January 1—After Communion.
“The keynote for this year: ‘Hope in Me.’ ”
January 13—Le Fresne church.
I said, “Truth, I adore You.”
“Yes, I am Truth. Sin is falsehood, error, darkness.
“Every form of goodness is truth: the desire for good, work for justice . . . You will see later that only one thing matters and that is truth, for God alone matters. Attach no importance whatsoever to anything apart from Me, however pleasing it may be. Happiness is found in Me alone.
“When I created man I placed deep within him a sense of goodness and truth, for I created him in My image. When he sins against his conscience, he no longer resembles Me but becomes ignominious, whereas when he tries to draw nearer to Me through sacrifice and effort, he takes on a new likeness to Me. There are some who have so faithfully imitated the gentle Christ that they have appeared in heaven like other Christs. What glory they bring with them!
“Each one of your thoughts and feelings and actions has its repercussion for good or evil.
“These are great truths. Ponder them on My heart. Picture yourself always before My watchful eyes, My little girl; I follow you because I love you.”
January 20—Le Fresne church.
. . . “Don’t be afraid of being too tender. Or of saying too much to your beloved. Complain about yourself. Say to Him, ‘When will You heal me, My great friend, of this or that?’ So many things in you are unworthy of Me. Humble yourself as you think of this. Hide all your ugliness in My heart. It’s a hospital, you know, and doesn’t one sometimes come out of a hospital cured? Trust in Me with all your heart since I am your great friend. You remember the keynote for the year, ‘Hope in Me.’ My help never comes to an end, and I never cease to watch over you. I am infinite and I am love. So lose yourself in Me, trusting Me to guide you. Be the little blind child who skips joyously because he is holding someone’s hand. Oh, learn to be joyous since you are Mine and open your heart to fullness of peace. Keep your glance ever ready for Mine. Don’t let anything preoccupy you unless it be your work for My kingdom.”
“Lord, what can one do to bring all people to You like a flock of doves?”
“Pray; speak to Me and don’t be ashamed to mention My name. Don’t you know that blessings downflow at the mere mention of My name? So many words said in one day in the world, and so rarely the word ‘God’ is heard . . . Yet all live and have their being in Me and I have saved everyone. Wouldn’t it be only natural for them to think of Me? You, My beloved child, make up for this. When you were little and someone hurt your good Jenny, how you found ways of comforting her! Am I not more to you than she? Isn’t there in the secret innermost part of your being a language unknown to others, reserved for Me alone? No words are necessary. Let there be outpourings of gentleness, love, gratitude; let your spirit soar and sing. Let Me feel your impatient eagerness to meet Me, your submission, your desire for My glory, your rejoicing in My joy to be at rest with My Father. Forget everything. Think of Me, of Me alone. Anything else, anyone else, how could they ever upset you? I am. Be Mine.”
February 3—Le Fresne church.
. . . “I lived My last hour as you will. Get ready now to unite your death with Mine. Close together, you and I, above all at the final moment. In times of danger, you know how the members of a family throw themselves into each other’s arms. You will keep yourself still closer to Me when the last hour is drawing near. This will be the perfect leap, the sacrifice of everything around you for love of My heart on which you will lean. My poor little girl, how short this life on earth is! It is always an unfinished symphony. Do you realize that your home is elsewhere? Why continue to cling to the things of the earth? The other life is tomorrow. Aren’t you longing to see Me? To know Me better? Ask Me for this desire. I can give you everything you lack. You don’t ask. Above all, don’t be afraid of wearying or annoying Me. You are My little child. Nothing that concerns you ever tires Me.
“The other day you saw that young mother who said to you, ‘When my child is in my arms I forget the whole world.’ What is mother-love compared with Mine? Her love is My gift to her. The love I have for you is God-love. We spoke of the divine extravagance, didn’t we? Don’t be afraid then. Just ask. Yearn . . . and thank love. Call yourself ‘God’s little child’; it will give you a new feeling.”
February 17—Le Fresne church.
I was thinking of all His blessings: “Lord, what good things you have lavished upon me! What can I ever do to thank you?”
“Keep Me company more and more. You can never know what it means to Me to be treated as an intimate friend. It is so rare. I delight in this as a human being. Don’t you love someone who finds rest in your company and who wants to confide his secrets to you? And I, the sensitive one! Seek Me and don’t ever let Me go away. Keep Me faithful and joyous company.
