“The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.” ― Thérèse de Lisieux

If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.”
― Thérèse de Lisieux

“When one loves, one does not calculate.”
― Thérèse de Lisieux

“My whole strength lies in prayer and sacrifice, these are my invincible arms; they can move hearts far better than words, I know it by experience.”
― Thérèse de Lisieux, The Little Way for Every Day: Thoughts from Therese of Lisieux

2/8/22

(St. Thérèse’s Little Way)

I want to tell you about a homeless man we know, from a monastery where we run a prayer group to St. Thérèse. My boyfriend and I have been doing this for over 17 years, and in all those years this man named Mike always shows up. What an inspiration he is. Sometimes he lives out of his car and all of us from our prayer group help with food and clothing and some money but what I wanted to tell you about him was how he really does not have much but always helps others with the little he has. One day he heard a sermon from a priest about some nuns who needed donations to help them. Well Mike, a man who does not have much to his name, turned and said, I want to help these nuns and gave whatever he had to the priest. He has always been doing kind acts like these all his life. What a beautiful soul he is, like St. Thérèse who has said do small things with great love is just what Mike has been doing. Small things with such great love. So remember, it’s not how much you have but how much love you do it with. We all love Mike and were honored as I know St. Thérèse is to have him in our prayer group. He is a perfect example of doing small things with great love as our St. Thérèse has shown us.

St Therese an roses, people always tell me how they recieved roses from st Therese an the colors they asked her for red pink yellow an white even blue roses which (by the way I asked her for an received) but I realize in the end whatever Rose you get she’s going to answer your prayers sometimes you don’t even get a rose it doesn’t mean she hasn’t heard you she prays to the good God and he knows what’s best for us we will always be heard by st Therese she loves us an cares about how much we hurt an need help, she’ll be by our side to guide an show us her little way of love it’s always wonderful to receive her roses from heaven in Anticipation that we will get an answer what a wonderful way to be heard by the Saint of modern times we love you St Therese thank you!

I remember reading how St. Therese' sisters in the covent would always seek her out for advice. The door to her cell (which is what the nuns rooms were called) was always open, she never refused anyone, time or day, she listened with love an compassion. And even now today,anyone who knocks on her door, it will always be open,so please go to her,for whatever your needs are, she will always listen with love and compassion and she will never leave you without an answer, for she promised to spend her heaven doing good upon earth. Our little saint cares so much about us and will bring our intentions to the Lord Jesus in her special, little way.

St Thérèse is such a powerful st a while ago I was going through a hard time with a physical ailment and I prayed for a blue rose which I know is hard to find. I wasn't putting her on the spot but I really wanted to be healed so I asked her. After the novena I kept looking for the blue rose but also knew if I didn't get it from her God had his reasons for I knew she would answer me always. This was her promise: to shower the world with heavenly roses. One day my friend wanted to go visit a shrine to her at holy face monastery and I was still sick and reluctant to go but I put that aside and went to the shrine. As we got there and started to walk up to her shrine I went first to the door and looked in, but to my surprise, I saw hanging on the latch of the door a live blue rose! My friend said this is for you we were both amazed and so were people around us who had never seen a blue rose before. I had never seen a live blue rose either for that matter!  I was so deeply touched by St Thérèse. She really gave me hope for my healing. I wanted to share this story to give other people hope and to never give up! Ask St Thérèse for whatever you truly need and she will always answer you if it be God's will. She truly is a remarkable, special saint! Please just ask and you shall receive!  I love you St Thérèse!

I was reading about a man named Pranzini. He was a man who committed a crime. He killed two people. One was a child. I thought, oh how awful. What a horrible man. But then I read further about St. Thérèse and how she prayed to God to save his soul. I was trying to understand why he was a killer but I read more why St. Thérèse prayed for him. Jesus the Lord has died for all of us. She did not want Jesus’ blood to be wasted, so she prayed he would convert. St. Thérèse prayed for him and made sacrifices for him. On the day of his execution, Pranzini asked for the crucifix and he kissed it three times. This truly shows us how loving and forgiving God is to even hardened criminals and how St. Thérèse's prayers and sacrifices helped him to convert. Don't we all need mercy and forgiveness if we truly are sorry for our sins? God does forgive us through the blood of Jesus. Let us ask St. Thérèse to pray for us to walk the little way and be merciful to others. Amen.  

This is Nancy's father.

