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It seems to me that if our sacrifices take Jesus captive, our joys make Him prisoner too. All that is needed to attain this is that, instead of giving ourselves over to selfish happiness, we offer to our Spouse the little joys He scatters in our path to charm our hearts and draw them towards Him.

Do not let your weakness make you unhappy. When, in the morning, we feel no courage or strength for the practice of virtue, it is really a grace: it is the time to 'lay the ax to the root of the trees,' (Matt. 3:10) relying upon Jesus alone. If we fall, an act of love will set all right, and Jesus smiles. He helps us without seeming to do so; and the tears which sinners cause Him to shed are wiped away by our feeble love. Love can do all things.

When I am in this state of spiritual dryness, unable to pray, or to practice virtue, I look for little opportunities, for the smallest trifles, to give pleasure to Jesus; a smile or a kind word, for instance, when I would wish to be silent, or to show that I am bored.

“When I think how much I have to acquire!” said a sister to St. Therese. “Say rather ‘to lose'” Therese answered, “for Jesus has charge of filling your soul with virtues as fast as you will get rid of the imperfections.”

It is enough to humble ourselves to bear patiently our imperfections. There lies true sanctity for us.

Our hearts are made for it alone. Sometimes I endeavor to find some other word for love; but in a land of exile words which have a beginning and an end are quite unable to render adequately the emotions of the soul, and so we must keep to the one simple word-Love.

If you are nothing, do you forget that Jesus is everything? You have only to lose your nothingness in His infinity and think only of loving Him.

...Though one must indeed be pure before appearing in the sight of the All-Holy God, still I know that He is infinitely just, and the very justice which terrifies so many souls is the source of all my confidence and joy.  Justice is not only stern severity towards the guilty; it takes account of the good intention, and gives to virtue its reward. Indeed, I hope as much from the justice of God as from His mercy.

I am content, nay, full of joy, to be without all consolation. I should be ashamed if my love were like that of earthly brides who are ever looking for gifts from their bridegrooms, or seeking to catch the smile which fills them with delight.  Therese, the little Spouse of Jesus, loves Him for Himself. . . .

To love Jesus, to be His victim of love – the more weak and wretched we are, the more fitted we are for the operations of this consuming and transforming love.