Shortly after 7PM little Therese died this very same evening in 1897. I was working tonight and forgot.
She died much like Our Lord, suffocating in great agony; the weeks and days leading up to her death, St. Therese suffered an ineffable darkness, "the trial of Faith". Neither her own words, nor those of any other living person, can describe what it was like to share so intimately her Beloved's death. Not even her sisters could comprehend it.
Therese is little, and yet great. Nevertheless she is always little...very, very little. I sometimes lament she has been declared a Doctor of the Church, resulting in many academics, intellectuals, and masters of theology and spirituality making a science of her "little way." Many times they miss. They miss her "littleness" - her insignificance...
The only great theologian or mystic that I know of who best writes of her life is St. John of the Cross, the writer whose works Therese's spirituality most perfectly embodies. John of the Cross was a little soul as well.
And the person who most closely lived Little Therese's "little way" was even more little and insignificant that herself - Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
Happy feast day little God-Mother!
Thank you Terry. She is my patron. When I was in the process of coming into the church my mom gave me her book--"Story of a Soul" and said it was so wonderful. I started to read it and had to put it down. It seemed sickeningly sweet to me--I am not that sweet! My mom asked if I had read it yet (I generally read through things very quickly!) and I said "no, it seems so silly mom that I can't get through it". She seemed sad I hadn't read it and I felt guilty, so I decided to read it little by little to please her. Well, by the time I was finished, I knew she would by my first communion and confirmation Saint when I entered the church. I keep her picture with me all day at work and sometimes just looking at her face brings me to a repentance of something within myself. I cannot resist her now...I will never truly understand her I think--she is a St that packs SO MUCH into so little. I feel almost despairing at times that I will ever get anywhere near what she was like, but she is always on my mind like a friend--no not really...more than a friend really...she is such an example and has moved me to make 180 changes just looking at her face. She is teribly powerful for me that way and when I think about it not so sweet, but terribly strong to make me change at all.
ReplyDeleteI tried a couple of times to get through the "Story of a Soul." The first time, many years ago, I just put it down.
ReplyDeleteThen a couple of years ago, I went through it and annotated a bit of it and found it to be interesting, but I didn't see any relevance for me. I didn't quite finish it, but I saved it and put it back on the shelf.
Last night on EWTN there was a 90 minute video of the life of St Therese, "Saint Therese of the Child Jesus." It was done in 1997 or so. In French with English overdubbing. Lots of film and photos and comments by witnesses. It will show again next Thursday at noon (CDT). I understood this time.
I understand now what St Therese was attempting to communicate to me. I know that it is important for me. And it's not too late.
I have long felt that I was "little" but didn't know that it was relevant to anything. I have the book on my desk again and will begin again tonight.
Thank you Jesus for keep giving me more chances.