Day 7 — Joy in Suffering (mini) Book Club: St. Therese's Mighty Arms
- Prayer & Productivity
- Nov 29
- 10 min read
We continue our 9-day book club, reading the book Joy in Suffering.
📖 Day 7: St. Therese's Mighty Arms 🌹
If you don’t already have the book, you can find the readings online for free here:
What was your favorite quote or takeaway from today’s reading? Share in the comments below!
MY TAKEAWAYS
💬 Today’s reading reminds us that we never have to worry about relying on our own strength, because we can be assured of God’s mighty arms sustaining us in the following ways:
1) The Three Divine Persons are “really, truly, and substantially present” within our souls (through Sanctifying Grace)
2) God’s gentle hand is “directing all for the good” of our souls
3) God will always give us sufficient grace in the present moment, as “the cross of the present is ever accompanied by its measure of grace, and thus rendered bearable”.
Therefore, we should never dwell on the past or trouble ourselves too much about the future, because God is always with us, giving us the graces we need for the present moment. As mentioned in the reading, “St. Therese did not rely on her own strength, but on God’s…” and being ever “conscious of this sweet presence, she cried out: "I cannot well see what more I shall have in heaven than I have now; I shall see God, it is true, but as to being with Him, I am that already on earth." This thought was not only her joy, but also her strength…” This "Prisoner of love" and “treasure” in her heart was her strength in suffering: “I have gone down into the valley of the shadow of death, but I fear no evil, because Thou art with me.” “How did she attain to such an unbroken, loving consciousness of the abiding presence of the Blessed Trinity in her heart? By forming the habit of living with God”…by thinking of Him often. As she so beautifully described, “Scarcely three minutes ever pass without a loving thought of God."
Furthermore, because she was so aware of "God in Her Heart" (as described in the first meditation 7.1), she saw nothing as coming from creatures. Rather, she saw all things, joy or pain, coming directly “from His loving hand" saying, “The hand of Jesus it is that guides everything—we ought to see only Him in all things". When disappointments came, she still felt them and some so great that “tears flowed freely” but she accepted them with loving resignation, writing to her sister, “Let us accept with a good heart the thorn that Jesus presents to us…." When pierced with these “thorns” and "pin-pricks" (as mentioned in Day 6.3), she described them in the following way, “Jesus riddles His 'little ball' with pin-pricks that hurt indeed, though when they come from the hand of this loving Friend, the pain is all sweetness, so gentle is the touch."
One of my favorite parts from today was how St. Therese described herself as a slender reed that bends but does not break: “I am a 'slender reed,' planted on the shore of the waters of love and tribulation, but reeds bend without breaking, and how could I get broken, since whatever happens, I see only the gentle hand of Jesus!" Moreover, what better way of guarding our mind and heart from sadness and despair, or resentment and anger directed towards others, than ever being mindful that “If Jesus Himself does not pierce me, He guides the hand that does." This meditation concludes beautifully with a reminder that, “If I but looked behind the veil in pain, be it exterior or interior, and saw only the ‘gentle hand of Jesus," what strength, peace, and joy would be mine in suffering!”
One of the most powerful points and meditations in this entire book is how “St. Therese suffered most intensely…but it was in deep peace…” and she accomplished this by living by her rule to "live only in the present moment, realizing that the cross of the present is ever accompanied by its measure of grace, and thus rendered bearable, while grace is not at hand for the anticipated crosses of the future.” When others expressed concerns and fears about her future, St. Therese once replied: "It is quite a mistake to trouble ourselves as to what I may still have to suffer. It is like meddling with God's work. We who run in the way of love must never allow ourselves to be disturbed by anything. If I did not simply live from one moment to the next, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I look only at the present. I forget the past, and take good care not to forestall the future. When we yield to discouragement or despair, it is usually because we think too much about the past and the future." And after being told that some thought she feared death, her beautiful response was, “That may easily come to pass…. It will be time enough to bear that cross when it comes; meantime I wish to rejoice in my present happiness."
