October 1: Saint Therese of Lisieux / Santa Teresa de Lisieux

The young Therese Martin entered a Carmelite convent at 15 years of age. Nine years later, she died of tuberculosis. In the years that she shared in the Religious life of Carmel, she discovered “the Little Way” of cooperating with God’s grace and drawing upon His strength and help – not her own. By her own testimony, she overcame stubbornness and her own strong will by becoming poor and little before God and her Sisters in the convent. In this, she personified the Beatitude “blessed are the poor in spirit.” Her example continues to show us how much God can do through us, even with our limitations, if we allow Him to act in and through us.

Let us pray. “O God, help us to understand and treasure the grace of the Little Way that St. Therese has taught us. Help us rejoice in our littleness and weakness, realizing, as she did, that through them your divine strength is free to do its work in us. Show us that nothing is an obstacle, but everything – our temperament, the situations in which we find ourselves, and our duties in life – are materials for the prayer and sacrifice the world so desperately needs. Give us generosity and courage, O Lord, to use your gifts as you wish. We place our own needs before you through the generous intercession of St. Therese. Amen.”

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La joven Teresa Martín entró en el Carmelo a los 15 años. Nueve años después, murió de tuberculosis. En estos pocos años vivió el “caminito de la infancia espiritual.” No se trata de un camino infantil o pueril, sino de un camino que exige mucha gracia y gran fortaleza. Tuvo que esforzarse contra su terquedad o tozudez, y luchar contra la aridez y la depresión. El suyo fue un camino de los pequeños, los pobres de las Bienaventuranzas. Santa Teresita nos muestra lo que Dios puede hacer en nosotros a pesar de nuestras limitaciones humanas, con tal que le dejemos actuar.

No sabemos de actos “heroicos” que hiciera Santa Teresita antes de su muerte a los veintipocos años ... y, sin embargo, es la patrona de las misiones. Su “pequeño camino” fue camino decidido y siempre hacia adelante.