Tomorrow is the Feast Day of St. Teresa of the Andes, the Patron Saint of Chile, South America, and the upcoming World Youth Day being held in Rio de Janeiro. She is a great saint for the youth, and is also a mystic of the Eucharist and the Crucified Christ. She died at the young age of 19 having truly conformed herself to Our Lord and reaching the heights of Carmel by practicing perfection in the virtues. St. Teresa was given mystical gifts of prayer at an early age. The gifts and insights she received in prayer, especially during Holy Communion and in Adoration are recorded in numerous diaries and journals. Here is a beautiful diary entry consisting of a prayer to Our Lady after going on pilgrimage. May she inspire you and interceded for you, our children and grandchildren, our youth, and our priests. Amen.
In February of 1917 Juanita went with her mother in pilgrimage to the shrine of the Lourdes Grotto in Santiago. She wrote in her Diary the following meditation as a prayer to Mary.
Yes, Mother, you are the celestial Madonna who guides us. You allow heavenly rays to fall from your maternal hands. I didn't believe such happiness could exist on earth; yesterday my heart, while thirsting for it, found it. My soul was ecstatic at your virginal feet, listening to you. You were speaking and your maternal language was so tender. It was from heaven, almost divine.
In seeing You so pure, so tender, and so compassionate, who would not be encouraged to unburden his intimate sufferings to you? Who would not ask you to be his star on this stormy see? Who is there who would not cry in your arms without instantly receiving your immaculate kisses of love and comfort? If he be a sinner, your caresses will soften him. If one of your devoted ones, your presence would enkindle the living flame of divine love. If he be poor, you with your powerful hand will aid him and show him his true homeland. If rich, you will sustain him with your breath against the dangers of his very agitated life. If one is in affliction, you with your tearful gaze will show him the cross and on it your Divine Son. Who will not find balm for his pains by considering the torments of Jesus and Mary? The sick man finds in your maternal heart the water of salvation that allows your enchanting smile to blossom forth, and makes him smile with love and happiness.
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Yes, Mary, you are Mother of the entire universe. Your heart is filled with sweetness. At your feet let the priest prostrate himself with the same confidence as the virgin in order to find in your arms the fullness of your love. The rich as well as the poor can find in your heart their heaven. The afflicted as well as the happy can find on your mouth a celestial smile. The sick as well as the healthy can find caresses from your sweet hands. And, finally, sinners like myself find in you a protecting Mother who can crush beneath her immaculate feet the head of the dragon. And in your eyes I see mercy, pardon and a shining lamp to keep me from falling into the muddy waters of sin.
(Diary, §19, trans. Michael D. Griffin, Teresian Charism Press, 1989).
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