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.

UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE

An unemployed graduate woke up one morning and checked his pocket. All he
had left was $10. He decided to use it to buy food and then wait for death
as he was too proud to go begging. He was frustrated as he could find no
job, and nobody was ready to help him.

He bought food and as he sat down to eat, an old man and two little
children came along and asked him to help them with food as they had not
eaten for almost a week. He
looked at them. They were so lean that he could see their bones coming out.
Their eyes had gone into the socket. With the last bit of compassion he
had, he gave them the food.. The old man and children prayed that God would
bless and prosper him and then gave him a very old coin. The young graduate
said to them 'you need the prayer more than I do'.

With no money, no job, no food, the young graduate went under the bridge to
rest and wait for death. As he was about to sleep, he saw an old newspaper
on the ground. He picked it up, and suddenly he saw an advertisement for
people with old coins to come to a certain address.


He decided to go there with the old coin the old man gave him. On getting
to the place, he gave the proprietor the coin. The proprietor screamed,
brought out a big book and showed the young graduate a photograph. This
same old coin was worth 3 million dollars. The young graduate was overjoyed
as the proprietor gave him a bank draft for 3 million dollars within an
hour. He collected the Bank Draft and went in search of the old man and
little children.

By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone.. He asked
the owner of the canteen if he knew them. He said no but they left a note
for you. He quickly opened the note thinking it would lead him to find
them.

This is what the note said: 'You gave us your all and we have rewarded you
back with the coin,' signed God the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. 1
Kings 17:10-16; Matthew 11:28-30

PRAYER:
Here is your financial blessing! It's a simple prayer, you've got 30
seconds. If you need a financial blessing,continue reading this post.

Heavenly Father, most Gracious and Loving God,
I pray to you that you abundantly Bless my family and me. I know that you
recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister,
brother husband and wife, but all Who believe and trust in you.

Father, I send up a prayer request for financial blessing for not only the
person who sent this to me, but for Me and all that I have forwarded this
message on to. And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and
trust in you is more powerful than anything.

I thank you in advance for your blessings.
Father God, deliver the person reading this right now and those who will
read it in the near future from debt and debt burdens. Release your Godly
wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father,
for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and
walk in Your word and have the faith of a Mustard seed that You will pour
out blessings.
I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the
blessings yet to come Because I know You are not done with me yet.
In Jesus name, I pray,
Amen