THE LITTLE WAY of Thérèse the Little Flower by Samuel Bastian - HTML preview

CHAPTER VII

Holy Abandonment

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o reach the summit of love—the goal of the Little Way—the soul takes her place in the Divine Lift. She puts herself into TthearmsofherHeavenlyFather.There,surrenderedtoHis action, she expects from Him alone her transformation into love.

This transformation is beyond human power. Only God can do it, and He can do it in an instant, for “a thousand years are as one day” (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8). The only obstacle is a will turned against Him. That is why it is essential to renounce our own will and live only for His.

Thérèse understood this early. She exclaimed: “My God, I fear only one thing: to keep my own will. Take my will, for I choose all that you will.” [49]

To offer God our will, to surrender wholly to His will with joy and confidence, as a child leaps into his father’s arms—this is holy abandonment.

Abandonment is essential for holiness. In the Little Way, it is central. It springs from all the virtues and all the weaknesses of the child. Littleness leads to it, weakness runs to it, poverty hastens to it, and confidence naturally ends in it.

[49] STORY OF A SOUL: CH 1

Above all, abandonment is the crown of love. To love is to give, and the most perfect way of giving is surrender. Abandonment makes the gift complete and tender.

Thérèse saw abandonment as inseparable from love. It was both the best way to express her love for God and the most effective way to rise quickly to perfection. She abandoned herself because she loved, and she abandoned herself to love more.

Jesus taught her that the only road to the furnace of love is the abandonment of the child who sleeps without fear in his father’s arms.

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The child, lost at sea, cannot steer his boat. Many perish because they try to guide themselves. But the child who looks to his Father—the One who commands the winds and waves—

understands that the only wise course is to abandon himself, letting his sail be carried by the merciful wind.

“The Spirit breathes where he wills” (John 3:8). The Spirit is love.

To be carried by the wind is to entrust oneself to love itself.

God alone knows the path each soul must follow. He leads each one differently, but always with tender love. The soul most abandoned is the most cared for, the most helped, and the most filled with His favors.

Thus abandonment is the shortest, safest, and most pleasant road to perfection. It is the way of trust and surrender.

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For Thérèse, God was above all a tender Father, more maternal than a mother. She sang:

"O you who did create the mother’s heart, Tenderest of fathers to me you are;

My sole love, Jesus, O Word Eternal!

For me your Heart is more than maternal."

Her abandonment was her heaven on earth. As she wrote:[50]

"My Heaven is—to feel in me the likeness Of the God of power who created me;

My Heaven is—to stay forever in his presence, To call him Father—just his child to be;

Safe in his arms divine, near to his sacred face, Resting upon his heart, of the storm I have no fear; Abandonment complete, this is my only law—

Behold my Heaven here! "

Thérèse saw abandonment as the perfect way to prove her love.

She cherished God’s will with all her heart. Like Jesus, she made it her nourishment. She lived for it, prayed for it, and desired nothing but its fulfillment. [51]

She obeyed even the smallest rules, gazing into God’s eyes to read His will and do it at once. [52]

Her joy was not in her own gain, but in knowing God was pleased. She wanted to be His little toy, His rose shedding petals under His feet, even crushed, so long as it eased His steps on Calvary.

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She avoided personal preferences. Indifferent to life or death, she left all to her Father: “What he chooses for me is what pleases me most. I love all that he does.”

Holiness is nothing more than conformity of our will with God’s.

Perfect abandonment unites the soul completely to Him.

[50] MY HEAVEN

[51] STORY OF A SOUL: CH 8

[52] COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES

Thérèse was prudent. She never asked for sufferings beyond what God willed. “Never have I been able to do anything alone.”

She encouraged souls not to torment themselves: “We who run in the way of love must never torment ourselves about anything.” [53]

Her abandonment gave her courage. Even in sickness she wrote:

“I have no fear of the last combats… I rely on him. I am sure that he will continue to help me to the last.” [54]

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Her abandonment was neither careless nor rash. She relied on God but also cooperated with His grace. As novice mistress, she waited for God to fill her hand, then gave to her children what came from Him.

Abandonment did not weaken her prudence or generosity. It strengthened them. She watched carefully over her duties.

Her song shows this union of love and courage:

"You alone, Jesus—You, and none beside, It is to Your Arms that I run to hide;

As a little child would I fain love You,

As a warrior, strive for victory.

Of a child the delicate, tender love

My caresses, Lord, to You shall prove;

And in the field of my apostolate

My zeal in the fight shall ne’er abate." [55]

Thérèse was humble and trustful, weak and ardent, surrendered to abandonment and love. In this union of calm surrender and courageous action lies the ideal of little souls—

the victims of merciful love.

[53] STORY OF A SOUL: CH 12

[54] STORY OF A SOUL: CH 12

[55] JESUS ALONE

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