Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Homilies: October 1 - St. Therese of the Child Jesus - The Little Way


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Therese was the 9th child of very saintly parents, in fact, her parents were both beatified by Pope Benedict in 2008.  4 of their children died at a very young age and the other 5 all entered religious life: 1 to the Visitation order and the other 4 to the Carmelites. 

At the age of 15, having received the blessing of faith and virtue from her parents, she was given permission to enter the Carmelite convent where her two older sisters had already entered.  She lived 11 years as a Carmelite nun before dying at the young age of 26 from tuberculosis. 

Before her death, her superior ordered Therese to write her autobiography.  When St. Therese died there were only about 50 people in the world that knew of her.  Thanks to her autobiography, her sanctity and her spirituality are known to the entire world. 

This obscure little nun in the corner of France is now honored as a doctor of the Church and the Patron Saint of Missionary Work. 

The Opening Prayer referred to “the Little Way of St. Therese” whereby she poured herself out in love in the little, everyday tasks of her life.  The Opening Prayer asked God to lead us to follow trustingly the little way.  We can trust that we can become the saints God made us to by, by loving and caring for the people he brings into our life.  Holiness of life is in reach of ordinary people like you and me.  Doing small things, washing dishes, making meals, giving drink to the thirsty, when done with great love is to serve God in simplicity and love. 

St. Therese knew that she was not capable of great sacrifices, or of performing great and mighty works.  Rather, she chose to remain as a child in they eyes of God, performing all of her duties with love and obedience, no matter how small and insignificant they were.

Catholics would do well to imitate St. Therese's Little Way if they want to be happy in this life, as well as happy in the next.  That "Little Way" consists of simplicity in life, prayer from the heart to Jesus, total trust in God as our Loving Fathe, seeking God's will in our everyday activities, doing everything for the love of Jesus with humility, being kind to people we can't stand, and a sincere desire to be with Jesus forever rather than to be in this world.  It does NOT consist of trying to be a millionaire, gossiping about people, cheating at work to get the promotion, obsessing about the new iPhone and electronic toy. 

In her autobiography, St. Therese wrote, “I applied myself above all to practice quite hidden little acts of virtue; thus I liked to fold the mantles forgotten by the Sisters, and sought a thousand opportunities of rendering them service.”


She is a doctor of the Church because she has so much to teach us in the way of holiness.  May we, like St. Therese, be dedicated to humble and loving service for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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