St. Therese, “No one can come after me, unless the Father who sent me draws him" John 6:44

Thursday, 12 May 2011 Third week of Easter

Saint John 6:44-51. 

Instead of the gospel text today, the translation from St. Therese, “No one can come after me, unless the Father who sent me draws him,” has the unusual use, ‘come AFTER me’. It seems to resonate from the Irish-Scottish dialectic. Jesus address,  ‘come after me’ is more expressive than ‘come to me’.

The mind of St. Therese, exegete amazing as she is, is clear on the word, ‘DRAW’in the quotation below.

She spotlights, in her own vocabulary, DRAWN, IRON, FIRE, DIVINE FURNACE.

NJB Joh 6:44 'No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.

Commentary of the day :
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), Carmelite, Doctor of the Church
Autobiographical Ms. C, 35 r° (©Institute of Carmelite Studies)

«No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him"

Mother, I think it is necessary to give a few more explanations on the passage in theCanticle of Canticles: "Draw me, we shall run in the odor of your ointments» (Sg 1,4 LXX)... "No one can come after me, unless the Father who sent me draws him,»Jesus said. Again... he teaches us that it enough to knock and it will be opened, to seek in order to find, to hold out one's hand humbly to receive what is asked for (Mt 7,8f.; Lk 11,9f.). He says that everything we ask the Father in His name, he will grant it (Jn 16,23)...

What is it then to ask to be "Drawn" if not to be united in an intimate way to the object which captivates our heart?

If fire and iron had the use of reason, and if the latter said to the other: "Draw me," would it not prove that it desires to be identified with the fire in such a way that the fire penetrate and drink it up with its burning substance and seem to become one with it?

Dear Mother, this is my prayer. I ask Jesus to draw me into the flames of His love, to unite me so closely to Him that He live and act in me.

I feel that the more the fire of love burns within my heart, the more I shall say: "Draw me," the more also the souls who will approach me (poor little piece of iron, useless if I withdraw from the divine furnace), the more these souls will run swiftly in the odor of the ointments of their Beloved, for a soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive.

No doubt, she will remain at Jesus' feet as did Mary Magdalene, and she will listen to His sweet and burning words. Appearing to do nothing, she will give much more than Martha (Lk 10,39ff.).