fter Holy
Communion! Upon a great feast! Nay, not so. _In my 'little way'
everything is most ordinary; all that I do, little souls must be
able to do likewise."_

And to one of her missionary brothers she wrote: "What draws me to
my Heavenly Home is the summons of my Lord, together with the hope
that at length I shall love Him as my heart desires, and shall be
able to make Him loved by a multitude of souls who will bless Him
throughout eternity."

And in another letter to China: "I trust fully that I shall not
remain idle in Heaven; my desire is to continue my work for the
Church and for souls. I ask this of God, and I am convinced He
will hear my prayer. You see that if I quit the battle-field so
soon, it is not from a selfish desire of repose. For a long time
now, suffering has been my Heaven here upon earth, and I can
hardly conceive how I shall become acclimatised to a land where
joy is unmixed with sorrow. Jesus will certainly have to work a
complete change in my soul--else I could never support the
ecstasies of Paradise."

It was quite true, suffering had become her Heaven upon earth--she
welcomed it as we do happiness. "When I suffer much," she would
say, "when something painful or disagreeable happens to me,
instead of a melancholy look, I answer by a smile. At first I did
not always succeed, but now it has become a habit which I am glad
to have acquired."

A certain Sister entertained doubts concerning the patience of
Therese. One day, during a visit, she remarked that the invalid's
face wore an expression of unearthly joy, and she sought to know
the reason. "It is because the pain is so acute just now," Therese
replied; "I have always forced myself to love suffering and to
give it a glad welcome." "Why are you so bright this morning?"
asked Mother Agnes of Jesus. "Because of two little crosses.
Nothing gives me 'little joys' like 'little crosses.'" And another
time: "You have had many trials to-day?" "Yes, but I love them!
. . . I love all the Good God sends me!" "Your sufferings are
terrible!" "No--they are not terrible: can a little Victim of Love
find anything terrible that is sent by her Spouse? Each moment He
sends me what I am able to bear, and nothing more, and if He
increase the pain, my strength is increased as well. But I could
never ask for greater sufferings--I am too little a soul. They
would then be of my own choice. I should have to bear them all
without Him, and I have never been able t