts and drams whch w wav and rnw day by day. Th rst aw o hop s thus smpy ths ong ducaton o our dsr a muc h mor xact ng duca ton than you m gh t sup pos or w run up aganst raty and ths tachs us to purg oursvs:
tha t s to to manand ta nat and tnsytm our to dsr thth vry natur o whch s say to ncras thn sam accpt mtng actors o raty ( though rnqu shng nothn g o th vonc o our dsr or honss or happnss and utmaty o our dsr or God) hav aways wantd to b a sant So can dspt my
Th mpossbl p
eness aspe o honess And aan: ou ove pevened me om chd hood grw w h m and no w s an abyss h dphs of whch canno sound Lov aras ove and so Jsus my ove eaps owa ds you ongng o h abyss ara ng . A nd agan My dese mgh sm rash whn you hn how wa and mpe f was andasgra am . YAnd s agan: f h sa no m bod ondn ha shabom san am an ag smpy hav an ag s y s an d h ar. For n sp o my xrm nss dar o ga no h Dvn Sun h Sun o Lov and my har harbours a h Eags aspraons
oise o oeat And so wh Thse as wh h vs o f a h sa ns we necessay come o a second aspec o hope. sn possb no o b awar of h gap bwn wha w wan and wha n h ong run w an prour on our own. And so w hav o appal o somon s o g wha w dsr Wha w now hop or s no ongr happns s bss (Dus aux s bu h mans of obanng : Gods hpng hp lan) and a on now possssng mans no h onyman possssng h nd bu a hs h sam mopng hn forh s of oban ng h nd n hs a s G od hms Thus G od s now no ony our am our nd o ur omg a pon bss and so orh bu rs o a our ay ad hp rours n bba rms w mgh say ha hop bars on wo hngs Th proms God promss Abraham a posry: Your rward w b gra; promss h Bssd rgn a hd Your son w b
h Th Son ovnan o h Mos 2. Fo gh; h obj of h proms o b oband God arms hs ovnan wh hm sha b wh you sha b your Suzran. 'Do no b aad h Lod s wh you Th Spr w ovr you wh hs shadow Thrs vry qu y gasp s h onr appa on o hs rs GodBss; a nd hs pr supposs dong h r u h And hs s h rs ba: dggng dsr dp. Ths s a rr ba han you mgh
suppos e no a s mpe on; your a aurum you hav rd of a usons. Sondy GodA yAd has oogb hangd you hav o arn o rus A phosophr sad Gv m a vr and uru m an d sha h word. Wha Ar hmds oud n ache ve snce hs equ es was no add rssd o God and sn h had on y physa
48
The Lile Way
cs in m in d, has bn bain d in a is u nss by h sa n s A s ucrum, h Amighy gav hm hme and hm alone and r vr h gav hm prayr indd by r v. And w ih hs hy dd i h wrd; and wih hs h sa ins h Chu rch Mi an g n iing i and sains cm w g n ing i u ni h nd i m Thus,han in puing rward i way, Thrs gs much urhr wha w a hr b h ndpin h Gsp and hp W ar incind hin ha w hav g hr nc w ras ha, bing vd by Gd, w can inrpr rdas as 'purcains u i may bncia h pr css waiing ; ha hping mans having wai ngr han w xpcd Thrs gs urhr Sh grasps and ivs ha ssnia Chrsian rv rsa : h w aspcs hp, wha cms rs is n, as w supps, Gdappnss GdB buaihu Gdhp GdAy Thhn cnvnan has h c m and i iss, ar h cnvnan, w discvr u rs xn wha Gd prmiss h u xn biss rvd ha w gh h ba and his cnsiss in rying n smn usd ursv s and n n u wn rs urcs And h car and pracica sign ha w hav changd ur ucrum is ha w nw ma i ur y r up ur incapaciy This is whr h p and prayr and ur und rs an din g Chris, his sabas mn his keno and ur und rs an din mrcy and his rciprciy v in which Gd wa ns sabish ag cnvrg In his h whshi S Thmas Aquinass hgy as inuncd by Axandr as p aways has w bjcs Gd nd and na caus; and Gd hp and cin caus And hs w aspcs, h ms impan is Gd s h p, r in asing r Gd s hp, w can n as
mrcy whic h Gd s a d h r And his h is winvis ha uh im burns hr up his giwish ngbynd hrs, which r ay And his is h 'gry which sh s cad h rich di h Incarnain hncrh shard n mry h grac p h bcm a u y hu man psnai y sm urhr rm dica
he !�possble Sep
ion bu h acua shaing in i divin. On 25 pi 897 hs wo o h bb Bir as hough sha nvr a (or avn) , i h Lord do sn hims dign o ans m m . can d o i in a s cond; ar a h oh gracs h has avishd o m am si waiing o his rom his inni mrcy nd on 2 Jun sh d: ms am hand waywha wh ich Jsdigns us a ys o down ornm. ry n o o hinadd abou Jsus wor my sou av niry o him
e wy o f te d ief Bu his o is b mor han sh o canwai manag shyou raiss haonigiving is unndurab condmnd onr han can go yours nd hr, sh ors hr way; i migh b cad h way o h Good hi, h way o rdom and hop hrough wnss, incapaciy and vn sin, or ar ha sinu, ha obdin chid and sh grasps ha h sinnrs xprinc and h hids xprinc ar uimay h sam For h chid can ndur o b oudon, sinc his vry hp ssn ss is a h ha s o or T hn ho p and xpca airs rui han o ov hr is oh mor prciousion ha bcom you can h or o God his nohingnss andinghis hop, sinc hop incuds nohingnss Ony ov undrsands h aw o ovs incrmn hops or a To hav givn is h ssnia hing and wi b so orvr. Th mos prcious hing w hav o or is hop is; his is h airs prsn ha Cris has givn s hop agains a hop W hav you orsan m? migh b obcdhough ha woud b a caricaur o wha hrs man s nw ahav hi sovry s ar o noBwar, va u? God dosn nd us i a do is asy? orWor up our da giving your nohingnss invovs a rvrsa, a oa abouac To b ab o giv your incapaciy, you hav in a crain sns o hav arady givn vryhing s You hav o giv vryhing ayr by ayr, down o h bon And hn you hav o giv wha is mos prcious o a your consn o b mor and mor bindd by God and o hav h oy o no ongr rying o undrsand or your-
s Faih hop wasnAnd, Thrss probm, his scommia prsupposing onc again, his bu is nihr asy nor dicu consning ha Chris shoud ov us n his sns, h hoogy o gory a nd ha o h Good Thi ar h sam. Thr is his uima ba o r choi c h powr o sa y N o an d h abs ou
0
The Lle ay
graviy of his Ys or No. Th i way is h ar for a h of nfaiby bringing abou (hr hpssnss and sns of unwohnss nowihsandin) h raisaion of hir in n amb on o ov by h simp ac of darng o co un absou y on G od s ahry ov. n h u ima ana ysis Thr s shows a hos i pop who no spcia mission nocr ans nobng sprua uphoria hahav h ambi on o ov and h ainy o ab o do so far from b ing n accssib ar ord o h m o n a prfrna basis. And hn n a ash w ras ha hr is no ohr Chrisian granss ousid his way. Th war you ar wih no dsir or virus h mor ap you ar or h opraons o his consu ming and ransforming Lo or h poor ar hos o whom h Kingdom of Havn b ngs
6 EVE ETH .
By hr drs d ig o chriy h rs o Lisix giv s s w viw o i, o h 'gr ss o h vrydy As h p roph o wh h owo obigd o prcis mor d rswho o hChrch s i isspi h drss, hrs givsmor s hop, w ooo o d wss, gish d disrss So ow s cosidr ho w s h ows s o rcovr wh i i is mo s ssi y orswh i xisc is oc mos ivib d � os prdicb wh is oc mos prcios d mos rgic wh o o s c xpri c i o r pc, y w h is b i wy rom s, big mor d mor ci so e rom s hs is prcy i ordr, i o sho o d b ovrwhmd i dvc Bwy h igw s wr w ys so odiy,w s w vrh bd or, w r i Ad vryo is o middocor s d miy d ho s w ov wh h mom coms, p bic opi io d i h im ysis, dp dow, ouee o do vrhi i or powr o hpp wi ho yos oi ci g Sspi g h i i wr giv o s o ow wh i wod occr o go hroh i i dvc, w mih os coro d r md, w rrg his i sch wy h d hismor is ci rrib hig; o d w wvoid r corig robbd o i imor Yod rd y ow wh m or cor wih dh
have see a sat de; t st as youd exect
o ivh br id o o h wvr hrs c hp o his poi, qo simo hr dr msch simoy bg vry orc Firs, h o vry disigis hd prossor o hisory, I rro By wchig hr s ivig o hr srigd , wors
2
The Lle Way
han physica pain h barbariis of usss mdica ramn and hr sow dscn o dah modrn man can gimps wha fah h ru Chrisian faih ray is Th s cond simony is f rom h wrir Brnanos ha v s n a sain di and isn as youd xpc i isn i wh you ad in boos can you You apar hav o s yo urs f o wa ch i You s h sous armour cracing Th hird simony coms from on of Russias gras iving wrirs A Siniavsy formry a arxis ar snncd o a abourcamp and now ving in Franc. H wris 'f h word rigions C hrisianiy pays h par of h shoc ba aion h punshmn brigad hrown in whr hings ar mos dangrous a h ho s par o f h fron Whr h hando hand ghing is hics hr dahbaaion is hrown in Thy bow up hrYou bridgs bhinhhm Loo a hm h hros of Chrisndom won nd many prudn ons among hm Thir sory is a ong succssion of maryrdoms and dahs undrgon by a phaanx foowing hir Gods xamp Thy ar sodirs dispaying hir scars and wounds o h word as dcoraions And who niss wih hm? op of a naions h scum of h arh vn criminas bu awa ys hos who hav an h cros s Anyon can joi n: h igno r an fuprovidd h ishop rady him sf ino h bayou is h h sin rigion of maximum boornhrow of dspair . Nowhr do nd such cos conac wih dah as n Chrisianiy Far is no absn Bu s ransformd no a forc ab o pirc a brach in h omb and spur ou h ohr sid No h conmpaion of rniy bu h possssion of rny in ba wih on so wapon h radinss o di Th Russan auhors dscrpion s Thrs a gov h rdnss o di
ere wl aways be tme to suffer te opposte ater ' hav sn a sa n d and i isn as you d xp c Wha wa s i i for Thrs of Lisiux? L hr spa for hrs
Wasshshwoud prsrvd fromup farSvr and anxiy No shhr didn how masur ims during asnow six mon hs sh wa s o say ' wondr how sh masur up o dyi ng hop sh a acqui mysf wih honor A h sam su ppos dosn ray dpnd on m n anohr occasion sh was vn
Evn Dah
3
lss cod 'How m goig o msur up o dyig? sll vr ow ow o do i Bli vi g r o b rm d rsolu prospc of d r compios rbud s o youful llusio d old r s would criy b frd o wic s rpld vry simpl y, my wll b so vr rly o w ipu mysl bud w m mos of s o m foro mom r wlloug lwys wc b mGod o sur opposi lr r ws og xrvg bou r, o illuso us oug s mus v b rc ivg cr i cosolios bcus s d srd wriig poms gi. S sid, You probbl i m soul lld wi cosolos for wom vil o fi is wrig B u i is vl ow, is wll rcig up o ss W sig bliss of v , rl possss io o l o jo do i g so m mrly sgg w w o God, bliv r ssrs d compios wr lr o sify o s rcu l d cldli bl ul im s o li l w For g mos i ul i drss s udrw r l o i ou ol w s sd o m, frgful ougs plgu m ry rd or m o o ls o Dvl s ris o m m bliv s m lis rgums of wors rioliss m md wS mus v suc drdul ougsllw lovDr GodMor, so muc w o o sy s vr rgud wi s dr ougs dur m of css s sid, b u v wil vig m, v r sop r wig m cs o Sisr r o ri ws o s 'Sisr rs of Cild Jsus d o dur rribl mpos gis d w s ws llig m bou drss wic s ws durg, sid r i mzm, Bu you w bou os rd poms ouowri cordic w v jus b s S rplid, sig of w w o bliv , bu do so w ou fl g of i wo v ll ou ow d p drss s i m soul i c o bi g isrum l mig ou sr my mpos d Sisr rs o S ugusi 'S dmid som i g o m wic surprs d m srgl f ou oly w drss o wc v b ug do blv i rl
li i, s li s r wllb oig mor is Evry i g s v sd orr m Bu ddd rwrdsd i s poi, 'll v l is lov oug i puism blo, i ic o g, s dos ur l bu ir dos s sri uds, is ir
54
The Lle Way
cnceited nr cmplaining. And yet there s fear there thgh she des n t l nger ve that. He r secret s elsewh ere i t cmes f rm her bste lyalty t Christ. T her sister s she w ld repeat edly say Dn t be pset dearest ssters i ser a great deal an d i y see n sign happness n me when reach he pint f death Or d t was died tarec victirmt f lve see rwhat death li ke She this ide and a being eadyhs t die like aagny sl dewas r f Christ is dierent rm what y might expect. 'Or rd died n the c rss in agny, yet hs was the nes t deaths fr lve The ny example indeed. Dying f lve desnt mea dying in transprts f jy N transp rts f jy n cns latns, n ecstas ies: she even had t give p eceiving cmmnin nd this was hattering r her the very limit f what she cd ende. This scandaised several membersThrse f the cnv t imagine a Carmelite dying the sacraments heardenwhat was beng said and thiswinlyth t added t he sering Sx weeks earlier, she had said 'Of crse its a great grace t receive the sacaments bt when Gd desnt allw me t d s, thats gd t. ll i gace. Al is grace es, bt that desnt prevent he rm crying n 20 Agst, dbting srvval ae death, fsaken by the Gd whm she cannt receive while the ther nns shake their heads ver hr. AllSishere grace lived that t tthe last. weThrse have a yng wmen twentyfr A year pevi sly n Gd iday she had her st haemrrhag f the lngs She qick y reals ed that the sign mig ht prve t be fata l H er heal th imprved fr a bit Bt a year late, afte ent, the illness tk cmplete cntl On 30Jly, she was nt expected t last the night Be in g rbst hwe ver sh e lngered ntil 30 Septembe The medicatins f the perid were as llws e qted rfessr ar a few pages eering t 'ineecta nrtnately theseback wereasthe nly remedies knwn barbarities blisteringaB caaplasm b nd rnd the chest smetimes f r hs at a ti me t raise enrm s blisters which wee then bst in the hpes elieving the lngs catery smetimes n ve hndred dierent spts at ne sittng and mch else Her sisters were terred at seeing her nderg sch treatment Then, as well the trments natral t serers frm TB bere mden times: that is death by thist and
s cati And the sideeect her il lnes gangene f death the in testines extnthe mental sspense fwaiting days aer day r They gt ready f r he neal i Jl y as tly the spiri ta l trment f darkness and the night fait h O this the bk he La Conveaio alws s t fllw her
Even Deah
55
pgss m day daya dcm iq i Chistia histy. ay mmbr my amily had ac dah day, his ad th Gspls wld b h ly bks shld rcmmd him.
