French Original • English Translation • Exact Source • Spiritual Explanation
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face — the Little Flower
Editorial Note
The quotations below are drawn from Thérèse’s own writings: the Autobiographical Manuscripts (Ms A, Ms B, Ms C), her letters (LT), and her poems (PN). The French is retained wherever the primary text is available, followed by an English translation. Manuscript folios refer to the standard critical numbering of Thérèse’s autograph manuscripts.
English wording can vary between published translations. Therefore, the French text and primary-source reference should be regarded as the controlling citation.
1. “My vocation is Love!”
French
« Ma vocation, enfin je l’ai trouvée, ma vocation, c’est l’Amour ! »
English
“My vocation, at last I have found it; my vocation is Love!”
Source: Manuscript B, folio 3v, September 1896.
Explanation:
This is the summit of Thérèse’s understanding of her vocation. After reflecting on the different members and vocations within the Church, she realized that love gives meaning and life to them all.
2. “The Church had a Heart”
French
« Je compris que l’Eglise avait un Cœur, et que ce Cœur était brûlant d’Amour. »
English
“I understood that the Church had a Heart, and that this Heart was burning with Love.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
Thérèse discovered that the Church is not merely an institution or collection of ministries. At its deepest center is the fire of divine love.
3. “Love alone made the members act”
French
« Je compris que c’était l’Amour seul qui faisait agir les membres de l’Eglise. »
English
“I understood that it was Love alone that made the members of the Church act.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
Apostolic activity, prayer, sacrifice and service receive their deepest meaning from love.
4. “If Love were ever extinguished”
French
« Si l’Amour venait à s’éteindre, les Apôtres n’annonceraient plus l’Evangile, les Martyrs refuseraient de verser leur sang… »
English
“If Love were ever extinguished, the Apostles would no longer proclaim the Gospel and the Martyrs would refuse to shed their blood.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
For Thérèse, Christian mission cannot ultimately be separated from love.
5. “Love comprises all vocations”
French
« Je compris que l’Amour renfermait toutes les Vocations. »
English
“I understood that Love comprised all vocations.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
Thérèse discovered that the Church’s many vocations—priesthood, religious life, missionary work, contemplation and service—find their unity in love.
6. “Love was everything”
French
« L’Amour était tout. »
English
“Love was everything.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
This brief sentence summarizes the heart of her spirituality.
7. “Love embraced all times and places”
French
« …qu’il embrassait tous les temps et tous les lieux… en un mot, qu’il est Eternel ! »
English
“…that it embraced all times and places… in a word, that it is eternal!”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
Thérèse understands love as something that transcends place, historical period and particular vocation.
8. “In the heart of the Church”
French
« Dans le cœur de l’Eglise, ma Mère, je serai l’Amour. »
English
“In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I shall be Love.”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
She finds her place in the Church not by seeking prominence but by becoming an instrument of love.
9. “Thus I shall be everything”
French
« Ainsi je serai tout, ainsi mon rêve sera réalisé ! »
English
“Thus I shall be everything; thus my dream will be realized!”
Source: Manuscript B, 3v.
Explanation:
Her “everything” is not worldly achievement. It is participation in the Church’s universal mission through love.
THE LITTLE WAY
10. “I can aspire to holiness”
French
« Je puis donc, malgré ma petitesse, aspirer à la sainteté. »
English
“I can, then, in spite of my littleness, aspire to holiness.”
Source: Manuscript C, 2v.
Explanation:
Thérèse refuses the idea that weakness makes holiness impossible.
11. “I must remain little”
French
« Il me faut rester petite et le devenir de plus en plus. »
English
“I must remain little and become so more and more.”
Source: Manuscript C, 2v–3r.
Explanation:
“Little” means dependent upon God, humble and receptive to grace.
12. “I cannot become great”
French
« Il m’est impossible de me grandir… »
English
“It is impossible for me to make myself great…”
Source: Manuscript C, 2v.
Explanation:
Thérèse recognizes that holiness is not manufactured through self-glorification.
13. “Accept myself as I am”
French
« Il faut que je me supporte telle que je suis, avec toutes mes imperfections. »
English
“I must bear with myself as I am, with all my imperfections.”
Source: Manuscript C, 2v.
Explanation:
Christian humility includes accepting one’s limitations while continuing to trust in grace.
14. “A little way”
French
« Je veux chercher le moyen d’aller au Ciel par une toute petite voie, bien droite, bien courte, une petite voie toute nouvelle. »
English
“I want to seek the means of going to Heaven by a very little way, quite straight, quite short, a completely new little way.”
Source: Manuscript C, 2v.
Explanation:
This is one of the foundational descriptions of what later became known as the “Little Way.”
