The Story of a Soul

Book info: The Story of a Soul (Hardcover, – IDB Productions, 2019) – IDB Productions, 2019. Language: Eng.

The Story of a SoulTHE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SOEUR THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX, ENTITLED BY "THE STORY OF THE SPRINGTIME OF A LITTLE WHITE FLOWER"CHAPTER IEARLIEST MEMORIESIt is to you, dear Mother, that I am about to confide the story ofmy soul. When you asked me to write it, I feared the task mightunsettle me, but since then Our Lord has deigned to make meunderstand that by simple obedience I shall please Him best. Ibegin therefore to sing what must be my eternal "the Merciesof the Lord."Before setting about my task I knelt before the statue of Our Ladywhich had given my family so many proofs of Our Heavenly Mother'sloving care. As I knelt I begged of that dear Mother to guidemy hand, and thus ensure that only what was pleasing to her shouldfind place here.Then opening the Gospels, my eyes fell on these "Jesus,going up into a mountain, called unto Him whom He wouldHimself."They threw a clear light upon the mystery of my vocation and of myentire life, and above all upon the favours which Our Lord hasgranted to my soul. He does not call those who are worthy, butthose whom He will. As St. Paul "God will have mercy on whomHe will have mercy. So then it is not of him that willeth, norof him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."I often asked myself why God had preferences, why all souls didnot receive an equal measure of grace. I was filled with wonderwhen I saw extraordinary favours showered on great sinners likeSt. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Mary Magdalen, and many others, whomHe forced, so to speak, to receive His grace. In reading the livesof the Saints I was surprised to see that there were certainprivileged souls, whom Ou