Traditional Catholic prayer
St. Thérèse’s Consecration to the Holy Face
St. Thérèse wrote this consecration to the Holy Face for the novices of her Carmel. It asks for love of Jesus and the salvation of souls. The references to sisters and spouses are retained from its original convent setting.
Source: Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 314-315.
O Adorable Face of Jesus, since Thou hast deigned to make special choice of our souls, in order to give Thyself to them, we come to consecrate these souls to Thee. We seem, O Jesus, to hear Thee say: "Open to Me, My Sisters, My Spouses, for My Face is wet with the dew, and My Locks with the drops of the night." Our souls understand Thy language of love; we desire to wipe Thy sweet Face, and to console Thee for the contempt of the wicked. In their eyes Thou art still "as it were hidden . . . they esteem Thee an object of reproach."
O Blessed Face, more lovely than the lilies and the roses of the spring, Thou art not hidden from us. The tears which dim Thine Eyes are as precious pearls which we delight to gather, and, through their infinite value, to purchase the souls of our brethren.
From Thy Adorable Lips we have heard Thy loving plaint: "I thirst." Since we know that this thirst which consumes Thee is a thirst for love, to quench it we would wish to possess an infinite love.
Dear Spouse of our souls, if we could love with the love of all hearts, that love would be Thine. . . . Give us, O Lord, this love! Then come to thy Spouses and satisfy Thy Thirst.
And give to us souls, dear Lord . . . We thirst for souls! Above all for the souls of Apostles and Martyrs . . . that through them we may inflame all poor sinners with love of Thee.
O Adorable Face, we shall succeed in winning this grace from Thee! Unmindful of our exile, "by the rivers of Babylon," we will sing in Thine Ears the sweetest of melodies. Since Thou art the true and only Home of our souls, our songs shall not be sung in a strange land. O Beloved Face of Jesus, while we await the Eternal Day when we shall gaze upon Thine Infinite Glory, our only desire is to delight Thy Divine Eyes by keeping our faces hidden too, so that no one on earth may recognise us . . . Dear Jesus, Heaven for us is Thy Hidden Face!
About this prayer
Prayer source
Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 314-315.
View the printed prayer page.About our prayer sources- What it is
- St. Thérèse wrote this consecration to the Holy Face for the novices of her Carmel. It asks for love of Jesus and the salvation of souls. The references to sisters and spouses are retained from its original convent setting.
- Prayer intention
- Love of Jesus, reparation, and prayer for souls.
- When to pray
- As a reading from the saint’s prayer life or a thoughtful personal devotion. The prayer speaks in the voice of the Carmelite novices for whom it was written.
- Connection with a saint
St. Thérèse of Lisieux: From the saint’s writings. This prayer is printed in the “Prayers of Sœur Thérèse” section of Thomas N. Taylor’s preconciliar translation. Read the source.
- Languages
- English
- English prayer source
- Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 314-315. View the historical source. View the printed prayer page. Novena Regina provides the explanations above. The prayer text follows the source named here.
Traditional Catholic prayer
St. Thérèse’s Consecration to the Holy Face
Source: Sœur Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus (1912), St. Thérèse of Lisieux; translated and edited by Thomas N. Taylor, pages 314-315.
O Adorable Face of Jesus, since Thou hast deigned to make special choice of our souls, in order to give Thyself to them, we come to consecrate these souls to Thee. We seem, O Jesus, to hear Thee say: "Open to Me, My Sisters, My Spouses, for My Face is wet with the dew, and My Locks with the drops of the night." Our souls understand Thy language of love; we desire to wipe Thy sweet Face, and to console Thee for the contempt of the wicked. In their eyes Thou art still "as it were hidden . . . they esteem Thee an object of reproach."
O Blessed Face, more lovely than the lilies and the roses of the spring, Thou art not hidden from us. The tears which dim Thine Eyes are as precious pearls which we delight to gather, and, through their infinite value, to purchase the souls of our brethren.
From Thy Adorable Lips we have heard Thy loving plaint: "I thirst." Since we know that this thirst which consumes Thee is a thirst for love, to quench it we would wish to possess an infinite love.
Dear Spouse of our souls, if we could love with the love of all hearts, that love would be Thine. . . . Give us, O Lord, this love! Then come to thy Spouses and satisfy Thy Thirst.
And give to us souls, dear Lord . . . We thirst for souls! Above all for the souls of Apostles and Martyrs . . . that through them we may inflame all poor sinners with love of Thee.
O Adorable Face, we shall succeed in winning this grace from Thee! Unmindful of our exile, "by the rivers of Babylon," we will sing in Thine Ears the sweetest of melodies. Since Thou art the true and only Home of our souls, our songs shall not be sung in a strange land. O Beloved Face of Jesus, while we await the Eternal Day when we shall gaze upon Thine Infinite Glory, our only desire is to delight Thy Divine Eyes by keeping our faces hidden too, so that no one on earth may recognise us . . . Dear Jesus, Heaven for us is Thy Hidden Face!