Delicious peace...

St Teresa of Jesus of the Andes -

recalling her First Holy Communion Day,

Sept 11, 1910, age 10…

“My First Communion was a cloudless day. … The eleventh of September, 1910, the centenary year of my country, was a year of happiness and of the purest recollections I shall have in my whole life.   The sun gave off its rays and filled my soul with happiness and thanksgiving for the Creator. 

I got up early.  My mother helped me put on my dress.  She combed my hair.  She did everything for me, but I was not thinking of anything.  I was completely indifferent to everything, except to my soul for God.  When we arrived, we began praying the rosary for First Communion.  Instead of the Hail Mary, we kept reciting, “Come, my Jesus, come.  Oh my Savior, come yourself to prepare my heart.”   ...

While we were approaching the altar they were singing that beautiful hymn, “Happy the Soul,” which I shall never forget.

It is impossible to describe what took place between my soul and Jesus. I asked Him a thousand times if He would take me, and I experienced His dear voice for the first time.  “Oh Jesus I love you, I adore you!”  I prayed to Him for everybody.  And I felt the virgin near me.  Oh, how my heart expanded!  For the first time I experienced a delicious peace.  After we made our thanksgiving, we went to the patio to share things with the poor and each one went to embrace her family.  My daddy kept kissing me and, being so happy, lifting me up in his arms.  …

That very happy day ended, but it will be the unique day of my life. … Since that first embrace, Jesus did not let me go but took me for Himself. …From that day on the earth no longer held any attraction for me."

Excerpt from God the Joy of my Life, Michael Griffin, O.C.D. (pg 113)