This is a story about my father. He truly loved God and always taught us about being good Christians. He always had a Rosary in his pocket and always prayed on it. He was a good father, never held grudges and always forgiving. When he had gotten really sick towards the end, he had to go to the hospital and on that day, I was at work thinking I'll go see him. When I got out, my sisters were there and my brother in law stayed with him. I got the phone call and I was told go quickly to the hospital. My father had passed I was in shock. I ran down to stay with him as my family prayed the divine Rosary for him. He was in peace but I was upset. I wanted to be there with him and as I sat there crying, I remember thinking a few months ago I prayed to St. Thérèse that if my father passed and I could not make it there could you be by his side and take him home to Heaven. Well I started looking around the hospital Room hoping for a sign from my dear Saint. I did not see any, then I looked by my father’s head to see a paper with blood on it I went over to remove it and to my surprise I unfolded a beautiful big red rose. I cried with joy. My St. Thérèse was there with my father and took him home to Heaven. Believe me, I never seen bags in a hospital with roses on it and as this wasn't enough the woman that took care of his room was named Thérèse. Wow, what a gift St. Thérèse gave my family as I told them what I prayed for. They all felt comforted. St. Thérèse is with all of us. She is a caring Saint and wants to shower roses from Heaven upon us all. How we love her. Amen.  

What Miracles did St. Therese perform?

St. Therese is credited with two spontaneous cures that medical science was unable to explain, prior to her beatification. In 1916, Sr. Louise of St. Germain was cured of stomach ulcers which she had suffered from for three years. The second miracle was the case of Charles Anne, a 23-year old seminarian who was near death from advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. Charles prayed to St. Therese as he lay dying. Later, he was examined by a doctor who proclaimed that Charles' lungs seemed to have been replaced by new lungs. Therese was beatified as a result of these two miracles. She was now called "Blessed Therese."

Two additional miracles followed. A woman from Parma, Italy, named Gabrielle Trimusi, who suffered from arthritis of the knee, as well as tubular lesions on her vertebrae, was spontaneously cured. The final documented miracle happened to a Belgium woman, Maria Pellemans, who suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis which had spread to her intestines (the same illness Therese died from). Maria visited Therese's grave, and after returning and being examined by her doctor, was found to be completely cured, and all symptoms had disappeared. Two other doctors had previously confirmed the first doctor's diagnosis before Maria visited Therese's grave. After these miracles were investigated and approved by the Church, Therese was officially canonized a saint by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925, a mere 28 years after her death at the age of 24.

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_miracles_did_Saint_Therese_perform

I truly believe that miracles happen everyday. I can give you three instances wherein God answered my prayers:

1. The prayer book
During my first Holy communion, my aunt gave me a prayer book. The prayer book, yet very simple, was covered in dark leather. It helped me go thru lonely nights as a child. One palm sunday, our house burned down. My room was the room that was completely devastated. All of my belongings were burned. This sucked for a 12 year old and I remember walking to my room crying and wondering why this was happening to my family. Then, on top of my melted radio, i saw my prayer book--leather intact and pages not burned. The only defect was the dark edges which today cannot even be seen today. After this, i knew God was there. I knew everything was going to be alright.

2. Novena to St. Thérèse:
My husband and I have a devotion to Saint Thérèse. When i was in college, I was crushed when i found out that i got kicked out from school. I felt lost and I needed reassurance that I can in fact get accepted in another college (a college which is way better than the college that I got kicked out in). Because of this, I prayed the novena consistently and lo and behold, i got my answer. The St Thérèse novena promises her devotees a shower of roses to the ones whose miracles are granted. After saying the novena, my mother (without knowing I was saying the novena) sent me a picture of a rose saying that my prayers were granted by St Thérèse. It was a random mass text but it meant so much to me. I know that St Thérèse intentionally sent that to me to let me know that my wish was granted. I was so happy.
After a few months, i was enrolling in my new college and knew that life couldn't get any better....
My husband, on the other hand, was puzzled the other day due to financial difficulties. He wanted to know that all his dreams will come true. He was driving to his sisters wedding and prayed to St Thérèse for a sign. After this, he kept on seeing roses the whole day. Not convinced, he still asked for a rose. He asked St Thérèse to please literally give him a rose and not just keep seeing roses everywhere. Lo and behold, St Thérèse did give him a rose. During the entourage line up in his sisters wedding, the coordinator hung a rose corsage in his tuxedo. Who would think that his sisters preferred flower for her wedding were roses?!

