Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

Here’s to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Oh, what an amazing Saint! This Saint came to the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15. She, without meaning to set a fire, actually ended up setting a fire to the World. She grew to maturity in the community life in the cloister of Lisieux. She had wanted to be a missionary, yet never would get that opportunity. She prayed for missionaries and now is a patron saint for missionaries. She lived a life that co-operated so much with grace that she developed an amazing interior spiritual life. Her autobiography, A Story of a Soul, has inspired countless souls in just over a century. Thérèse held a strong trust in God’s infinite mercy. She even offered herself to Divine Mercy in an act of total consecration. Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, wrote an amazing spiritual book about consecration to Divine Mercy, based largely on Thérèse’s s own self-offering to Divine Mercy.

We can say that she lived with a certain joy that radiated into everything she did. She seemed to see everything as grace. She suffered different trials throughout her life. She had a hard entry when she aimed to enter Lisieux at the young age of 15. She was initially denied entry to Lisieux because she was so young. Eventually, she was accepted. Her father was admitted into an asylum when she was at Lisieux. He died there eventually. His struggle caused her family a great deal of grief. Thankfully she had three of her blood sisters with her at Lisieux so she didn’t mourn him alone. At Lisieux, Thérèse came to be well regarded by her fellow nuns. She would not get to live out her full potential, for she died at the young age of 24. While she didn’t give to fully use her Earthly gifts, she made the best of the gifts she had from grace.

We can learn to follow her “Little Way,” doing all things with love. And any faithful fan of St. Thérèse will tell you, there is no better way than this Little Way. Amen!

Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB