THERESIA OF LISIEUX: REFLECTIONS ON SUFFERING1. Suffering is the only thing which seems desirable to me in this valley of tears.2. Jesus made me understand that it was through the cross that He would give me souls; so the more mysuffering grew, the more I loved it.3. It is so sweet to be able to serve the good Lord during the night of trial.4. When we engage ourselves in the way of love and offer ourselves as victims, we are not entering a road thatis all repose, but, on the contrary, we are invited to surrender ourselves without reserve to God's good pleasure,even to the extent of sharing with Jesus His cup of bitterness.5. Suffering is the thing that is necessary for us.6. Suffering is necessary to detach us from the earth and make us look up higher than this world to detach usfrom all that is created from all that is not Jesus, and to purify us.7. Suffering makes us good, it makes us indulgent towards others, because suffering brings us nearer to thegood Lord.8. We must suffer much if we want Him to possess us completely.9. It is suffering which makes us resemble Him.10. A spouse of Jesus must resemble Jesus, And He is covered with blood and crowned with thorns.11. Jesus tries those whom He loves.12. Suffering is the greatest proof He can give us of His tenderness towards us. He gives it only to His chosenfriends. He even increases it according to the greater measure of our love for Him.13. Let us love God to the extent of being ready to suffer for Him whatever He may wish us to suffer, even thesufferings of the soul.14. Is there any greater joy than to suffer out of love of God?15. Let us make our life a continual sacrifice, a martyrdom of love, to console Jesus.16. What a joy to be able to suffer for Him whom we love!17. If Jesus in spite of His Love for us makes us suffer, if He does not spare us, it is because He looks beyondtime, because He already beholds us in the state of glory. He rejoices in our eternal beatitude. He so greatlydesires to give us a rich ...