3. Novena to the Perpetual Help
Going back to my college dilemma, I also prayed the perpetual help novena and went to the chapel everyday praying for my "college miracle." I remember that in the end of my novena, I was half asleep and I remember dreaming of Mother Mary telling me to be happy since my wish was already granted. What made it more miraculous was that the helper in our house suddenly woke me up since I had a phone call from the Deans office of the college i was applying to. They told him to let me know that I have passed the exam and that I needed to report to them immediately. What a miracle it is!!! After some years, when i was being a bad bad teenager and was failing to keep my grades up, I prayed to Mother Mary again to help me get back on track. Although this time it took a year before she answered my prayer, she still did. She answered my prayer the best way possible since she knew that if she gave me what i wanted right away, i wouldn't have learned my lesson. God really works wonders and really knows when to answer you

St Thérèse saves child's life

http://www.frtommylane.com/stories/miracles/st_therese_saves_life_of_child.htm

When St. Thérèse Showers Roses (and Miracles) on Her Friends

http://m.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/therese-part1

When St. Thérèse Showers Roses (and Miracles) on Her Friends| National Catholic Register

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/when-st-therese-showers-roses-and-miracles-on-her-friends

2/8/22

One day, just an ordinary day, I was having a little trouble with my right eye. Each day it seemed to get a little worse but I did not really think too much about it. It really needed to be looked at so I went to see an eye doctor and when I got there it seemed to get even worse. Right away the eye doctor said I had a small tear in back of my eye and needed to be lasered and I was so scared I would lose my eye. After going home, I still could not see and doctor did not know for sure if I would see normal again. Well, I was scared. I went home and I started a novena to St. Thérèse and I asked her for a special blue rose to be sure I would be able to see again with no problem. I asked for a blue rose because you never see a blue rose and knew this would assure me that I would be alright (never underestimate St. Thérèse). After a couple of months my friend and I went to a shrine of St. Thérèse but I was reluctant to go because I was still so scared. When my girlfriend said don’t be like that let’s go visit Saint Thérèse shrine. So I did and as we were walking up I was looking all around and all of a sudden my girlfriend said look, look on the door of Saint Thérèse. As I looked up there was a blue most beautiful blue rose I’ve ever seen. It was sticking outside of her door. Wow can you imagine how happy I was to see this. I knew Saint Thérèse would answer my prayer. I was in total shock I took the blue rose and I kept it with me ever since and as time went on I went to see the eye doctor again to find out that everything healed. My eye was fine. The only thing left was a couple of little eye floaters, could not stop thanking Saint Thérèse for this beautiful miracle and my eyesight back again. She is a wonderful saint. Never underestimate her. She’ll find any rose out there to help you, to calm you and let you know that everything will be ok and answer your prayer. Thank you, St. Thérèse. I love you.

A story of my friend Claudette ,one day my friend Claudette an I were talking to each other just about everything when the subject of Religion came up well first of all she’s protestant and I’m Catholic and we got into a disagreeing argument when we both agreed to drop the subject saying we both will not change our views a while later my friend came to me And said she was diagnosed with cancer she ended up in the hospital for a few weeks when I went to go see her I told her And all the people at our church are praying for her and I brought her my first class relic of Saint Theresa’s and she took it and she started to hug the relic and she looked into my eyes and said wow all of you are praying for me At your church that’s amazing she was so touched and as I came to her each night with the relic an prayers for her I told her about st Therese an her sister Margaret I Told her about the roses and all the miracles she does they were both amazed then to my surprise she turned to me and said I want to become Catholic can you be my sponsor and help me I said yes get better first and that’s what we’ll do then I left One night when she was sleeping she woke up around 2 AM in the morning in the hospital and as she looked at the doorway she saw a nun come in by her bed side staring at her Claudette spoke to her and said who are you are you that lady with the roses This nun stayed at the edge of her bed as if to bring her comfort then she left an Claudette called her back then called the nurse an she told the nurse were is that nun The nurse was stunned she said there’s no one here at this time of the night especially a nun so Claudet went back to sleep realizing she believes it was Saint Therese A few days later Claudette sister Margaret called me and she told me a remarkable story she said she was on the elevator going up to see Claudette and on the elevator she was hit with a smell of all roses she can’t get over how intense the smell was that she got off the elevator and went to the nurses station and asked could I please have some of those roses I want to bring some to my sister the nurse looked at her an said there’s no roses up here at all but I wanted to inform you that your sister just passed away that’s when Margaret gave me the call to let me know so we both knew at that moment our Claudette was taken home by little st Therese what a comfort an miracle she gave us she is such a loving saint thank you God an st Therese for this gift ( by the way a priest told us because Claudette wanted to become Catholic she is one) praise God