To conclude, as so beautifully said in the novena prayer for today:
Dear St. Therese, I begin to understand more and more the source of your surprising strength in pain, and suffering, for what can be impossible to one who leans on God Almighty's power, living in the loving consciousness of His abiding presence in the soul?…He is the best and most tender of Fathers, it is but natural that I realize that all that befalls me comes from His love, and hence is intended for my highest interests, my eternal welfare. Obtain for me the grace…to take trustful refuge to Him in instant prayer, to find my joy and strength in dwelling ever with Him as the Sweet Guest of my soul….God always gives the grace necessary to bear the sufferings of the present, and that when the future shall have become the present He will pour out a new measure of grace from the tabernacle of my heart where He has set His abode. Help me to live in the present, with no thought of the greatness of pain that is past, and still less preoccupied with what my loving Father may be pleased to send me in the future.
📝I look forward to hearing your main takeaway and/or favorite quote from today! Thanks for joining me! 💕
💗My favorite quotes from today:
🌹(1) God in Her Heart:
St. Therese did not rely on her own strength, but on God's realizing that the Three Divine Persons were really, truly, and substantially present in her heart... (more specifically, in her soul through Sanctifying Grace)
God, then, with all His omnipotence, was ever at hand, more intimately present to her than her soul was to her body…
…conscious of this sweet presence, she cried out: "I cannot well see what more I shall have in heaven than I have now; I shall see God, it is true, but as to being with Him, I am that already on earth." This thought was not only her joy, but also her strength…
She [St. Therese], too, could exclaim with her holy patroness (St. Teresa of Avila): "God and I are a majority!"
As the tide of suffering rose higher, it was this thought that gave her new courage and confidence…”'I have gone down into the valley of the shadow of death, but I fear no evil, because Thou art with me.”
How did she attain to such an unbroken, loving consciousness of the abiding presence of the Blessed Trinity in her heart? By forming the habit of living with God, her "Treasure,” in her heart…
"Scarcely three minutes ever pass without a loving thought of God."
🌹(2) The Gentle Hand of Jesus in All:
St. Therese saw nothing come to her, whether joy or pain, directly from creatures, but all from His loving hand…
…it was always His hand writing on the signed sheet she had given Him; knowing how deeply He loved and watched over her, since His love was above all one of infinite and paternal tenderness, she was firmly convinced that ALL He sent was for her good.
In the guidance of her Prioress, whether mild or severe, she saw "only the hand of God, directing all for the good of her soul."
"The hand of Jesus it is that guides everything—we ought to see only Him in all things."
When a wholly unexpected and most bitter disappointment came to her, so great that her tears flowed freely, she wrote to her sister: "Oh, what a blow! But I feel that it is struck by a hand divinely jealous…. It is Jesus who has guided this affair; it is He, and I have recognized His touch of love…. It is not a human hand that has done this; it is Jesus, His eyes have fallen upon us. Let us accept with a good heart the thorn that Jesus presents to us…."
Having offered herself to the Child Jesus as a little ball, when she suffered much, she said: "Jesus riddles His 'little ball' with pin-pricks that hurt indeed, though when they come from the hand of this loving Friend, the pain is all sweetness, so gentle is the touch."
"I am a 'slender reed,' planted on the shore of the waters of love and tribulation, but reeds bend without breaking, and how could I get broken, since whatever happens, I see only the gentle hand of Jesus!"
"I am happy, most happy, to suffer! If Jesus Himself does not pierce me He guides the hand that does."
If I but looked behind the veil in pain, be it exterior or interior, and saw only the "gentle hand of Jesus," what strength, peace, and joy would be mine in suffering!
🌹(3) Living in the Present:
She [St. Therese] suffered most intensely…but it was in deep peace…
…she had made it her rule to live only in the present moment, realizing that the cross of the present is ever accompanied by its measure of grace, and thus rendered bearable, while grace is not at hand for the anticipated crosses of the future.
