St. Benedict and St. Therese of Lisieux stand as two of the monumental figures in the history of the Western Church. Their impact on Christian thought cannot be overestimated, yet never before have they been viewed as spiritual father and daughter. From his "little rule" to her "little way," these two great saints teach us to find ourselves in the ordinary. The path of holiness lies open for every Christian, for the course leads through the real demands and details of everyday life. As both Benedict and Therese understood so well, the family, the school, the parish, and the workplace are all schools of the Lord's service. By using St. Therese's writings to illustrate St. Benedict's Rule, Dwight Longenecker shows how holiness is always the result of a daily reliance on Gods' grace. - Back cover.
St. Benedict and St. Therese stand as two of the monumental figures in the history of the Western Church. Their impact on Christian thought cannot be underestimated, yet never before have they been viewed as spiritual father and daughter. From his "little rule" to her "little way, " these two great saints teach us to find ourselves in the ordinary.
Explore how The Rule of St Benedict, which has provided guidance to monasteries for centuries, can be used as an effective guide to parenting. Organized into short daily reading segments with commentary, here is ancient spiritual wisdom for contemporary parents.
St. Therese and the faithful is a practical manual which makes this great saint and doctor's little way applicable to those living in the world. Benedict Williamson shows, in this wonderful work, that the spirituality of St. Therese is not just for religious, just as sainthood is not for religious only, but is for everyone. The home, just as truly as the convent, can be the school of sanctity, and St. Therese leads the way. She was declared the greatest saint of modern times, because she traced out the path to sanctity that knows not the difference between religious, clergy or laity, and is especially suited to the laity who must live int he world.
Therese is the saint most fitted for our day, a model for those of us whom, whether we like it or not, God has called to hidden lives of holy sacrifce.
Accept the invitation to journey through Lent with Jesus Christ and one of the "greatest saints of modern times," St. Therese of Lisieux. Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church for her spiritual wisdom inspired by the Gospel. She calls us to "increase the spirit of faith" in our hearts and become what God "wills us to be." Prepare for your journey with an Invitation from St. Therese, a short biography of Saint Therese, an Overview of the Carmelite Order, and a section on Saint Therese and Prayer. The journey begins each day of Lent, weekdays and Sundays, with: a Gospel Reading, a selection from the Writings of St. Therese, a Reflection, and a Prayer. St. Therese of Lisieux is called the saint of "the Little Way" but her spirituality is much greater and deeper, for it is a path to our Lord God Jesus Christ--the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let the beautiful relationship that she had with Jesus inspire your Lenten journey.
Mornings with Saint Therese is a compilation of short excerpts (no more than 1-3 pages) taken from the Little Flower’s writings and also from those of her close family members and friends. This hardcover book is beautifully designed inside and out, making it a perfect gift for those you love, or as a daily tool for deepening your own spiritual life — all for just $12.95! The following passages have been carefully selected as examples of the countless pearls of wisdom to be found in this special book. On Mortification "I resolved to lead a life of greater devoutness and mortification than ever before. When I speak of mortification, I don’t mean the kind of penance practiced by the saints. There are great souls who practice every sort of mortification from childhood, but I am not like them." "All I did was to break my self-will, check a hasty reply, and do little kindnesses without making a fuss about them — and lots of similar things. So, I prepared myself to become a bride of Jesus." Give, with No Thought of Results! On working with the Carmelite novices: "I throw to the right and the left to my little birds the good seed that the good God puts in my little hand. And then, the seed does what it will!" "I don’t concern myself about it. Sometimes the results are as if I had thrown nothing; other times, something good results. But the good God says to me, 'Give, give always without concerning yourself with results.'" Keeping the Fire of Love Burning "When I am feeling nothing, when I am incapable of praying, of practicing virtue, then is the moment for seeking opportunities, ‘nothings’ which please Jesus more than mastery of the world when suffered with generosity." "For example, a smile, a friendly word, when I would want to say nothing, or put on a look of annoyance, etc." Infinite Love "Oh! How beautiful is our religion; instead of contracting hearts (as the world believes), it raises them up and renders them capable of loving, or loving with a love almost infinite, since this love must continue after this mortal life which is given to us only for meriting the homeland of heaven, where we shall find again the dear ones whom we have loved on earth! Wanting Only to Die of Love "How gentle and merciful God is…I no longer want anything except to love until I die of love. I am free and fear nothing. I am not even afraid — and it used to be my greatest fear — that my illness will drag out and make me a burden to the community." "I do not refuse the struggle: 'The Lord is a rock upon which I stand; He teaches my hands to fight and my fingers to war. He is my protector and I have hoped in Him.'"
During the year 2000, the relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1874–1897) toured throughout the United States—at once confirming and stimulating an extraordinary resurgence of interest in the life and work of a Carmelite nun known as the "Little Flower." In Thérèse of Lisieux: Transformation in Christ, Abbot Thomas Keating reflects on what St Thérèse understood the teaching of Jesus Christ to be. Thérèse had an extraordinary penetration into the heart of Jesus’ teaching, something she developed into a program for daily life. Although she was only twenty-four years old when she died, Thérèse had an extraordinary spiritual maturity. Father Keating writes about the teachings of Jesus in the parables and then shows what extraordinary insight Thérèse had into those enigmatic sayings. According to Father Keating, St. Thérèse tried to live the Gospel precept, "To love one another as I have loved you!" on a daily basis. She believed it was the best program to propose to people because anybody could do it and because the Kingdom of God was, and is, in everyday life and in what we, as individuals, do with it. As Father Keating shows, St. Thérèse’s teaching continues to reveal to us that if we only build up instead of tear down others and fully and lovingly trust that Christ is with us until the end of time we will be transformed.
Thérèse of Lisieux is one of the most popular modern saints in the world, but the details of her life and spirituality are still not widely known and are somewhat of a mystery even to her devoted followers. With over 150 stunning photographs, in-depth text, and plentiful sidebars on history, geography, and themes, this gorgeous work helps us enter into the universe of the greatest saint of modern times to discover the simplicity, yet depth of her daily life and of her relationships, both human and spiritual. It invites us to a personal encounter with Thérèse, who once wrote, I am your sister, your friend; I will always watch over you. It invites us also to discover her appealing and rich spirituality of the little way. Patroness of missions, Doctor of the Church, this Carmelite sister, who died at only twenty-four, has not ceased to surprise us and to spread her powerful message of love and trust across the world. Her whole life of can be encapsulated in her poem Living on Love: a passionate love of Christ lived out in the everyday, in the joys and trials of life, in inner and outer sufferings. Living on love is a spiritual program for life, but to live it requires a special grace for which we must ask, especially through the intercession of the Little Flower of Jesus. This unique, very beautiful and moving work will inspire readers to desire to imitate St. Thérèse in living on love.