' I a o ore e a yoe else
ha r h ss , b as wha sr h h srgh wak ss ha ps is s , ls , h O r whm i wais Ad as w as h ss hr, h hard glss ad sil csidrai r hrs wha O sm days ryhig is rasmd s dah ci ak m is Gd. Dah is l a pha a as ghs k y s i picrs Agai: Dars siss, h, hw happ a ca s ha m s gig di d day, wh h chap la askd hr i sh wr r sigd da h sh pid ' ah h ly rsiga d is saig ai J is wha l a h hgh dyig B his did sp hr g rad ahig, whh r ar 'hy shld i m a dah ha ay ls? d sa, lik S shal r d Sh cms impa i d ' d r h iss ha lads h al slwly A c w is l B h w r si ahr hr hs r h da Tw hs ar sh sad 'Nw ha Gd has d wha h wad d h wll c ik a hi aa m wh w as pc has wha hik d a wk br hr dah wh s said, Oh wha a r ibl illss H w ms hav srd Sh rpld Ys wha a rc is ha aih did ha ai h shd ha kid sl wih a m s hsai
Ad ow ha ca sad a his a his hcla rac bhid hs simpl cmmplac rals Sh had cs crd dah aad hr hs dah h ahrs dah ad gi g
h c was h alsbal a kdbw dahaih i rspc rhi g h a sh l bhid B ad dah is smhig dir, shi dp ad r prsa Thrss rs cclsi was hs Sh graspd h ac ha dah is mrly smhig waiig r s lae shig ly ccr ri a h d r
56
The Lile Way
lives No hrogho or days we live in a sae, he empora sae, in which all is fragile riable, eeing, where hings and people pass away Every momen is a passing away, every mo men o or lives s a dying Here she i s a one wh oday s mos emi ne n philoso phers when hey dene man as a 'beingadeordeah ha s o say, as he onlyan anima abe coninosly sie hings in heirismabiliy agains immable horizon So o Thrses conclsin simple i everyhing is passing away here is only one realiy which cons, wha acally have in hand by whih or he ime being escape deahs cches: he presen momen is sacred becase i comes rom God None o i ms be wased, sinc e permis me orhwi h o reach e end and, becase o hs o do i le h ngs as well as big hings, and hs o conqer deah s alsoeven a second conclsion in or exisence, deahwhich is he oneThere ineviable one whch has obe ndergone, agains we are a or mos deenceless nd ha s why, as we have already said, we do everyhng we possibly can o concea i e don die any mor, we ade o e hide deah as hogh i were odays ni qe obscen y e chase away re se o acnow ledge is exis ence o leas we Chrsans are accomplices o he nversal vanishngric y he same oen however, bere o deah, or live s are in ad ssained aner o os n hei r ensare on,we o o eebly r ic ing becomin dcepon. go along wihaway his o sp reme perversion, wih hs spreme colapse? Trse p roves h a we can do more han s p p w h deah we can ransorm i ino a ree, awaied ac, aen in or sride, ransred by rs and aih e can mae ino an oerin e can all ma e an oerin g o he very hin ha crshes s Thi s doesn s op s bein araid o i or o havin g o end re s onsahs lie everyone Thrse by o ove siex s ha ear and anqish can e else ransred andreminds hope, and ha eac h o s can re on an nne r orce srong eno h o overcome he inevi ae re we o o on depr vin oseve s o he only hin ha can chan e he mean n o or deah he u fe wh Ch he opporniy o associang orse\es wh him in hs as sion? we ve in on hs poin and o on s ppressing or awareness o deah , one da seems o me here will be nohing, no dierence
whaever, choose havin nowing aih and no havng ahpor my par, o don wanbeween o die who now shan p m ch o a show when possib ad low an d rac ed wi h ang ish, b wh a my srengh pra may e able o or i wih Chris and no have i solen away rom me
Even Deah
57
Beras grased he t very c early i Lere aux ngla Oh he is this the ed lite St Thrse isiex asked the rress i he death agy Hw a I behave as I die? rb aby Ja Ac had the sae thgh the rig 30 May 1 429 hat deligh ts s i t hese child like w rds is t t hat they de y dea ke h b that they welce with kid s as tthg h ear givdeath g death aece By discreet this we iidi recgity se the erecti a sr heris t serve ad bear witess t which we ea is e t ge ae r lesser degr eis wha ie de a d s s Sse he wd s are i hesel ves childi sh C hil dis h wrds like hese raise e
eterg fe
Thee is e atte we s ase cceig rselves i the Ch ch tda B wat t retr t eathly realiie s by watig srive r th rti h a vale s (which is certaily rge ad ecessary dt we the is thikig every hg a rely earhbd it view? Ad d we lti ate l he liireari g rghr Adaterby eli iag hes ideas rz deathhe adearth whatitsel ces wards t eig he b t waig t hik ab the a re ist thee a eseable rsk tha we yes we Christias wll ae death ee e ighteg ad hible ha it is? Here Thse isie reds s that last victy aith er all ear i he ae the ealty heave alrea dy beg a d heceh ale ad sse ssed d see hw ca have re a er y alead have shall see Gd re b deah as aha as bei wh hiiseah ccered a hathats cletey alread hee earh Yes evethg has alread beg Hw sad lie s e he s was aig t he hse reied ad sas the sae s es sad Ele is whats sad 'I a t di e tig li e
7
MERY: 'A POLLUTE IEA?
n one o hi ermon, S Agine mrve h he Good Thie hod hve hd eer ndernding o he Bie hn h e door o he Lw he egin qeioning he Good Thie hi o nd wheher he And h een ding he Sire eween o o rgnd ge ho w h he eeded in dernding ih 3 when he door o he Lw odn ee h i w eing ed eore heir ver ee on Cvr nd hnk o heir own mhinion Wh hd he Good Thie hoen o one hi ih in e he ver momen when he dii e h d given eievin g in him And S Agine hi ime nwr ino he Good Thie moh No, ook hve n died ri re Whih e ooked menoher nd in h nde ood he eveSrhing wemig h in w nd ne in ene o hve nderood everhing wiho hving o hv e i exi ned o nder nd nohing o Chriini. 'e ooked me nd in h ook nderood everhing Wh Thre nderood, he mmed in one word A word reeed eh o he ig momen o her ie An inexhie word n he hog d o he i w o nove, inomreh enie nd exoive i h eome deved nd w orn o ine i i om rehend no ide h e ver ie, he ve r her God Thoe who ive heir ive in rnerhi wih Chri hve we o exeriene i. Tod we nerie i nd e i onin he one rei whih od never eore, n he go o he imi o oreve o m God ime ere Thi reme rei mde vie o one more Thre o Liiex, i mer
She r egin her ieor ' m on going do oneo m ree hing inging now wh ing, or ever heoerie he Lord She end he or ing How wi he or end do no know , wh do know i h he er o God wi om n i or ever. And wh w he im x o her i e o be? An
Mer Pollued Idea'?
5
o el oe ng o el Love ' m ol ng el w h o del no he evelng ne o o el Love Le hvng ond he e w 'h voon o love how doe he eln o he elde e he eg he o nd n dend ? ' dee o mdom n mon Wh l ee h m he lndon hoeee I hve n hme me Th mhonl e e I he 'To he h gven nne me nde hogh I n onemle nd doe he ohe dvne eeon I ee hem d n wh ove even e eem loed n love So wh ho ld I e The l enene oTh e l le e ed 'He love nd meh l In he Chh he heneoh n d oeve moe he mege o L e h o me o he gve he l e o h we old hve e e nde nd ng o wh h men he e ndehe no delon o h Whenohe ked Agne he oe o w 0 wh whe o e he e eed he gve h one onneo nwe Bee wll oe he glo o God nll olmng h me
Savation o ibeat ion? B e we e e h we ndend wh me lng oe h e he o h e Goe nd eve ln g h n ew e o God nd o whh Ch ho o de Hven we won menng o nd o o e o he dee ove von nd eon el o e he o n ole eve n go o o lk o 'o ll ed e whh oh o e moved om he Chn vol ohwh on o he oon o me n nhng new A he Th ed me o Ch w o elo e h eveone e ee d Fo e h o he oe o e l m n o eon o he h he de o eng ed h o ee o e lvon n he n me o he e weedne nd ove w nolee Alke o he Eenemonk who hd whdwn no he wldene nd o whom l h d e o n om he wold n l d ng even h e ee-
onhe o eloeedomhe mge od lone end woh Godoll Alke gel o o whom nd eolon gn he ong owe old lone e he e e l hng o he emo men kngdom whh he hed w he el oeve o he dvne ovenn Ake o
60
The Lle Way
te Pariee wo were te aotle o ol ar religio n o adat a tion to te ditate o irmtane and ene o te evol tion o a ode o reriion wi i oeed wold give man te mean o working i own alvation Bt weter te ed or relled or roonded a reamedown alvation none o tem elt an rter need or rd orow God Tre aor leme on reo m e wold ave like d to learn Herew o a to ndertand te Goel eter And ti no dot wold ave een a great o to er For ew Herew ord are etmologiall more rewarding tan oe ed to onve te onet mer For word are ed to onve te realit hanan o lean over; hamalnoum to er wit to are ine one eel it ahamahamn to e ot te mote reat e enr ail e wom and to arelieve omeone o i goan eling imregard to reatnaham Wat ro gamme Tre aw ti a God wit to man
Uder setece o deat n to o gore eond te ommonlae exernal gra treig qalit intitio on i e onand a a e ie aid wit toe o S Agtine oma Aqina aal te and oter genie wo ave zzle ov e i mer a nd it ro lem we old rememer a e meaning o me i no mean eleviden And we an lai e ilie a oming in ar rom orelve and in ar om e Goel Fom orelve W o oe we ave idea aot ie and merw wat e earl lie illweoreome a waeand o oee r eo We kno i t me aninto eel o do wong amle e oken we og o know wat 'mer 'A eat ta ae on anoer mier a ear aing oter mie to itel eae i love Btand ometi me i ae a wol e li ei me to reali wen we wan to relieve mier we arl eve do i in te name o me t nearl alwa in at o omaion o o tie Now e igt o mie i o ore aorrent o o ine we do not orelve
want o we er weand do or et o relieve or i moiv eing ion o revol mae a g or itiAn i ne. Oroma again we ave oeion wile o neigo i in want and ditre we eel te intie o te itation and take aion we give we gt ere we are motivated jie and in te lat reor we are
M Pollued Idea '?
61
oe more oered o ler oreve h o ov or ehor Lv he mer o oher, Chr dd, k or e wh he odemed, mo he odemed, oe who h delerel o h mel rreed o ever o e oo o oher hmer r eod e or omo Todeme lve o oroehor ho were or ow e we o rd ore lve o lov h e God q e lw. For me, h exeree eod Chr d h look loe mke derd h h h ole B here lo oher d d h me rom he Goe e There we eoer wo e o Go he e o e e m mede love, l o he e o e A r oro er God whom we eoer m e, her Sermo o he o or e ' ke h e d or oder whl e o re ll o he w Yo wl o e o o here or Lord ell h dle, l o hve d he l e ( 56). Ad, ooed o h , he God o e kd e who eem omle e ld he w he whe he or he wom who hd ee ooro er, or Zhe, or he wom o Smr, or eer who hd ered hm, or he Good The So whwe reevde we odowe Whh rero wem o eoow To ee demm, me e om We e e he e d mer me o eh oher d h em oh o her re We h k, God , h o ver mor e he ood d we re old, he love A he me me we dd, 'Go d mer le e re d o re o h oo m h e he o . lo o eoe hve ere over h dlemm Whh he mere whh o ve wll e wehed The Chrh md her hve ee ormeed h or ered Where he wh re e o God
e umiliated Face Thre ree h he qeo llemr d h
reqre wer Toorheo reheded w hellemr deere hoe o evl re wh God, her o ole oher h o mer Here rel he mo r emrkle exreo o her ver voro d ellel re h The wo e re oeed
6
The Lle W
he ee it God doent hooe eforehand not withou her freedom of hoie not wit hou t eing aware of her inaa t . A he e e it true knowedge of God i aheved rather doting ertan ratia attitude than arming theoreti rinie t an never e aid often enough hat ine he nanation ratia roem are whatSine ring motnation eetua fae in tohitor fae witho the ruth aout God theu I nar ook ae eah indivdua avation wi take ae n hitor. Thre wa etr eme ear ghed aout the ru th or dui t of our rata attitude. And the roem in queton are often agoning tem tat ion i de ai r aid the Cur d Ar. We mu t not forget th e dramat ondition in whih Thre ik e an eorer wa to reoen the reah to oen her wa her tte wa her wa oftrung in mer To the ruhing weight o f anguih in evita fet anone at the
thought of hi faut and the future wa added in her ae the uering au ed a fau t reentation of God The an en it tone of muh of her aroved reading i enough to make ou hudder artiuar the Theological and Spiiual Lecue on God Geane a eventeenth entur Cauhin whoe dmirae atriti earning inir ed hi en to inre die ength in hi treatment of ove a ao of terror other Agne found it terrifing not o Thre 2 Ao it haened in the midt o f a fami drama onerning the eing he oved mot of aher father ket in onnement uoed to e inane oked u in a mad hou that Thre two ear after entering the Carme in 890 read thi age in the ftthird hater of aiah and in it diovered the uimate eret of mer the veied fae the humiiated fae of the ondemned innoent Chrit he two iture oaeed in her mind Chri and her father He wa hen in he Good Saviour Hoita at Caen a mad houe with three thouand inmate She rememeredthough t without undertanding it fu meaningher remonitor viion at Le Buionet where her father fae had aea red to her overed with an aron He had a hai of overing hi fae with a handker hief when one of hi attak ame on Humiiation and aniet
eized on her at herrem mot enitive on he one hand other eoe ark: Ho wot are rovoked th e mad fok toda . . . So the ve taken h m to Good Savi our have the and on the other the nagging thought in her own mnd that he had faen k eaue he had taken the ve For her mer w a no mere onet.
M: A Pollutd Ida
63
Se bore te mier o noter o recie im wom e oved mot o . Tre bore er ter ine nd wnt conten mere to endre it b ive ccetnce er ier coreo did. Se Fceoved ti orde nd tro it dicovered te miited Fced wit te i n ine nd di otion o oter Tr e w rimri not j tice bt mer c Lter wen e d reced e det o er own mier e w not er ter ce b t God ce v eied in it tr n H ere eten w b diee e ed er certint o merc to t e imit. Ti w ow te i tte w w etedb ine te nit o it nd det
Yo w t jsce We cn m ti certint o er b two torie. . cnnot er rtor e wod oten trin
com-
mn ct e er own condence to er iter to never cceedin in doin o And to Siter Febronie wo w rin te ce or divine j tice Tr e ten id ( nd ere we ve re one o te imet et mot inired nwer to te robem in Critin i tor Siter Tre d o wnt divine jtice o wi et divine jtice Te o et ect wt it eect o God. Sc in nte i te Critin nwer bote re bote teooic bote ime bote evneic mmin te woe tin 'We re te one wo decide we re te one wo mke te coice An nwer bot toro rerin nd ver rmn Rerin ince it deend on te coice i or God eve it to 2 Bt it ver rmin t oo n d ere Tre tk e one te rter. For in ct er nwer imie rider Obvio we
imine oreve red to cooe merc we re 'or it. B cooin merc int qite wt we oe. We re in vor o merc in o r it it or book We re w red to eoit it benet nd tke dvnte o it Wen it eem to it or rpoe we tink we re cooin it wen i n ct we re doin i rin to
6
The Lle Way
Knowledge of God without that of our msery equs pride Knowedge of our msery without th of God equs despir Knowed ge of Jesus h rist s trik es the b n ce, s nce in him we nd both God nd our misery. PASAL
M Pollued Idea
Who woud beieve wht we hve reported? Ad to whom hs the rm of Yhweh bee reveed? e hd either beuty or hoour; m of sorows he ws despised someoe from whom peope vert their eyes he ws despised Yet it ws ou diseses he ws berig ours the pis tht he ws rryig or our rebeios he ws wouded the puishmet reoi ig u s e o h im d we hve be e h ee d by his bruises We hd goe stry ike sheep or our rebeios he ws struk ded or oeig his ife he wi see his desedts Sie he bore the si o my sie he itereded for the rebeious sh gie him mutitude i rewrd d mighty itors ortio wi be his ISAA 5
Th Ll ay
mae use o t Trse detect ed te misunderstandng Gods mercy is sweet wtou t a dou t and muc sweeter tan we ima gne ut t doesn t t n to our sc eme n te w ay we tin Tese a e t e na wods se wrote in er tte exercseoo n an exausted and te as t ew ne s in enc t o warn u s 'Yes m su re even ad every sin tatwt can e commttedand on tow my conscience soud my eart roen rentance myse into Jesussgo arms or no w ow muc e oves t e rodga cid wo ret urn s to i m. ts not ecause G od in i s rev enient me rcy a s reserved my sou rom morta sin tat raise myse to im in trust and ove No te enets wic se ad received were not wat gave er condence. Trse ad quite rigty seen te earu arado tat same wc ad so erexed Luter vi. tat you do not ove mercy youtswi you o not wayour nt it nd ee or ndeits ntown y o sae te ene wnot ic'coose you oeitrom it dyou nd se un ae to coos e it even or te sae o eing savedor you are sti d emand ing justice You wou d ie to e a e to get aw ay wt it witout aving to ove witout aving to ay down your arms wito ut need ing to ar ove o or consenting to con cur in s uc tota deendence on Gods ove Aer maing er seoerng to erciu Love in 1895, Trse was otenwo to come ac to tis toic. Tofrigtened anoter nun arie judge o te Trnity reates ' was etremey of Gods ment and in site o everyting tat Trse coud say to me no t in g made t is ear go away Tr se reied 'Tere is on y one way to orce God not o judge us at a and tat is to aear efore m emtyanded. 'Wat do you mean? ased te nun. 'ts very sme Trse reied 'ae no reservations give watever you get as soon as you get it. 'But ojected te nun 'i God doesnt judge ourout good actions eu wi judgeyoure our ad ones Tr and se wat a tat? 'Do yo und certainy ersta nd wat sa ying? reied . 'Our Lord is very ju stice i e doesn t judge our good actions e w not judge our ad ones. For tose wo oer temseves to ove dont tin tere wi e a judgement at a on te contrary God wi mae aste to reward is own ove wic e wi see in teir earts. We are ony consumed y ove in so far as we aandon rseves to ove.
