Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy. ... Psalm 43:4
"Living on Love"
Composed by St Thérèse during Forty Hours Devotion, 1895*
*Excerpted from text in The Poetry of St Thérèse of Lisieux, trans Donald Kinney, OCD
Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1996.
On the evening of Love, speaking without parable,
Jesus said : "If anyone wishes to love me
All his life, let him keep my Word.
My Father and I will come to visit him.
And we will make his heart our dwelling.
Coming to him, we shall love him always.
We want him to remain, filled with peace,
In our Love !…"
Jesus said : "If anyone wishes to love me
All his life, let him keep my Word.
My Father and I will come to visit him.
And we will make his heart our dwelling.
Coming to him, we shall love him always.
We want him to remain, filled with peace,
In our Love !…"
Living on Love is holding You Yourself.
Uncreated word, Word of my God,
Ah ! Divine Jesus, you know I love you.
The Spirit of Love sets me aflame with his fire.
In loving you I attract the Father.
My weak heart holds him forever.
O Trinity ! You are Prisoner
Of my Love !…
Living on Love is living on your life,
Glorious King, delight of the elect.
You live for me, hidden in a host.
I want to hide myself for you, O Jesus !
Lovers must have solitude,
A heart-to-heart lasting night and day.
Just one glance of yours makes my beatitude.
I live on Love !…
Living on Love is not setting up one’s tent
At the top of Tabor.
It’s climbing Calvary with Jesus,
It’s looking at the Cross as a treasure !…
In Heaven I’m to live on joy.
Then trials will have fled forever,
But in exile, in suffering I want
To live on Love.
Living on Live is giving without limit
Without claiming any wages here below.
Ah ! I give without counting, truly sure
That when one loves, one does not keep count !…
Overflowing with tenderness, I have given everything,
To his Divine Heart… lightly I run.
I have nothing left but my only wealth :
Living on Love.
Living on Love is banishing every fear,
Every memory of past faults.
I see no imprint of my sins.
In a moment love has burned everything…
Divine Flame, O very sweet Blaze !
I make my home in your hearth.
In your fire I gladly sing :
« I live on Love !… »
Living on Love is keeping within oneself
A great treasure in an earthen vase.
My Beloved, my weakness is extreme.
Ah, I’m far from being an angel from heaven !…
But if I fall with each passing hour,
You come to my aid, lifting me up.
At each moment you give me your grace :
I live on Love.
Living on Love is sailing unceasingly,
Sowing peace and joy in every heart.
Beloved Pilot, Charity impels me,
For I see you in my sister souls.
Charity is my only star.
In its brightness I sail straight ahead.
I’ve my motto written on my sail :
« Living on Love. »
Living on Love, when Jesus is sleeping,
Is rest on stormy seas.
Oh ! Lord, don’t fear that I’ll wake you.
I’m waiting in peace for Heaven’s shore…
Faith will soon tear its veil.
My hope is to see you one day.
Charity swells and pushes my sail :
I live on Love !…
Living on Love is wiping your Face,
It’s obtaining the pardon of sinners.
O God of Love ! may they return to your grace,
And may they forever bless your Name…
Even in my heart the blasphemy resounds.
To efface it, I always want to sing :
"I adore and love your Sacred Name.
I live on Love !…"
Living on Love is imitating Mary,
Bathing your divine feet that she kisses, transported.
With tears, with precious perfume,
She dries them with her long hair…
Then standing up, she shatters the vase,
And in turn she anoints your Sweet Face.
As for me, the perfume with which I anoint your Face
Is my Love !…
« Living on Love, what strange folly ! »
The world says to me, "Ah ! stop your singing,
Don’t waste your perfumes, your life.
Learn to use them well…"
Loving you, Jesus, is such a fruitful loss !…
All my perfumes are yours forever.
I want to sing on leaving this world :
« I’m dying of Love ! »
Dying of Love is truly sweet martyrdom,
And that is the one I wish to suffer.
O Cherubim ! Tune your lyre,
For I sense my exile is about to end !…
Flame of Love, consume me unceasingly.
Live of an instant, your burden is so heavy to me !
Divine Jesus, make my dream come true :
To die of Love !…
Dying of Love is what I hope for.
When I shall see my bonds broken,
My God will be my Great Reward.
I don’t desire to possess other goods.
I want to be set on fire with his Love.
I want to see Him, to unite myself to Him forever.
