On the sacrifice of being displeasing to oneself and even to others.
"In the course of her religious life she often had to suffer from people's dislike of her, or from clashes of temperament or of mood, and indeed, from jealousy and spiteful behaviour on the part of other nuns. Not only did she bear all of this with patient equanimity, but she always tried to excuse their behaviour. She also sought the company of such nuns in preference to that of others, and showed them the greatest kindness. I considered the conduct of one of these to be particularly reprehensible, but Sister Therese insisted: 'I assure you that I have the greatest compassion for Sister X. If you knew her as well as I do, you would see that she is not responsible for all of the things that seem so awful to us. I remind myself that if I had an infirmity such as hers, and so defective a spirit, I would not do any better than she does, and then I would despair; she suffers terribly from her own shortcomings.'" - Therese By Those Who Knew Her, testimony of Mother Agnes of Jesus.
"Therese believed that God frequently allows us to experience in ourselves the same weaknesses which we deplore in others,,, [Thus] when we see ourselves fallen into those faults we are then more prompt to excuse them in others." - My Sister St. Therese, Sister Genevieve of the Holy Face
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"'Sometimes it happens,' she went on, 'that despite their best efforts, some souls remain imperfect because it would be to their spiritual detriment to believe they are virtuous or to have others agree that they are.'" - Ibid
Art: Clive Hicks-Jenkins
I was just discussing that virtue in St. Therese with someone recently because we were both struggling with a woman with a very condescending personality. After I lose patience, I can't help reflecting on how God knows just what kind of people to put in our path to give us opportunities to practice virtue. Those quotes on St. Therese are perfect.
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