A  FEW  THOUGHTS  ABOUT 

SAINT  THERESE  LISIEUX

INTRODUCTION

Here are a few thoughts about St. Therese Lisieux [1873-1897] - also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus.

As you know St. Theresa of Lisieux is a well known Saint in the Catholic Church.

A question: why.

I don’t know about you, but every year at this time, I wonder what it is that makes this saint so well known. I wonder if I had more answers to the question: what intrigues, or what impresses, or what gets us wondering about her. 

Here are a few possible answers to why she is so popular  - or why she impresses people.

SHE DIED AT 24 OF TB

Die young and you’ll have a lot of people at your funeral.

I counted 74 cars at my brother’s funeral. He was just 51.  I’ve noticed - having done many funerals - that many people show up at the funerals of young people.

I remember Fred Fisher’s funeral during my first assignment at Most Holy Redeemer, 3^rd Street, New York City.  He was in his 90’s.  I think he had put money down for 2 days for his wake. That must have been years earlier, because only 4 people showed up for his wake: 2 nuns and 2 priests. Myself and John Radley were the priests who concelebrated his funeral. The 2 nuns shopped for him and cleaned his apartment every week. That was it.

St. Therese of Lisieux was young when she died - and many have learned about her after her death as well.

When I read about her death by TB or consumption, I think of all the young people who died too, too early.  I think about my dad’s two sisters: both nuns who  both died early of consumption. I don’t know who and how many people were at their funeral at such a young age.

Sister Matthias died at the age of 28 or 29 in Portland Maine.  I went to her grave a few times. Her dates on the stone are: 1884 - 1913. Her sister died as well - same sickness. She had not become a full nun. I have her dates somewhere - around the same age.  Their sister, Sister Mary Patrick lived and worked as a nun for over 50 years  in that motherhouse for the Sisters of Mercy in Portland, Maine.

Dying so young can leave deep impressions.

ST. THERESE  SIMPLIFIED LIFE

Another message from her life that might have made her famous was her message of simplicity.

Do everything with love. It’s as simple as that.

Keep it simple - especially the little stuff.

She laughed and kept it light - knowing the heavy message of simply doing all with love.

THIRD, WRITE YOUR LIFE

People in her convent knew she had it - so she was asked to write her life and that life was published and made her famous.

Each of us can ask: Do I have it? Is my story worth writing? Is my story worth hearing?

She had it: the secret of life. As already indicated, it’s love.

The gospel story of the rich young man tells it all. He goes to Jesus and asks, “What should I do?”  Answer: it’s written in the Law. Love the lord our god with heart, soul, strength and love your neighbor as yourself.”

She did that. The rich young man said he did that. But what else? Want more, sell all and come follow me. Therese did that. He didn’t.

Read her life. It’s entitled, The Story of a Soul.

Write your life. Give it a title. Talk to Jesus in prayer about it.

See what she came up with.

I love it that others didn’t think some of her stuff was holy enough and cut it out. Some of that stuff has been restored. Read Ida Gorres book, The Hidden Self and you can hear about that.

Read biographies and autobiographies and you’ll think of your life.

CONCLUSION

Why did she became so popular?

I think that’s 2 things one can do: keep it simple and write your life.

As to dying young, no.

Ooops - as a postscript - let me mention something I noticed while doing some homework for this homily.

I once said in a sermon that I predict women will be priests some day. It got some lady ticked off, because Pope John Paul II had said, “No way!” And he was the pope and is now a saint.

So who cares about my prediction. If this ever happens I’ll be long dead. But - not to upset you - and ruin my homily - by making a wrong statement, I still think that the sun has billions of years to go - and the church is only 2000 years old - so for someone to say that the church won’t go that way in the next billion years, seems far fetched.  Women only got the vote in the last century. Margaret Thatcher was head of England, so women priests, I won’t fight over it.  However - here’s the however I spotted when reading up on St. Therese of Lisieux. Surprise St. Therese once said she had a desire to be a priest. Her reasons were for holy reasons. My reasons are several - all for the good of the church and the people of God. One reason would be curiosity, I’d love to see the outfits and the changes and surprises that would happen.

I always remember a mass in some church where the altar cloth on the main altar had 4 red thread markers for the 4 corners - to get it right. Well I saw this lady in the benches with a face. Something was bothering her. I followed her stare and sure enough the altar cloth was off balance - even though it had the 4 red thread markers.  So after Mass I asked her what she seemed bothered about. It was the altar cloth. 

Are women better than men in keeping cloths and stuff straight. I know I’m a slob - and don’t notice details. But I do know some very neat priests!

Time will tell!