Therese :)

If I were to be baptized again and would be given the opportunity to change my name, I would choose the name Teresa or Therese. I was born on October 15, the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila. And today, the 1st of October, we remember the sainthood of another "Teresa", St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who is also a Carmelite. No wonder I love the Carmelites. :)

What's amazing about these two saints is that they're both Virgins and Doctors of the Church. Their lives, while they seemed ordinary, are beautiful examples of holiness. They had their own share of spiritual dryness and difficulties, but they persevered, because of love, all for love. ♥

St. Therese's purpose of living is to love God and make Him loved.

In relation to the Gospel for today (Luke 9:57-62), here are verses 1, 6-8 of "Jesus, my beloved, remember!", a beautiful poem written by St. Therese of the Child Jesus:

Remember the Father's glory,

Remember the divine splendor

You left in exiling yourself on earth

To redeem all the poor sinners.

O Jesus! Humbling yourself to the Virgin Mary,

You veiled your infinite greatness and glory.

Ah! Your mother's breast

Was your second heaven,

Remember…

Remember that on other shores

The golden stars and silver moon

On which I gaze in the cloudless sky

Delighted and charmed your Infant eyes.

With your little hand that caressed Mary

You upheld the world and gave it life,

And you thought of me,

Jesus, my little King,

Remember.

Remember that you worked in solitude

With your divine hands.

To live forgotten was your sweetest task.

You rejected human learning.

O You who with just one word could charm the world,

You took delight in hiding your profound wisdom.

You seemed unlearned,

O All-powerful Lord!

Remember.

Remember that you wandered as a Stranger on earth.

You, the Eternal Word,

You had nothing, no, not even a stone,

Not a shelter, like the birds of heaven.

O Jesus! come within me, come rest your Head,

Come, my soul is truly ready to receive you.

My Beloved Savior,

Rest in my heart.

It is Yours.

I learned that the name Therese literally means REAPER, one who reaps or harvest crops. True to their name, both St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila planted in the hearts of the people they came across with seeds of faith, hope and love, and later on harvested the fruits of their selfless labor - the glory of the Kingdom of heaven where they spend eternal bliss with the King of kings and Lord of lords. :)

The Little Flower. The Reaper. :)

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