“This morning after Communion you were thinking of My tortured limbs. You hailed My indescribable sufferings. You called Me ‘King of Martyrs.’ You kept near Me, in Me. Do the same all through the day. Take Me in any moment of My life on earth and be there, very near Me. Time doesn’t exist for Me; do you believe that? So you see, you shall have been there just as the apostles were. And I shall be so happy. In this way My life can go on and on in the hearts of others, right to the end of the world.
“My little child, do you really want to lend Me your heart?”
“Lord, take out of it everything that displeases You.”
“You will never be perfect. There will be deviations, shortcomings—so many chances to humble yourself. But love atones for everything. Practice it often. Begin again and again; persevere; make it bloom. Who has ever talked to Me too much of love? Who has ever regretted having loved Me greatly?
“Get used to spending hours in love, walking with love, resting for love. And at last, you will come to death and it will be for love that you will die. Prove your love for Me by the help you give your neighbor, keeping in mind that your neighbor is Myself and that your neighbor takes up more than half of life.
“My darling child, try at last to understand love a little better.”
February 24—Ingrandes church.
I said, “How can I come to comprehend love?”
“Try to see Me in every happening, big and little. I say ‘little’ because it is in the daily round and taking all things from My hand that you will understand the divine care. How sweet and loving it will seem to you! But you will see it only superficially. Then go higher—go to the very heart of your God. Think of His immeasurable sufferings, known to Him beforehand, suffered every one of them beforehand. Ponder this deeply. Don’t you think that it will rekindle the feeble flame of your love? Entrust it to Me. They brought Me the sick and crippled. Isn’t your love for Me both sick and crippled? Didn’t I know how to raise the dead? If you only believed in My power, you would have the greatest hope. You, My child, believe in My love and that will be enough. Of course I’ll help you; ask Me to do so. You see I’m telling you what to do. I’m the prompter for your role. Appear without fear on the stage of love. I’ll give you your cue.”
March 6—After Communion.
. . . “Your body belongs to Me. Take care of it because it is Mine. Do your work because it is My work. Rest, to rest Me. And when you speak to your neighbor, that is My public life.”
March 9—Le Fresne church.
“Don’t have a care in the world unless it be the fear of offending Me. Everything is in My hand and I am all-Power. Don’t be afraid of focusing all your attention on Me and what concerns Me. Call back your wandering thoughts so that they follow My way only. Learn to control your mind, and center everything in Me. Take My strength for this, the strength I had in the wilderness to ward off hunger. . . .
“Oh, My dear little girl, you can do so much for God’s glory in the time left to you before eternity. Offer yourself often to Him as a docile instrument. Tell Him you want His will to be done in you. Tell Him of your impatience for His kingdom to come. Children’s wishes are so dear. Be very sincere. Bring your thoughts homing to Him. Doesn’t this make you happy? What could you lack when you live in His friendship? . . . Oh, the unchanging serenity of God’s love!”
March 16—Le Fresne church.
. . . “The all-important thing is that you mean to imitate Me. You see you must continually purify your intention. Hold it up to Me like a little sanctuary lamp. Oh, this love-will to always please Me, to keep Me company, to comfort Me!
“Just now you offered Me one of the first violets saying, ‘Perhaps no one has thought of giving you any today.’ It was just a trifle, yet it was much to Me, for I am kept in the background on earth. I, the King of Heaven!
“Faith! . . . how simple it is, and how glorious. Thank Me for having given it to you. Try to increase it; it will be as though you made Me grow in you.”
March 30—Le Fresne.
“You sometimes thank Me more for My temporal blessings than for My spiritual favors. I am always in both of them. But aren’t the spiritual ones more choice? Isn’t it as though I invited an intimate friend into My home to show her more kindness and share some of the secrets of My heart with her? You love to pour out your heart to someone who loves you truly. And because I am God, shouldn’t I have the joy of a heart-to-heart talk?
“Take a rest in Me sometimes, and this will be My feast of love, for you will belong to Me and I shall take hold of you, and the hour will be brief.”
“My beloved, may every day be your feast of love.”
