Abin

“to dedicate oneself as a Victim of Love is not to be dedicated to sweetness and consolations; it is to offer oneself to all that is painful and bitter, because Love lives only by sacrifice and the more we would surrender ourselves to Love, the more we must surrender
ourselves to suffering”
― St. Thérèse de Lisieux, Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“In any love-story there are usually two stages or phases. There is the initial stage, where love is expressed by the giving of gifts, especially the gift of self. Then there comes a time when it is no longer enough to give gifts to the beloved, but one has to be ready to suffer for her or for him. Only then can it be seen whether the love is real. In the story of a vocation to consecrated virginity there are also usually two stages. There is the initial stage of the vocation, when, spurred on by grace and attracted by the ideal, one joyfully and enthusiastically says, "Yes, Lord, here I am!" Then comes the time of solitude of heart, of weariness, of crisis, when, in order to maintain that "Yes," one has to die”
― Raniero Cantalamessa, Virginity: A Positive Approach to Celibacy for the Sake of the Kingdom of Heaven

“The smile that covered a "multitude of pains" was no hypocritical mask. She was trying to hide her sufferings - even from God! - so as not to make others, especially the poor, suffer because of them. When she promised to do "a little extra praying & smiling" for one of her friends, she was alluding to an acutely painful and costly sacrifice: to pray when prayer was so difficult and to smile when her interior pain was agonizing.”
― Brian Kolodiejchuk, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the "Saint of Calcutta"

“At this time I chose
as friends two little girls of my own age; but how shallow are the hearts of creatures! One
of them had to stay at home for some months; while she was away I thought about her very
often, and on her return I showed how pleased I was. However, all I got was a glance of indifference—
my friendship was not appreciated. I felt this very keenly, and I no longer sought
an affection which had proved so inconstant. Nevertheless I still love my little school friend,
and continue to pray for her, for God has given me a faithful heart, and when once I love,
I love for ever.”
― St. Thérèse de Lisieux