28th May 1897
JMJT
Dear little Mother, your little daughter shed yet again sweet tears just now, tears of repentance but even more of gratitude and love... Ah! this evening, I showed you my virtue, my TREASURES of patience!... And me who preaches the others so well!!! I'm glad you saw my imperfection. Ah! How good it does me to have been naughty!... You didn't scold your little girl, however she deserved it, but the little girl is used to that, your gentleness tells her more than harsh words. , you are for her the image of God's mercy. Yes, but... Sr St. J. Baptiste on the contrary is usually the image of the severity of the good Lord, well! I just met her, instead of walking past me coldly, she kissed me saying (absolutely as if I had been the cutest little girl in the world): "Poor little sister, you pity me, I don't want to tire you, I was wrong, etc., etc." I who felt perfect contrition in my heart, I couldn't believe she didn't reproach me. I know very well that deep down she must find me imperfect, it's because she thinks I'm going to die that she spoke to me like this, but it doesn't matter, I only heard sweet and tender words. come out of his mouth, so I found it very good and I very bad... On returning to our cell, I wondered what Jesus thought of me, immediately I remembered these words that he addressed one day to the adulterous woman: “Has someone condemned you?...” And I, with tears in my eyes, I answered her: “Nobody, Lord... Neither my little Mother, image of your tenderness , nor my Sr St Jean B., image of your justice, and I feel that I can go in peace, because you will not condemn me either!...»
Little Mother, why is the Good Jesus so gentle towards me? Why does he never scold me? Ah! truly there is enough to die of gratitude and love!...
I am much happier to have been imperfect than if, supported by grace, I had been a model of gentleness... It does me so much good to see that Jesus is still so gentle, so tender towards me!. .. Oh! from now on I recognize it; yes all my hopes will be fulfilled... yes the Lord will do wonders for us that will infinitely surpass our immense desires!...
Little Mother, Jesus does well to hide himself, to speak to me only from time to time and again “through the bars” (cant. des cant.) because I feel that I could not endure any more, my heart would break being powerless to contain so much happiness... Ah! you, sweet Echo of my soul, you will understand that this evening the vase of Divine Mercy has overflowed for me!... You will understand that you have been and that you will always be the Angel charged with leading me and announcing to me the mercies of the Lord!...
your little girl
Thérèse of the Child Jesus of the Holy Face rel.carm.ind.
