Page:Thoughts of the servant of God, Thérèse of the Child Jesus; the Little flower of Jesus, Carmelite of the monastery of Lisieux, 1873-1897 (IA thoughtsofservan00thrs).pdf/215

 In giving oneself to God the heart does not lose its natural tenderness; on the contrary, its love grows deeper by becoming more pure and more Christ-*like.

There are souls for whom God's mercy wearies not of waiting, and to whom He gives His light only by degrees.

When in the morning we feel no courage, no energy for the practice of virtue, this is a grace, this is the moment to "lay the axe to the root of the tree." depending solely on Jesus. If we fall all is retrieved by an act of love, and Jesus smiles. He helps us without appearing to do so, and the tears which the wicked cause Him to shed are dried by our poor feeble love.

We must practice the little virtues. This is difficult sometimes, but the good