Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (Saint Therese of Lisieux) teaches us that all our works, however humble, must be done to and for God. This is very helpful as we carry out our hospitaller works for the Order, everything, however small, however pedestrian, however unpleasant, is directed towards God, whom we particularly find in Our Lords the Poor and the Sick. She shows us that our prayers too must be directed as acts of love to God, away from ourselves, and towards Him, as our beloved Patron Saint John the Baptist also teaches - illum oportet crescere me autem minui - He must increase, and I diminish.
This year Saint Therese's lovely feast was omitted as it fell on the Sunday in the New Rite, but in the calendar of the Extraordinary Form it falls today, so we are not deprived of the Little Flower's particular prayers for us at the altar this year. May we strive in all we do to be worthy of them.
A friend sent the Editor this lovely photograph of the reliquary of the Saint in the nuns' choir at the new Abbey of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption at le Barroux last year. The same reliquary which we see in the photograph above in our own church in St John's Wood in 2009.
Collect: O Lord, who said: "unless you become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,", grant us, we beseech you, so to follow the footsteps of blessed Therese, the Virgin, in humility and simplicity of heart that we may obtain everlasting rewards. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, pray for us
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