November 18, 1888
JMJT
My dear Aunt,
Allow your granddaughter to come also to offer you her feeble wishes; they are going to seem very small to you compared to those you have already received, but no matter, her heart cannot help telling her darling Aunt how much she loves her.
This morning in my Communion I prayed a lot to Jesus to fill you with his joys; alas! it's not what he's been sending us for some time now, it's the cross, the only cross he gives us to rest on... Oh! my darling Aunt, if it were only me to suffer, that would not matter to me, but I know the large part that you take in our ordeal, I would like for your feast to take away all your sorrow, to take for myself all your penalties. That's what I was asking just now of the one whose heart beat in unison with mine. I felt then that the best he could give us was pain, that he only gave it to his chosen friends; this answer proved to me that I was not answered because I saw that Jesus loved my dear Aunt too much to remove the cross from her!...
I am very touched, Aunt, by the beautiful cake you sent us, instead of us wishing you your birthday, it is you who wish it for us; it's really too much! I only have to offer my darling Aunt a poor little image, but I hope she will take a good look at her little girl's intention.
Goodbye, my dear Aunt, it seems to me that during the ordeal you are even closer to your
granddaughter Thérèse of the Child Jesus post.carm.ind.
