Jan. 3, 2010 Monday: St. Therese of Lisieux on Jesus in the Manger
(Pray with this poem before a Nativity Set. It is quite a moving experience.)
An angel appears, bearing the Child Jesus in
his arms; and he sings as follows:
Sisters! I bring to you the Adored,
The Eternal God, so small, so weak;
I plead for the Incarnate Word,
Because as yet He cannot speak.
To Jesus, exiled from His home,
The cruel world no shelter grants;
And so to Carmel's shade I come,
To find the shelter that He wants.
Ever your praise, your tenderness,
Your welcome sweet, your warm caress,
Be for this Child!
Oh, burn with love, for He loves you,
This Child, who is your God and Lord.
Pathetic mystery! He who begs, tonight, of you,
Is the Eternal Word!
Come then, my Sisters! without fear,
Each in her turn, to Jesus' feet,
Offering your love to Him most dear,
And you shall know His will so sweet,
Yes, I will tell you the desires
Of Jesus born amid the snow;
For you are pure as angels are,
And you can suffer too, you know!
Ever your cares, your suffering,
And all your joys so light of wing,
Be for this Child!
Oh, burn with love, for He loves you,
This Babe, who is your God and Lord!
Pathetic mystery! He who begs, tonight, of you,
Is the Eternal Word!
The angel, having placed the Child Jesus in the crib, offers to the Mother prioress, and then to all the Carmelites, a basket of little notes or envelopes. Each takes one, haphazard, and without opening it gives it to the angel, who then sings the petition therein contained, the gift which the Divine Child asks from each in turn.
A GOLD THRONE
Jesus, Christ, your only treasure,
Asks one special gift of you.
No gold throne was in the stable,
Yet such treasure is His due.
Sinners' souls are like the stable,
Bare and cold in winter's snow,
Off'ring to Him no soft shelter,
No bright fire's cheerful glow.
Souls of sinners, save them, Sister!
That the throne our Lord desires;
Seeks He, too, the royal welcome
Of your pure heart's holy fires.
SOME MILK
He Who feeds the souls predestined
With His Essence all Divine,
Makes Himself the Infant Jesus
To be your delight, and mine.
Up in heaven His joy is perfect;
Here below, a beggar He
Quickly fetch some milk, dear Sister;
Baby Jesus thirsts, you see.
Ah! our little Brother Jesus
Smiles on you. Noel! Noel!
Down from heaven to earth He cometh
In your childlike heart to dwell.
SOME LITTLE BIRDS
You, dearest Sister! long to know
What you can do for Jesus' sake,
So joyfully I haste to tell
How you His glorious smiles can wake.
Go, catch for Him some charming birds,
And in the stable let them sing,
For they are types of children's souls,
So dear to this Child Christ their King.
Their pretty hymns, their baby prayers,
His sleep like joy bells gently break.
Pray for them then; in heaven one day
Those children's souls your crown will make.
A STAR.
Sometimes, when all the skies are black
With gloomy clouds, and no stars shine,
Our little Jesus grieves alone,
He craves your love, yes, yours and mine.
Then give to Him the light He wants,
Be like a bright and shining star;
And let your virtues, like a lamp,
Shed welcoming radiance near and far.
So may your rays lead souls to heaven,
The sinful souls for whom He died.
This Child Divine, our Morning Star,
Asks you to be His star, His bride.
A LYRE
MY little Sister,' waiting there,
Your gift for Bethlehem's Babe to hear,
Your heart for His melodious lyre
Is what He asks in accents clear.
In heaven's high court swells up alway
The angels' song with incense sweet;
And yet He loves, in Carmel's shade,
To hear your praises at His feet.
So, dearest Sister! 'tis your heart,
Whose melodies our Lord desires.
By night, by day, consume away,
With songs of love, in love's sweet fires.
SOME ROSES
Your soul, dear, is a lily sweet,
Jesus and Mary love it well.
Hear what the heavenly Bridegroom speaks
Softly, yet clear as altar bell;
Ah! if I love the lily white,
Symbol of innocence like snow,
Yet for the rose of penitence
I also feel My heart aglow.
Let your warm tears for sinners fall,
What joy your love will give Me then!
So can I gather at My Will
Those roses dear, the hearts of men.
