Therese of Lisieux
(Autobiographical writings, 114 f.)
God does not need anyone
to accomplish His work;
just as an adept gardener
is allowed to cultivate rare and delicate plants,
and is granted the necessary knowledge,
He Himself, however, retains concern for growth
and fruitfulness,
so Jesus wants
us to assist Him in His divine garden of souls.
What would happen if an unskilled gardener
did not prune his bushes correctly,
if he could not discern
the nature of each individual
and wanted to force roses to bloom on a peach tree?
Thus, we must strive to learn from childhood
what God has placed in each individual,
to support the action of grace
and not to anticipate it or hinder it…
(Therese von Lisieux, In the Garden of God, Autobiogr. Writings,
Carmel-Impulses 5/1995)
Translated by Dr. Vojtěch Pola
