JMJT! Praise be Jesus Christ! Now and Forever!
Despite dying more than 100 years ago, St. Therese is a saint for us today in our modern age and can teach us so very much. She knew what it was like to be falsely accused, to suffer physical and emotional pain, and to find the need to grow up so that she could begin to live maturely in the way Our Heavenly Father deemed fit. For her this meant leaving her childishness behind, in order that she could embrace spiritual maturity in a seemingly contradictory state of spiritual childhood.
St. Therese knew the pain of losing a mother at an early age, and then losing several of her subsequent 'mothers' who were her sisters to the convent. She experienced severe psychological anguish because of this, and suffered from what amounted to a nervous breakdown. She suffered from scruples and in this difficult state was compulsive about all of her faults, failings, and sins. Despite all of these emotional challenges, she desired to know and love God truly and deeply. Her pious family provided her with a beautiful example of love and trust in God.
A true miracle occurred while St. Therese became seriously ill with a high fever and convulsions. Her sisters and father were desperately praying for her cure, and were praying to Our Lady, when Therese was suddenly cured through Our Lady's intercession and her smile. She would receive a further grace when she received a healing at Christmas time to leave her childhood behind, and to allow Jesus to completely transform her with His love. From this point forward, her vision was clear and unobscured on what she wanted. She slowly began to embrace the childlike confidence and trust in Our Lord, that so many of us associate with her today.
What is amazing is that although one can imagine St. Therese as sweet and endearing, she was no spiritual lightweight. Indeed, in the convent she demonstrated complete mastery over her feelings no matter the circumstance. She smiled when she felt annoyed, she remained silent when she wrongly accused, and she retained her gentle and joyful demeanor while in the throes of a painful illness that would eventually take her life.
In addition to her amazing mastery over self, she became in a sense a wounded healer. Despite the fact that she lived in an era of Jansenism and many were taught a profound fear of God, St. Therese promoted the image of God the Father as a gentle and loving mother. She did not seek severe penances, but instead took the opportunities provided her in daily life to shine God's love upon others, and to thereby serve Him. As one who had suffered so severely from scruples, she now taught others how to have complete confidence in Our Lord's Mercy and offered herself as a holocaust of this love.
The fruits of St. Therese's transformation into Divine Love has resulted in nothing less than the conversions and healings of millions of souls around the world. St. Therese shows us that Our Lord can use all of us for His Glory, when we abandon ourselves freely and completely to Him. Let us ask her to continue to intercede for us that we may not fear Our Triune God, nor life itself, but trust completely in the plans that Our Lord has for each and every one of us. Amen.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11
