Therese wrote this poem in 1895, either in June or in October, at the request of her sister, Marie of the Sacred Heart. She does not understand the Heart of Jesus as demanding reparation, but as "burning with tenderness." Jesus is the "only Friend whom I love," "my happiness, my only hope."  Unable to see his bright face or hear his voice, she still can rest on the Sacred Heart.  In her daring climax, she chooses that Heart for her purgatory.

“To the Sacred Heart of Jesus”

. . . . 

To be able to gaze on your glory,

I know we have to pass through fire.

So I, for my purgatory,

Choose your burning love, O heart of my God!

On leaving this life, my exiled soul

Would like to make an act of pure love,

And then, flying away to Heaven, its Homeland,

Enter straightaway into your Heart.

The Poetry of Saint Therese of Lisieux, tr. Donald Kinney, O.C.D. Washington, D.C.: ICS Publications, 1996, pp. 117-120. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

To read this and all Therese's 54 poems, please order a copy of the book "The Poetry of Saint Therese" by clicking on the icon below. This book is the only English translation from the critical and complete edition of Therese's manuscripts of her poetry. Even if you have read some other translation, I urge you to read this one, which includes the original French text and an English introduction and notes rich in interest.

[Purchases through this link support this Web site].

You may also read the text (but not the introduction and notes) of "To the Sacred Heart of Jesus" online thanks to the generosity of the Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites and the Web site of the Archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.

Pour servir les nombreux Canadiens qui ont visité "Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux: une porte d'entrée", je suis aujourd'hui l'ouverture d'une double librairie de St. Therese en ligne pour le Canada. Il dispose d'St. Therese propres écrits, de ses biographies, les études de sa spiritualité, des livres sur sa famille, et des albums. S'il vous plait visitez le magasin de Ste. Therese en francais pour Canada.  Ou visiter le magasin de Ste. Therese en anglais pour Canada.  Merci de soutenir ce site Web par utiliser du magasin.

To serve the many Canadians who have been visiting "St. Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway," I am today opening an online bookstore for Canada.  It features St. Therese's own writings, biographies of her, studies of her spirituality, books about her family, and albums.  See English books about St. Therese of Lisieux.  Or see French books about St. Therese of Lisieux.  Thank you for supporting this Web site by patronizing the store.

June 8, 2009 - The first liturgical feast of Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin, the parents of St. Therese, will be celebrated on Sunday, July 12, 2009, the anniversary of their marriage in 1858.  The Shrine at Lisieux has announced a two-day celebration of liturgy, prayer, and  festivities.  Cardinal Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan, will preside at a Pontifical Mass in the Basilica of St. Therese, where Louis and Zelie were beatified on October 19, 2009.  See a complete schedule of the liturgies and festivities for the first feast of Louis and Zelie Martin at Lisieux on July 12, 2009.  

For the first time, England and Wales will receive the reliquary of St. Therese from September 16 to October 16, 2009.  To honor this first visit of the reliquary to these English-speaking countries, I have created an area on the site with links to information about the visit and the many catechetical and spiritual events planned to prepare for it.