'For to se at wo temse to ovee temted don t t in tere wi e a judgement aoer Cynics wives ossiy to tae tese words as mere reigiosity sui tae or te r oessionay d evou t. But to my mi nd tey mar a very ea of Crist an tougt a nd t e ony answer to everymans utimate agony weter e is a eever or
M Pollud Ida
67
not wen fed wi i own indeqie i wekne nd e _roem o evi Someone ee d red id e e me i ng og we end o forge i Woev er e iev e in im wi ee dgemen n 3 8) W T re ing n ing dieren For oe wo oer emeve o ove I don ink ere wi e dgeme n we eieve We r onneo e ved nd in of nowromie 'w e e e dgemen ee God ee we ove em in emeve ee we re in ni wi em ee we re g mgne ied e or e of ee ve romiewi i ove mer No onger re we onerned wi eoiing i or of mking e o o derve ene from i i demnd o e doe d o e ov ed or e f e woe oin o iving we ove f e im e e God T i e er o f i i i deinnd ve of re e eing r eing im i woove e r o Sr e And if fi if r ve i doe n men we r e er e fore diened rom eing good ( Ler w emed o ink i nno rng deeer goodne o ir in goodne deeer n oreve goodne oniing i wrene of God own enderne ine we re red g ed in ied ino inveed wi i enderne i gre 'f we e vereGod in ove e oin eme oin onger rere eere r wove o wen orken we no i on nd go on oving we end reing ome ing wi i no onger nine nd i no o i e enr eene eeni re no enie ommon o o nd ering e ver ove of God S im one Wei
8
'JUSTIE, MY LA IST YOUR OER
The Noweg hve ig 'F h o om h hd dow Ad he me ie egd he hed he eei hig o he Chii he ii o me ei mke evehg ee go d i i i i good heh d wokig ode. Someime i goe h d o dev eo ex eive igo i im oiim i o g he wked meime degeee io i d gee omi e dedige odmided e A moive e ee e he oi eei miee o dio deee o iio he eed 'ge hig 'im ow o idiee d o oh 'Whee e he hioohe ow Wh o ee h ee d e h hed hi g e od he mi d o m The de h o God o e kow he S i o God Co 1 82 16 S o whee dd Th e qe h ex od omm dig ii d he ove o God d he igh dedig o he Chh eg d i me d gde d he e o ge w o dei he oge o gge g evi d he mo voo d de we he 'oi dmeio o o wod od The ek o hemeve i i o o dw o o
The murderer of the century he mme m o he ie hoehod e Bioe o Seeme 187 The xo oeed he ewe
La
utice My Lad In 't Your Conern'
Croix and in i ond one o he deiive ign o her lie: Th e i e ba ckguard w ho mu eed h e hree icm s o he Ru e Monaign e was execued h s mornng, and ih him ends he dsg race fu scan da o he pas few days. The Pace de a Rquee and he doning sees wee cowded from an eay hour n e mornng. A 1 1 3 p.m., mouned and foo deach men s o h e Repuc an Guard and depar mena poce ook up her poson in he squae. There were a few sous of ong e Bouanger! in he Rue de a Rquee u a he oher srees had een seaed A 255 wo waggons aried brngng he maeias for he execuion, and hese wee assembed y he gh o hurrcane amps. A 3 a . m pre cis ey , he enerae A Faue droe up n cab no. 375 which was harnessed o a wh horse. H e was foowed shor y aewads y Ah ai n he eaminng mags ae, M. Tayo he chief o poce M . Gaon hs secondincommand and Maigny, he seceay. A 4.45 Bauquesne, he prison goeno M Bao n he c ommissioner of poce, his secear and he A aure made her rs si o Ce 2 hen occupied y he condemned ma Panzni was sound aseep au ques ne had o sha ke h m wic e o wak e hm. ae Re gna u s mude er sa up, gazed dsacedy aou hm and u e ed a hoase shou Wha an aak ening Fo he f ac is he wrech had a aong been conin ced ha e w od e padoned. H e m ade wid eors o sammer ou fw wods. Youe aou o commi a crme. m nno en And making a oen eo o appea cam, he added, The ony hng s no han ae mye,mohe Hesaid hen suddeny egree deah ecam pae. been Pu yous efkss og eh Panzin M. Bau que sn e. Your crime is oo seous for h Pesiden of he Repubc o gran you a padon. De ike a man and hus make amends for your crme 'm inno cen m nnocen he shoued. The wo deeces handed hm hs socks. He pu hem on sow whie he ce k read hm he senence. Tre mb ng, he pu on hs co hs ang n coher en y He hen asked f o som e cod waer o wash hs face and hands. Faue he chapan hen spen a few momens aone wih hm. Panzn sad o hm ' sha e as cam as you ae, foeber n noc en man. and Hehis wasasssans he n aken inowaing he egs de n(he whee execuone) wee for a hmsoo ce, be haded oer o h m Tere he cu h s har, wde ned he neck of his shi and pnoned hs ams. A wo mnues o e whe he rds wee sin gn in he ees of he squae a conf used m u mu swep h ough h crow d he comman d 'Daw ou saes rang ou , he cae of me a was head ades ashed he door of he prison sung open and hee on he h eshod pae a s deah soo d he m udee The chapan ook posi ion in fon of hm o spae hm fom seeing he faa engine. The execuioners assiss hed hm o igh and ef. He pushed e pres and assisans
asde Once a he guione, Deie gae hm a push hrowng hm fo ward. On e of he asssan s san dg on he oh e sde of h e gui oin e graed hs e ad, pos o ned i u nde he un ee and he d sead y y he hai. Bu efoe a his coud happen a gimme of repnance may perhaps
Th l Wa
av cossd is conscinc. askd t capain or is crcix issd it tc A nd bad av ing an an d on o assisants aving sid t svrd ad by its ar w may wond wtr man jsc bing satisd tis ast kiss may no av satsd divn jstic towos pima rqimn is pntanc.
Tese were te ver words tt Trse red tt d Se ws ten ourteen. n 1895, eigt ers lter Trse stil rememered tem nd mde is eisode into one o te ril moments o er lie wen writing er utoiogr.
'My st cld er d o gret rimin l wo d just een s entened to det or orrile rimes. Te irumstnes mde it seem liel tt e wo ul d die im e ni te nt wised t ll o sts t o revent im rom going to ell nd to do tis used ever mens ould tin o So Trse must ve erd eole tling out te murderer. From tt moment se ws tull to me erse resonsile or im. Beuse Prnzini d een sentened to det nd ws going to e eeuted nd sowed no sign owitin einger sorr or wt e is dsoul done se set out doing everting ower to sve And rom t dte onwrds se studied a Crox or n 'sign o te risoners onversion Eventull on Setemer se disovered te rtile quoted ove. 'Prnzini d not mde is onession e d mounted te sold nd ws out to ut is ed troug te tl ole wen suddenl seized ligtning insition e turned round sn d te ruiTrse x out o omments te riest s nds d t reete times its te sred wounds d n otined sign issed sed or nd tt sign itull rerodued te gres wi esus d grntd me to enourge me to r or sinners. Hdnt te tirs t or souls en tered m e rt wi e ontemlting te wounds o esus nd wting is divine lood owing rom tem? wnted to give sinners tt immute lood to drin so s to uri tem o teir stins. And te ls o m rst ild" were to sten tem-
selves tose sred wounds Wt n Te inel sweet For on Trse tis deided er votion. sign ws to rel diret er towrds Crmel A ter tt unique gre m desire to sve sou ls grew st ronnge r ever d. seemed to er es us sin g to me s o te womn o Smri Give me someting to drin"
jusie My Lad Isn 't Your Conen
71
n 2 0 March 1 887 at 7 R Monai gn [now h Avn M atignon ] in Paris, was di scovr h liflss body of Rgin d Mo nti l wit h th os o Annt Grmrt hr maid, and of a litl gi of twlv cald Mari Rgins daght in ac, thogh passd o as bing h maids Al thr had ha thi throats c in h most ba mannr and th misrsss ws had disappard. Madam Rgin d Montil was aly cald Mari R gn ad A ba y, sh had b n s cd w hn v ry yong and th n dsrtd in h capa. Thr sh had caght th y of th Comt d Mon il . Sh was o b sn at al soial gath rings, wh r Paisian soci ty was doing al i cod to forgt h hor os of 87 a nd t h Co mm n . This nowithstanding, a highspiit goonat girl an votd o hr chi d . . . Th r ip l cri m ma a n normos sn sat ion , as mch on accon t of h prsona lit of h victi m as of th conditions i n wh ich i had bn ppta Al h ail paps scib h ip mrd of th R Mon aign wi th a wath o f hori d tai h s nsing npcdntd sas admittdy, r ingint was fai h o iilat th pbic a Mari si nn And, of gat ps onal bat a mai thf o ah, an li tl Grm th sacicial lamb not o mntion h gil man himslf a vriabl monst of monsrs. (G. Gachr, Ths arin aair Pranzini, Vie Thrsienne, no.48)
Fascnaed and teried: You mig ave ougt you were a te teate Whn h poic brogh Panzini bac to Paris from asils, it was ci not to l him gt o a h ar Lon sinc hr was a crowd waiing fo him-hogh not o lnch him. was largly mad p of womn-a rst sign of an clsil fminin infaation which was atr to ma this xcion of womn ino a gn d G ing o t a Cha nto n, Prnzi ni nt r Paris in a cono of cabs H is i al opn in a cort oom pacd so f l th \·n popl wih spcial icts of ad missio n signd b psiing : Oofnfro lais Bvil co no gt in. of Th hahbn bsigj dg b hos soci and th apparanc thatt r cortoom was mos nsm. Yo migh ha thogh o w a th hatr o, o b mor pcis, in h Prsidnil Encos at th racs, sinc th s m ms da (Sa ra 9 J l ) was adi ant l sn n , callin g for li t whit il s, paasos and fans Th w n fm ini n ha nd s o focs lognts i n h prisonrs rcion Th p siing g g o angr an d had o ordr th socit womn o stop thi chatring. :aitr Dmang Pran zini s dfnc cons l-sp o to sc h c h a h dw appla s fom th popl psn in th coroom. �ois dmonsrions an shos of
Qash h cas Qash h cas ma Panzinis transf to Gand Rtt prison. is phograph was on sa on h bolvds, so wr broads hs ing his sto. Of all t h man l t rs arss to h im, oftn accompanid b chocoas or cigars, th onl ons h was alowd to rciv w thos fom his moth. And onc th Prsin of th Rpbic
7
The Le Wa
reued im prdon vertble io t bro e out round t e wll o Grnd e Rou et te A t nig tl l on wor given by no on e now wom t e ion ble world uni ted en masse to dvne on te prion A long ueue o rige long te Boulevrd Voltire digorged women dreed to te nine nd men n op nd tee med orwrd longide men n lo p nd bre eded girl u inglene o purpo e d never been ee n; it uggeed te very ping o oil order. And ti ompoite rowd ueeing into te ure were te eeution w eduled to te ple outed or rnni prdon Ibid.
felt ashamed of being so exited
I dont think none n honetl retend not to e eretl inted terried even ntoxited t the ight o evil The me riin mo hoted or rnzini e to e qhed w to ror or Bet nd Bon tem to e exeted Yo m not rememer the e t in 972, rzed with deir the two men rrided themelve in the rion hoitl t Clirvx tking nre nd wrder hotgeoth o whom hd milie to ortnd ter t their throt R Bdnter one or the deene wrote: ou d tel t tey d re ed e wourt A ong ou t of 'D e t entene! Det entene d rien n e reet e b mri lookin very mu like uer ere-me ong Ti w wt people d be en witing or m u te b ull i wited in te re n Bu it wn t im tiene or te p youky e i ement o remeeing t t griped te u bli now. Fer n d te w ere we ving n in vii ble n et round te till emty dok A I oeniby onentrted on ortin ot te er in my e I w t inin t ti r e deene w onerne d w t e wort t ret o ll nd fr more in ite r n t e t temelv e or t e rumen t o te pro euion Te r owd demnded one ting n d wt t demnded w te det entene i w w I d to gt gint. y ollegue joined me e udge too i le 'Gurd brin i te ued! An immene i lled e ourroom o tere tey werete Ciu murerer! Te tri w everywere oted u on te newnd reported on te rdio te u bjet o every onverion. went ou t in to te t eet. I ould eel i t preene in everyone met . I e t med o being o ei ted. I went into te rt e I m to. At te ounter te trior rter te oint
en e o t e tr il-w e ony to i o onvert ion In oreul tone wit omnying geure utomer w ying to te rovl o ll ltenin 'Creture e tt tey ougt to be ut down-ui r mp e t t And ti i ow And do wn me te blde o i nd on te ounter I remembered ow olonel in t rute Reiment d
uste y Lad Isn 't You Con
73
summed u is concetion of justice n tree dectives Justice to my way of tinking, sould e imlacale, immedite summary Tts wt eole want Eveyting else is mere twddle I could see tt te colone d le ny of di scles t Troy es Toug t e colon el for is rt d str uc k lucky. A syst em owng noting to o ur justice d sent enced i m i n all du e orm to li fe imri sonmen fo is ar t in te ls t roun d of lots g nst te governmen He ws now amnesied and free mn I sometmes won der wete tis goous sr t eg eted not avi ng is teory of u stce alied to imself. Or if e was now eared to concede tt te utous aoac n d s ole mni ties o ustice ad somet ng to e si d for tem fter al Te eadwd e ws wai tn g fo me n e oce . Well ow did you nd i m? e aske d He en went on, as oug to m se f If only e woud see nigt. You know e never stos smoking one cigrette after anoe. It's te same wt Buet too. He wlks u and down is ce He never sosSo leveryting ng. I sened. He for one felt no ate were for te Clirvu murderes was ossie, tougt, f tey rdoned I said goodye to e eadwader. To my surrise e anked me for co ing, muc s reative in osita mg tank te doctor We sook ands was gld or Bon tes sake e d is wade in carge of im . By s t ime, Bon es wsnt mn like oer men. He ws ledy somew ere else om e est of us, in sort o mrginl zone inccessle to te living toug not ye cual de. As I wen ou into e isonyard I noticed at d started o rn.