That is my Heaven…that is my destiny :
Living on Love !!!…
Uncreated word, Word of my God,
Ah ! Divine Jesus, you know I love you.
The Spirit of Love sets me aflame with his fire.
In loving you I attract the Father.
My weak heart holds him forever.
O Trinity ! You are Prisoner
Of my Love !…
Living on Love is living on your life,
Glorious King, delight of the elect.
You live for me, hidden in a host.
I want to hide myself for you, O Jesus !
Lovers must have solitude,
A heart-to-heart lasting night and day.
Just one glance of yours makes my beatitude.
I live on Love !…
Living on Love is not setting up one’s tent
At the top of Tabor.
It’s climbing Calvary with Jesus,
It’s looking at the Cross as a treasure !…
In Heaven I’m to live on joy.
Then trials will have fled forever,
But in exile, in suffering I want
To live on Love.
Living on Live is giving without limit
Without claiming any wages here below.
Ah ! I give without counting, truly sure
That when one loves, one does not keep count !…
Overflowing with tenderness, I have given everything,
To his Divine Heart… lightly I run.
I have nothing left but my only wealth :
Living on Love.
Living on Love is banishing every fear,
Every memory of past faults.
I see no imprint of my sins.
In a moment love has burned everything…
Divine Flame, O very sweet Blaze !
I make my home in your hearth.
In your fire I gladly sing :
« I live on Love !… »
Living on Love is keeping within oneself
A great treasure in an earthen vase.
My Beloved, my weakness is extreme.
Ah, I’m far from being an angel from heaven !…
But if I fall with each passing hour,
You come to my aid, lifting me up.
At each moment you give me your grace :
I live on Love.
Living on Love is sailing unceasingly,
Sowing peace and joy in every heart.
Beloved Pilot, Charity impels me,
For I see you in my sister souls.
Charity is my only star.
In its brightness I sail straight ahead.
I’ve my motto written on my sail :
« Living on Love. »
Living on Love, when Jesus is sleeping,
Is rest on stormy seas.
Oh ! Lord, don’t fear that I’ll wake you.
I’m waiting in peace for Heaven’s shore…
Faith will soon tear its veil.
My hope is to see you one day.
Charity swells and pushes my sail :
I live on Love !…
Living on Love is wiping your Face,
It’s obtaining the pardon of sinners.
O God of Love ! may they return to your grace,
And may they forever bless your Name…
Even in my heart the blasphemy resounds.
To efface it, I always want to sing :
"I adore and love your Sacred Name.
I live on Love !…"
Living on Love is imitating Mary,
Bathing your divine feet that she kisses, transported.
With tears, with precious perfume,
She dries them with her long hair…
Then standing up, she shatters the vase,
And in turn she anoints your Sweet Face.
As for me, the perfume with which I anoint your Face
Is my Love !…
« Living on Love, what strange folly ! »
The world says to me, "Ah ! stop your singing,
Don’t waste your perfumes, your life.
Learn to use them well…"
Loving you, Jesus, is such a fruitful loss !…
All my perfumes are yours forever.
I want to sing on leaving this world :
« I’m dying of Love ! »
Dying of Love is truly sweet martyrdom,
And that is the one I wish to suffer.
O Cherubim ! Tune your lyre,
For I sense my exile is about to end !…
Flame of Love, consume me unceasingly.
Live of an instant, your burden is so heavy to me !
Divine Jesus, make my dream come true :
To die of Love !…
Dying of Love is what I hope for.
When I shall see my bonds broken,
My God will be my Great Reward.
I don’t desire to possess other goods.
I want to be set on fire with his Love.
I want to see Him, to unite myself to Him forever.
That is my Heaven…that is my destiny :
Living on Love !!!…
St Thérèse of Lisieux
Doctor of the Church
Carmelite Nun
aka The Little Flower of Jesus
and St Therese of the Child Jesus
France ~ 1873-1897
FEAST DAY - October 1
"Dying of love is what I hope for."~ St. Thérèse
Seven Sisters roses - Rosa multiflora f. platyphylla
St Thérèse, pray for us!
She is my most favourite saint!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this devotion Janette! I try to read the maximum text about her and by her. I just have Story of a Soul and few of her letters compiled. This is surely going to help me in my personal visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! Thanks a ton!
Ruth - Another thing in common with you - love of the Holy Eucharist and holy Therese! She is a gem - and you too!
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