Today is the feast of one of my all-time favorite saints, Saint Therese of Lieseux. Born Marie-Francoise-Therese Martin, she grew up in Alencon, France. Her mother described Therese's early temperment this way:
"She (Therese) flies into frightful tantrums; when things don't go just right and according to her way of thinking, she rolls on the floor in desperation like one without any hope. There are times when it gets too much for her and she literally chokes. She's a nervous child, but she is very good, very intelligent and remembers everything."
Therese's mother died of breast cancer when Therese was only 4 and the family moved to Lisieux. Her eldest sister, Pauline, took over the role of mother for Therese. After Pauline's entrance into the convent, Therese fell seriously ill. Doctors diagnosed it as everything from a kidney infection to a nervous breakdown.
At one point, Therese looked over at a statue of the Virgin Mary and prayed for a cure. The statue seemed to smile at her, and Therese was cured.
Her quest to enter a convent at the age of 15 took her all the way to Rome to the Pope. She entered the convent on April 9, 1888. She developed her famous "Little Way" to Christ. She felt she could not do the great things she wanted to do, so she offered up every tiny, daily work and frustration for the love of Jesus.
She said that when she died she would "Spend my Heaven doing good on earth" and that she would let fall a "shower of roses" after her death. Those who pray for her intercession often report an unexpected rose crossing their daily path as a sign of an answer to their prayer.
Wow, what an eye opener. Your description of her as a child sounds just like my dd (doesn't it)? Even though my name is spelled differently my mother swore she named me after her. Coincidence? You decide.
ReplyDeleteI'm cannot get tired reading about the Little Flower because there's always something new to reflect on. I love her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this short story about her.
Actually, Lifeisgreat, I *did* think it had an uncanny resemblance to your dd. As I used to tell dh, God has your fax number! :)
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"God has your fax number." Explain a little further. If you mean He knows how to reach us always, I get it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess that was my way of telling dh that even during the moments when we may not be thinking of God, He always knows how to reach us, if that makes sense. So, He has our "fax" number whether we realize it or not.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Whoa now those are tantrums yikes lol
ReplyDeletetherese is one of my fav carmelite (?) saints as well. she describes her conversion experience as changing who she was on the inside and haw she behaved toward others as well. This born again experience is a far cry from today where it means adopting a certain salvation doctrine or phrase, an emotional experience, or even simply denegrating the non-born again church/religion of your upbringing. She describes it as being les sensitive and self absorbed. I need that and pray she brings it to me....my anxiety has been blocking me lately in several areas in the home and on the job.... so I pray for that kind of experience that she had.... lifeisgreat...she went through the sickness, cancer of her mother....what a trial for her...another similarity with you lifeisgreat
ReplyDeletemk, I didn't think about the parallel with my mother's cancer and her mother's cancer. Interesting that you saw that for me. Thanks. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts regarding your anxiety. Remember to keep breathing and facing the Light.
ReplyDeleteI pray for you as well, MK. St. Therese is such a great saint for our times, IMO. So much to draw from. And you are right, MK, a true conversion.
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