Was thee anyne? As never efoe ad seen e face o te id e. nd e crried e dy knew w te looked like. Peoe of my generation ave oen d occson to see . Bu e tkes on e worst ce o ll wen ssuming e msk o justce. Rid ae d s eing u jud ca a tred s s m ng ememe ed te uised st s, e gr imce s o e co wd suou ndng svneaded gi s two med men roudly drgged er lnaked roug te seets o ving made love wit e Boce He owever lws confes n unexeced dignity even on e worst of ciminls. You orget te guil man, you on see te und ceure e victim of disas ter. uac desces a oung vlain wo d kled n od womn o o e. Wen e cme ws eng econsuced, e was escorted troug a cowd o eoe y e oice. Struck, insued, sa on, s fce ecme Ciss face. Tose wo re cied away y tred do no relise wat
gi e confe on te very oject o ei aed. Bu tred makes you question evetng no leas te kind of ju stice tat aed auds Te uo, te alause greeting Buets and Bon es deat sentence ws s il ngng n my ear s Te residng judge mgt well use s gvel. Te un was ove. Te ests d een ctured And
7
The Lle Wa
no dob h cowd wold aso hav appladd f h xcon had hld p h bac of hads fo hm Y n days gon by, whn Gls d Ras, h achcmna of al m, was on hs way o h sak as h wn by, popl all fll on h kns bggng God o hav m cy on h snns sol was no Glls d Ras-fa fom Was h anyon, who dd no know h m o m po Go d' s fogvnss fo h s md whos only ws h was o d I s hol d lk o hnk so . I hop so I nv m hm n h c owd hongng ond h lawcos. Nohng cod al h fac ha w had ncond had and bn cad away by
We hve ll o ome de gree h d or r in h e ril o f h e Cli rv mderer I I hve q oed he eimon o Bone m eence conel (Bonem hd een enenced o deh or comlici lho gh he o killed none himel d o i Thre or wo reon I know of hd no oher eimn eer le o Ievoke own enco ner wih ice er nd merc he eeri enced i i n he core o f Prn zini ce nd mke i inelligile o he reen d B l o ece in he ree n d Thre w lo r een in he rged of hee mrdee Bonem hd hoogrh o Thre in hi cel To h e c of B e conel W here non e o imloe or hi mrdeer whoeonl wih w die? n God nweforgivene h ince een given he Crmel Liie ring wih Bonem nd Be knew i
he image of the Crcied Yoon cold hrdl he i eer hnce: G Gcher doe in commening The nd Prnni In hs agdy vyhng mgh yo wod hnk hav pld h ba mds sa csss o vcm and md cpdy h sodd con ( sh knw a hs dals) A h m, no on spok of anyhng b h v blackgad h ons h gnob b Y fo h h was h poo nfona Pann and sh adopd hm as h s chld Th foc aacng h o hm ha nohng n common wh h sck mo
ons of hm h n womn who bw ksssofoha h nooo sdc Sh wn owads vangcal smlcy Th mag of h Ccd had vald Thss mssonay vocaon o h and h ncon wh Pann occd mmdaly afwads Sh was no dawn o h cna as a acon agans h own s ondngs b clsvly by Chss savng lov whch sh had js dscov
utice My Lad Int Yur Cncn
eed Panzini wa the lving expeie nce o th i . Bu t o coue thi doe not peclude he ac that gace wa acting n a phyical eing e wa then i n ull phyica and pi itual eoecence. H e emi ni ni y wa eta nly a acto n he eing attacted to Panzini at the momen when he vocation o pi tual mothe hood ha d een ndelily impin ted n he. We may add hat he wa neve to oget he child even though hi name wa neve to occu again in he witing o the et o he le hi paticula ecet he hae d only with Cline. In he con vent he went n having mae aid o Panzi ni . Ci ne tetie to thi a t the Poce: he Seant o God u ed to call Panzini "he chld Late, in the convent, wheneve he wa given an money o he ithday, he ued o otan pemion om ou Mothe Pioe o ue i o havg a ma a, and he told m e on th e qu ie t hi i o my chld; ae all the ick he go up o, hould think he need i! I mu tn t oake hi m now. ' hen , a ealie (in 1887) he wa aaid he might e oliged o admit hat he mae eing aid wee o Panzini acel o way make excellenocomment thihad taement oCline Such a jocula oaneeing omeoneon who killed thee people! Clealy, h wa he mehod o hiding a ecet lying vey nea he hea. he memoy o he mudee eem nee o have let he Bu hen how could any woman oge he on, epecially having one him y the li gh o gace ? I i all too oviou tha om he yea 1887 when Pan zini cime occued, o he yea 87 when on he deahed he uddenly ueed he wod cme in he ie' peence-Celne mut hve een completely atonhed-he had athully peeved Panzn pictue n the depth o he hea When exclaimed, I I had committed eveyand cime magnale . . ' he wahe eaking a lence lating o en yea only inteupted y he witn o he auoiogaphy. Evey cime imagin ale hee can e no dou tha in a geeal ene he meant all he cime o manknd ut i i no le ceain ha moe pecically he wa eeing to he oe commted y Pazin. Ye, Panzni d id pla a n mpotan pa n h e li e, long a e 1887 he mudee o the centuy, who like he Good hie had een ale to enjoy the enet o ec, ha pu he youhul he on he tack o the eenial uh ha elon and whoe ae ummoned to elieve oldly in eciul Loe nceeu did no come o call the igheou u nne In an enionmen, whee a mudee wa no moe han a monte ipe o the guilloine, a chld edcoveed h p o the Gopel.
Can we save sous?
On Thrses missonr voon, G Gher wries: I wa een ad and epeaed all too oen ha he lived in a coed env onme n ealed o om he h u u and polem o the wold Con e quently we tend o think o the aint o Liieux a not eing o he age a
7
The Lil Way
exisig uside ie Oe aga he hy piure prvas ver reaiy. Sue i here is a ew pis urhe researh -Thse ad Prazii, whh sube is by eas exhaused despie Mare Ms exee wrk -Thrse ad yahe Lys he exCameie iar ad rer peaher a NeDame, Pais, wh g aried, uded his w huh ad was equey i he ews. Thse ever spped payg hi ad ered her as ui hs beha. -Thse ad ery Chr as a hid she had e, i uris he heiss whee he was wrkg, a a wh was ae bee ayr, ebe pariae ad iiser, a us aeria, eader he aerass agas wh he ue uri sve ad wh Thrse prayed ad eed he e. -Thrse ad Le Tax he impse h e e ury, a wr ier ai ea paphes, wh hdwiked Cahi pii by a ase versi bere uaask ig hmse had wrie Daa p,by1897. Vaugha, s upps ed ver veed Taxi.Thrse I pursuae he aud, Daa epied Thrses ee. Was she eay isesve he prbms her ies vesga hese u ps ae wud shw he passie ees she k i epary uesis hse a eas eig he deepe pa ma By vig ui, he si Lisieux had grasped ha esus spe his e ag ses save hem. She dd eer Care esape m he, isuae hese m a wi hem, bu b buyig hesei siee, prayer adad hewih ay rdm ve r hei ake her pae a abe wh hem hm share e bea sake, a1i.
T o od 'om ow m mo o do do v v d m o o o mm o o o d od o C Fo oo o k o om m o om d o o vd o C T do o od o vo o o om C om 'T o d o Fo o o odd d o o o m o o m, d v d 5 45 'H ov dd
L d v od dCo w d do d ooo 2 4o B v o q o dv d o m o v d m o o, God m mo od o v v mo o om mk
utie y La In Your Con
77
or own ods what s lakg to th asson of hs Son W ma fl l lq d at sh a r os t t ths mans th at w st l l do t ral l drstand t sn Go d s rng t to s onl to gv s v mor, not to dmand mor of s H wshd and wshs to sav s nrs man s of s n rs n s h a wa that s n rs shar all h rvlgs of nnon o Th dorn ofSavor atonmnt arms that h wholdng s savd ths s not sarat from th t on th ontrar, hat th ross o g savd nvolvs a vtato to om a savor oo n Chrsant w do no sav ldg o th rts o th dmton t sharng n th dm ton s , th r ar g of a r rd lov . Wh atvr ma sad, thr s a dt to ad, t ar from ng nonss nt wth lov, th nsst aall srngs from ov tsl What rars and don, ronls whatsh has n sorrow shard ovr thov wrong ar tars ovr rrd ths vrsrtr xt o Chrs, who od am to hav n mor ad v ha th rgn a r Yt w asn t sh r srvd asol tl from all s If w asr o a hng mor tha n sstantal d alog w h God, w hav no ho t to onsdr o som dgr at last, what ths at vovs God avs s r o hoos to sa ratd rrogat rom h m God rad s a thogh d v r vlg, own th has so or to ogv ho, wth th hs at d a rsk tha w ma ho os o or ow gods. H , t sad, n hav Gods ral rad wl on thos who hav onsd o v ths rvlg o no wh God and who, havg od vg to thmsvs alon lotng ths owr whh w rsm hm, hav lt thr l rt o of lov for Gods lov n ra al or rms, hat dsovrn g that hav a ostv owr goodhs andmans or savn ohrs and tha, wthw Chrst w a r volv d n h dmo (w hh alon an harss al or owrs to h f l w d a v g solo to or ang sh W do o s t w ar sr o rorm n atos o rna at. h osqn of rsg rmas a sr wth God h Chrh ma aos t has vr damd ano W nd on and for al o gras ha w hav othg ss han God as or ho All h
sam, mslk t a q anama, t ovosto hat thoross r oof thChrst onxs hll tds, vodthth of alln of sgnan Ev nvrsd thoog, hos szd lov of God know hs o so Havg dsovrd h roms nvolvd n or voaton and n
78
The Lle Way
or reedom o hoie nd how thee n go wrong we ten hve to ern to pproh God no longer in innoene nd depite thee etbk bt preiel inner nd reling on or ver ditre tht i on hi mer Wht God then how i tht he i love t depth tht we hd never peted videne o whih lie ome omprehenive nwer to ll thethe diltie o Chriin Andthen onl doe brotherl hrit me it trl mtil dimenion tht i it rigorol Chritin one. We onl lern pit throgh the wond we er Aer the Rerretion write e wihed to be tohed onl on hi wond Thre pit nd wond didnt need to ome rom in Her lerightedne o her rilt hrhne her lie were enogh. her Herwrene ther hmilition her the illne her eto bk he r impl e h er trggle From l o whih he ditilled hree ttitde towrd God n bolte nd bold rne towrd her ommnit nd her 'brother n eerrenewed ndertnding towrd herel re o eel digt
1. The bo d loer Unthinkble t thi point not to qote the prble o he two hidren nd the ever dotor. One gin nder ommonple exter nl Thre pek with proph eti geni No pge i n the trdition o Ch mer riti n ipiritlit expin moretoinl how we grp wht when we nd oreve be the reipient on it here we re on the ver threhold o the mter o the Immlte Coneptionor Ld more eniive to evi thn n oher retre ee preerved rom evi mer. And Thre w bold enogh to brket herel with Agtine nd r gdlen 'Ye m well wre e knew tht w too wek to be expoed o tem ptti on hold probb l hve let mel be brn t to
nothing b it e light i tronger hd eeno it glitt ering me t didnt ll otdeepti tht w Where meet oeore nd then ot o lolt reno ne i l meet i bitterne li m no merit or not hvng mbed to ove o retre ine hve onl been preerved rom thi b God gre t mer n ee h t with ot hi m
utice My Lad In t Your Concern
79
mi ae ae a ow a ar adae ad or Lod ood word o Simo eho er wee i m o. kow h o e r e He who orie e oe e " B ao kow ha e ha orie me more ha he orae ar adae eae e ha ori e me i adae re ei m e rom i i How wi wh ioihword wha ee Here i a od exame o o me exe ex ree wh a hi k maie h e o o a ee r doo He i oe r a o e a dow ad reak a im H aher hrie o him oi ik him ed hi i ie a he re ore o hi a r ad oo omee red he o how h rade Now hi hid erai ha ood reao o oe hi ahe B ow e oider aoer ae The aer we aware ha hee i a oe i i hi o a hrie wiho ake e oe awa Now oahead ioad hi o aoe he oeee o h eeie oe o kow wa a miore h aher ha aed hm rom wi o how him a r a d e ad wi oe him e h i e had ee red hm B i he he e o kow ao he dae rom whih he ha eaed wo he he oe him more Yo ee am ha hid he oe o a her reeie oe he hai e hi So o redeem o he heo ie He wa me ALL. H e o oe him eae ha ore me o mhadae waied or me he o oe hm a mh a a did ha wae me o kow how he oed me wh a ea ree ie oe o ha ha ow oe him o h e oi o mad e do make or he r ae h e a ea d o e i orward wih he haiee ode reea he raer o he i a B mor e ha a e e o he e haior o he ada e e aodi or aher he oi adai whih hamed
e hear mie am re ee i hod had eer ha a e ede ommied o Ye m oiee o mihear roke wih reeae ad how me o e arm or kow how mh he oe he oda hid who er o him o eae Go d h i ee ie mer ha re ered m o rom mora ha raie me o hm o r ad oe 'She wod a o me Doe a ahe od hi hid whe e a er a d mi e ha do e wo Doe he ii a eae o hi m
o,To o ira or e o e e m o hi hea hi he hoh ehiremded me o "a or whih we ad ead i or hidhood ao a ki who wa o hi ad ae hae o a wie r a i Hi hod we re ao o a h i we he i e rai reaii ha a wa o red w i ao
8
The Le Way
and md i no h h ns ams Th ki ng was so oh d y hs dmonsaon o s ha h insisd on kng h ai v a and woldn l anyon ls handl o d i x himsl And his is how God will hav o s" sh said i sd y s i sym olisd y h hon ds w sk g n h vy ams o oId gndsand " don da oh how yo an do yo wold go saigh o havn w h indls o ak yo i I know yo hav o vy o a a o h God o al l ho lns s I also know h a h Lod is in ni ly s and his si so alam ing o many is h vy ason o my oy and s Bing s dosn only man ng s v in nishing h gily i also mans ognsing g ood nnions and wa ding vi I ho a s m h in Gods si asand I dovy in hisnd myslow Bas h is s why h is omassiona o nish and isaonding in my o h knows o waknss h mms ha w a ds As a ah ls ndnss o his hidn so h Lod has omasson on s" ( s 1 08 1 4 1 Da o h as w lisn o h Royal ohs wods how an w do ha God an on h gas o hs kingdom o hs hildn who hav ovd him o h oi n o saiing vyhing o his sak who hav no on ly l amly ony in od mak andlov lovd who a vnand wiling o giv h ioivs ohim h kown On hy s s was ainly igh n sayin g h s no ga ov han hs n 5 1 How od h l him sl o don i n gn osiy 'Tha da oh is wha hink ao Gods si my way is all s and ov and I do no ndsand sols who a aaid o sh a lovng Fnd Whn ad his o ha siial ais in whih ion is snd as ing hdgd ao wih a ho sa nd osals nomassd hos oook isiosin ns my oo lil si soon gowsand way losy h aland i only zzls my an and dis my ha and I n o Holy Si insad Thn all aas a a singl wod ons a vas hoizon o my so and ion sms asy I s i s nogh o m o ogni s my no hingnss an d aandon mys lik a hil d in o Gods ams To ga sos o ga inlls I lav hos n ooks whh a nno ndsand a lss i no a i and ak
