the Carmel
Therese's correspondence LT 124 – To Celine – October 20, 1890

DE  
MARTIN Thérèse, Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus
À 
MARTIN Céline, Sister Geneviève of the Holy Face

20/10/1890

JMJT

Jesus

The 20 October 90

                My dear Celine,

                Your Thérèse has come to wish you your birthday!... She has been thinking about it for a long time, so this year it won't be the last. Céline, this may be the last time your birthday will be celebrated on earth!... maybe!... what sweet hope... next year the little flower Céline, ignored on earth, will be perhaps placed on the heart of the divine lamb, but the delighted eyes of the angels will then contemplate instead of a poor little flower without beauty, a lily of dazzling whiteness!... Céline, life is very mysterious , we know nothing... we see nothing... and yet Jesus has already revealed to our souls what the eye of man has not seen!... yes, our heart has a presentiment of what the heart cannot understand since sometimes we are without thoughts to express a je ne sais quoi that we feel in our soul!...
                Céline, I'm sending you two Célines for your birthday, you'll understand their language... the same stem carries them, the same sun made them grow together, the same ray made them blossom, and no doubt the same day will see them die!...
                The eyes of creatures do not dream of stopping on a small Celine flower and yet its white corolla is full of mystery, it carries in its heart a large number of other flowers, undoubtedly the children of its soul (the souls) , and then its white chalice is vermilion inside, it seems to be purple with its blood!...
                Céline!... The sun and the rain can fall without withering it on this little ignored flower! no one thinks of picking her!... but also isn't she a virgin?... yes, since Jesus alone saw her, since it was he who created her for Him alone!... oh ! then she is happier than the shining rose which is not for Jesus alone!...
                Céline, I wish you your birthday in an unusual way, we can say it, but you will understand the incoherent words of your Thérèse!...
                Céline, it seems to me that the good Lord does not need years to do his work of love in a soul, a ray of his heart can in an instant make his flower bloom for eternity!...

Your Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face rel.carm.ind.

back to the list