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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