AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING
I MOST heartily thank Thee, O Lord, for all Thy mercies and blessings bestowed upon me and upon Thy whole Church; and particularly for those I have received from Thee this day, in watching over me, and preserving me from so many evils, and favoring me with so many graces and inspirations. [Here pause and meditate on God’s mercies.] Oh, let me never more be ungrateful unto Thee, my God, Who art so good and gracious unto me.
PRAYERS OF SŒUR THÉRÈSE
Love of God
AT the close of evening I shall appear before Thee with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that Thou wouldst count my works. All our justice is tarnished in Thy sight. It is therefore my desire to be clothed with Thine own justice and to receive from Thy love the eternal possession of Thyself. I crave no other throne or other crown but Thee, O my Beloved.
Gratitude
O MY God, how good Thou art to me, the victim of Thy merciful love. Now even though Thou dost join physical suffering to the trials of my soul, I cannot say: “The sorrows of death have encompassed me.” But I cry out in my gratitude: “I have gone down into the valley of the shadow of death, yet I fear no evil, because Thou, O Lord, art with me.”
