the Carmel
Therese's correspondence LT 132 – To Celine – October 20, 1891

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

20/10/1891

JMJT

Jesus

In Carmel on October 20, 1891

                My dear Celine,

                This is the fourth time that I have come to wish you your birthday since I have been at Carmel...
                It seems to me that these four years have further strengthened the ties that united us so closely. The more we advance in life the more we love Jesus, and as it is in Him that we cherish ourselves that is why our affection becomes so strong, that it is rather Unity than union that exists between our two souls!. .. Céline, what do I have to tell you, don't you know everything?... Yes, but I want to tell you why the Célines flowered earlier this year? Jesus made me feel it this morning for your feast. You have probably noticed that winter has never been so harsh as last year, therefore all the flowers have been delayed in their blooming, it was quite natural and no one thought of being surprised. . But there is a mysterious little flower that Jesus reserved for himself to instruct our souls. This flower is the Céline flower... unlike the others, it bloomed a month before the time of its flowering... Céline, do you understand the language of my darling little flower... the flower of my childhood... the flower of memories?!!!... The frost, the harshness of winter instead of delaying it, made it grow and bloom... No one paid attention to it, this flower is so small, so faint... only bees know the treasures contained in her mysterious chalice, made up of a multitude of small chalices, each as rich as the next... Thérèse like the bees has understood this mystery. Winter is suffering, suffering misunderstood, misunderstood, considered useless by profane eyes, but fruitful and powerful in the eyes of Jesus and the Angels who, like vigilant bees, know how to collect the honey contained in the mysterious and multiple chalices who represent the souls or rather the children of the virginal little flower... Céline, I would need volumes to write everything I think about my little flower... for me she is so much the image of your soul, yes Jesus made the frosts pass over her instead of the hot sun of his consolations but the effect expected by Him occurred; the little plant grew and bloomed almost all of a sudden... Céline, when a flower has bloomed, all that remains is to pick it, but when and how will Jesus pick his little flower?... Can -maybe the pink color of its corolla indicates such that it will be through martyrdom!... yes I feel my desires being reborn, perhaps Jesus will be willing, after having asked us, so to speak, Love for love, to ask us again blood for blood and life for life... In the meantime, we must let the bees draw all the honey from the little chalices, keep nothing, give everything to Jesus and then we will say, like the flower on the evening of our life, "Evening is evening". Then it will be over... And the frosts will be followed by the gentle rays of the Sun, the tears of Jesus by eternal smiles...
                Ah! let's not refuse to cry with him for a day since we will enjoy his glory for an eternity!...
                Little darling flower, do you understand your Thérèse!...

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