The way that I'll cover each of the five main sections of this book is primarily by quoting her words as recorded here. As I've been going through it, I'm deeply blessed and challenged by the words of this young woman. One of the things that most appeals to me about this "little way" is that it puts the issue of loving God and loving people within the reach of every person. May you be encouraged by these words - often sincere followers of Jesus do seemingly insignificant things for others but are not aware of how much the Father values and treasures these small things done with sincere love.
Section One is about the first core element of the Little Way: "Joyful Humility as a Little Child".
"Remain as a little child before our Father...a little child expects everything from its father; it is to be disquieted about nothing, and not to be set on gaining our living...To be little is not attributing to oneself the virtues that one practices, not believing oneself capable of anything, but to recognize that God places this treasure in the hands of His little child to be used when necessary; but it remains always God's treasure. Finally, it is not to become discouraged over one's faults, for children fall often, but they are too little to hurt themselves very much.
In speaking of the small child and of those with none of the advantages of an "advanced culture", Therese says that "Love shines out through little souls...it is to hearts such as these that He stoops. What delights Him is the simplicity of these flowers of the field, and by stooping so low to them, He shows how infinitely great He is...
"In utter littleness, gaze upon Love...I long to fly and imitate the eagles, but all I can do is flutter my small wings. I am not strong enough to fly...Must I die of sorrow at finding myself so helpless? Never!...Surrendering myself with daring confidence, I shall simply stay gazing at my Sun until I die...and should the Star of Love be blotted out by heavy clouds so that nothing but the night of this life seems to exist, then will be the time for perfect joy, the moment to push my confidence to the furthest bounds; I shall take good care to stay just where I am, quiet certain that beyond the somber clouds my beloved Sun is shining still!
"Lose your nothingness in His all...You must not forget Jesus is All, so you must lose your little nothingness in His infinite All...she (speaking of herself) is weak, very weak; everyday she experiences it afresh; but Jesus delights to teach her the science of glorying in one's infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5); that is a great grace, and I beg Jesus to teach it to you, for in it alone is found peace and rest for the heart...For my part I know no other means to arrive at perfection save love...Love, how evidently our heart is made for that!"
Warning of acquiring virtues and then allowing that to cause us to rely on our own strength, Therese speaks of "Realizing my nothingness more...I have the right of doing stupid things up until my death, if I am humble and if I remain little. Look at little children: they never stop breaking things, tearing things, falling down, and they do this even while loving their parents very, very much. When I fall in this way, it makes me realize my nothingness more, and I say to myself: What would I do, and what would I become if I were to rely upon my own strength?"Dear Lord, thank You that You were always childlike as a Man - humbly trusting, depending, looking to Your Father for everything, receiving His love and loving Him and others with that love. Come by Your Spirit and make us increasingly like You in childlike trust and humility, able to accept our ongoing failings and the making of messes in our attempts to love and serve you and others...
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