Every October 1 we remember Saint Therese of Lisieux, also known as Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, a barefoot Carmelite nun born in France, who lived during the last quarter of the 19th century. She, who lived as a cloistered nun, that is, in the voluntary confinement of a monastery, was proclaimed universal patron of the missions. In addition, since 1997 she has held the title of Doctor of the Church.
Saint Therese had a particularly difficult life, but it was precisely in the difficulty that she was sanctified supported by her unique faith and trust in God. These virtues filled her heart with such love for Christ that it seemed to overflow through her tender eyes and the sweetness of her smile.
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Prayer and action: between heaven and earth
If there is a phrase that identifies Saint Therese, it is this: “I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth.” Here, a little more context: “I feel that my mission of making God loved as I love him is soon going to begin.” I love, and to teach many the spiritual path of simplicity and spiritual childhood. The desire that I have expressed to the good God is to spend my heaven doing good on earth, until the end of the world. “spend my heaven doing good on earth.”
They are words that reveal the beauty of her soul and her simplicity, and, simultaneously, contain an unusual depth: they portray her way of understanding life, of seeing herself. For her, reaching heaven prolongs service here on earth – and, here, serving, loving and praying were one and the same for her. Or, if you want, Teresita already felt she was in heaven – she has entered Carmel – and she perceived herself as more up there than here on earth, and precisely for that reason, her soul wants to be a link that brings the world closer to heaven than We have been promised: he must do good.
Only when facing Christ is it possible to perceive that prayer is, of all tasks, the most important help. It is essential.
“You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to little ones” (Mt 11, 25)
María Francisca Teresa Martin Guérin – Teresita’s given name – lived only 24 years, always in France: she was born on January 2, 1873 in Normandy, and died on September 30, 1897 in Lisieux, a victim of tuberculosis.
His life was characterized by austerity, far from the recognition and noise of the world. He died almost anonymously and his funeral, in the old Lisieux cemetery, was attended by no more than 30 people. Therefore, more than one may be surprised to consider that a young girl from the countryside has been able to leave one of the most exceptional testimonies of life to the Church and the world, becoming proclaimed Doctor of the Church.
Story of a soul
One of the simplest ways to approach and understand the legacy of this Therese is through Story of a soula book that brings together his personal writings, and was published a year after his death. It is a text that reveals the personal itinerary of Saint Therese, a narrative of what happens in a soul that has allowed itself to be transformed by Jesus.
In the general audience of April 6, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said the following: “Story of a Soul is a wonderful story of Love, told with such authenticity, simplicity and freshness that the reader cannot help but be fascinated by it.” . What is that Love that filled Teresa’s entire life, from her childhood until her death? Dear friends, this Love has a face, it has a name: it is Jesus! “The saint continually talks about Jesus.” Furthermore, the Pope recalled that his predecessor, Saint John Paul II, defined Saint Therese as “an expert in knowledge of love” (expert in the knowledge of love).
Doctor of the Church
Saint Therese of Lisieux was canonized on May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI, and proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Saint John Paul II on October 19, 1997. The Pilgrim Pope said at that time: The Holy Face is the youngest of the ‘Doctors of the Church’, but his ardent spiritual journey manifests such maturity, and the intuitions of faith expressed in his writings are so vast and profound, that they deserve him a place among the great teachers of the spirit… The desire that Teresa expressed to spend her heaven doing good on earth continues to be fulfilled in an admirable way. Thank you, Father, because today you make it close to us in a new way, to the praise and glory of your name forever!”, concluded Saint John Paul II.
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If you want to know more about Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, we recommend this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/Santa_Teresa_de_Lisieux.
Additionally, you can consult this other article about what Saint Therese calls the “little path” and about her “theology of abandonment”: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/Abandono_en_Teresa_de_Lisieux.
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