dligh ing sind ony hildn and a hos who a hi ld nn wll lil admi o h havnly nq lik 9 1 4 k 10 14 Lk 17 16 I am vy gad ha h a many mansions in Gods kingdom n 1 4 2 o i h w only onh dsiion o and mans o ass o whih a oh yond my wis o
jutic Lad Int Yur ncern
81
ndetand hod not e ae to get in A ' od o e . the qot ation a aiae ae end e and e mae i o imotant that we ha etn to i t n C hate 9
2 Udsdig d cy Ty the eeiment o taking aot mey in the Ch Tae a yo onete ea m e, o intan e the emaiag e o dioee o et who hae e the minityyo an e e o eng itiied ned o een denoned Thi i O e eeted I i imoie to t thi hooi ng o mey nto wod eiey eae it ty i a onete hoieChit Fo ha o gien know whete we hae eay and hoen mey one ea and eeti e ig n 'B ee d a e t he mei o th ey wi eei e mey Thi eha i the deeet oin om whih a Chitian 'ommitment hod egn ating with oitia ommitment the ha ted o ei eae ei in toeae Thee i no n eed to go o e a thi again The at qoed in Chae and 4 aoe eak o themee
3 . Byon sgust Thee anothe ign ong tha we hae aowed mey to ente o ie It eqay twothy l do no mean a onen God and hi nond ioned g enoty a on en oe e and o own naeo nae I mean, a etain atitde to ie to o hoe o o aie Thee i in at a aado in the Goe To e hi diie Chit mmon not he ndgen the o o the omaent, t wa io I anyone oe hi athe o h i mo the moe than me he i nwothy o me And eah o the Beatitde i a mmon to atte And h i eem di i mo i e to An d o we e oi in ea
thi i ea e we heaheatinteet the e mm one,them we eto eie the m a oBt hea ttoohad They aam a the whie we hae not made the hoie and oted o mey ome what may Wha we atay hea i 'He who wan to e my diie t ay hi o ody, mt ay hi o
82
The Lle Wa
trss mst rr his ross orgs rf .. Ad this s s not ossi B o oow h God of r is somhing q i d rn Wh is mnt i s not th w ms tk hr s w sh orgos nd vitorios thnks to or own ors no . It mns ndr stnding hos oh r s o Christ 'If o r ird nd w r t mgin i o ro mk nd of hrt o om ik om hdrn thn wil hm m diss I if m or th os sh I did not om o h righos So h who sirs to m disi ms rtin rr his ross B h wi svd r i h knows i h dmits t ht h i s rr ing i t 'dor s s h n ottring ong vr on drgging hin d 'W m s wk or ross hr rm rkd. Ys if w ov mr w m s onsnt o ding or ivs nd rr ing or ross dor d On rhd hn do th w igh knowtth w hv t n hing w know h wv h st Ysnss God hs s I sk o o nd o wi m disi I f k ing sik'No vn h vn or ns tht on m s o m I won nthi ng to rod o f o w rd know wh mr s nd hn o wi know w ho I m nd who o r r
An adocate, Jesus hrist the ighteous How m n ims h rs m s hv xrind hos trth s n n td S ohnW hv n dvo with h Fhr ss Chri s th ri ghos ( n 2 nd ' or hr t ondmns o God s gr tr thn or hr ( n 20 L s go k o Ror Bdnrs sion or momn whr h inrrs his on o h Cirvx tri o his ormr mstr sk o h rrisrs rofssion t ic , my d , t yr c . 't hv t mt t j tic y dt dc thi, y d't tc y, y ct v cqit y r prlm i't t kw wht i jt jt. ly plm, y y r xt wy, t cct th c. Urtd thi, my l, prctly mpl. D thk "Wht 'm
d Im i th k jtc. Smtim thi my t, m tim t, t i y c t i't imprtt Wh ct i tht y'r di yr t r th c. Dfc my ld, i ivii By which m thy m v yr whl l t i Ddi i't mthi t d i tchd wy Ddi m vr yili ich
jstice My Lad Isn Yor Conern'
83
gud vr ttg h prcu rt umpt v m ug ccpt hrd fct F th dfc wy th c y b hrd fct Ad th tht v guy Ju ddt rgv h btrct h y pr pt t frgv th trturr th bg rurd Oy m wh h b th bjct hrd d t tht r druct c dmtrt th m ptc htr d by gv g th htr h hp h t t h ct w b t h g g w r h pr th ud r htrd wy h frgv whch Ju gv t h mmt dyg "Fth frgv thm w rgv rg wt h wh ftry hd b hutd dgrtd bt up dd rdcud tcd dth d w w dy g y crm d bhm By rgvg J u hpd tht th gc dth whch h hd hm f vcm wud hv th wd rgv d h b y u tu d h utur thcfh cbd h fct h rurct Gd h md Cht h th c h b h rgv Ju rgv p th uur h c d r hu u hr d d h h Gd th vry O wh thrw dw b b gvg h wh murd h Ambd B th c g curd fr vr m c h wh ucd v v g m Gd b cd t mt th muu hrd c rc c ct v b vd w th gu r mp cb jut c Gd c y b vd wh rgv c w th B bg m hd b h rgv u u rm h pv mg h Abu
Al are cal led In 945 Bnno kd x h h ondd th mot imont vnt o tmoion xm d, of itStn , Bnno on o noh kd Th h n ng Ch in did nt m on n v ing i n Godh h t n iving in h Dv too W mght tk th h Wh do no vng n th Dv mn In th o , ng o hoo m B d ov ing th o th t God, th God o , Th m mon o h ho od Sh
omAnd tht thi ot o mdi ng thA imt md vi. mmd Sh n h od d I o vi t, no vi n i, o h, o God, ond th h o m Good nd v do no x in thogh v might n t n ond God o
The Little ay
i a ele maady, waeve i oiin ain wi wa oiinae in Ciianiy iel {known a anaeim and evadin o iviliaion o and o and ailaly vilen in axim, i mo iminded exonen no exlded o w, e onviion a evi i eyond e oe o God love and omn ioene an d a eeoe, one day e wiked deoyed. Te wole lie oe e, ooie 'Allwill aeave o-o e en Ye, eneo we an all ae oelve and ea oe o wa we ae , eae Ci ove Ye a new o o o eood i on nde Ci eye And e eailiaion, a o mey, an ake lae, even o oe wo ink o emelve a mainal on e ine o oiey o e C, even oe wo ink o emelve a a away, even o e Good Tie Ye God a an en dooevi no inie way aele we o a eoe eme d o No do i y idin yl,aiin o omeone eole God ake evi l away e ma ke i e ene evide n , e ea wa e denone and e ake away wa e ea He ake i on imel in ode o aoli i He eak e ain o endle exiaion ey ode a onenaion o evil , avin oded i, a e owe o emove e evi and no le i ead ae
Blessed ae the useless aed a ood dea o ie a a Cameie nn old e dei naed ' aone o e miion Tee a een a lo o iiim And o e oowin oin a o e made Now o oe Te did a ea deal y oenin e mind y keei n inomed a ooe wa wa n on e omeoi Sai on o Ha i y adoin miionay y oi oein a o no el aie o e alvaion o oe o a away and o o B all i i n o e im ay e aon o e ein moe and moe aoiaey e aon ain o e miion Tee i a imle one eaon Se aed e a a Love ad e in e vey iae o e C Ci ea ivin e a ae i n e eena o e o a miio nay ende avo C ani d
in iHeneo lie and aion ove eole avedowo aved no one aa e ooeink any eed one o o ie ellowmen a maina o i ani And y e ame oken we ae all a o e mi ion . . ine we al l o e e So ee aain ank o e 'dioveie Te olie o
ustie Lad snt Your Con
85
nge or norml w o looking t tng. Se nntive gred t e New T etm ent deeet i nig t nto t e n r e o te 'm ion . Wen i n S t o n Goe l Crt give te redenti or i work e lw doe t reerene to it srcin: oe wom te Fte r entr ted me wit r e mot reio o l 'w te Fter e mde known to me I ve mde known o. In e e rt le i en 'rom te Fter Similrl S o Pl nd tor o te Etl e to te H erew de re temelve r o m dor t t i eol e wo ntion on e o te eron te rereent nd rom wom te ome Te me etre in At rterie e oie o te otle wo w to rele d: e w o e eleted rom toe wo d 'lived wt Crt nd een 'wine o te Rerretion e ontntl eedexmle: ere l like t Her ClSoinetoo o Tr 1 5 Agt 89 iexr eret 'Onetd wenletter I wo wondering wt I od do to ve ol ome word in e Goe gve me dde n inigt Rie o r e e " He doent wi to do ning wito involving . We m igt red eign e tn drd itre o Tr e no t wit ee loweed o n ever vile ie e o inorm tion t 'ri ing er ee o Crit work For Tre 'te otoltett o rer nd ere li n on it innor ning te need o mn-n kind o erod odid o doing t t in devoring in ormtio et It onited in enering te need o God God need to red ie n d l ove on et i need o oo e imel ildren to mke te 'em le in i Kingdom Ti reverl o te norml view m trike i rriting B int it one g in e o nl evngelil one ll iing e deign tion o ' ele eron trone o te miion Reviewing 1889rdill o e loing week qlit o 189 imoile o te geeiod w om rom e eoentri o it Te ooi zel Se reeive er rote rom Crit Cri d reeived tem rom i ter nd ti i te rinil reon w ' te re m o t e io o eginning wit Prnz ini. Te ndetood t God i te onl eron wom I ve te etint o know ng t I m ll known ee d n d lov ed Te on ero n wo n re me in te det o olit de were
ine vit I nd mel on Tend o nlding Onend wowo m I m erin e omleel in oion e ng ooe living one d ooner or ler will drw ll men into i rm In te Grden o Get emne in e o Nzre God exer iened ti odel more tel tn n ete will ever exeriene i So
6
The Lle Wa
under God ee and n God heart, know that can e mel wthou t retenc e, withou t trikin atiude, wiho t hame, withot aner , ince m own in i crci ed with h m Wha t no one on earth can ever acheve what no orce on earth, wheher olitcal, ocia choloical or whatever, ca do God merc doeie allow ever to quite e himel reel withot eelin that i ein ndvdual uded t, the revere, tha he the i acceted withheh urden o rander and mier, o noilit and cowardice o el oretlne and elaorton to lerate u rom all ear, rom the ear o evi Thi how God love he reache where no human ei n can reach u . God or i the li vin man ai d St renae in the earl da o Chritianit B ivin u ack the re ace o God and hel in unow to mor eliev the eore la tinethe o witne mercor Thre e thanoever rvetri andmh ear to all h, true lor, the lor o ove
9
GORY A THE BEGGAR
On 7 Jne 189 wo d eore erning or erin h her deh w ner Thre worn o ine oed on her knee in he oier Liiex hve hoogrh ken The were e he . One o h em o howing we norerod eo ooking i he mo in ing o owing gi me o wh i w i e in he Grden o hemn e. A e er ier, he m e oe Th re hed i Fine Thi ime he i hodingo migh oering or he i mwo i e he Chid Je nd he Ho Fe. H h ome ering on he gor o God oh er Agne w er e igh when he gve h e reon or Thre eiion o God rini roiming hi mer Th i he o gor one gin reveingGod re e he e o h e Chriin God o he G od o h e Goe er he dioion whh hmn hrdne o her hd ied o i over he en ie. Thr e enr o he modern Ch rh ee he know h hee dioion whih e mor e n nd erriing hn even or de o or eoweng do no ereen God re e
Neier usefu nor useabe Noe r o rio ever one whih we re invied o mke . Thr e e ek nd d io ver h i e in he n me o o ve no
in o Fide he e Chi nnoen n onde heh H o e Now o o do n o doen hi d o r ninno en . mn . . . ed i no d ieren o hn i w n he d o Arhm nd o Je God in he nme o wh he i Love onond even or reigio ir ion when hee r e midi reed We m hooe o
88
Te Lttle Wa
e de The Go d o oe o Dvid o St John o S t u o Frni o Aii o Thre o Liieu i dionerti ng ewid ering t rt in tht he i not to e ought in the rem o the ueu or u e Sine th e oming oJeu Chri he i no onger on ten to e redued to ing rond we grdu hve to onvine oureve thi either gurn toroword o rder orher gur in o theooi order o r othe morit or uerhioo nd deender o ide or uerengineer wthing over the enrio nd untioning o he univere. Neither udge nor reuge A the untion ume d thee god hv e now een tken over other eoe We hv e to go k o he re e gnn ing nd hi i nevit en ti wrenh whih no one ee n go thr ough on o ur eh thi i w n orde Tht me whih i the hmrk o ove No one who oveorn to tret heeoved n oeChri o t titon e ring tretedhime ike tht h me The God oJeu never mniet hime though he were going to overwhem u in the w tht one m igh t reond to o me nee d. H e never mniet him e the u ute or wht we k. He i muh more S o muh more tht he n on oer hme to u in detitution nd eggr So in true ove the reognition nd enounter with the one we ove n re on t ke e und er the et o to kind o ding ding ued etrnendng ove he reu tret he eoved omething dioe or ueu to onee God reone we m we imgin invove ertin wrenh eore we n he r i he God o it h i e ond he u eu or ue e in the iene o dorton nd thi iene n on ertin o ion e ver hrd o her Here we re t the ver he r oTh re revoutionr in tuitio n ou theJnenin Churh nd re w revoution er urie o hd itexed theiro) She um it uthree in en etter o C ne 'He w en e ore hi udg e . He eme oor o ht we oud e hrte to him ike eggr he rethe ou hi hn d to u o h o n the r dint D o Judgement he wi e e to hoe wonderu word o u Come ou eed o m Fthe r or I w hu ngr n d ou gve me ood Jeu C hri t hm e id hee wor d nd he i t i who wn t nd eg or our ov e He
u hune me we gve it wetretothim ourAnd mer H e doen t wh to tkeinn thng the me trie i reiou hi d ivine ee Thi ide eem ed etro rdinr in the C hurh o her d though it w truh whih h d w e en t ught u now udden here w omeod tu rtiing it to he t
Glo and he Bar
89
God h drmed or ever. And ince Cvry every Goe nd every h een teing the me thing God h regned the i mge o hme to . God h tken ov e to ch oint o de iccy to et mode hi ce Thi the 'oy o the ncrnton Coneqenty when hitory come to n e nd where we h hve to th nk God everything iminet w e to thnk to or o The ec ret ordoxicy Thre oy God nd hh er ition eot heven i thi: tht in reone to her ove God w ow her to hre hi omn iotence w hn gry Yo gv e me . . Are yo wiing Now it my trn Not n id e not n ido G od i the dirm ed reen ce o omeone ve iving in or e n ' ncrn tion n diy i e not t he re t emty teri ty o n ide nor the iion o n ido t dirming reence theewidering reence o ove chidGod n innocent Thiece w the dirmed decive nd wy in which choe to mniet hme once nd or in e Chrit Tht omething extrordinry wod hen cod e oreeen throghot reite hitory t excty wht no one cod imgine eore the dy o e Chri t How cn G od how tht h e i the Atogether Other tht he i God By hi might y hi ower to orgnie y dogmtic certitde y rereivene No no y heene nd God wekne the mde heene ove. cnno t er who h him end o itwekne te or m yok ' ove him or he i ony oe nd mercy Thi i the God tormented y hmn miery nd eemingy owere Ony e e Chrit crcied the Hoy Fce ried t the centre o the word wod mke it even oie to ect th ditinct ce God whoe ce i nike ny other ece he God Origen n the ery dy o Chritini ty excim ed ' t i dn gero to tk ot God Ye it io t thi God i nce he h id down h rm And or thi ce i the ony one otey dierent rom nythng tht cretre cn te the ce o the o y o the cro which Thre dicovered ery on n ie nd went on dicovering her ie
Ae you willig?