“Stay with Me. You remember Saint John the Baptist? He lacked nothing and was never anxious about anything except My kingdom. His one and only thought was for Me, for the glory of God and His kingdom. Imitate the purity of his intention, the purity of his life, his unique love. You can imagine, can’t you, what a rich return I gave him in heaven and how his self-denial has been rewarded. I know how to reward for I know how to love. Tell Me you are sure of this. Ask Me for My science of love. Try to love more with My help. Above all, never grow weary. The spiritual life is a never-ending beginning, you know.” . . .
May 5—Le Fresne church.
I felt overwhelmed by my faults and neglectfulness.
“You remember what I said: ‘If I go away I shall send Him to you.’ So call the Holy Spirit often. Holiness is His kingdom. Ask frequently. Why should you be ashamed? Aren’t you all made to be saints, and can you be filled with light without divine help? What a joy it would be for Me if all people became holy.
“If you love to please Me, then why not aim at holiness? Seek the help of the Holy Spirit often for this. Let Him possess you; ask Him to do so in My name.
“Do everything out of love for your ever-present God. Think of your neighbor’s welfare. Seize every opportunity of doing good, for this is the same as to lay hold of Me. . . .
“Oh, this work of purification! Begin. Begin. Make use of My merits since they are yours. Take them and offer them to the Father. They are your adorning jewels. They are your beauty.” . . .
June 8—Le Fresne church. Holy hour.
“My dear Lord, I should have been so happy to work in your vineyard for Your glory. You remember when I was little how I said to You, ‘Send me to your vineyard.’ ”
“You increase My glory and hasten My kingdom by doing any action more perfectly. Think of this often and you will live on a higher plane. Even if no one ever sees or hears you, you will increase My glory. Haven’t you read that the more perfect and hidden an action the more excellent it is, because it is for Me alone? Did you know that there are deep forests, unfathomable oceans, and mountain peaks unknown to man where secret blossomings are for My extravagance of glory? So it is with the hidden life of a soul. No human being ever suspects it; but I offer it to Myself and it is there that I delight to be with the children of men. Oh, My little girl, let us always live together in the valley of tears and I’ll lead you to my heavenly home, the New Jerusalem. There no one will ever take us from one another. There it will be the eternal now.”
June 22— . . . “If you knew what the love of God is, it would be impossible for you not to abandon everything to Him and let yourself be lost in Him. You would not dream of not counting on Him in life and death. Even on earth you prefer to love a superior person, don’t you? Aren’t you attracted by intelligence, warmth, kindness? Multiply by infinity all the gifts that you look for in those you love; God is more. For there are depths of tenderness in Me that you have never known. And this very God wants to possess you! . . . You, little nothing, loved by the all!
“Don’t let your thoughts wander from Him. You are enfolded in His Presence. Breathe in Him, move in Him. Above all, don’t be afraid, for this would sadden Him. Your trust and joy honor Him. Expect everything from Him and everything will come to you.” . . .
July 27—Le Fresne church, bombed the previous evening. Holy Hour.
“Fear? Of course, My little girl, it counts for expiation, for your host-life, for the co-redemption. I Myself was afraid in Gethsemane. And what fear! There again we are together, since I wanted to share all your sufferings. Joyously consent to share Mine. This means so much to Me. Do you see My part in your life—supreme love desiring only at-onement with you? It is for this end that I arrange the events of your life.
“Don’t ever think that anything comes by chance; it is always I, love itself, in everything. Don’t you always recognize My step? How quickly a practiced tenderness should recognize it. It is quite unlike any other. Wait for it. How much sweeter than chance it will be to you; less cold too. Your great friend directing your life! Just think of it. Your daily cross, your nightly cross—hold it close to your heart, for it comes from Me. It’s not just any cross; it is yours, the one I wanted you to have. Kiss the hand that gives it to you and go patiently on your way with it. With Me.” . . .
August 3—Le Fresne church. Holy Hour.
While I was doing a hundred and one things I was thinking, “But I must look after my beloved.”
“Your beloved does so much for you. When you are absorbed in other things He is there. When you are putting forth great efforts because your faith is dim, He is there. When you no longer feel His presence, He is with you. And when you think you are deserted, He is right in your very center, alive, watchful, loving. Knowing this, how could your tenderness not go out to Him? To Him of whose being you have only a shadowy conception.