Seeing her suffer so much, one of her sisters remarked: "To think that it may increase!" St. Therese replied: "It is quite a mistake to trouble ourselves as to what I may still have to suffer. It is like meddling with God's work. We who run in the way of love must never allow ourselves to be disturbed by anything. If I did not simply live from one moment to the next, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I look only at the present. I forget the past, and take good care not to forestall the future. When we yield to discouragement or despair, it is usually because we think too much about the past and the future."
"That may easily come to pass…. It will be time enough to bear that cross when it comes; meantime I wish to rejoice in my present happiness."
🌹From the Novena Prayer
Dear St. Therese I begin to understand more and more the source of your surprising strength in pain, and suffering, for what can be impossible to one who leans on God Almighty's power, living in the loving consciousness of His abiding presence in the soul?
He is the best and most tender of Fathers, it is but natural that I realize that all that befalls me comes from His love, and hence is intended for my highest interests, my eternal welfare.
Obtain for me the grace…to take trustful refuge to Him in instant prayer, to find my joy and strength in dwelling ever with Him as the Sweet Guest of my soul.
God always gives the grace necessary to bear the sufferings of the present, and that when the future shall have become the present He will pour out a new measure of grace from the tabernacle of my heart where He has set His abode.
Help me to live in the present, with no thought of the greatness of pain that is past, and still less preoccupied with what my loving Father may be pleased to send me in the future.
Reflection Questions & Action Items
7.1 God in Her Heart
Reflection Questions
How did she attain to such an unbroken, loving consciousness of the abiding presence of the Blessed Trinity in her heart? How can I do likewise?
The Indwelling of the Trinity (for a soul in a state of grace) is a core Catholic teaching. Do I ever think about this? Do I live like the "Uncreated Word" is in my heart? What are some ways that I can be more conscientious of this?
"Scarcely three minutes ever pass without a loving thought of God..." How much time passes for me between loving thoughts of God (especially during times of suffering)? Minutes? Hours? Days? Can this explain any "weakness in suffering" I have experienced recently? How can I work on this?
If I truly believed and realized God was "with me" in my heart and soul, how would that change my reaction to suffering? Would I still feel "alone" or could I say like St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese, "God and I are a majority!"?
Action Items
Work on “forming the habit of living with God…” by imitating St. Therese and “having a loving thought of God” as often as she did: “Scarcely three minutes ever pass without a loving thought of God.” Start “little” and set a timer for every hour. Then, little by little aim to shorten it to every 30 minutes, then 15 minutes, etc. When it goes off, stop for a few seconds and recall that God is in your heart. Have one "loving thought of God." Then reset the timer.
7.2 The Gentle Hand of Jesus in All
Reflection Questions
When someone causes me suffering (a "secondary cause"), I get upset or angry at them. Saint Therese saw right through the creature to the "gentle hand of Jesus" guiding them. This is how she bore the "Martyrdom of the Heart" (as explained in Day 3.2).
How can I be angry or annoyed at the "Sister with the aversion" if I know it is Jesus guiding her hand, using her as the "pin-prick" for my sanctification?
When I think about suffering coming from “the gentle hand of Jesus,” for the good of my soul, how does that change my perspective/outlook on the cause of my suffering? Does it make it easier to bear, less personal (if the suffering is caused by someone else), and easier to forgive?
Action Items
Identify one person or situation that is frequently the cause of a “pin-pricks”. The next time they "pierce" you with a word or action, instead of getting upset or angry, accept this 'pin-prick' from the “gentle hand of Jesus” that He presents to you for our own good.
7.3 Living in the Present
Reflection Questions
How much of my "suffering" today is actually anxiety about tomorrow? Or regret about yesterday?
Our suffering can feel heavy when we pile on the (remembered) past and the (imagined) future onto the present moment. God gives us grace for the present. Am I “thinking too much about the past or the future”?
Am I "meddling with God's work" by "forestalling the future"? Can I trust that when the future becomes the present, the "measure of grace" will be there?
Action Items
Practice "living in the present." When you feel "discouragement or despair," stop and ask yourself: "Am I thinking about the past or the future?" Force your thoughts back to this present moment. Ask: "What grace do I need only for the next 60 seconds?"
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