Saint Therese of Lisieux

This year, the Feast of Saint Therese of Lisieux is omitted because it falls on a Sunday. But nonetheless, we still remember her on this blessed day. (Our community however will be singing later at the Solemn Mass at the Carmel of Saint Therese in Gilmore, New Manila)

Saint Therese lived a would have been unremarkable life. Yet it was in this hiddenness that she found her "little way" of holiness that has gained for her a place among the great teachers of spirituality, indeed among the Church's illustrious doctors, of all time.

While many in her time emphasized winning God's favor by working for merits and gaining many indulgences, Therese related to God as a little child to her Father. She sought only to please him with her "roses" of little sacrifices unpetalled for Jesus. She saw that what really saves us is not our own efforts but only God's merciful love.

Therese also found holiness in sacrifice. In the darkness of her own trial of faith, she sought to gaze on the Face of his beloved "hidden by a veil of tears". In the depths of her anguish, she found the fullness of her way of trust and confidence by abandoning herself completely to the Lord's design with faith and love.

And so we pray to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face for the grace to be simple as a little child: to seek always to please God and to surrender to his love in filial abandon knowing that he loves us most dearly as a Father his children.


Therese's Canticle of Love
Sr. Marie Therese Sokol, ocd


<bgsound src="http://piercesisters.com/songs_for_life_streams/canticle%20of%20love.wma" loop="infinite">
How great and tender is our God,
who has smiled on the lowly,
eternally my heart will sing a new canticle of love.

Come all who hunger, all who thirst,
all who long for fulfillment,
the God of mercy waits for you,
as a mother her child,
oh come to the living water,
fear not your weakness,
forever trusting in God’s merciful love.

Through the shadows of this night,
love will be my guiding light,
presence hidden from my sight,
till the clouds are put to flight,
beneath your gaze, I’ve blossomed forth
as a rose in the sunshine.
With joyful heart, I give it all
to the mystery of love.

In peace, I will come before you,
with empty hands,
relying solely on your merciful love.

Through the veil your face appears,
beauty shrouded bathed in tears,
bread of sinners I will share,
rose unpetaled everywhere.

Oh, My God, I will sing of your love,
for this one eternal day,
for this one eternal today.

Transformed in love’s consuming fire, lifted up in glory,
her fragrance filling all the earth,
drawing us unto her,
until in eternity,
we join in one chorus,
forever singing of God’s merciful love.

Canticle of love, song of love,
this eternal day, I will sing, sing of your love.


Happy Feast of Saint Therese!
(This blog is affectionately dedicated to Randy Bayaua and Sr. Ma. Penka Dermenjieva, MCST; dear friends in the Little Flower)


Also from this blog:

Behold Therese
Celtic Alleluia for the Feast of Saint Therese

Download "Therese's Canticle of Love"
by Sr. Marie Therese Sokol