15. “The elevator”
French
« L’ascenseur qui doit m’élever jusqu’au Ciel, ce sont vos bras, ô Jésus ! »
English
“The elevator which must raise me to Heaven is Your arms, O Jesus!”
Source: Manuscript C, 3r.
Explanation:
The image contrasts human weakness with divine grace. Thérèse cannot climb by her own strength; she entrusts herself to Christ.
16. “I cannot rely on my own merits”
French
« Je ne puis donc compter sur mes propres mérites. »
English
“I cannot therefore rely upon my own merits.”
Source: Manuscript B, 4r.
Explanation:
Her confidence rests primarily upon God’s mercy rather than upon a calculation of personal achievements.
17. “Empty hands”
French
« Je paraîtrai devant vous les mains vides. »
English
“I shall appear before You with empty hands.”
Source: Manuscript B, 4r.
Explanation:
This is one of the clearest expressions of Thérèse’s spiritual poverty and confidence in God’s mercy.
TRUST AND MERCY
18. “My only treasure”
French
« …c’est de me voir aimer ma petitesse et ma pauvreté, c’est l’espérance aveugle que j’ai en sa miséricorde, voilà mon seul trésor. »
English
“…what pleases Him is to see me love my littleness and my poverty; it is the blind hope that I have in His mercy—this is my only treasure.”
Source: Letter to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, LT 197, September 17, 1896.
Explanation:
This is one of the most important primary texts for understanding the Little Way as a spirituality of trust.
19. “Confidence and nothing but confidence”
French
« C’est la confiance et rien que la confiance qui doit nous conduire à l’Amour. »
English
“It is confidence and confidence alone that should lead us to Love.”
Source: LT 197, to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, September 17, 1896.
Explanation:
This sentence is so central to Thérèse’s spirituality that Pope Francis chose it as the opening of his 2023 Apostolic Exhortation C’est la confiance.
20. “Remain poor”
French
« Restons donc bien loin de tout ce qui brille, aimons notre petitesse, aimons à ne rien sentir, alors nous serons pauvres d’esprit… »
English
“Let us remain far from everything that shines; let us love our littleness, love to feel nothing; then we shall be poor in spirit…”
Source: LT 197, September 17, 1896.
Explanation:
Thérèse warns against seeking spiritual prestige or extraordinary experiences.
21. “Jesus will transform us”
French
« Jésus viendra nous chercher, si loin que nous soyons il nous transformera en flammes d’amour. »
English
“Jesus will come to seek us; however far away we may be, He will transform us into flames of love.”
Source: LT 197, September 17, 1896.
Explanation:
The initiative belongs to Christ. The little soul trusts that divine love can transform weakness.
22. “He wants to give us Heaven freely”
French
« Oui, je le sens, Jésus veut nous faire les mêmes grâces, il veut nous donner gratuitement son Ciel. »
English
“Yes, I feel it: Jesus wants to give us the same graces; He wants to give us His Heaven freely.”
Source: LT 197, September 17, 1896.
Explanation:
Thérèse emphasizes the gratuitous character of divine grace.
JESUS AND LOVE
23. “Jesus is sick with love”
French
« Jésus est malade d’amour. »
English
“Jesus is sick with love.”
Source: Letter to Marie Guérin, July 1890.
Explanation:
Thérèse uses the language of love to express the intensity of Christ’s desire for the human person.
24. “The sickness of love”
French
« La maladie d’amour ne peut se guérir que par l’amour. »
English
“The sickness of love can be cured only by love.”
Source: Letter to Marie Guérin, July 1890.
Explanation:
Love is presented both as the wound and as its remedy.
25. “Make Him loved”
French
« Faisons-Le aimer. »
English
“Let us make Him loved.”
Source: Letter to Céline, October 15, 1889.
Explanation:
For Thérèse, evangelization begins with bringing others into contact with the love of Jesus.
26. “Jesus is my only love”
French
« Jésus, mon seul amour ! »
English
“Jesus, my only love!”
Source: Poem 36, Pourquoi je t’aime, ô Marie (Why I Love You, O Mary).
Explanation:
Thérèse’s Marian devotion always leads her back to Christ.
LIVING ON LOVE — POEM 17
Thérèse’s poem “Vivre d’Amour!” (PN 17) was composed on February 26, 1895. The Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux preserve the original text and identify its date and authorship.
27. “To live on Love”
French
« Vivre d’Amour ! »
English
“To live on Love!”
Source: Poem 17 (PN 17), Vivre d’Amour, February 26, 1895.
Explanation:
This phrase summarizes Thérèse’s understanding of Christian existence.
