St Therese: Little Flower of Jesus

St. Therese 1895 in brown scapular 

I recently read the book 'Story of a soul' by St.Thresese of Lisieux, populary known as little flower of Jesus. She was born in 2 January 1873 in Alencon, France. She desired to live the life of carmel in Lisieux with all perfection and was always lost in deep contemplation about God. She used to consider Jesus as her Divine Spouse. Her sacrifice to give up her wordly life and her father Louis Martin whom she loved so dearly are of appreciation. She entered Carmel at the age of 15, though her entry into carmel was not easy. She first faced rejection from her very own uncle Isidore Guerin, then from the the prioress Mother Marie de Gonzague of Carmel. She then along with her father goes to meet the Bishop of Bayeux, even there she met rejection. Later on a diocesan pilgrimage to Rome she meets Pope Leo Xlll and asks for the permission. The Pope replies "Well, my child, do what the superiors decide.... You will enter if it is God's Will". And just as the Pope said it was God`s will and she enters the convent on Monday 9th April 1888.

St. Therese in 1896

Therese did simple things to please God, she observed the rules of solitute and silence in carmel so strictly that she even didnt break it for the sake of her own Sisters Pauline and Celine, who were in Carmel along with her. She was always mesmerized by God`s infinite love. She writes how great sinners like St.Augustine, St.Paul and St.Mary Magdalen were forgiven by God. She used to consider herself a simple daisy of God`s garden. According to her God garden consists of all sorts of flowers Rose, Lilly, Violet etc but just like every flower is not a Rose so are we in this world. All cannot become Doctors, Apostles, Prophets that the church is composed of different members, that the eye cannot also be the hand

St. Therese at 15

As a child Therese used to read "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis which inspired her greatly. "O My God, who art unspeakable sweetness, turn for me into bitterness all the consolations of the earth". Also lectures by Abbé Arminjon on "The End of This World, and the Mysteries of the World to Come" nourished her spiritually. She also was inspired by many people of God like St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Avilla, St. Joan of Arc and St. Anne of Jesus. Therese Prayed without great sensitive emotions, she mulitplied the small acts of charity and care for others, doing small services without making a show of them. Far from avoiding humiliations, souer Therese sought them eagerly and for that she offered herself as "aid" to a sister who she well knew was difficult to please and her generous proposal was accepted. She died on 20 September 1897 at the age of 24 out of Tuberculosis.

St. Therese at 13

If today Therese transforms so many hearts and the good she does on earth is beyond reckoning, we may well believe she bought it all at the price with which Jesus brought back our souls by sufferring and the cross. In this world there is no fruitfulness without sufferring either physical, secret sorrows or trials known sometimes only to God. When good thoughts and generous resolutions have sprung up in our souls through reading the lives of the saints, we ought not to content ourslevs, as in the case of profane books, with paying a certain tribute of admiration to the genius of their authors. We should rather consider the price which doubtless, they have paid for that supernatural good they have produced.

St. Therese with her Sister Celine at Right, 1895

Quotes: " May creatures be nothing for me, 

St. Therese at 8

and may I be nothing for them, but may You, Jesus, be everything!..let nobody be occupied with me, let me be looked upon as one to be trampled underfoot..may Your will be done in me perfectly..Jesus, allow me to save very many souls; let no soul be lost today; let all the souls in purgatory be saved.."
"Entreat thee to let Divine eyes rest upon a vast number of Little souls, I entreat thee to choose, in this world, a legion of little victims of they love"


I call upon you to read this book and lead a holy life.