“Say to Him, again and again, ‘I realize that I know nothing about You. But with faith and confidence I give myself lovingly and without reserve in life and death, for You are more and more present, more and more loving, and more and more mine.’
“But above all, think this. Go deep into the meaning of those words by going deep into My wounds. Make this your permanent home, especially the wound in My heart. It will refuse you nothing. When people are under the same roof, don’t they love to share everything?
“Live in My heart. Would you like to try—since you are invited? What could hinder you? It isn’t shyness, nor indifference, nor fear? Then it’s just a question of making a first effort. But you know that I always help. Try. Once the threshold is crossed, you will notice that you are more at home than in your own home. You will know the sweetness of the secret life and of silent and heart-searching intimacies. What a joy for Me! Should I thank you now? Are you ready?”
September 1—“Lord, after all this war with one another, won’t there be a period of love and goodwill among men?”
“That would be the Kingdom of God. Ask more often that My kingdom come. The hour of the Father’s kingdom can be hastened if His children only plead with Him more earnestly, just as the birth of Christ was hastened by the yearning of the Virgin of Nazareth.
“Pray, work, do everything to bring about this beautiful kingdom. I put this request in the Our Father so that it might be answered. Take courage, since I am helping you, and kindle your desires. Desires are prayers. They are swift arrows. Take aim and may the mark be struck with power.”
September 14—Le Fresne church. Holy Hour.
“Take My heart and press the blood upon France, upon the world, so that its purifying power may change the face of the earth. Everything can work together for good, you know, even evil. And I can make even those who seek disorder and violence contribute to My glory. But you must pray. You see how I am always asking you to work with Me. There again, don’t leave Me alone. Don’t you love to help Me? Try. You will discover that I’m helping you to help Me. Of course, I always help, My poor little girl, only you don’t notice it. I am the friend who does good in the home and who sometimes slips away before being recognized and thanked.” . . .
September 21—Nantes. Chapel of the Recollects. Holy Hour. I was wondering whether I really exercised faith in my daily living.
“Faith—this embryo implanted by the Holy Spirit, must be given every care if it is to keep on growing. Faith needs frequent practice. You must pray for it, too. If you say to Me, ‘My friend, I believe in You; help me to believe still more so that I may love You more,’ how could I fail to answer you? You will believe just as if you had seen and heard Me. Sometimes you envy the people who lived in My day. And yet, apart from the apostles, they didn’t have Communion as frequently as you; they didn’t have My Eucharist every morning in the depths of their hearts.” . . .
September 28—Nantes. Recollects. Holy Hour.
“If you suffer, I am there to suffer with you. And this is My cross again—this suffering in your suffering. Share it with Me, for everything depends on oneness. And if you believe in My love, suffering will be sweet to you. It will seem like a little return for what I have given you. Oh, this loving exchange of hearts that vie with one another. I should like to be vanquished by you if this were possible. But you are very little to vanquish your God. And self-love, always besetting man’s path, is an obstacle to many things. Tell Me in a heartfelt way that everything in you is for Me.”
October 3—Nantes. Chapel of the Immaculate.
On a day when I was busy with a hundred and one tasks.
“You may be very sure that to do your duty is one way of loving Me. In this way you can love Me all day long. You don’t notice this, but I do. Your offering in the morning has told Me. And are you ever so busy that you haven’t even a moment to glance at Me? It would enrich Me, for I am poor when it comes to the thoughts of My children. So very poor—I who never leave you.
“Try to understand My yearning for you, for all My children. I called the little ones to Me. I call souls. Who will recognize My voice, this tender, gentle voice that you know? You would be sorry if you could no longer hear it, wouldn’t you? It’s like a rest that is food and drink to you. It holds you up when you must be steadfast. You feel that, don’t you? Then be My voice for others. It isn’t enough to be good; you must be My goodness. You understand the difference? It’s all the difference between you and Me. So forget that you are you. Be your Christ—the one who loves you at all times. Try to imitate Me.
“I enfold you. Go gallantly.”
November 6—During the Elevation.
“By dint of carrying your cross you will find that your cross is carrying you.”
November 23—Holy Hour.
“My darling Father, I want only to do Your will and everything for Your will, but most often I do mine and I live for myself.”
