Classes have begun, and already I am busy and tired with reading and studying. But tonight, after classes, I signed onto my e-friend Paula’s blog (Paula is a wonderful Romanian woman and recent convert to Catholicism, living in Germany), and found that she has purchased the book Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, and begun reading it.
I read the book years ago, when I had first come into the Church, and reading Paula’s post reminded me of a favorite quote from it, written by St. Therese:
I understand, Lord, that when a soul allows herself to be captivated by the odor of your ointments [Song of Songs, 1:3], she cannot run alone, all the souls whom she loves follow in her train; this is done without constraint, without effort, it is a natural consequence of her attraction for You. Just as a torrent, throwing itself with impetuosity into the ocean, drags after it everything it encounters in its passage, in the same way, O Jesus, the soul who plunges into the shoreless ocean of Your Love, draws with her all the treasures she possesses. (Third Edition, p. 254)
Tired as I am, Lord, may I plunge myself impetuously into You, trusting that through the simple gravity of my drop, abandoning myself to You, many souls will be drawn with me into the deeps of Your Beauty, the endless depths of Your Love, the marvelous abyss of Being that is You without end, You who are the very the source and sustenance of our souls, and reason for our being.
And for anyone reading this, I would appreciate your prayers as I embark on this second year of my program, both that I would do well, and that I would still find time for posting thoughts here. I do love to share my thoughts! Many thanks.
