Quote of the day, 19 January: Marie Martin

For your feast day, you have asked me to discuss a passage of the Gospel which has been a guide for me. I used often to wonder, ‘What shall we do in heaven for all eternity?’ These words of our Lord suddenly came to my mind: ‘Now this is everlasting life, that they may know Thee, the only True God, and Him Whom Thou hast sent’ [Cf. Jn 17:3].

Eternity is not long enough for us to know the infinite goodness of the good God, His infinite power, His infinite mercy, His infinite love for us. These are our eternal delights that will never be exhausted. Our heart is made to understand them and to be nourished with them.

Often before Communion, I like to recite this act of contrition:

My God, I am sorry for having offended You, because You are infinitely good and lovable, and because sin displeases You… It is not that I fear Your reproach or Your punishments, but because You are infinitely good, infinitely perfect, and through love, I ought always to try to please You. This ought to be my only purpose, my sole happiness.

Here below I understand in a slight measure what You are; but in the life eternal, when I shall see You face to face, I will have a clearer knowledge of You, my God, Who art my Creator and my Father, and Who hast given me such great proofs of Your love.

Formerly, little Mother, I used to like to think that in heaven I would know all the marvels of nature, all the beauty of the stars and their immensity. Now, all that holds little interest for me, and I desire only one thing — to lose myself in Him Who has done so many wonderful things….

Happy feast day to my dear Mother — whose happy sister and child I am.

Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart, O.C.D.
Marie Martin

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Marie, the eldest sister and godmother of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, died 19 January 1940 in the Carmel of Lisieux. Before she passed, she wrote a letter to her sister Pauline — Mother Agnès of Jesus — in honor of her feast day on 21 January, the Memorial of Saint Agnes, the virgin martyr. After Marie’s death, Mother Agnès found the letter that Marie had written and included it in the circular letter that was distributed throughout the Discalced Carmelite Order. The circular functions as a uniquely Carmelite obituary notice, filled with details and anecdotes concerning the religious life of the deceased. The Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux possess an English translation of the circular letter for Sr. Marie of the Sacred Heart thanks to the kindness of Father Robert Colaresi, O.Carm.