28. “To live on Love is to keep You”
French
« Vivre d’Amour, c’est te garder Toi-Même, Verbe incréé, Parole de mon Dieu. »
English
“To live on Love is to keep You within me, Uncreated Word, Word of my God.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 2.
Explanation:
The poem expresses Thérèse’s Eucharistic and Trinitarian spirituality.
29. “You live for me, hidden in a Host”
French
« Tu vis pour moi, caché dans une hostie. »
English
“You live for me, hidden in a Host.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 3.
Explanation:
This is a beautiful expression of Thérèse’s Eucharistic faith: Christ is truly present even beneath the humble appearance of bread.
30. “I want to hide myself for You”
French
« Je veux pour toi me cacher, ô Jésus ! »
English
“For You I want to hide myself, O Jesus!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 3.
Explanation:
The hidden life of Carmel becomes, for Thérèse, a form of love rather than withdrawal from Christ’s mission.
31. “His gaze is my beatitude”
French
« Ton seul regard fait ma béatitude. »
English
“Your one gaze is my beatitude.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 3.
Explanation:
Thérèse expresses the intimate joy of being loved and seen by Christ.
32. “Climb Calvary”
French
« Avec Jésus, c’est gravir le Calvaire, c’est regarder la Croix comme un trésor ! »
English
“With Jesus, it is to climb Calvary; it is to look upon the Cross as a treasure!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 4.
Explanation:
Her spirituality of love does not exclude suffering. The Cross becomes part of loving union with Christ.
33. “Give without measure”
French
« Vivre d’Amour, c’est donner sans mesure, sans réclamer de salaire ici-bas. »
English
“To live on Love is to give without measure, without asking for recompense here below.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 5.
Explanation:
Authentic Christian love gives freely rather than calculating what it will receive.
34. “When one loves, one does not calculate”
French
« Ah ! sans compter je donne étant bien sûre que lorsqu’on aime, on ne calcule pas ! »
English
“Ah! without counting, I give, being quite sure that when one loves, one does not calculate!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 5.
Explanation:
Love changes the way we think about sacrifice: the lover gives because love itself is the reward.
35. “My weakness is extreme”
French
« Mon Bien-Aimé, ma faiblesse est extrême. »
English
“My Beloved, my weakness is extreme.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 7.
Explanation:
Thérèse does not hide her weakness from Christ. She brings it directly into her relationship with Him.
36. “If I fall”
French
« Mais, si je tombe à chaque heure qui passe, me relevant tu viens à mon secours. »
English
“But if I fall at every passing hour, You come to my aid, raising me up.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 7.
Explanation:
The image expresses confidence in God’s continuing grace after human failure.
37. “You give me Your grace”
French
« A chaque instant tu me donnes ta grâce. »
English
“At every moment You give me Your grace.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 7.
Explanation:
Grace is not merely a past gift. Thérèse sees God’s help as continually sustaining her.
38. “The star of my life”
French
« La Charité voilà ma seule étoile. »
English
“Charity—there is my only star.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 8.
Explanation:
Love becomes her guiding light.
39. “My motto is Live on Love”
French
« J’ai ma devise écrite sur ma voile : “Vivre d’Amour.” »
English
“I have my motto written on my sail: ‘To live on Love.’”
Source: PN 17, stanza 8.
Explanation:
The sailing image represents her journey through earthly life under the power of charity.
40. “When Jesus sleeps”
French
« Vivre d’Amour, lorsque Jésus sommeille, c’est le repos sur les flots orageux. »
English
“To live on Love, when Jesus is sleeping, is to rest upon the stormy waves.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 9.
Explanation:
Faith remains possible even when God seems silent or absent.
41. “I wait in peace”
French
« J’attends en paix le rivage des cieux. »
English
“I wait in peace for the shores of Heaven.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 9.
Explanation:
Thérèse links trust, patience and hope for eternal life.
42. “I offer myself for the Church”
French
« Moi, son enfant, je m’immole pour elle, je vis d’Amour. »
English
“I, her child, offer myself for her; I live on Love.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 10.
Explanation:
Her contemplative life is offered for the Church and especially for priests and souls.
43. “Obtain forgiveness for sinners”
French
« Vivre d’Amour, c’est essuyer ta Face, c’est obtenir des pécheurs le pardon. »
English
“To live on Love is to wipe Your Face; it is to obtain pardon for sinners.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 11.
Explanation:
Her love for Christ becomes intercession for sinners.
44. “Your Holy Name”
French
« Ton Nom Sacré, je l’adore et je l’aime, je vis d’Amour ! »
English
“Your Holy Name, I adore it and I love it; I live on Love!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 11.
Explanation:
The poem joins reverence for Jesus’ Name with the spirituality of love.