While growing up, life wasn’t perfect for my family and me but we were always blessed. “Love begins at home and it is not how much love we do…but how much love we put in action.” My parents worked very hard to support my sister and me. We were practically raised by our grandparents because of the long hours they had to work every day but they did that because of how much love they had for us and we are forever thankful for what our parents do for us! “It is love alone that gives worth to all things.”

Growing up my mom tells me I was a stubborn, hardheaded girl who always was determined to have things my way… Boy did nothing change! I am still hard headed stubborn and a very determined person… Don’t worry I put all that to great use. When I was growing up I always knew I was different.  My friends and I where bullied a lot in school but it never really bothered me, but as for my friends  I’d always tell them to always keep a smile on their face and to put their nose to the sky and reply with “Only God can judge me” something I learned in C.C.D.

Going in to middle school everything changed… All my friends got into drugs and alcohol. Every day they begged and begged me to try it with them but I always said no! Practically the whole middle school was on drugs… the teachers and the principles wanted to be blind to it. They all new very well what was going on but they didn’t want to touch upon the situation… Was I the only one that cared? Their attitude was: “it is not during school hours or on school grounds so there is nothing we can do” or  “It is not my child so it is not my problem.”  So I made it my problem I wanted to at least try to make change in the school. I wanted to get my friends back no matter what I had to do. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

I remembered hearing a lot in church that if we pray to God he will always help, even if takes days, weeks, months or even years.  I had no one else to turn to all I had was God. I prayed to God everyday! I’d tell him to give me strength and lot of guidance on this journey that I was going to take. I also asked him to keep my friends close to his heart and to keep a close eye on them for me. But instead of everything getting better, things got worse. I lost all my friends I had no one in school to talk to even my mom kept telling me to give up let it go and move on. She reminded me that it was not my problem to fix. But being the stubborn hardheaded determined person that I am, I wasn’t going to give up! I just started praying a little differently. Because I had no friends, I made God my best friend. Therefore I was comfortable talking to him. I said to God “hey listen these are your children that I am watching for you, so I’m going to need a little more of your help here. I can’t help a whole army of school by myself. So please do me this solid of getting my friends back and I would pray to you every day and I will tell everyone to pray more to you” something like you give me friends I’ll give you friends. I wanted to help everyone even my bullies.

A couple months past and we started to get drug barograms and locker checks at school. Though I was very happy about all this everyone else was so angry at me, but with time I got a couple of my friends back. Even some bullies became friends. Knowing that I made a little difference made everything that I went through so worth it! “The smallest thing when done for the love of God is priceless.”

But my journey with God didn’t end there…  As years went by I did stop praying. Every day it got a little hard with all the homework and having a job just a busy life got in the way. Slowly I started to get really sick. I had really bad anxiety attacks my asthma was really bad. I had an irregular heartbeat I got thyroids disease. It’s like every time I went to the doctors there was something new. As things couldn’t get any worse my dad got really sick to. Everything that hurt me hurt him. He ended having open heart surgery. He had a 90% chance of dying at that time. How was I to take in something like that? Because I was not healthy myself and I was under the age of 18 so I couldn’t even see him to say my goodbyes. Once again all I had to turn to was God. While my dad was on his second surgery I walk to the nearest church from my house and I sat there for more than 3 hours crying praying and apologizing to God for not keeping my promise of praying to him every day. I felt guilty that I only called him when I needed something from him. Yes I felt so guilty and cried about it but at the same time I was so angry! I yelled at God so much that day but I didn’t care I told God he couldn’t take my father away. My family still needed him even if he had to take me. I know it was selfish of me to say but I needed at least one last goodbye hug and kiss from him and I was afraid I wasn’t going to have that. At the time we were planning my sweet 16 when all this happened and I wanted my father daughter dance so bad! I kept saying he can’t go we have a father daughter dance to look forward to. We even had a song picked out “Cinderella by Steven Chapman.” (My nick name was Cinderella)