To t it chemticy thi i wht we cod y the God o the hiooher, the God o cience nd ntre 'Thing re wht they re there i extence nd order; there chnce nd neceity eek nd nd
90
Th Ll Wa
te God o te aestetes 'Wat and o wi see e atent and o w nd Wsdom te God o te moraists Yo ot w e m st. Ts s or d t te God o t e ideooists 'Wat av e o t wat a e o tin or Bt a te God ofe ss as to sa a te God o Trse as to sa in istor and in or dai ves is Are o wiin Disarmed and dsamin Are o wiin Are o win ke te roda son to e on anote r imae of orsef and so reove oe Are o win ike aaes and ar adaen to ook eond or it Attned to te Beattdes are o wiin to take te oor man n to ser or riteosness eae mer Are o win not to e afraid o weein Are o wiin to entrst me wit or ast and ftre Are o win And ast are o wiin to ave me Are o wiin to ead or ie wit me te rea fe te ife o oin and ivin o tr t and jo No oner s ten rifin o r ideas or nv ent in or idos no oner s seekin God te it of or own orae or own notions t God God imsef wit esss fae emodied in te onrete events o dai ife omin ookin for s and askn tis one qestion Are o win are o wiin to make or ife a artnersi wit me Are o wiin
'H is tisty fo lov Gods ear we mst not onse tis insit wit te Nestorian onet of Gods vneraiit or its reent aroximations aot Gods weak nes s Gods ear eresses e essen e oCristianit tis is ease it is insired ove and wat is te ver essene of ove in its re state te need to e reiroated Tat is a ess asks of s He as no need o or works on o or ove. For tat same God wo deares tat e as no need to te s i e is nr isnt asamed to e a dro o water from te Samaritan woman. He was tirst Bt in sain Give me some tn to drink" te Creator o te niverse was askin for is oor
reatres ove. He was tirst r ove O know now ess is trstier tan ever amon te words disies a e meets is inratitde and indierene and amon is own dsies e nds aas ew earts to ive temseves nreserved to im ew to nderstand te etent of is innite ove. n 1895 Trse
Glo and the Beggar
91
wrote ' I ndertand etter than eore how m h e earn to e loved She hd ndertood thi or a long tme. Bt n ne 195 when he w inired to oer herel to erl Love he undertood it better than bore
Whee is he heshod? There i a threhold in ever Chritian lie And thi threhold we an nheitatingl i that deiive momnt when we re ure o eing loved, and o eng loved in an exetional wa And here we e the word h reh old in the ene that the threhold onditon the whole hoe, in orienated the ae otoward n Aine or intane. erre eetl the halet n, roteted romAn the north wind, ontrted o the et availale tone the threhold give e to the whole ho ittingroom owhed wahhoe tir o the halot, edroom I he thre hold i wrongl aligned, the light throgho t the hoe i diminihed The threhold i where o nd where o geet, where o ret nd where o talk. The o hing tht on no what hman eing want or tr to domore, he mer o God doe Rmnot 9 1 know 6 ' hall not lline o ·ervant n ee evnt hi mate I ll o riend, eae have made known to o everthng I hve ernt om m F her n 5 5 Thi i how St Pal nd S t ohn de n e whee t he t hrehol d o Chitiani lie w e are loved nd invited o enter into rnerhi wih God riendhi. ow, however we m derie riendhi, we n, ollowng Thom Aqina, ditngih three eentil tor wthot whih I . it love not eleeking, t eeking rendhi e the good onnot the eloved it i love aed on ehnge 3 t or thi love to e 'rendhi roerl eking, the exhange mt e onened with the love tel And it i thi third ator, repro, whih he eentil eement in the deniton. O it nte love a reman oneided And th indeed i the lement o eing in n loveair Doe the other love me a mh a love him Wh doent he anwer What doe h ilene
mean llknow hi nertaint nalle, all or al o knoWe w h th i ihow theain oe and thre hol d o jand n dwel the love Th e ehange ma hve originall trted w th o met hn g or other held in ommon a haring o tate o ativi t o attitde. Bt omething radill new or when the ttahment orn o
9
The Little Way
and norihed the ertant that the other love eae we love hm Knowing that we are or the other eron what that other eron i or in t erm o ove that and kn owing t hat he want or love that he need t that he eg or it. When Chrit diard the notion o ervant in avor o that o riend to o get rid o all reaon external thi man harin and g o love 'AheIdoe haveth loved the re rot o love etoween God srcinate n i model ed on the lie o God him el We know how Ngren the great Swedh rotetant theologian attemted to dene harit in term o hman love and it two ooing tendenie: ero and aqiitive love and lative love Bt th de ni tion al hort The model or Chri t an ove i not to e on d in man t in the i e o Go d Charit on er not merel a di erene o degree t awith dierene o natre Sine Chrit weon arelove all aed omething radiall ne the w noming that weoan no longer go on exlaining or detin n term o orelve For to ndertand orelve we are now oliged to dene orelve in term o God lie Either we have to aet thiand the ke to dong o i thi reiroit o lovor we have to re the eential meage o the Goe
Rcprocity or nothng Chrit doent ove eae o ome ommnit o interet or external a tvit t eae o what we are to him What the Fat her a to him 'Thi m eloved on in whom I am weeaed i what he want to a to 'A the Father ha loved me o I hve loved o Th i the deive dierene deive or lve loving Chr t a omeone waitingthe or the othrehold o eing o loved God wihe to do hi work n reone to h riend That rima eode o the atora h rge to St eter eide the ake at er the rerretion wa ot rt and oremot a all o reonilit to orage to initiat ive to a etter e o hi rain in the t re I t wa a al to re roit eter d o o ove me Thrie reeated 'eter do o love me more than thee n 5 -1 ) Th wa the
onl ertaint on whih od'Someod e eetivel aed whih od ti whateer wa olie oow ele wi tand a el rond o and take o where o wold rather not go n 118) St a wa to a exatl the ame thing I ive now not with m own lie t with the lie o Chrt who live in me Gal
Go and the Beggar
93
2: 2 n yor mind yo m t be the me Chit e Ph 2 5 We migh giv e mny exme of thi re roty being ved in the hitory of the Chrh Tke thi for inne oe of the mot ower f one reted in the At of the rty Pe r et n d Fei ity we e n rion nd bo to be thr own to the on deie their born y ot hheFeiity fgivingd b rth When w ried w ot on Onethe ofoint her ogoer to her f the yohd r em now wht wi yo do in the mht here one t he bet trt biting? Dont worry bot tht id Feiy 'Someoe ee wi be ering in me then
Ma popoe God dipoe? Yo my obet ht m reding hriy to entimentity No rey Wit ho t thi reir oity in ovwhh i known he Hoy Sirit he Chritin ife t won t hod toge the r 'For m e to ove yo mh yo ove me I h hve to borrow yor ove hen one h nd reoe n ying thi Thre exree the timte mege of the GoeGod h t himef t or dio Godotodmire mn mo to oten to be een i n the het For God yer give ed o the High A On the kingot hoding he roof yo oen nd the word n ro oe God di oe ed to think of thi n t of fih So it i Now however he form doent trike me 'Chriin He who wod dioe in the ene tht we hd no erntive b o bmi migh we be ore b wo d not be God hodnt wn ht for fher A fher i the ooite of omeone dioe i he one who inire romoe who freedom nd e reivity in hoe o whomwken he givend ie Wh wo d be he oin t of giving ie if not o ov e in te ot her t ht dierene by whi te tter in trn beome ore of ove? Hene or the form to be Critin it h o be t the other wy rond God rooe nd mn dioe
Eve i God wee to ki me From hi we n gr the reon for Thre inredibe drng Sh e get it from thi deedown re iroity: Yo ove St A g t ne
94
Th Ltt W
and S t a agda en sos wose sn s wee ogiven ecase te ad oved mc Lk 7:7) I ove tem oo I ove te eentance and moe tan antng ese tei oving odness Wen I see te agdaen seng ot om among a tose gests and snkng e astes eet wit e teas I know tat e eat ad ndesood teas ass o ove and mec esss eatead and to tat sin woman se was tat oving eatinwas not on ogive e t acta to avis te enets o is divine inmac on e and aise e to e igest eaks o contemation Since it was given to me to ndestand te ove in esss eat too I te o t as diven a ea om m eat Te memo o m ats mes me and eads me neve t e on m own sengtwic s t weaknesst even moe te memo seaks o to me o into mec ove Wen in asote we tow ats teand devoing nace o Loveia owtst can te ossi not e nt awa once and o a Tis was not mee etoic Tse wote tis wen se knew ese doomed o de . In te mont o at t e dakest moment o e descent towads deat se was to sa Te wods o o Yes tog God ki me et w I oe in im" ave deigted me eve since I was a cid. Bt t took me a ong tm e to eac s c aitstat o tak aaen ndomnme ave God as ogt mee to e eas e in nt is Now amsIand done t mesotee. Sot e oe oession as a nn at te age o seventeen se ad aead voiced ts odness on o eciocit in one o te most extaodina sen tences eve ononced: 'He wi get tied o making me wat o im ong eoe I get tied o waiting o im
Atcptg glory Tis eaisation tat God ecomes a egga o te sake o eciocit oove not on gave Tse te odness o te saints t was te niin g acto o e i e No onge was se im ai o excsive concened wit ennciaton and sesacce t wit rpndn t th d pur f th On wh v hr Wic o migt
sa is te estt wa o exessing e adicaGod novet o accodng Cs tian to i e ed ccrdn th pch tt Knowng iving Cst means enteng nw rdr tnc,o wic Anoe is cente and igt Few eings can ave ived tei ives as an ntcp tn th t cm in te wa tat Tse dd. And tis s se
Glo and h Ba
one of te mo t oriinl fet re of er witne And ti mt ely e w mn of or Ortodo roter nd it o ey to identiy wit er By fit we re clled to ometin mc rete tn mni m to ometin m c ret er tn te rec retion o lot rdie or of n interl mn ntre men of rce By fit we enter re invited to trncend orelvedivine to ecome on of Godto new tte tt of ecomin orelve Wit te comin of Crit into te world nd te comletion of te cl mter new element w introdced into te mn condition ometin tt cnnot e merel dened in term of te co mi n of rce or teolo of rce Crit n d t e ccomliin of te cl mter rot new qlit of life into te world introdcin n entirel new colo tt of lor B din on te cro riin intoCrit received tetoower o commnictin tind lor not onl i own od t ll toe wo were to enter into commnion wit i otrerrectionl life And ti i ome tin ol tel new rtici tio n i te drk ne of fit in Crit ife etin imltneol t te Fter tle nd t te inner tle And ti involve wrenc ome tin o n ew in te itor o f mn colo ince mn i now rticitin in God life Ti wt re liv ed wit ndi n intenit. Ti tew orce of T er incredile oe c teto elntion of nd ke to w n ndertndin of er ver eronl roc to te Critin mterie ie lw in term of wt te re to omeone ele Crit w te ereion of te ood lere of omeone wo ove er Be it rer te ecrit roter ove intittion er voction nd o fort evertin i een in term of n ecn e of re one o f in ter ectivit An d t i cne evertin ment in Hence freqen t reference to 'even not ftre rewrd reenter orce of life now contemorneo wit er fit How well e r tt tre ectolo er ltimte oint of reference i lor Crit live tody in woe eitence e rticite fit llowin er to ee l tin God ee tem And or er ti lone remove l miitie rii n from ctl rctice f rom te ortcomin of in t it tionl reliion or from te ortcomin of te ortodo of te moment
Tinvoction o nl mk'Oenin e en e forte Tre n term of reone to God er Hol iGoe cme on tee word He clled toe to i m wom it leed im to c ll " Ti i te ver mter of m voction of m entire lif e ind eed He doen t cl l toe w o r e wort o f ein clled t to e w om e
9
The Little Way
eses 'ereton onssts n dong hs w n eng wht he wnts s to e rer: ' nt s tht hve oten reeved onsotons drng m ts o thnksgvng; n t tht s ro when hve hd est nd t hs eret ntr sne oered ms e to es s not s someone desrngtohm to vst or mgven onsoton t ontrrwse s desrng ese hm me he hvng hmse to me n serng nd rother ove We hve red mentoned ths t et s mke the ont gn She s er ot the dt o ovng or neghor. She knows hert nd qotes the oste ssges n the Gose She knows the dsontments tht rse et her rom he r sde or rom others when the tme omes to trn ste ths nto tto Hereoe etreme to everthng whether e to the whosenstvt teh her rets the tehsm to her s eros n the onvent to her eownns to her m H ene the ntr temttons to ert or revot She ens her mnd n Chter 1 o The Sto a Sou hrt s ndsso rt o the ord er o 'do ng onrete rt demnd ng nd o the order o 'ookng o shrng n the w Chrst ooks t thngs. And ths shrng or ommn on s wht omes rst mtter o reson dng to the wve o someone ese o ves me nd hen tthn more to wht ese oght to dohe ese he eets nde o egs ths og me 'Everthng hve done hs een to ese God ' hve gven hm everthng. For ong whe now hve not eonged to mse hve gv en mse tot to ess He s ree to do whtever he ke s wth me n erod when gret mn Chrstns sed to kee re ont o ther vrtos deeds n the hoes o ernng rewrd ommensrte wth ther merts Thrse oved wthot keeng rodg wth tttde oth hnds 'When ove oont don t kee on t gvng Her whoe n e sm o med n ths: ' m not sesh ove God not me Love eressed n gems o tr hd ke snert mr tes stond ng nd tter ot o keeng wth the tmoshere o nneteenthentr Crme. Agnst the er rsng her omnons Thrse rotested: 'I dont nderstnd sos who re rd o sh ovng Frend 'Sne t ws gve n to me to nde rstn d the ove n esss hert t
hs er rom mehert. so good to met me thtdrven nd tmoss e to rd'Ah o hthe m. Lord 'H owsn o ee to e rd o someone wh om ove so m h Sn e God s tr he Fther nd sne sh e s tr hs hd wh shodn t she hm ' ? thogh t s mosse God d d n t see m good
Go and th Bgga
9
acios , s o ld e worried i e leas oe im so m c sold ik e o e ale o lea se im w io is ee kowig a i was
Feedo o f eat To lease i m ei d is almos ifa ile exressi o lies e mos adaed orm of selaadome ad rs ad e sroges armaio of e reali ad immedia o er fai Trse ies for Cris lig oda i glor Tis i o wa dimiises e iolee of e ale, se gs kowig a ior is alread wo. Hee erocosa eer e is ri of aer aif regard ecome eor arised ad,ooallow ree from ei g eer o allow er freedom of ear o e i maired, or if so o recoqer i a word, o kee er ear free o loe A m aer of saig free a all imes o e ale o reogise Loe weer eid e fae of er maed faer (eseciall i 1889-9); or eid e faemaeral og ofe disgred assio ealos of er o er riores s arie de Gozag e or ei d e ee more ma eral m aed face oer Ages of ess er siser (wile ealso laer orilisace eldofoce as rioress ewee 18 9 ad Trse was olg ed o orif er ear aga is ar al comassio we oer arie de Gozage was giig oer Ages a ard im e; or e id e mili aed ae of e r oe r siser Cli e, wom Trse reg arded as er ae ego almos ideed as e cld, ad wose rs ses i e religios life 189-7) ad ee fairl disa s ro s ad e e m iia ig for Ci e a d so for Trse ooTrog all ese eerda ees, Trse ad o reogise e resee of Loe o is or a kd of loe a Loe 'e roer of wic is selfaaseme eras is is e limae reaso or e 'oemlaie ife God as oored s allowig s o sare e og o Crs, ad eceor we are iied o see eerg rog Criss ees Sime e oree oem oraeosess of e Crisia ad e Gose Te immedia of
a 'Adoaes ieresso, wo is owLig. ieredig for s ' as leased im o all s o is woderl is ecefor fridde for s o aror dos ao e rose of or life we o og er a e e rig o derrae i God eed s o r lo e s as e eeds i s So , a d is i s o lo ger o io al ow a e a s deci ded
8
he Lte Wa
and as deided o a etenity. We ae te ey ea owe o gii ng i t to i m i n ose es and i we ese tis i s on e gi om te Son to te Fate wi doesnt take anot owee tat te etena gi an ee ease ae aed yo iends God as on y one oe and wen e oes tis is te ony oe e an gie Te Fatewants to oi eie wittos wat isos eteen Son and imse te gi s Son imse te gi wi is e oes s . An oeing wi aone in te na anaysis an eea te wy and weeoe o eation: 'a seet idden om t e wise an d eeaed t o te itte .
Vi of j stie o viti of ove Among ote doments o te eiod eseed in te Came at Lisie is t e annonement o t e deat o a Cameite n n o te Lon ommnity wo died on Good Fiday 1 Ai 185 Te tet is eoded a itte te on. Te oitay is dated May 185. Tse oay ead it ead (in eetoy o at eeation) eoe mass o n S nday Jne 9 o in any as e eoe daw ing e Jne At Loe eitedwas on to wite 185oASeoeing omaison tooMei te notie witwi w atse Tse is ey signiant te one is te ey antitesis o te ote Te asi diene is not etween ea and tsttis eing meey te onseqene. Te essentia dieene ies in wat motiated te entie ienta tion o tei two ies. Fo Te it wasn t imaiy a ma tte o ayng seing making sai es a nd so ot t o aowing oe to esond to oe. Hene we migt e-
ess te entie ationae o eoing ie inmeans te oowing seqene oe ies y eioity aeting tat e wo oes me mst gie me te weewita to esond to im Tse disoes tis eioity y seeing ow desite is owe te Ote eses and denies imse te igt to eet esse and inst ead ina iay ese nts imse as a ' egga: wene ae on eedom and tst wene again itoy oe a ea tis eads e to take im wom se oes as e soe and
sot wene te entie oientation o e ie ie te oeing o ese in esonse to Loes 'eggi ng. As te Teesean soa F A atoot osees 't is eisey wen ononted y Gods seaasement tat Tse ike St a
Glo nd he Beggr
99
nd St Jon ecome certin o er ower God rce to dioe o God ver ert o God ver love to ove i e imellove er. 0 Trinit o re te rioner o m ove 'Te vor o in towrd te Sn o Love on te ver win o te Divine Ele Tre i in t rein in troner nd imler orm te verte exre ionn owrene er mte roS ein t onen o te ro e decrie ine riti ledC to ivewer Gode to God Bt, te little w Tre ver ritl erceived tt oe, ed on recirocit o love oer little one ti oiilit lon eore te ltimte te o trnormin crit i reced. Ti er i te ecret o er eloerin. Bt eore w e li ten to wt e to let conide ew e rom te necrol o wic e e rd t o t te time e w drwin er Ac o SelOerin Te deceed nn in qetion w Sr rieAnne Crmeite o Lon To t d o r atl ar d t at a m ador f o xia tio ad rig . All a a i tat or da dartd Sitr ardtl dird to glori God ad to av ol. Wit t aim ogt rig
ad rtl l a a vitim to Dv t . . omltl o obtaiot ovrio o a od mmbr o mil drvd rl frit o a wol a. To ovt a oor wo ad b ommdd to r mad a oltio v aga to at bttr a log a livd alto g wa v r od o t . . . Lat l a i rvio ar or blovd Sitr mad r mao rtrat at t am tim a t rit of t dio wit i t id rvo ad d ir to rg l o r i mr tio o tat migt go to av wtot rt ag trog Prgat or. Tratr t togt vr l r; r rtat roltio w d t followig ot: Imlor or Lod avg i oor mt add makom r ai ad ordal aodg to togood la t _ . o ta ma go wtot dla to Cr ad t alvato o ol bl ado lov ad glo God tral bli. Tog rg grw mor at bo tm wt grat ati v dig to r mor to omlt t rgato o r ol o at. S alo ardtl dird to di o a Satda o tat migt o t ivilg o t Sabbat B ll . Lt dd o tat ra wa ard or bratd lat o rida vg aftr irt Vr o Satd .
