Abbey-Roads2

Everyone writes about St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.  I get bored with all the writings “about” her.  (Therese sells books!)  Her own writings offer enough material for little souls to digest.  Yet if you need more depth of understanding to her message, follow her sources, perhaps it may help to distill more perfectly her doctrine.  Naturally someone may decide to write more books about this, tracing her spirituality to the saints who influenced her doctrine.  Nevertheless, Therese did not seem to have had any trouble whatsoever speaking her message directly to souls through the first highly edited versions of “Story of A Soul”.

The other day, Magnificat had a wonderful meditation from the writings of St. Francis De Sales for his feast day.  Most scholars agree that Therese was influenced by Salesian spirituality, which may have come through the influence of her maternal aunt, Soeur Marie–Dosithée, who was a Visitandine in Mans.  (Thank you Don Marco for your kind correction on this detail.)  Of course she adapted her spiritual influences to her unique mission and doctrine.  Yet this passage might trip someone up in a test to determine who wrote it, Therese or the Bishop of Geneva.

“Simplify your judgement, do not reflect on yourself so much or argue inwardly…You should be like a little child who while it knows that its mother is holding its sleeve walks boldly and runs all around without being distressed at a little fall or stumble; after all, it is a little unsteady on its legs, as long as you realize that God is holding on to you by your will and resolution to serve him, go on boldly and do not be upset by your little set backs and falls; there is no need to be put out by this provided you throw yourself into his arms from time to time and kiss him with the kiss of charity.”  -St. Francis De Sales

It’s kind of like, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”  The Bishop of Geneva preceded Therese, yet Therese exemplified his teaching.  She gathered the spirituality of so many saints, into a bouquet of splendid flora, from which she extracted the essential oils, mixing them into an exquisite parfume of heavenly delight that ravishes the Heart of Jesus. 

The message of Therese is confidence and love, she distilled it from many sources and created a fine spiritual liqueur, for little souls to imbibe.  She can proclaim, with the Psalmist, “I have more understanding than all who teach me, for I do your will.”

All you little souls, under the yoke, have great confidence in your littleness and weakness, recalling;

“The Lord has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”

Humility, confidence and love.  It is so disconcerting to the proud and haughty, who cannot endure honesty.