Today, we honor one of the youngest doctor of the church. The word doctor applies to her because she is skill in the area of the soul or the spirit. Despite her age, she possess great knowledge of the soul, and was able to express them uniquely in a simple (not simplistic) way that the rest of us faithful could see and grasp the deeper mysteries.
For instance, one thing she struggled with is striving to give her best to Christ. As she read the lives of the saints and how many of them died for Christ, they were martyrs, great teachers and prophets, in a sense, they were greatly honored, and she wanted to be just like one of them. And naturally so because of her love for Christ.
I think many of us could relate to this. It would be great to be honored as Saint or be an effective evangelizer and be well renowned professor, or be a patron for the youth or the poor, there are so many things that we could strive for. St Therese shared that she wanted to be great like one of the saints in the past.
But she realizes as she read the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians, which is often used at weddings about love. St. Paul says, even if I have faith to move mountains, but do not love then I am nothing. And he goes on to say that even if I am known for my eloquence, but do not love, then I am like a noisy gong or cymbal.
When St Therese read that passage, it was almost as if a lightbulb turned on and she realizes that her vocation was not to be great and honored like these holy saints of the past, but her vocation was to be one to love. It is a vocation to love.
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