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

CHAPTER VIII

Zeal

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hen a fire breaks out in a house, it quickly consumes e

W verything.Asitgrowshotter,thespacebecomestoo small to contain it. The flames burst out through windows and walls, spreading to nearby houses. Sometimes a single spark causes a great blaze.

In the same way, when Divine Love is kindled in a heart, it begins as a small spark. Slowly it grows, flames, and becomes a glowing hearth. Soon it cannot remain hidden. It bursts forth—

first as sparks, then as real flames.

These sparks and flames are zeal. Zeal is to love what flame is to fire—the proof of its ardor.

Thérèse was consumed by zeal because she was consumed by love. She was an apostolic soul, a true daughter of St Teresa of Avila. 56 Her ardor for the salvation of souls was extreme. In this, she gave a shining example to all little victims of merciful love.

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Souls must not think they have reached the end of the Little Way until zeal burns in their hearts. 57 It is impossible to love 56 The 16th-century Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, reformer, and Doctor of the Church, renowned for her spiritual writings and reform of the Carmelite Order. She and St John of the Cross founded the Discalced Carmelites (OCD).

In her The Interior Castle, Teresa uses the metaphor of seven mansions to illustrate the soul’s progression toward union with God, offering practical guidance for spiritual growth.

57 “I desire to love You and to make You loved, to work for the glorification of Holy Church by saving souls who are on earth and by delivering those who suffer in purgatory.”

(STORY OF A SOUL)

God sincerely without desiring that He be known, loved, and glorified by all. It is impossible to love Him without suffering at the sight of His Name outraged, His love despised, and His sufferings wasted.

Nor can we truly love our neighbor without sorrow at the sight of souls falling into hell. Their misery makes us shudder. On earth, countless souls live daily in danger of damnation.

But feelings are not enough. Love is proved by deeds. The work of love here is zeal.

The Little Way is wholly love. It tends only toward love. Its value comes from love. Therefore, souls must remove everything that blocks Divine Love.

The greatest enemy of love is selfishness. It shuts itself up, thinking only of its own pleasures and interests. St Paul warned:

“For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”

(Philippians 2:21)

Selfishness wounds love. For little victims of Merciful Love, it would be fatal. The cure is zeal, which makes us forget ourselves for the sake of souls.

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Thérèse’s zeal was born with her and grew as she grew. Divine Love went before her from infancy. Even as a child she loved souls and desired their salvation. From the age of three she offered countless small sacrifices.

At thirteen she received the great grace of her apostolate.

During Mass, she saw a picture of Jesus on the Cross. A pierced hand, bleeding, caught her eye. She had seen it before, but this time grace touched her deeply.

"My heart was torn with grief at the sight of the Precious Blood falling to the ground with no one eager to gather it as it fell. I resolved to remain in spirit continually at the foot of the Cross so that I might receive the Divine Dew of salvation and pour it forth on souls."

From that day, the cry of Jesus—“I thirst!”—echoed in her heart.

“I longed to give my Beloved to drink. I too felt myself consumed with a thirst for souls, and at all cost I would wrest sinners from the eternal flames.” [58]

Her zeal sprang from love of Jesus Crucified. What drew her toward sinners was not only their misery, but His sorrow. She said: “There is only one thing to do here below: to love Jesus and to save souls for him that he may be loved.”

Her zeal was pure. immense, and even universal. She desired every vocation—to be priest, doctor, missionary—and to labor until the end of time.

Before her death she prophesied: “I feel that my mission is about to begin… I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth… No, there can be no rest for me until the end of the world!”

This daring zeal was the fruit of confidence. Only a child of God could hope for desires greater than the universe and trust they would be fulfilled.

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Besides preaching, two means of apostolate are open to all: prayer and sacrifice. Thérèse used both. She knew the power of prayer. She believed God sometimes waits for the prayer of one little soul to save many others.

[58] STORY OF A SOUL: CH 5

Her prayer was continual, even when dry. She also embraced sacrifice.

She knew the Cross is the foundation of Redemption. Jesus placed in her heart both love of souls and love of sacrifice. The more crosses she met, the stronger her attraction to suffering.

Yet her distinctive mark was love. She wished to triumph by love. “With the sword of love I will drive the stranger from the kingdom. I will have Jesus proclaimed King in all hearts.”

Her weapon was love. It conquered Jesus by caresses. It disarmed Him.

"When I wrestle with you, the sinner to save, My weapon of choice—strewing flowers at your feet, I disarm you, Lord, like warrior brave,

With flowers so sweet! "

This is how she obtained pardon for sinners. Love gave her power over the Heart of God. She said: “I have never given anything but love to him. With love he will repay me.” Her zeal cannot be understood apart from her love. Her life was all love, transforming everything—pain, sacrifice, joy—into love. She said:

“In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be love … My brothers toil in my place, and I, the little child, I keep quite close to the royal throne; I love for those who fight.”

St. Thérèse of Lisieux was declared patron of the missions by Pope Pius XI in 1927 because, although she never left her Carmelite convent, her ardent missionary spirit, prayers, and spiritual support for missionaries made her a powerful intercessor for evangelization worldwide.

The same place and weapons are offered to all little souls. If they unite prayer with sacrifice and above all love, they too will triumph.

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