“I Thirst for Love”: A Poem by St. Thérèse of Lisieux

One facet of  St. Thérèse that many people are unaware of, was her talent as a poet. In the solitude of her cell at night, by the light of a single candle, she would compose her poems (love songs), thus fulfilling her desire to express, in some small measure, her passionate love for God, her undying gratitude for the immense sacrifices He had made for her, and her longing to be united with the Beloved. Thérèse had discovered one of the most profound truths of our Catholic Faith: every person is special and unique to God. His ‘thirst’ is that each and every one of us should open our own hearts willingly to Him, to accept His Word, to give our own ‘fiat’ of filial obedience. Then we too shall: “…seest thou My loving.”

“The stirrings of the soul can be brought to fruition in seeing life as a never-ending quest toward our heavenly home. Therese pinpointed this concept in her “Little Way.” By desiring a simple life, she exemplified the knack of finding adventure in all the small things. “God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.” There is a relief to the bitterness of fallen humanity when we can do as Therese did and not only enjoy the simple, but thrive within it. She made simplicity appealing in that through it, she found immense joy and hope. If we, like her, could view our lives from a transcendental perspective, simplicity and poetics shine through our failings and our victories.” (Fr. Robert Barron)

“I Thirst for Love”

In wondrous love Thou didst come down from Heaven

To immolate Thyself, O Christ, for me;

So, in my turn, my love to Thee is given,

I wish to suffer and to die for Thee.

Thou, Lord, has spoken this truth benign:

“To die for one loved tenderly

Of greatest love on Earth is sign;”

And now, such love is mine, such love for Thee!

Abide, abide with me, O Pilgrim blest!

Behind the hill fast sinks the dying day.

Helped by Thy Cross I mount the rocky crest;

Oh, come, to guide me on my heavenward way.

To be like Thee is my desire;

Thy voice finds echo in my soul.

Suffering I crave! Thy words of fire

Lift me above Earth’s mire, and sin’s control.

Chanting Thy victories, gloriously sublime,

The Seraphim all Heaven cry to me,

That even Thou, to conquer sin and crime,

Upon this Earth a sufferer needs must be.

For me, upon life’s dreary way,

What scorn, what anguish, Thou didst bear

Let me grow humble every day,

Be least of all, always, Thy lot to share!

Ah, Christ! Thy great example teaches me

Myself to humble, honours to despise.

Little and low like Thee I choose to be,

Forgetting self, so I may charm Thine eyes.

My peace I find in solitude,

Nor ask I more, dear Lord, than this:

Be Thou my sole beatitude,

Ever in Thee renewed, my joy, my bliss.

Thou, the great God Whom Earth and Heaven adore,

Thou dwellest a prisoner for me night and day;

And every hour I hear Thy voice implore:

“I thirst – I thirst – I thirst – for love always!”

I, too, Thy prisoner am I;

I, too, cry ever unto Thee

Thine own divine and tender cry:

“I thirst! Oh, let me die of love for Thee!”

For love of Thee I thirst! Fulfill my hope;

Augment in me Thine own celestial flame!

For love of Thee I thirst! Too scant Earth’s scope.

The glorious Vision of Thy Face I claim!

My long slow martyrdom of fire

Still more and more consumeth me.

Thou art my joy, my own desire.

Jesu! May I expire of love for Thee!