The Little Way - Section 2 "Bold Confidence"

The second core element in the "little way" of St. Therese of Lisieux is "Bold Confidence in God's Mercy and Lovingkindness". The following are portions of this section of the book: 

"I know what to believe about His mercy and Love...I have only to glance at the Gospels; at once this fragrance from the life of Jesus reaches me, and I know which way to run; to the lowest, not the highest place!...I have heard what He said to Mary Magdalene, to the woman taken in adultery, and to the Samaritan woman. No one can make me frightened any more, because I know what to believe about His mercy and love; I know that in a twinkling of an eye all those thousands of sins would be consumed as a drop of water cast into a blazing fire."

"God is even kinder than you think...He is satisfied with a look, a sigh of love...I have realized that all one has to do is take Jesus by the heart."

"The smallest thing is precious to Him...He makes Himself poor that we may be able to do Him charity; He stretches out His hand to us like a beggar, that...when He appears in His glory, He may be able to utter and we to hear the loving words, 'Come, blessed of my Father; for I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was in prison, sick, and you came to Me.' It was Jesus Himself who uttered those words, it is He who wants our love, begs for it. He puts Himself, so to say, at our mercy. He wills to take nothing unless we give it to Him, and the smallest thing is precious in His divine eyes."

"Be simple with the good God...He has long forgotten your infidelities, only your desires for perfection are present to give joy to His heart...For those who love Him and, after each discourteous act, cast themselves into His arms and ask pardon, Jesus is vibrant with joy. He says to His angels what the prodigal son's father said to His servants: 'Put on him the first robe, put the ring on his hand, and let us make merry.'"

"It is good to feel weak...I have my weaknesses also, but I rejoice in them...(sometimes) I will be tormented by a foolish thing I said or did. Then I enter into myself, and I say, 'Alas, I am still at the same place as I was formerly! But I tell myself this with great gentleness and without any sadness! It is so good to feel that one is weak and little!"

In response to the affirmation of God's pleasure over her by another servant of God, Therese says: "Full sail on the sea of confident love...For a long time I had felt sure that our Lord was more tender than any mother, and I had sounded the depths of more than one mother's heart. I know from experience that a mother is always ready to forgive her child's little involuntary faults. No rebuke could have touched me half as much as a single kiss from you. Such is my nature that fear only keeps me back, while under the sway of love I not only advance - I fly!"

Lord, make real to us Your unchanging mercy and love so that we, as much beloved children, will not fear but rather be confident in such love. May we discover that Your gracious embrace of us does more to motivate us to good works than harsh rebukes which we sometimes have believed is Your way. May we no longer be frightened because we "know what to believe about Your mercy and love."