out receing an answer," since you would "spend your heaven in doing good upon earth" and "let fall from heaven a shower of roses." Intercede for me with the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, that the Holy Spirit may assist me to understand your teaching on "Joy in Suffering" and may grant me the gift of fortitude, that fired with a burning love of God and souls, I may eagerly follow you in joyous suffering and one day share in your glorious triumph. I promise to show my heartfelt gratitude by doing whatever I can to promote your honor and to make you ever more widely known and loved throughout the world for the greater glory of the most Holy Trinity. Amen.
FIRST DAY
St. Therese's Attitude Toward Suffering
(1) Her Views on God and Suffering.—The view which St. Therese took of God when He sent her suffering was exquisitely delicate and charming as well as true and consoling. God is not some cruel and heartless being who takes a malicious delight in torturing his helpless victim, but He is the tenderest of fathers. All comes from His boundless love. "Far from complaining to our Ford of the cross which He sends us," she wrote, "I cannot fathom the infinite love which has led Him to treat us in this way." And again: "This trouble is a tender considerateness on the part of Jesus…. What a favor from Jesus, and how He must love us to send us so great a sorrow! Eternity will not be long enough to bless Him for it." What a beautiful thought!
But she was human, and so she also asked: "How can the good God, who loves us so much, be happy when we suffer?" There is a touching tenderness and refinement in her playful answer: "Never does our suffering make Him happy, but it is necessary for us; and so He sends it to us while, as it were, turning away His face…. I assure you that it costs Him dearly to fill us with bitterness." From this her sensitive heart draws the loving conclusion: "The good God, who so loves us, has pain enough in being obliged to leave
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