Doctor = Teacher. Blessed Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux!
Saint Therese died at the age of 24, promising to “spend her Heaven doing good upon earth.” This involves you. The work she is doing now is meant for your benefit, and she wants you to ask for her help. First things first: Get yourself to Eucharistic Adoration, at least one hour a week. No prep needed, no stack of prayer cards, nada. Go, sit still, and listen.
Her way is simple, and it leads very quickly to embracing detachment, which is a wonderful thing. Detachment is the key to unlocking many doors on the path toward sanctity. Care for nothing but our Lord.
Yet despite her perfection in detachment, she went through the Dark Night at the very end of her life, coming through it just before death. We need to see her as a model in this. Even if Faith normally isn’t a struggle for you, you still need to pray in thanksgiving for having that grace, and pray in petition never to lose it.
When she came to Rome to beg Pope Leo XIII to allow her into Carmel early, Therese visited the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria to pray for her cause. It was said to be her favorite Roman church, and she isn’t alone… it is a Baroque powerhouse, and the home to Bernini’s Ecstasy of St Teresa (of Avila). After Therese was Canonized, they rededicated one of the side altars to her, it’s the first one on the right when you walk in. This is the best image I could find:
The inscription above the portrait reads, “Rosas Memento Spargere”
“Remember to Scatter Roses”
Once you have a devotion to St. Therese, and she starts coming through for you, you smell the roses. For real.
Happy Feast!
My wife had many occasions to pray to St. Theresa having to care for our 11 children. One time, in answer to her prayer, she found a red rose outside our door. It was the middle of winter.
Greetings From The Royal Family
Hello Michael,
Another “middle of winter Saint Theresa affirmation.”
A close acquaintance, I’ll refer to her as my “spiritual mother” told me of an identical experience.
She prayed to Saint Theresa for a favor and asked for a rose to confirm her petition.
Her Novena complete she had not received any confirmation of her request….then one morning, in the middle of February she was “doing the dishes” and looked up to view her backyard. To her amazement and joy a beautiful red rose was blooming on one of her rose plantings.
Keep the Faith.
Thank you jmarrenjr. It is good to have testimony about the effectiveness and confirmation of prayer.
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
(As Observed, External: 1st Sunday in October)
& St. Francis of Assisi
4th October, A. D. MMXX
Dear Friends, Good Sunday & Triple Feast to you all.
Thanks for the inspiring post & comments, which impelled me to find a good picture of the painting of the Little Flower. Turns out the Church itself has a website and quite extensive photogallery.
Not only depicts her altar, but incredible marble statues of St Joseph’s Dream in counterpoint to St. Teresa of Avila’s ecstasy; and Saint Simon Stock.
It’s a Church custom made for Carmelites.
http://www.chiesasantamariavittoriaroma.it/85.aspx#
Pray for Pope Benedict! St Lucia of Fatima (the real one pre 1967), pray for us!
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Thank you!
I prayed to St Therese for an intention for my daughter, as to whether this man she was dating at the time, was truly “the one” for her. Not only did I pray the novena prayers, but I also had an old picture of St. Therese set up in my room and I would talk things over with her, heart to heart. The daughter received a rose scented candle from this same man whom she eventually did marry – very happily too. Thank you again, dear St. Therese.
I enjoyed reading these stories of her intercession as they are always very edifying. God is wonderful in His Saints.