At lat t gat da am da of mr ad ti of gif ad lov. Al l r li ad kow l ttl bt t oolato ad at r of lov bt ow am t tim for to x it rgg ad vr mrif l tr ial O r dig li ad t rt r gad ot i agi I'm drig t igor o Dvi ti . . Divi t i . Divi
100
Th Ll Way
tic 0 Jsus cm quicky, quicky I cant ndur any mr .I accpt ths inn r trmnts Unc rtainty uncrtanty Raising and k ing at h cd and trmb ing ha nds sh said I dnt hav nugh mrits I must acquir mr Frm tw i thr cck n d Frday atrnn, th strugg was trrib W hp that ur dary bvd Sistr s uy trusting in divn mrcy may hav rcivd a avurab wcm br th Svrign Judg but sinc th Lrds judgmnts ar imp ntrab w pra y yu yur ki nd nss t add yur prayr t hs arady rqustd
A ew days aer earing or reading i s neroo gy Trs e was o oer erse no o sie o eri Love Tere is noin g o add o wa se ersel says ao i ee a every Crisian is aled o make e same resonse o rase e same reiroy even i e doesn know i or anno do i Trse reminds s aegoriay a igmindedness isn wa is eqired rswi anyone an manage Tis year, on 9 ne e eas o e Hoy Triniy reeived e grae o ndersa nding e er an eore ow m es s desire s o e oved ' was inking ao ose sols wo oer emseves as viims o e s ie o God o dee and draw down on emse ves e nismens in sore or e gily Tis ering seemed grand and noeeared o me e ar rom eing drawn o make i "0 my God!" eaimed in e des o my ear is yor sie aone o reeive sols sesaried as viims Doesn yor er Love need viims oo On a sides i is ignored and reeed e ears on wom yo long o avis i rn away o ove o oer reares seeking ainess rom ese wi eir miserae ae ion insead o rowing emseves ino yor arms and aeing yor innie Love. 0 my God is yor desised Love o remain oked in yor ear ink i yo were o nd sols ering emseves as rnoerings o yor Love yo wod swily onsme em; ink yo wod e gad a no aving o reress e waves o in n ie en dernes s wiin yo yor sie ove s o e done, og i eends only o ear ow m more ms yor eril Love ong o rn so s sine yor ery i s as ig as Heaven . 0 my ess le me e a ay viim! Consme
yor r noering wi re o yor Divine Love " Wa od we venre o add Ee o read Trses A o SeOering over again And ave e orage wie reading i o ray a i may eome ors and o ae e silene wi alone is wory o s odnesse siene o e Beggar
UI THE UTY F BEIG HAPPY
'I nd hliness epelant
'A sain is a dead man og in e word, e no onger eongs o e word. Te Cr si anonses, og wio ensasm e ai e mse ves ave an osr e eeing a sain s e ong o e as I nd oiness reean, w is soisries is reori and is morose deeaion i serves on one rose oda o aowing disones men o advane worse argmens eanPa Sarre in Si Ge es I wod reno Sarre we eree rig,s on We, one ondiion oness onma an ver sod i on e sain s in q esion ave n een a and aven inre ased e sm o man aness I s is e ase, Sarr e is rig I no, e is arging on e sde o n aines s Tomas Aqin as ends is re ase on God m ed aing on God s ainess and oens is reaise on an and a man morai w a sd o ainess Wa ao T rse Can se e s o nders an d is more ear ? I n sie o eve ing ao w e ma odao aoor era'i eing e wa , ao dsover or oe, ere rs, aed, es er eia i we are nged wea or sin is doesn reven er ie o s ering an d ren n a ion rom ma ing s ee araid Yes, i is rige nn g Wod as m evena e ased o s Saer eras no o now oo m ao
What had this batte gt t d with me 'Is re, se said, I og o ave een more rden, seeing a I ad noing o give O ese aren ings o nd eas o
102
Th ttl Way
detad ad dot a make o ee what motive wee! Dee dow all hoht aot wa God wa ol mle ad h eel or h ake . a hild a lit tle hld e a re ad o ad ! Doe t h tke o a tae? e t ea ad ear leai tha mae We are o e d o it that we dot otie how ad me areheerl d d twhe wat talk to eliev t wa Ye like eideed ole who look toeivalid. thereove i he i jo o God jo i a wordeah o ha hi ow dea of hat B t the at the reate ai t k ow the eret o let it how withot harmi their eihor Wha had thi attle o me ot to do with me? ol e ed at ea thi . A d ea e ever attem t ath ele eole imaie that a do ath i exet mirale of me Ad however ma daoade will have to at i me ever ha S? W e areealloe i me o e jo ad ohe er ea e o t t whe all ai d ad do e we are all eak the ame read eide he otai holdi ak or alivathe ame dit. Yo were ertail wro o eet ah rom me Bt ive o what ve ot what little ve ot ether mor e o le dot wa t to defed melf a more t hat over We hav e o rih to d ed or elve . God doe t kee a o ve likehem valale ird a aviar He htoet awa awa oriothito theive ood thefred ad to everoe a he wa ive awa Pilate! Here take him thi i the ma" word Sir i that arival o oldier riet ad aited whore what a trae aair hmait t ommio wa! Berao alo tt forward a ad ar met a Sarre wold have it i th aae from aoi where withot atall ai o he i i a writi ao t Thr e o Lie?
Aloe w or freedom arel or wr iti ao t Thre i Lafoudre de Dieu ha eatl aed what lie at the ore o her wite
moder tme the aral world ha e to dterate toiet of the ha Holollaed Sirit havetheee t o iht A radioe world oethele ie everthi ha vaihed ad ma i aloe i i total deded aloe with hi reedom oo a God who ha tred himelf of hi ower a i
Concluion The Du Being Happy
103
redued to uh a tate of miery that a he an do now i wait for the unepeted from God whie God for hi part wait for him to make t he oving geture o f hu ming himef . But in thi word the horizon i a though wa ed o in a diretion; the wind of iene ha raied th e wind of depair o that i eem a thogh t he Redemption hadand een a faire word owing wit u t itterne adne notOur in the way itheart mightiifover we wer e ored eaue it eem the Bood owing from that 'piered and eeding hand no onger ha a dvine or redemptive harater And ut a The Lile Flower Franianim wa for many entrie hank to S Franci the ymo of joy in uering o now in he bical meaphy ical adne he mode age Thre by a eriou deign Providence ha had a vocaion among oher hing ha aking evehing on here under he guie ' Even o weof mu and ndconolaion er tan d the ea gn i ane of her oo king heerfu When peope o my geneation wen to atehm (at roughy the time when Thre wa dying her d eah of ove" i n the onvent inmary we wee aght tha a Chriian had a duty to ook heerf u o a to enora ge oher in the way o hero im But thi wa n ot a a t he a e wih Thre he e ognied heef to e not a trong woman ut a very weak one And the at hing he
woud have e" wihed wod haveit een the rarey hyporite app earan of joy whih e emto pay he very aanHer done d even whie writing The S a Soul nde oediene or perona etter for eaon of aeton and fiendhip wa impy a fene whih he raied etween here and othe peope o a o remain aone n the darne with the myeio Beggar An eentia ondition or onoing" e a he ontanty repea i iene o t dean d oivio n Oh to onoe yo wh To ive ignored on earth he wrote in one o her poem and n another I want to er aying nothing So that eu may e onoed
'In he mot joyo page of The So a Soul, in the L Converaion and in the Leer he doe her et in a pirit of hu miity to eae the memory of the Thre of the Depth who had o
04
The Ll
truy witten that the way to wipe away Jesuss tears was suering uncourageously", sadly", with him This sadness howeve is perfecty compatible with the peace beyond all understanding" spoken of by St Paul. t happened that twice in less than a month during 1889 Thrse wo uld wri te of an ineable all shall joy be First in a aletter of of al1l Mach shejoy" writebeyond s that we deied t thetoverCline y source joys and all deights" and then in a letter of 4 Apri where she identies this ineable joy" with peace (another of Thrses kewords) To suer in peace" she says you must really want every thing t hat Jesus wants" B ut in fact here she is writing abo ut some thing beyond all joy and all suering This peace of the depths is Gods joy the beginn ing of our deicatio n in the darkne ss of exi le" the ineable
Stating al ov gain I t is very hard to wite a life ofThrse oL isi eux ther e s too great a weat h of mate rial You have to follow a nu mber of str and s charity , tru st prayer, for God . You have to ronme take note her changes o lackdesire of change of attitude to her envi nt , at of peril of opposin g or subo rdi nat ing her t o it You ha ve to begin all o ver again a t each 'd ecsi ve momen t be it the Chrs tmas convesi on the noviiate the discov ey of Scriptue her father s ill nes s the Act of SelfOering Each time there is a new begnning; at the same time you see that everything was thee aleady though now more deepy experienced The stoaint s are artful and Thrs the e was a gited one . she To people choose believe that she despised wold o that was thewho victm of a mistaken dualism o that she was a martyr to her own virginity she has nothng to say She hides She does this not to annoy us, not to get away from us, but to mae us go all the way to the foun tainh ead to what domn ates us all: the searc h fo happines s
Always chf and contntd On 5 uly 189 four days before the really serious haemorrhages began Thrse said to her sister Agnes Dont feel sad at seeing me
Conusion Th Du ing Happ
05
ill dr Mohr or yo cn s how hy God hs md m m lwys chrl nd connd Discssing Thrss omism, P Dscovmn sys n oin o c Thrs didn immdily discovr how o convr hr s rin gs in o joys Sh md hrs l vry lin bo his on 3 1 Jy 19 ims r hr r sincomm nion ho Lord o rnSom ll rh consolions o bir nsssh orhd hr skd Sh hd nd his ryr in Th Imitation Christ nd ws insird o mk i or r o skin g in h l di s nd cions o h word h joy which sh wishd o nd in God on Th nswr o i ws no long o sk Th rindly ovrrs sh md o his or h clssm wr brly rrnd nd mny ohr rils ovrook hr sys Thrs, I did n occr o m o k oy in his h ws grc
only is ccordd lrmos B l s qo in l l whh shsh h d o sy sinc is onm o h imorn srvlions vr md I hv ond hinss nd joy on rh b only in sringor I hv srd gr dl hr blow nd ohr o l shold b md wr o his . vr sin c my rs co m mn ion, vr sinc I skd ss o rn l l r h s consol ions in o birnss or m I hv d rl dsir or sring B i did n occr o m o k oy in hs h ws grc only ccordd m lr. U o hn, i ws ik srk hidd n ndr h s hs n d lik rs bossoms dsind mly o bcom ri. B sing my bossoms k lling, llowing mysl o brs ino rs whnvr I s rd, I sd o hnk n sd b wildr mn This dsir wll nvr com o nyhing Lr Thrs ndrsood h o sr ccording o Gods r , hr ws bsol y no nd o s r corgosly wiho smng o noic h r srin gs, s hros nd siri l gins" do I ws nog o cc h r s rings s hy cm n d s sh ws, nd o or hm o h Lo rd wih l hr hr rmly bliving h h y wr no slss Thrs d ndrso od h is comlly whil rd ing h rr nos kn by Sr ri o Sin osh d ring h rr p rchd by Fhr Picho Lisi Crml in Ocobr h mdiion o n Chris s gony or ins n c ndd s oows: God rsrv s, som sin sid rom srig grndly srongly higmnddly No, wiho h inim cross o
discorgmn, ll ohr crosss b sh worhlss" hr s h d grsbv d hm lsson r cly hwold d vic sn o hr sisr Cln or r wnih birhdy 26 Ari 9 is nyhing o go by W msn imgin w cn lov wiho sring, wiho s ring gr d L s sr biry ncor g
1
The Little Wa
osly ! Jes s sered sadly Unless sadly wold he sol er a a nd ye we wan o ser highmindedly grandly! Cine wha a fooish illsion!" nd i was exacly in h is wa y h a hrse acce ed s ering on her sic kbed S ering fon d her srenghless joyles sno ma er! s she hadin already realised when wasconsis sixeenin hoiness consis n e senimens doesnshe even belie vingdoesn hem or b eve feeling hem I consiss in sering and in sering cased thing " ' (Les secres de loimisme hrsien Annaes de sainte Thse de Liieux nos 9 and 12)
Am I sffeig popel?
One day Moher gnes was congralaing her on her aience hrse relied I haven had a momen of aience ye I s no aience Yo are al misaken his was why hrse never asked God o increase her serings: she was conen o acce wih a smile whaever sering migh be resened as winess his conversaion of26 gs as reaed by Sr Marieornaely of he Echaris in never a leerasked o herorfaher 'She old day I have sering for s i yeser I had I fear I migh no have had he aience o endre i However since i come o me by he re wil o God he canno refse me he aienc e an d grace I need o bear i" o God doesn give me o exec an mmediae deah b grea er sering sil she said on 2 gs 1897 'b Im no worried abo ha I only wan o hink abo he resen Im no he sor o sermover as so or ser over he hrse fre. I said onlyhis ser resen omenhe nd s no so b ad. on in hehe day when, racked wih ain and emaion she knew ha she wod never agan be able o receive commnion wo days earlier she said: Im s ering a grea deal b am I s ering roe rly? has he qesion! he back of he book o Gosels which she invar ably carried on her erson she had wrien:
Lord yo overwhelm h joy By everyhing yo dome (swi165)
Conlion Th D Bing Hpp
0
y all s sffig One cannt he lp p test ing at ths p n t: wh y des G d need all ths su ein g in de t mae a saint? Isnt that the questn u nd eying Sates sense epugna nce? Hee we ente the nal cicl e hpe N ne wuld dae t e an answe F the answe cant be amed in d eas and w ds Only ths e wh have passed thugh ths · ccle can give it Thse has given he eply F he it wasnt a atte sue ing nt sueing but peseing cme what might the sweetness lve and peace lve Ch is t n the Css is cetainy a 'ttued being but is st and emst a beng wh lves hs Fathe and mani nd I Chist was c uci ed ths wasnt t have us cucied t t was t mae us childen I we havent the ight t eply we can and must ty t undestand since this cncens the ultimat e in al l u i ves'ultiate in the stngest sense such as t had the Gee s instance, i n t hat a teat se n Hapness nevt ably dealt with the end, with the aim human existence
Th d ty of bi g hpp y Happiness is ne paticula type ullment: ullment te spiitual being which pupse we wee ceated Hence the pac tial cnclusn it i invitabl lgitimat and obligto to hppin. I t was what Th se was t see thu ghut he li e But we m ust n t g ling in the wng diectin F thee is n immediate evi dence t shw that u tue appiness is bund up with the ght way seent he way Gd Seeing ulislent is cetainy a 'd us uty bu t hwe itt ing thewill ight din g this n t a eg ne cnc n Its easy t mae a istae What is happiness Th intn yt pal poion vthing w n dir Nw, this tt ality isnt a matte qua nti ty S atisactn in pssessing all is quaitatively distinct m pleasue and even jy Thus in this sense Chists agny was at nce a mystey happi ness and sueing
and intni : the ceistence these tw chaacteistics cm pises the ieducible essence happiness Happiness is at nce calm and vile nt I ne these tw chaacteisti cs is absen t then t isnt happness any e Lie may be cwned with evey satsac
108
The Little Wy
ion wi ho bing hay or b rfcy cam a d acf wi ho big hay Lif dyamism insiraio foy ad wih hs wisdom scriy swnss inwardnss sch a h wo ascs of hai ss. ovmn and r os a h sam im . Which is why w somms hik w a daig wih irrconciabs and nd o choos or maions ohr of h h ahs advnr i ibri moHnc h woon ga wo yarigs or for haiss: h on hand a h Don ans and ass h ovrs h m of aco who ho o nd haiss i adv in h s for aco ov ar drgs W ms aways b movg o rady ik a d ar o ask dah i sf o ak s n o on car s whr so og as w nd somhing w And on h ohr w sk hainss h safy of i ibri m h assrac of sab r h joys o hom. Thogh o may ici o o or ohr of hs ascs of hain ss a of hm fac nd boh. W a d hainss a d wiho boh hr is non Thos who rn ar rackd by hirs o nd a raiy a objc ossssion o which wi vay aow hm o rs wiho osing hr as for nsy ad ovy Th ovrs of ordr and ros wod ik a ri ving os no by any mans a swoo or s mbr Each ds whhr his i s admi d or no a ovr ros bcas sim o ad insiy bcas inw i which Hcwi hbdisaoimakng h form of h crossoc w discovr w can nvr b saisd by a crad hg nss w dbray ovrook is imiaions or forg h vioc of or hrs God romiss by his crars b oy fs by hims wo h yoh Cad ha sam yar ha Thrs d h oviia Th advnrrs forg h im aions bdazzd as hy ar by h objcs of hir saisfacio coming o hm i h vrroirs swif sccssio Thisrs shock vas sdor b no Thogh h indd ha s h scod f 'gac wh im aos ca b orgo o giv an i sio of h ii Havig sckd h sws o o h fri Th advros coas org abo hi hirs and s a oo asiy for a cra hainss Thy wiingy comromis h r granss o h vs ahr ha b ovrad by i conn o m h sorrows o sc wih soc vr.