Later that day I got a phone call home to let me know he made it! Even doctors were surprised that he made it! The best thing I ever heard in my life. Happy tears were shed for the whole week! The song Cinderella couldn’t fit any better. The song is about a father losing his daughter; in this case it was a daughter losing her father. Every time that song plays it’s a little reminder of how lucky I am to still have my dad on my side, and I know they’re a lot of people that don’t have that chance like I did. I have no one to thank other than God! Since then both my father and I are two healthy people living everyday normal lives. Till today I still pray every day at any time of the day even if it’s for 2 minutes or 3 hours a night. I always say a prayer to God and thank him for another day because you don’t know what tomorrow brings.” We belong to him. Let him do whatever he likes with us, bring us whatever he pleases.”  He might have allowed a really tough situation with my dad but it restored our faith at home again and especially mine.

So recently I did a pilgrimage. It’s a long walk I did for 3 days and 2 nights. It was possibly the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! Every year many people do this walk. About 100-300 people participate. My parents and their friends also came along. We were walking all the way to blue army shrine in Washington New Jersey. This walk was dedicated mostly for the Virgin Mary. It was also during the month of May which is the month of Mary. I saw many women holding big heavy statues of her while they were walking. It was an amazing experience. There were people of all different ages and sizes. No one wanted to give up, everyone encouraged everyone, and no one was a stranger. Everyone had a reason why they were there and everyone had a lot of faith. We sang so many beautiful church songs but most of all we prayed the rosary a lot we prayed until tears went down our faces.

I carried a beautiful rosary given to me by someone very special who has helped me in so many ways. This rosary had Saint Teresa on it. (It is also glow in the dark)I got it blessed by almost every priest I have seen. I always held it tight in my hands a prayed with it at least 6 times each day of walking. It gave me strength to keep going.

In those 3 days I had something beautiful come my way. My first day of walking I dedicated it in thanks of my father’s life and right when I started getting week and hungry, ready to just stop, I saw a little orange sticky note on the ground right next to garbage cans. I don’t why but I had to pick it up and in side was a picture made by someone young and it said “I love daddy.” I held it so tight the rest of the way it was like a friendly reminder why I was walking and why I couldn’t give up because of the love I have for my dad. It is love alone that gives worth to all things.  My second day was possibly the hardest day for me. I was in tears of how much pain I was in. My feet and my legs were so swollen, and my toe nails were all falling out.  It was extremely hot. We walked for hours nonstop! I was so behind everyone I thought I was never going to get there, but my dad stayed by my side the whole time. He had done this walk before and he liked to walk extremely fast because he says he feels it less when he walks fast but he walked slow just for me. Every time I said I wanted to stop and give up he wouldn’t let me. He would say we don’t quit! We walked this far already make it worth for something. Then he would pull out his rosary and we would pray the rosary together. As I prayed the rosary I asked that saint Theresa if she would bring beautiful flowers as a sign that our prayer was being heard - that this was all worth it. So as we were walking in the middle of the woods you didn’t really see any pretty bright flowers. We kept walking and I started crying of the pain again and when I looked up a head we suddenly saw this whole section of all different kinds of flowers and all so beautiful and just this one red beautiful rose in the middle. I had to take it with me! I finally made it in tears of joy. I didn’t care that I was one of the last ones I was just happy to make it! Finally my last day the day that we would make it to the shrine, I had a really nice friend of my parents and my dad hold me up as I walked because I had lost all the balance on my feet. I am soo thankful for them helping me! I know they were in pain too and still helped me anyway. But regardless, at this point I wasn’t going to give up even if I had to get there on my knees! Mind you the whole time I had many people tell me to stop. They told me I did a lot already and that God would be happy with what I did. I know he would still love me if I stopped. God never gave up on me so I wasn’t going to give up on him. We finally get there and let me tell you it was one of the best feelings in the world! When I saw the big statue of Virgin Mary right in front of the altar I just cried and gained this big energy! As I walked towards her my legs started to tingle my heart started to race and I just cried and I kissed her feet and sat down and I honestly couldn’t take that smile off my face. Ever since this walk my faith grows stronger every day I look at the world a lot different now. The experience is just so unexplainable and I recommend it to everyone!
So throughout the years I have had many great experiences with God and learned many valuable lessons! But I’m sure there are still a lot more journeys to come since I’m only 18. But whatever comes I know God is always by my side! And the same way he’s there for me he’s there for you! I learned to never give up! Whatever you want to do, do it even if many people tell you otherwise! It may take a while or even years but it will happen if you have faith for it to happen. Don’t let death be the end of something but the beginning of something. I now understand this... God never put us on earth and said we will live forever here. We come and we go at any age at any time at any place and situation. We just can’t fear heaven where we will live forever! Especially don’t fear God. Trust him because he never makes mistakes. He knows what he is doing even if it doesn’t feel like so. Just put your trust in him. Have faith! Remember God is never blind to your sins and death to your prayers. We have all seen good days and bad days. We don’t have everything we want in the world but we have what we need. We may wake up with some aches and pains but we woke up, “pain is never permanent.” Yes no one’s life is perfect but we all are blessed in every way.” Trust God that you are where you are meant to be.” Amen.