45. “The perfume with which I anoint Your Face”
French
« Moi, le parfum dont j’embaume ta Face, c’est mon Amour ! »
English
“The perfume with which I anoint Your Face is my Love!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 12.
Explanation:
Thérèse identifies love itself as the gift she can offer to Christ.
46. “Loving Jesus”
French
« T’aimer, Jésus, quelle perte féconde ! »
English
“To love You, Jesus—what a fruitful loss!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 13.
Explanation:
What appears to the world as a loss becomes spiritually fruitful when everything is given to Christ.
47. “All my perfumes are Yours”
French
« Tous mes parfums sont à toi sans retour. »
English
“All my perfumes are Yours without reserve.”
Source: PN 17, stanza 13.
Explanation:
Thérèse uses the image of perfume to represent all her love, sacrifices and desires offered to Jesus.
48. “I die of Love”
French
« Je veux chanter en sortant de ce monde : “Je meurs d’Amour !” »
English
“I want to sing, as I leave this world: ‘I am dying of Love!’”
Source: PN 17, stanza 13.
Explanation:
Death is understood as the completion of her journey of love.
49. “My hope”
French
« Mourir d’amour, voilà mon espérance ! »
English
“To die of love—that is my hope!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 15.
Explanation:
Thérèse’s deepest hope is union with God rather than possession of earthly goods.
50. “This is my Heaven”
French
« Voilà mon Ciel…. voilà ma destinée : Vivre d’Amour !!! »
English
“This is my Heaven… this is my destiny: To live on Love!!!”
Source: PN 17, stanza 15, Vivre d’Amour, February 26, 1895.
Explanation:
The final line brings together the entire spirituality of Thérèse: heaven, vocation, destiny and love are inseparable.
A Note on the “Little Way”
It is important not to reduce Thérèse’s spirituality to the modern slogan “Do small things with great love.” That expression beautifully summarizes her teaching, but it is safer historically to return to her actual writings.
Her own texts speak instead of:
- remaining little,
- accepting one’s poverty,
- trusting in God’s mercy,
- giving without calculation,
- scattering flowers,
- offering small sacrifices,
- and allowing Jesus to carry the little soul.
The primary sources therefore give a richer and more accurate picture than the popular slogan alone.
The Three Most Important Primary Sources
1. Manuscript B — September 1896
This is the great text of Thérèse’s discovery of her vocation as Love. The famous passage occurs at 3v. Pope John Paul II quoted it in his homily proclaiming her Doctor of the Church, and Pope Francis later reproduced the passage in C’est la confiance.
2. Letter 197 — September 17, 1896
This letter to Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart contains perhaps the clearest statement of the Little Way as confidence in God’s merciful love:
« C’est la confiance et rien que la confiance qui doit nous conduire à l’Amour. »
The Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux preserve the complete French text and identify it as LT 197.
3. Poem 17 — Vivre d’Amour
Written on February 26, 1895, this poem gathers together Thérèse’s themes of Eucharist, love, suffering, the Cross, priests, sinners, Mary, missionary prayer and heaven. The Carmel Archives preserve her French text and identify the date and authorship.
Primary-source abbreviations
- Ms A = Autobiographical Manuscript A
- Ms B = Autobiographical Manuscript B
- Ms C = Autobiographical Manuscript C
- LT = Letters (Lettres)
- PN = Poems (Poésies)
- Pri = Prayers (Prières)
- CJ / DE = Carnet jaune / Derniers entretiens (Last Conversations)
These are the standard abbreviations used in modern critical references to Thérèse’s writings.
Sources for Verification
Archives du Carmel de Lisieux — primary texts and archival documentation:
The Carmel Archives provide the original French text of Vivre d’Amour, the correspondence of Thérèse, archival material concerning the manuscripts, and documentation concerning the authenticity of her writings.
Vatican — Pope John Paul II, 1997:
The homily for the proclamation of Thérèse as Doctor of the Church quotes the central passage from Manuscript B, folio 3v.
Vatican — Pope Francis, C’est la confiance, 2023:
This document explicitly identifies the source of the famous “confidence” quotation as LT 197, September 17, 1896, and reproduces the great vocation passage from Manuscript B.
Vatican — General Audience, April 26, 2023:
Pope Francis quotes the complete central passage from Manuscript B concerning the Church’s Heart and Thérèse’s vocation of Love.
Editorial conclusion
Saint Thérèse’s writings show that her “Little Way” was not a slogan about doing insignificant things. It was a profound spirituality of confidence, poverty, surrender, love, suffering and missionary intercession.
Her own words provide the clearest summary:
« C’est la confiance et rien que la confiance qui doit nous conduire à l’Amour. »
“It is confidence and confidence alone that should lead us to Love.”
— St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, LT 197, September 17, 1896
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