A VALLEY
As by the shining of the sun
Nature is glorified and gay;
As by its radiance field and vale
Grow fair and strong and green alway;
So doth our Jesus, Son divine,
Approach you with His sweet caress,
Shining at His own matin hour,
Your loving heart to heal and bless.
Lo! He is born on Christmas morn,
Your exiled soul to find and cheer,
To fill your days with His warm rays:
So be His smiling valley, dear!
SOME REAPERS
Lo! here on earth, 'neath other skies,
In spite of storm and winter's snow
Already our dear Little One
Hath found some harvests here below.
But, ah! to gather them He needs
Reapers on fire with quenchless love,
And glad to suffer or to die
For Him who reigns in Heaven above
Noel Noel to Carmel's shade
I come, because His will is thine.
Sister! form apostolic souls,
To reap the harvest fields divine.
The following was the stanza that was drawn by Sister Teresa of the Infant Jesus herself. Only three months later she heard the first call of the Divine Master invite her to leave earth for heaven.
A BUNCH OF GRAPES
I want some sweet and cooling fruit,
A bunch of grapes so smooth and fair,
To moisten the small, thirsting lips
Of this dear Babe within my care.
Your lot, my Sister! oh, how blest,
For those choice grapes He asks of you,
Within His vineyard to be prest!
The hearts of all men are His due.
His tiny hand like snow flake white
Upon your throbbing heart shall lie,
And from all touch of earth's delight
Absorb it into His on high.
A LITTLE WHITE HOST
Oh! we how with each morning's light
Jesus, the Child divinely fair,
Into a little snow-white host
Transforms Himself, that you may share
His life; and yet with greater love,
He longs to change you into Him.
Your heart His precious treasure is,
His happiness, His joy supreme.
Noel! Noel! from heaven He comes,
To fill your soul with glorious light;
The Lamb of God to you descends,
Now be His pure white host tonight!
A SMILE
Ah! the wicked world despises
Love that Jesus feels for men;
And His heavenly eyes are moistened
With hot bitter tears for them;
And His little arms He stretches,
Dearest Sister, unto you.
Shall I tell you what the comfort
That I think He seems to sue?
See! His look is asking of you,
And His sweet eyes seem to say:
Smile on all! That smile suffices
To wipe all My tears away.
SOME PLAYTHINGS
Would you like to be the plaything
Of this Child so fair and sweet?
Would you, dear one! like to please Him?
Then lie humbly at His feet.
If He chooses to caress you,
If He lifts you to His breast,
Yes, if He seems tired of you,
Count yourself among the blest.
Be His happy Christmas plaything,
Seeking just to do His will;
And in heaven with countless blessings
He, your happy heart, will fill.
A PILLOW
Oft I see the Baby Jesus
Wakeful in His manger bed.
Would you know the reason? Dear ones,
There's no pillow for His head.
Ah! I know your ardent longing
To console Him night and day.
Give your heart to be His pillow,
That is what He wants alway;
And be ever meek and humble,
Then you will be greatly blest.
You will hear Him softly saying:
In your heart how sweet My rest!
A FLOWER
All the earth with snow is covered,
Everywhere the white frosts reign;
Winter and his gloomy courtiers
Hold their court on earth again.
But for you has bloomed the Flower
0f the fields, Who comes to earth
From the fatherland of heaven,
Where eternal spring has birth.
Near the Rose of Christmas, Sister!
In the lowly grasses hide,
And be like the humble flowerets,
Of heaven's King the lowly bride!
SOME BREAD
Day by day, at morn and even,
Still the holy words are said:
O our Father up in Heaven!
Give to us our daily bread,
Yet your God, become your Brother,
Suffers hunger as you do;
And His childish voice is asking
For a little bread from you.
Ah! my Sister! Jesus wishes
Just your love, how great your bliss!
Let your soul be pure and spotless,
For His daily bread is this.
A MIRROR
Children like to have you place them,
Near a mirror clear and fair;
Then they greet with childish rapture
The bright face that they see there.
Come, then, to the favored stable,
Let your soul like crystal glow.
Let the Word, become an Infant,
In your heart His likeness know!
Sister, be the living image,
Of your Spouse, His mirror clear;
All the beauty of your Jesus
He would have in you appear.
A PALACE
The great and noble of the earth,
In palaces they proudly dwell;
The poor and lonely find their home
In hut, in cabin, and in cell.
