Skip to main content

Primary sourceDocument9 June 1895

Act of Oblation to Merciful Love

Thérèse of Lisieux · 9 June 1895

A prayer of self-offering composed by Thérèse of Lisieux on Trinity Sunday 1895, expressing her theology of divine mercy.

A prayer composed by Thérèse herself, central to her own theology of merciful love.

Ask Saint Therese about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This manuscript prayer was written by Thérèse of Lisieux in 1895. In it she offers herself to God's merciful love rather than to divine justice, asking to be consumed by that love until her death. It is held in the archives of the Carmel of Lisieux.

Why it matters

The prayer sums up Thérèse's distinctive theology: instead of fearing punishment, she trusted completely in God's mercy. This idea became central to her later influence, and the prayer has been used in devotions by later admirers, showing how her words continued to shape the spiritual lives of others long after her death.

Look closer

  • What feelings does the language of 'martyrdom' and 'love' suggest to you?
  • Why might someone choose to write such a personal prayer down rather than just pray it silently?
  • What does this text suggest about how Thérèse saw her own death?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Saint Therese on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Saint Therese sources

Meet the AI Saint Therese →
Front cover of a French book titled 'Sainte Thérèse de l'Enfant-Jésus' in ornate Art Nouveau style with floral borders, a star at top, an oval illustration of saints and an angel, a quotation, and Latin motto banners at the bottom.Book

Primary source

The Story of a Soul

Thérèse of Lisieux · 1898

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a dark religious veil and white collar, with a calm, slight smile, looking toward the camera. Her face fills most of the frame.Photograph

Primary source

Portrait of Thérèse of Lisieux

15 April 1895

Black and white photograph of a young woman in a pale armored-style bodice and dark fleur-de-lis-decorated skirt, holding a sword, standing beside a banner pole in front of a brick wall and ivy, with a shield bearing fleurs-de-lis and a wreath at her feet.Photograph

Primary source

Photograph of Thérèse as Joan of Arc

Céline Martin (Sister Geneviève) · 1895

Photograph of a book cover with a marbled brown and tan speckled paper binding and a beige cloth spine, with blue flecks. A small library credit in the lower right reads Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France. The cover appears worn at the edges.Book

Primary source

Histoire d'une âme, first edition (1898)

Thérèse of Lisieux, ed. Pauline Martin (Mother Agnes of Jesus) · 30 September 1898

Black-and-white photograph of a group of nuns in white wimples and dark habits washing laundry at a stone washing trough beside dark water. Several women kneel or lean over the edge, and one in the foreground scrubs cloth.Photograph

Primary source

Nuns in wash days at le carmel

Unknown

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Saint Therese now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions