St. Thérèse of Liseux

We’re going to take a pause in our exploration of The Liturgy of the Word due to a special occasion. Though today, October 1, is a Sunday, it is also the feast day of St. Thérèse of Liseux, “The Little Flower.” She is a saint who is closely associated with the Eucharist.

Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born to her parents, Louis and Zélie, in Alençon, France, on January 2, 1873. Unfortunately, little Marie was a frail infant. Her survival did not look hopeful. However, she defied the odds and grew into a faithful young woman, surrounded by the love of her family.

Devoted to Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, she was admitted to the Carmelite order in Lisieux at the age of fifteen. Her life story is beautifully depicted in her autobiography, Story of a Soul. In one part, she wrote of a visit to the Holy House of Loreto, the traditional home of the Holy Family in Nazareth. This entry about attending Mass there and receiving Holy Communion shows her love of the Eucharist:

"It was a totally heavenly happiness which words cannot express. And what shall our happiness be when we receive Communion in the eternal abode of the King of Heaven? Then we shall see our joy never coming to an end; there will no longer be the sadness of departings, and it will be no longer necessary to have some souvenir to dig fervently into the walls sanctified by His divine presence, for His home will be ours for all eternity."

Unfortunately, she contracted tuberculosis and died way too soon on September 30, 1897 at age of only 24. She was canonized on May 17, 1925, by Pope Pius XI. On October 19, 1997, St. Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church because of her wonderful writings and strong spirituality.

St. Thérèse, pray for us, that we too may strongly believe what you believed: that receiving the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is an important way to prepare ourselves to join him in the everlasting home he has prepared for all of us.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Contact me at eucharist@stmli.org.