LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

Saint Teresa of Lisieux

Teresa, whose name is also frequently spelled "Thérèse," was a nineteenth century Carmelite nun who died at the age of 24 from tuberculosis.  Although she had hoped to go to China as a missionary, in fact she spent her entire career of nine years as a nun in the convent at Lisieux in France.  Her superiors recognized in her early on a woman of holiness.  They ordered her to write her autobiography - a most unusual command for someone so young and whose daily life was spent in what most would consider to be "small matters."

Shortly after her death, the prioress of the convent sent copies of Teresa's autobiography to all the other Carmelite convents and from them to people "in the world."  The popularity of Teresa's simple book was largely due to her appeal to "ordinary people" who could easily identify with her offering of doing simple and practical things as part of her obedience to and love for God.  In that she echoed the writings of another Carmelite, Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), who practiced an awareness of the presence of God even in doing such things as washing dishes.  Teresa is popularly known as "The Little Flower" (from the subtitle of her autobiography) and is often chosen as the Patron Saint of those who quietly and faithfully carry on such hidden but important tasks as that of altar guilds, kitchen workers, etc.  To this day, many Episcopal Altar Guilds are named in her honor.  Her feast day is October 3rd.

Collect of the Feast of St. Teresa of Lisieux

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "Unless you become like little children you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven," grant us, we pray, in meekness and lowliness of heart to follow in the footsteps of blessed Teresa, and so at last to come into your everlasting kingdom where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, for ever and ever.

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To learn more about Saint Teresa of Lisieux from Wikipedia.org, click here.

To see a daily reflection taken from the writings of Saint Teresa, visit the website of the Society of the Little Flower, here.

This page last modified on Friday, April 11, 2008 09:39 PM