A Saint before she was born.

Today is the Eve of the feast of Sainte Terese of Lisieux but it is actually the day of her death at the young age of 24. I have been reading her book L`Histoire d'une Ame (History of a Soul) since making pilgrimage to  her shrine in Normandy in the summer holidays. These photos are the ones I took there. I was overcome by the reality of her beautiful faith. Anyone who goes there and reads her book can not but be profoundly moved by the simplicity of the truths which she extols. The 'little flower',  Sainte Therese of the Child Jesus can show us only purity, goodness and simplicity of the faith. However she was courageous and bold and confidently determined to do what she knew to be right. When she was rejected for profession as a Carmelite nun  she persevered and overcame both her Bishop in Bayeaux and her parish priest appealing to Pope Leo XIII at an audience during a diocesan pilgrimage to Rome.She having kissed his slipper and then instead of his hand too began to speak 'Holy Father in honour of your Jubilee permit me to enter Carmel at the age of fifteen'! The Pontiff was completely transfixed by her assurance that this is what God had called her to. She too was struck there that Leo was truly The Holy Father. She thus fulfilled her vocation and the power of  her prayer continues to enrich and purify the church today.

Govern by all Thy Wisdom, O Lord,
so that my soul may always be serving Thee as Thou dost 
Will, 
and not as I may choose. 
Do not punish me, I beseech Thee, 
by granting that which I wish 
or ask if it offended Thy Love, 
which would always live in me. 
Let me die to myself, 
so that I may love Thee. 
Let me live to Thee, 
Who art in Thyself, 
the True Life.