Sunday, June 16 : Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus
On that night of light [ Christmas, at fourteen years of age] began the third period of my life, the most beautiful and the most filled with graces from heaven… I could say to Him like His apostles: “Master, I fished all night and caught nothing.” More merciful to me than He was to His disciples, Jesus took the net Himself, cast it, and drew it in filled with fish. He made me a fisher of souls. I experienced a great desire to work for the conversion of sinners. The cry of Jesus on the Cross sounded continually in my heart: “I thirst!” These words ignited within me an unknown and very living fire. I wanted to give my Beloved to drink and I felt myself consumed with a thirst for souls… To awaken my zeal God showed me my desires were pleasing to Him. I heard talk of a great criminal just condemned to death for some horrible crimes; everything pointed to the fact that he would die impenitent. I wanted at all costs to prevent him from falling into hell… I felt in the depths of my heart certain that our desires would be granted, but to obtain courage to pray for sinners I told God I was sure he would pardon the poor, unfortunate Pranzini; that I’d believe this even if he went to his death without any signs of repentance or without having gone to confession. I was absolutely confident in the mercy of Jesus. But I was begging him for a “sign” of repentance only for my own simple consolation. My prayer was answered to the letter!… After this unique grace my desire to save souls grows each day, and I seemed to hear Jesus say what he said to the Samaritan woman: “Give me to drink!” It was a true interchange of love: to souls I was giving the blood of Jesus; to Jesus I was giving these same souls, refreshed by the divine dew. I slaked his thirst and the more I gave him to drink, the more the thirst of my poor, little soul increased, and it was this ardent thirst he was giving me as the most delightful drink of his love.
Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team