“No one succeeds immediately in getting completely rid of self. A glance at Me is sufficient to purify your intention—one of your smiling glances.
“Don’t forget to look at Me through your days and nights. Don’t grow weary. How could you grow weary of so tender a friend?
“When tempted against the faith, say a little word to Him, and the temptation will go away.
“Don’t you understand? You can’t get away from Me; you’re too weak. But when you come as close as possible to your great friend by tender and constant contemplation, you may be sure of warmer and more prompt assistance. Why do you doubt? How can you ever doubt?
“I am like a master who gives his instructions behind a curtain in order to hide his great love for his pupils. I am like a player who slips quickly away in order to excite and prolong the chase.
“Don’t I use every means of increasing your merits, My dearly beloved little children? Don’t be afraid of Me. Be afraid to be afraid. And with great simplicity make My heart your home.”
November 29—Holy Hour.
“Since the second commandment is as great as the first, have no regret in leaving Me to go to your neighbor. Didn’t I bring him into your life—this particular person and not another? Then it’s because there is a work for you to do for him; there is your influence. Keep careful watch over your influence.
“In Palestine the people around Me were so happy that they brought others, you remember? I created an atmosphere. You create one too—an atmosphere of joy and peace. Not yours, My poor child, but Mine. I’ll act in you, speak in you, think in you. Ask Me for this, so that we may be one, and this will be a sweetness for others as the sun shining through the rain. Can I be anywhere and not bring joy? It is one of the facets of the prism of My love.” . . .
“Think of Me when you speak to others, so that by leaving yourself behind you have more balm to give, like a fragrance that gives itself unaware.”
December—On a train I was thinking:
“I’ve written His words so often! Is that enough? Or should I go on?”
“Are you tired of Me? Would you want to make it impossible for Me to speak to you? Don’t I find comfort in ceaselessly pouring out My heart into your heart? I say ‘ceaselessly,’ so great is My need to be your inner knowing. I in you! My child, this is My delight. So don’t be afraid of wearying Me, or of wearying others either; it is through you that I am speaking to this one and that one to bring them cheer and encourage them to come close to Me and talk to Me about themselves. I should so love to have their confidence. Never mind if they don’t know how to speak to Me, these poor people—I want them to come without any fear and just say to Me: ‘I don’t know how . . . it’s the first time. . . .’ Even if they don’t know what to call Me, let them tell Me of their tenderness without giving Me any name. . . .
“Pray for those who are afraid. How can they be? How could anyone be afraid of such a good Shepherd? Even the very little lambs climb on His knees and rest there. And this is the Shepherd’s joy. . . .
“You who yearn for My kingdom, pray. For My sake, offer the Father little sacrifices full of joy—a pyramid bouquet of them—all the colors of love. The patient sacrifices, the violent and the gentle ones, the gracious ones full of the most humble love—very humble, you understand. Be even ready to thank the person to whom you gave for allowing you this chance to be generous to Jesus Christ. Sacrifices of pride, too; consider yourself to be the least of anybody, and be one in this way with My mother’s humility. Would you like this?” . . .
December 13—Holy Hour.
. . . “Practice your faith. When you were learning to walk, you leaped forward at a venture, and little by little you became surefooted. Do the same in your inner life. Take a flying leap toward the Trinity, toward My mother, in upsoarings hitherto unknown to you, more direct, more sincere, impelled from the very center of your being. This will become habit and it will exalt you. Do you grasp what I mean? You will exalt others too, since each one of your thoughts and feelings reverberates for good or evil. Didn’t you tell Me that you wanted to help Me in the work of redemption? Then do all that you do to this end. This was the motive for all My actions, and we should always be together, My little girl. Do Me the honor of believing that I yearn for this.”
“Lord, I am all Yours.”
“At this moment, yes, but don’t drift away from Me. You know those other moments when you feel nothing but boredom, when your faith is shrouded in mist. You call and I don’t seem to be there. O you of little, little faith!
“Seek truth with all your heart. In spite of everything, yes, in spite of yourself, call, call out to Me. Say, ‘I know all the same that you are mine, that I am You. What do all contrary appearances matter? I’m sure of You.’
“And there I am, waiting for you right in the midst of the battle. In the very place where I want your love: beyond and above all things. Above all things—that is where I am.
“Rise to meet Me.
“Always.”