So in a humble cattle shed
The Christ Child lies, this Christmas night;
Leaving His palace in the skies,
He veils His glory's dazzling light.
Your heart loves poverty, I know;
You count yourself divinely blest;
So Jesus finds a palace home
Within your humble, happy breast.
A CROWN OF LILIES
Sinners will crown with thorns, one day
The holy, heavenly head of Christ.
What pains and sorrows will be His,
To gain us graces all unpriced.
Now may your virginal sweet soul
Make Him tonight His woes forget;
And for His royal lily crown
Your Sisters' souls before Him set!
Draw very near to Jesus' throne,
To charm His lovely tear dimmed eyes;
Make of these virgin souls His crown
Of snow white lilies beyond price!
SOME BONBONS
Sister dear, the little ones
Like so much the sweet bonbons!
Bring some then, and quickly fill
Jesus' small white hand tonight!
By His smile He doth invite
You to do His childish will.
This wee King, so frail, so weak,
Carmel's candies He doth seek;
What they are, you surely guess!
Give Him your austerity
And your holy poverty,
He your gift will quickly bless.
A CARESS
Little Jesus, dear, from you
Nothing more doth softly sue
Than a very sweet caress.
Give Him all your love today,
And your gift He will repay;
With His love your soul will bless.
If a Sister weep tonight,
Sore at heart where all are bright,
Ah! at once, with tenderness,
Beg the little Holy Child
That His small hand undefiled
Dry her tears with its caress.
A CRADLE
Many hearts God's favors want,
Would have Jesus always grant
Gifts and presents without end.
If He seem awhile to sleep,
Few their watch beside Him keep;
Few remain His faithful friend.
Get Him sleep that none may break;
Though we know His Heart doth wake;
Even in dreams our Jesus weeps.
So His cradle, Sister, be!
Guard the sweet Lamb tenderly,
Smiling on Him while He sleeps.
SOME LINENS
See the dear Child's tiny hand
Point to make you understand
At the rough and rasping straw.
Won't you grant His wish tonight,
And bring linens pure and white,
O'er His manger bed to draw?
Make excuses kind and true,
Whatsoe'er your Sisters do,
Loving all for Christ their King.
Thus your ardent charity,
And your true simplicity,
Are the linens you can bring.
SOME FIRE
Our sweet Jesus, Fire of love,
Light and Warmth of heaven above,
In the stable, cold is He!
Yet, in the far, shining sky,
Angels, living flames on high,
Wait on Him in ecstasy.
Here on earth 'tis you must light
Blazing fires of love tonight,
In your heart, all free from sin;
Little shivering Jesus warm
In the shelter of your arm,
By the souls your prayers shall win!
A CAKE
Well we know that children small
Eagerly for cakes will call!
This dear Child will not disdain
Even such a gift tonight!
Offer it with great delight;
You His happy smile will gain.
Know you what to this Child King
Real content will surely bring?
'Tis obedience prompt and true.
As He bowed to Mary's will,
So do you the rule fulfil,
Such the cake He asks of you.
SOME HONEY
In the pretty floweret's cup,
When the morning sun comes up,
You can see the tiny bee,
Flitting fast through summer hours,
Visiting the woodland bowers,
Gathering honey steadily.
All of love your treasure make;
And, each day, for Christ's dear sake,
To His holy cradle come.
All the honey of your love
Give, sweet bee! to this meek Dove;
Make His Heart your hive and home!
A LAMB
Would you charm the Lamb of God?
In the path that He hath trod
Tread today with willing feet!
Leaving all things here below,
Seek alone His will to know;
Do His will surpassing sweet!
O my Sister! be His own;
Seek for naught but God alone!
He will give you perfect rest.
Mary, leaning o'er His bed,
Will see another childish head,
Close to His, and oh! how blest.
The Angel, taking again the Child Jesus in his arms, sings what follows:
The dear Child Jesus thanks you all,
For all your gifts, this Christmas night;
And all your names His tiny hand
Within His book of life will write.
Since in this Carmel He hath found
Such joy and peace,
Rewards in heaven He'll store for you,
That shall not cease.
And if you ever faithful are
To all the vows you make tonight,
Then love will give you wings to fly
Unto a far sublimer height.
One day, in heaven's dear fatherland,
Your exile o'er,
Jesus and Mary you shall see
Forevermore!
