Each small task of everyday life is part of the total harmony of the universe.
Therese Of LisieuxRead
(Whispered to a novice while standing in front of the convent library) Oh! I would have been sorry to have read all those books...If I had read them, I would have broken my head, and I would have wasted precious time that I could have employed very simply in loving God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Reading can be a distraction from spiritual and meaningful pursuits.
This quote by Therese of Lisieux emphasizes the idea that the pursuit of knowledge through books should not overshadow the importance of cultivating a direct relationship with God. It suggests that sometimes focusing solely on intellectual pursuits may lead one to miss out on deeper spiritual experiences.
Themes
SpiritualityKnowledgeBooksLoveGodWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a retreat, this quote can be shared to emphasize the importance of contemplative practices over mere intellectual study.
More from Therese Of Lisieux
All quotes →I prefer to be accused unjustly, for then I have nothing to reproach myself with, and joyfully offer this to the good Lord. Then I humble myself at the thought that I am indeed capable of doing the thing of which I have been accused.
Therese Of LisieuxRead
You heard me, only Friend whom I love. To ravish my heart, you became man. You shed your blood, what a supreme mystery!... And you still live for me on the Altar. If I cannot see the brilliance of your Face Or hear your sweet voice, O my God, I can live by your grace, I can rest on your Sacred Heart!
Therese Of LisieuxRead
Holiness is a disposition of the heart that makes us humble and little in the arms of God, aware of our weakness, and confident - in the most audacious way - in His Fatherly goodness.
Therese Of LisieuxRead
The guest of our soul knows our misery; He comes to find an empty tent within us - that is all He asks.
Therese Of LisieuxRead
Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father's love - difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs - everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weakness. Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events - to the heart that loves, all is well.
Therese Of LisieuxRead
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