Thrs ac cd hor hi rs or hainss o hh a ss Acoss hNow yars sh shos o s ha a Chrsa o oc fo hanss is si
Conuon The Du Beng Happy
09
The ordeal isnt whats fesome
ou n ke one o hee udes o he Beudes. ou n ee hem. ou n eh n ommodon by only keepng wh s veble, possble pble. Ths n go on o long me ou sl hve bu le you own, o yousel Ths beble heodnge s hyou yousll wllbelong evenully nd h hes Gospel beomes n oppessve yoke you wll hve ll he hdshps o Ch s ny nd vue, whou ny o he oy Whh onl y leves pusung he Beudes whou ommodng hem. Bu who would de? Who would no eol beoe he oss? oesn hs done n popound h he ony hpp nes s possble s n he ls eso mpossble o n? Ageed, ge mny dones pssng hemselves o s Ch s n do ndeed led us o hs dsougng onluson. Bu hee oo Thse o seux ws vvdly ognl he nsnve h pe seved he om he l eo o pesenng he oss nd odel s hngs exenl o ue hppnes s ook ng hngs om h nge whh s glly wong one, we do nd eed see he oss s sn d ng on he od o hppness bu seemngly omng from outde s hough o b he wy Thse s moe smple o he 'hppness mens lovng someone, men s lovng ll mn knd. Ths beng so, she n s ue ny hng n d s ll be hp y, no supelly spekng, hen les essenlly Thoughou h e le Thse mde le ds non beween he mysey o he oss nd he mysey o eng dvne le Ths le s less eyng o ou mgnon bu s n he only esom e mysey, sne o n n he nl nlyss deends ou slv on nd ou epne o he oss The odel s n wh s e some bu he deson whehe o no o e, o ssen o ovng to the at te knd e wh God erng u Wh Juds eused wsn he o ss, bu he lyng down o hs ms beoe ogveness . s no longe queson o ben song, bu o beng suenly humble o love o be ble o um n ou lves Now our trength depend muh e on oureve than doe our humi and weakne o Thse hs s he see o hness, nd hs s he see o he Be ude s And love o ou own ex ell ene s pese ly wh lwys,
nd n he ls eso ushppness us n eopdy No o eelng epelled by heonly, nne oeedoussyng, by God Bodly we mus sy wh Thse he oss sn he el duly, bu he dsmng o sel by whh we gve ouselves o God. Any oe o new knd o le ny nvon o ouney, s
Te Ltl Way
from hr i wy h t p int o th n kno wn (wh t hr d t ch tg to c 'drkn or fog . And howvr ttrctiv tht nknown my b thr i wy th critic momnt tht momn t of trn ition th po vr rom o n k ind of if to n oth r whn yo o h riy of th rt withot yt hving got th t of th cond. nwr Whn Vrio in Dotoivky Te m?'Y.'Do Adolecent Ktrin Nicoivn 'Did yo ov yo now?'No I cod hv ovd yo � if yo hd ovd m Krin don ri tht h h t givn wy th crt of hir ntir rionhip Sh i right hi mn cn ony or hr crity. God or i combining th innit nd rpo. And how cn yo hv two hppin t th m im? By con n tin g o ccp th Gop w connt to ntr dirnt ordr of itnc if which bcom if whi n tiy omonA if. From thi or tndpoint w rmining cn th h Bt itd cn on y b ndr tood if w r r dy nde h King dom. Fornd hr i th prdohy or hppin not mry oppod to f hmn widom bt vn oppod to tr widom ( Cor : 72:9 hir ony jtiction i in thir fmnt in God hy r onc dcrion nd promi Dc rtion of ct th of th nw righton in which th cro initr pct no mry ongr trn rgrddonht n obtc nd promi no r ongr th Kingdom rvr th condiion on whic h hppin my b hd And in hi n vryhing in th Gop ppr dignd to ch hmiity povry nd mkn. And frhrmor hr w to rdicovr o ch o love hmiity nd povrty rqii o divin hppin W r dirmd hnc r o vicory
We thst fo happness b ut fea the thst W dir hppin bt fr th cro Bt hppin nd th cro r mytrioy ocitd hr on rth. For rthy hppin conit in oving nd ov on rth i ov crcid Or hppin hnc i hppin crcid nd hnc cnd How h w
trc progriv of hi Cd rchth ndChritin hr God own bi dicovry h oon h voction? cro rring p to in hi ph Nt h dicovr th cro int ony n obtc bt o rvti on o th bi to which h i invitd . H thn bgin to r thi bi t th m tim contining to dir it And h cnnot
Conusion The Du Bein Hpp
ll
sca fom ih his fa o his dsi, sin c h is a gis wih an xcssi lo inn on aking osssion of him Gac gis s h his fo God fo Gods biss and no oh kind Tha alon can saisf o caing n hogh w ma no know i W ma sa a long whil wiho alisi ng, m a ca his gm abo insid s fo a ong whil wiho an hing m ch showing, js as w can ca a gm o lif o a gm of dah fo as and as and go on lading an odina lif wiho sscing sch a hing A mos an obsc nasinss ma wan s ha, dsi a ha o hilling lif as commonl gadd, w a no saisd and hn w nd osls daming fom im o im of somhing nw, ncd aodina which n acall coms Thn, on da, h nasinss bcoms a cal, an ini aion o s o w als ha down h and f a awa h is somhing waiin o s, and ha his somhing is somon and ha h is somo n is God , Gods blis s, a ms which h s of man ha no s n no h as o ma had, somhing n had of and nahomabl Thn w la Eg and s o in Chiss fooss lik sh following hi shhd, no in ac knowing wh h is ladig, sinc w kow nohig wha bo his msios bliss in so fo s W onl know ha i is hainss hainss, o hainss, h hanss fo which w w cad, and ha is al w wan o know
ewee us d our happiess n an cas h oad is as o b wih ad w a nchand b h jon s W ha o cos aad ad h Gosl and know ha h a bond o b odals fo h momn hing sms os, and odas can b dismissd as hohical nil h da whn s w s h ol of h coss chd agains h hoizon is s ill a o ng wa o o b s, and h obsac ls giing s a foas of i a sill obabl ligh En so, h coss is no lon g som hing ima gina , oma nic , sdci , im so nal is s and ing in h ah which w a ading an d h ah is a ding
s saigh owa w ds ibon W lis, h h i, isw hshal ga ha o hao bliss fo which d andaha liknChis s and di o n go Th wods of h Gosl and S al ing in o has wih a nw mhasis 'f anon wans o b m disci, him nonc sl, ak his coss and folow m
1 12
The Litle Way
ts word s av pa ssd i to or s a d blood li k i s ow ad t ar to bar W ar tmptd to rvolt agais tm o tos das w ait oms ardst . Ad w d tm pat il arl ard to ba o t lips o pop wo do ot alwas sm to av graspd tir ll import Yt tat is t r tw s ad or appiss t ol w rall stads t ross o oss t ol rossappiss tat w dot wat wat, to arr T w start big alarmd at tis diso rtig jo ad l ilid to at W rassr orslvs as bst w ma. Somtims w ar wak ad tr to orgt abot t arsss o t mssag isribd i or ats W ar ot sort o axioms itr: Gra dost dstro atr r dt is to mbra t modr world ad spoil t Egptias r tims rir a iarat spiritalit, bwar ofa ta otrworldl ad Cristia liw issold a flllig , ot mp tatio W m mstagogi. s t mas lat or sl vs , w mst ol d o to ma val s . . Somtims w fl stro ad obl ad t tr is a v s btlr tmptati o to dodg t ral sitatio o tror tat m ardr to mask. W srw p or orag w wip orslvs p to roi igts 'Ar all tis is ol a bad pat; lts mak a ort ad dr for lov of God wat so ma otrs a v d rd for ls s rdi tabl rasos atfdowatig b orslvs o ors, bt gra wot b w lakig ar faitfl ad rsolt Hlp orsl ad God wi ll lp o t s r or ra to arr o t priz t
he race is nt t the strng Tis is all vrowll, mstr t ross is gra. dpr Ad ta tis tat;is o a t gt t of itbt bt obil t v of assist d b t al ad disiv stag wi Trs lps s to ass trog t ist partilarl asad aotr ss it ist partilarl dlt, si t ist rsrvd to t srog, ad t wakst a do it Its m asir ad m ardr, s basiall t mstr o t ross st a mstr ofstrgt bt a mstr of lplssss t i s a vitor t o b sr bt a vitor dd v rom t s of t
vtor, a vitor asavi g vr appa ra allstr t tast of dfat ad prd a df at . T ross stad a m of bravr b t a ms tr of lov t dos t osist i s rig or agos l, or mrl srig llsto bt big afraid of srig it dos t osist ovromg a obst al b t bg rsd b it ;
Concluion: The Du Being Happy
113
no n bng ong an d nobl h a d b u n bng mal an d abud n on own y; no n dployng u bu n ng a on u roud an d pul rd ; and n acc png a l h logy An d n accpng longly o b rnghl; ngh no u lo wha ndd. So w han ach h goal by grng ou h nc w arall capabl of gng ou ongwh h, h man rong,f and h whl w a h ha knd w oa nghw ll don know wha h cro all abou Ch ddn g h h o go o h Paon h ddn pluck up h courag, h knw ry wll ha h couldn. H mly ad: 'Fa h r, yu wl l b don no m n whch om h g of a d n od of a drn wo rld wold of lo And no mly o of h h um an o , bu a lo comnua wh God, o God o ha of lo o ay of aoor n podu c of ourl or n lo ou g w Gocan d ha o brah no u h hah o com no u o lo hmlf
ot the coss bt od fightening s now Th d na on lf aady, y apc of away na l lf whch wncano prnc ah Fahh andonhop wll pa bu chay w n o pa away Hnc a f ora of nal bl bl on arh h happn o ruly long o long o xc of ong a God lo. And h hapn o ll afyng ha g r o an nn h o God W know ha n han hr wl b no mo hadow o ar and w naurally wan o b hr Bu h n h blful h of lo on h ah w can n ca ry , h ngwhch for o o h r ng fo Gopnc d. Bu h n o andonhh hr ngndr a can of hm whom w lo whch n f w do no fl and bl ourl foakn alady a knd of bl In han w hall no yan o lo mor w hal only know dr for God, ad and nwd Bu on ah, all h whl w han aand ha dgr o lo o whch wa dnd w no only goan o po God bu alo o o ha o wh ch our ony hap pn
hr Oncany Th h,hn h no cro couldn makblow hr afad moha onlyaly God gapd could And n h majy bu h lo h hapn ha happn whch h wan o har wh u Wha God, wha h lo wha h bl prpad o b
1 1
The Lle Way
nald to th cro ss? Wh th c onfso n, s ham and h ll s nss? h qston s too d for s t s not mant for man to sond th answr wold b mor than w cold bar No m God do n ot gv s so mh
The qes fo a momes happiess And t W do not sto flng thrst, w cannot so harng Chrsts cal, vn thogh w ar afrad on th contrar, t bcoms al th mor rgnt It was on that Chr st dd n want to ms ad s coldnt rval th ssnc of hs jo to s bfor allowng s to now shar onc t, bt to tll s somth ng abot . H to anhd wantd for al that t sn t of ths world hnc h wantd ascnd s d th cross And snc tha da dvn blss has dwlt among s, has chosn to ma ts hom on arth, and that hom s th cross hr s no othr W sng anothr, bt nvr nd on W wandr across th orld sng hanss, sng a momnts hanss, bt for ach man thr s on ac, and onl on, whr th ha nss h anosl ss, orvr qstonng landscas, facs and harts, s to b fond s on wll nd satsfacton of all thr hs thrst, hsmomnt, thrst oronl lovon, hswhn thrst h ndd for thrst hat lac s th lac o hs cross, hs own and that mom nt s th ho r o th cro ss, hs ho r, th on conf rrng manng on all th othrs and hch all th othrs hav had th nq ros of fashonng, rarng and gradall brngng to brth n hm, jst as all or Or Fathrs, all or Hal Mars, all or D rofndss dg and nscrb dal dr n or sols th nq O ron Fathr th nq Mar,th thdt n q ds trss nd lov da , to lod atHl al ast from hs ocr or of harts and aor msr an rrsstbl orc th gats of havn on hs th hor of or rfct jo wll also b th hor o or gratst angsh snc t s mossb on arth smltanosl to ossss th aaranc o hanss and ts ral Now, what w thrst for s th ralt So w thrst or h cross, whch aars to b nhanss lss and th cross ar so ntrcabl bond togthr
for s hncforth thatwat wfor cannot on t,farng th cross wthot farng bl ss t oo W t wgo s and w hn t com s w do no t rcogns t or f w rcogns t, w do not want t an mor t s too m h for s And w rls t an d whn w ha v rlsd t a hndrd tms, w ras that w hav rlsd blss a hndrd
Conlusion Th Du Bing Happy
1 15
imes nd i ll s be lie is e s ll ls repl se i nd e sll ls be irs for i, nd e sl never escpe fom is irs , n d i i ll ond s nd omen s nd obsess s nd e s s God s love se s s in p rsi of er open o im Tse s no o esce gvionl force drgging ords im, snce eere irsseled for is de er, s in er s, since bpism in i e nd fromd been d,n in fc, i s been ll s
Pefect joy All e sme,is eis si ve one rege despi, nesesi or e revolnd e ors, e crelles o f ll. Fo ls , en rec e sores of e romised lnd nd ve o eec or ps sover o God, nd once e discove or crerel nd sinfl condiion in ll is n edness, n d once e ndersnd divine biss il l brs e li mi ions o o er nd o f or miseble o being p nd of im gining ppiness nd even even re lie, o cn e no ecoil, no refse Tis s ere is no oer ecorse b o roo orselves in e spi o cildoo d We m be ind eren o e li e o cil d od i is es, s e obe nd es oo o be o b e rn ces, e cciden s e Genle ess se, io pener ing o e sbsnce B e ms no orge e ncnon consss n Gods ng imself in mens rec, of boing en need be o eir sloness nd eness, so e ill come o ndersnd nd love e essenil, e nqel necessr God Te esenil ing in e of cidood is mbe nd rsing docili o e Siri o God He lone cn me s n dersnd nd se o see e Lord is, nd e consming re ic e ises o n s s i s e end ene ss, m e nl ender ness, ece beond ll nd esnding, see ness s o inense nd so ofo nd i rnscends ll violence, no b noer violence, b b is ver see ness He lone cn e s i e is o be l le e no g , b
is mos fril, o mos nos e, mos disbling bo s, b or need o ve someone eveing, ndesnds evering orgives evering reirs eveing, someone o mes se of or ver fer o ec s o e refge in Love since, desie ever ing, beond evering, beond e cross, Love is sill Love, p
1 16
he Ltle Wa
ness s stll haness and or Father s stll a mercfl father terrble to the mht b nntel mld to the lttle and hmble, that s, to those ho trst n hm and do not rel on themseves. ******
In her ntermnable wat for a sn that wold never rse aan Thse denes what eec jo s n Seemer 1896 n he mdst o the crss from whch death alone was o release her, she wrote B t s re love real n m heart? A re m m mense desres n ac no more than a deam, a fantas Oh, so, ess, enhten me I m de sres are rash make the m vansh, for the se des res are the re atest o martrdoms for me Exlan ths mser to meazn . Ohatno, the lt le won t bce an at al l d stessed I twnd w l o on ts Dvne S rd n nohn fhten t, nether nor ran and dark clods come and cover the Star o Love, he lttle brd sl won st t knows that beond he cods the Sn s sll shn n, tha t ts radance c an be dmmed for a snle second Some tmes te enoh the lte rds hear s batered the stom and nds t hard o beleve that anthn exss aart from the enccn cods and o he oo weak lle create, tha s the moment of eec Wha fo hdn t o sta nothn wthstandn, and aze at the haness nvsble lh fromthere, ts fath