Marcel Văn CSsR, during his novitiate in Hanoi and under obedience to his spiritual director, wrote notes of his private conversations with Jesus. He never revealed just what means or mechanism Jesus used to give these conversations. He was quite quiet about that. But the familiarity of tone in the conversation is childlike.

Jesus talks like little Jesus of Nazareth. Little Văn is boyish, too.

Is it ridiculous? Well, no. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, his whole humanity, with its history, became present in the Eternity of the Church of Heaven. From the moment of his conception and birth to his death and the moments thereafter, his humanity and his human history are present in Heaven. So is it ridiculous that Jesus can speak like little Jesus, child-Jesus, of Nazareth? No. If that is how Jesus wishes to speak with us for our benefit, then that is his divine and human will.

At least, this is how it seems to me. Perhaps there is another theological explanation for Little Văn’s experiences. This one makes sense to me: all of Jesus’ humanity is present in Heaven.

So what do Little Jesus and Little Văn talk about? Anything and everything.

But often about the desolation or dryness of the spiritual journey – what Saint John of the Cross calls the “dark nights” of faith. But how is such a topic able to be discussed by children like Little Jesus and Little Văn?

Well, they spoke about toys and flowers – things children understand. Here is how the story starts. It is Jesus speaking:

I wanted to have a puppet, a car, a ball , or some other toy to distract me… Marcel, it was your sister Thérèse [of Lisieux] who was the very first to agree to be a little ball as my toy; now there are a great number of souls who equally have agreed to be such or such a toy with the intention of offering it to me to please me.

The more I amuse myself, the more I am happy with my toys, so much so that I would never wish to leave them. (239)

Like everyone childlike, Jesus likes toys. If we consent to be things he plays with and loves like a child loves toys and playmates, then he smiles a lot.

But there’s more. It’s not all playtime and games:

There are, however, times when I must separate myself from them [these toys]. The separation is painful and it is so, not only for the toy but for me also. It is painful for me since I can no longer play freely; love forces me to suppress my passion for games. It is also painful for the toys, since, the game being over, they cannot find anyone else to play with them so that they must always stay in the same corner, which is very tedious. (239)

What friend and playmate compares with Little Jesus? Of course they “cannot find anyone else to play with them”. Little Jesus continues saying to Văn,

Yes, it is painful for them but it is even more so for me, since I must stand before these toys and be content to look at them, without being able to touch them. I would want very much to play with them but my love compels me to impose this sacrifice on them. (239)

In fact, not only does the Little Jesus leave his toys without play (consolation) for a while. He sometimes wants to look inside his toys and flowers and learn more about them, so that they can learn more about themselves, too, and learn to be beautiful toys and flowers and friends:

Even if I pluck you to little bits, even if I cause your petals to fall one by one, fear nothing, since these petals will fall nowhere but in my hand. And after… I will reassemble them again and, then, the little flower will become more beautiful. (240)

In fact, Jesus will do this more than once:

Then, because my childlike nature likes change, each time I repeat this action, I will enrich the little flower with a new colour. Isn’t that fortunate, little flower? You have, therefore, no reason to be concerned. (240)

In effect, Little Jesus says, “Remain contented in me, though I take off your petals to show yourself to you. I do love you! You will see! And when you see yourself, I will make you more beautiful than ever before.”

This is the experience of the dark nights or, more broadly, of dryness and desolation in the spiritual life. Is Jesus not there? Well, he gazes on you. Is Jesus taking you apart? Well, he wants to see you and let you see yourself; he’ll colour you more beautifully than ever when it is all over; just hold on and stay constant and confident in his Love. Nothing more is asked of a little toy and flower in Little Jesus’ hands!