Photograph taken July 1896.

The book Thérèse is holding was given to her by Father Roulland when he visited Lisieux:
 The Su-Tchuen Mission in the 18th Century: The Life and Apostolate of Bishop Pottier by L. Guiot [Tequi, 1892]. In it, Thérèse learned about the mission field entrusted to her second spiritual brother. Inscribed on the scroll in her hand was one of Thérèse's favorite sayings of Teresa of Avila: "I would give a thousand lives to save one soul."

In placing a lily near the book on China, Thérèse expressed one of her most profound convictions: her simple, consecrated life sufficed for her to participate closely in the apostolate of a missionary. She repeated this in a poem she gave Father Roulland on July 16th, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

"Be his to cover the globe
To preach the name of Jesus.
Be mine, in shadow and mystery,
To practice humble virtues.
I claim suffering,
I love and desire the cross . . .
I would die a thousand times
To help save one soul!"

Exactly one year later, after another pulmonary hemorrhage she would make this famous promise: "I want to spend my Heaven doing good on earth."


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