Reflecting on Life, after her First Communion, St Therese writes, 'I know that without Him, I could have fallen ....... He forgave me in advance by preventing me from falling.'
'Here
is an example which will express my thoughts at least a little.
Suppose a clever physician's child meets with a stone in his path
which causes him to fall and break a limb. His father comes to him
immediately, picks him up lovingly, takes care of this hurt, using
all the resources of his profession for this. His child, completely
cured, shows his gratitude. This child is no doubt right in loving his
father! But I am going to make another comparison. The father,
knowing there is a stone in his child's way, hastens ahead of him and
removes it but without anyone's seeing him do it. Certainly, this
child, the object of his father's tender foresight, but UNAWARE of the
misfortune from which he was delivered by him, will not thank him and
will love him less than if he has been cured by him. But if he should
come to learn the danger from which he escaped, will he not love his
father more? Well, I am this child, the object of the foreseeing
of a Father who has not sent His Word to save the just, but sinners. He wants me to love Him because he has forgiven me not much but ALL.
He has not expected me to love Him much, but He has willed that I
KNOW how He loved me with a love of unspeakable foresight in order
that now I may love Him unto folly!' [Story of a Soul :- Chapter IV - First Communion, Boarding School]
#YearofMercy #ThereseofLisieux #LittleFlower #Spirituality #Carmelite #Mercy #Forgiveness #HolyCommunion
