St Therese of Lisieux pens a love poem to her Spouse

“I will spend my heaven, doing good on earth.”

                       -The little Carmelite & French Flower Therese

"O little key, I envy thee ...

O little key I envy thee, for thou canst open at any hour,
The Eucharistic prison-house, where dwells the God of Love and Power.
And yet — Oh, tender mystery! — One effort of my faith alone
unlocks the tabernacle door and hides me there with Christ, my Own.

O lamp within the holy place, Whose mystic lights forever shine!
I fain would burn with fires of love; as bright, before my God and thine.
Yet, miracle of wondrous bliss! Such flames are mine, and day by day,
I win souls for Christ, to burn pure love for aye.

O consecrated altar-stone! I envy thee with every morn.
As once in Bethlehem’s blessed shed, the Eternal Word on thee is born.
Yet, gentle Savior! hear my plea; enter my heart, O Lord divine!
Tis no cold stone I offer Thee, who dost desire this heart of mine!

O corporal that angels guard! What envy of thee fills my breast!
On thee, as in His swaddling bands, I see my only Treasure rest.
Ah Virgin Mother! change my heart into a corporal pure and fair,
Whereon the snow-white Host may rest, and thy meek Lamb find shelter there.

O holy patent! Jesus makes of Thee His sacramental throne.
Ah! if He would abase Himself, to dwell awhile with me alone!
Jesus fulfils my longing hope, nor must I wait until I die; —
He comes to me! He lives in me! His ostensorium am I!

The chalice, too, I fain would be, Where I adore the Blood divine!
Yet, at the holy sacrifice, That Precious Blood each day is mine.
More dearer to Jesus is my soul, than chalices of gold could be,
His altar is a Calvary new; Whereon His Blood still flows for me.

Only one little bunch of grapes That gladly disappears for Thee.
O Jesus, holy, heavenly Vine! Thou knowest I rejoice to be.
Beneath the pressure of the cross, I prove my love for Thee always.
And ask no other joy than this, — To immolate myself each day!

Among the grains of purest wheat, O happy lot! He chooses me.
We lose our life for Him, the Christ, — What rapturous height of ecstasy!
Thy spouse am I, Thy chosen one. My Well-Beloved! come, dwell in me.
Thy beauty wins my heart.

Oh, come! Deign to transform me into Thee!

Quotes:

• For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

• What beauty? I don’t see my beauty at all; I see only the graces I’ve received from God. You always misunderstand me; you don’t know, then, that I’m only a little seedling, a little almond. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

• You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them. - Saint Therese of Lisieux

• Oh! no, you will see, it will be like a shower of roses. After my death, you will go to the mailbox, and you will find many consolations. - Saint Therese on 9 June 1897 after Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart told her we would be very sorry after she died

Source:

Catholic of the Saints, October 1 |CatholilcSaints.mobile

Poems of St Therese of Lisieux