I want to tell you a special story, this past summer I had to say goodbye to my faithful friend big boy, I wanted to share this with you because St Therese loved animals too, my big boy an I would be in our St. Therese garden he loved smelling the flowers an looking at her, it was as though he knew she was watching over him, he was very sick and I would prayed to St Therese the novena to let him live and be with me for as long as God would allow, for he was a very special cat, in February of 2016 I prayed for a yellow rose for an answer to my prayer and I got it, he was only supposed to live a couple of months and the vets were surprised he was doing so well, we were coming up to six months when August came around, we were near St. Therese's feast day on October 1 an I asked her please let big boy be here with me, it would be so special, well it was not meant to be, Sept. 6 my dear friend went home to God and I really was so sad it would have been so wonderful celebrating her feast with him, when Oct. 1 came and we were getting ready for the feast I remember we were decorating the altar and we put the statue of Saint Therese up and we were waiting for the delivery of the roses and I was thinking I guess we will get the beautiful red ones we usually get every year but I wanted to put one yellow rose in memory of big boy for this was the color I always asked St. Therese for his healing it would feel like he was here for the feast but I could not make it to the alter for there was so much going on, then that night I got a call that the florist was out of red roses so I said ok bring us what you have, I'm sure St Therese would love any color you bring, to my wonderful surprise all yellow roses came, never before in all these years has this happened I was so thrilled I knew in my heart St. Therese sent those roses and she was letting me know big boy was celebrating her feast with her in heaven the reason why I'm sharing this story is because St. Therese takes every persons petitions seriously she cares about what we care about and she will always answer our prayers, what's important to us, is important to God and to her, even our pets, and she answers us with a loving heart. Thank you, St. Therese. 

My special friends

The altar with the yellow roses and answered prayer 

My beautiful mother. My mom was a special person. What wonderful things she showed me like caring for the poor and caring for myself. She would give her last dollar to help a needy person. My mom had five children and I don't know how she did it but she raised us all and though we gave her some trouble she never complained. We were always raised as Catholics and we were a religious family. We learned about all the saints and how good God is. We all had our special saints. Mine was St Therese and my sister was named after her. Actually, we were all named after saints, Mary, Joseph, Theresa, and Robert but when I was born my mom named me Nancy because while in the hospital she heard Nancy with the laughing face (hope there is a saint Nancy). Well, when my mom had gotten really sick I used to pray novenas to St. Therese. My mom really was in so much pain and I asked St. Therese to relieve her of this pain. I really admired my mom. She suffered so much but always said God is with me. My mom suffered on and off for eight years. She was so beautiful even in all her suffering. About a few months before she died I dreamt I saw St. Therese in Heaven and she was holding Heavenly pink roses. I thought she was going to give them to me but she leaned over to give them to someone else that she did not want me to see. This person in the dream went right pass me and then I saw my mom so young so beautiful and smiling. She was handing the heavenly roses and my mom took them with a great smile and then I woke up. I realized St. Therese is taking care of my mom. About a couple of months later, my mom went home to Heaven. I was so heartbroken but then I remembered the dream, I realized St. Therese walked my mom home to Heaven. She was comforting me and our family. This gave us a lot of peace. I wanted to share this story so people know their prayers will always be answered and God does care about our loved ones. St. Therese was there for my mom. We love her. She is a wonderful Saint and she will be there for all of you! Thank you, God and St. Therese.

My Beautiful Mom- her special saying when we were worried or sad she would say (just close your eyes and think of God and He will be with you.) I want to pass her words on to everyone in need.  

1) When my beloved mother passed away in August 2015, I asked St. Thérèse for an orange rose as a sign that she was there to greet my mom at the entrance of heaven, and told my mom that I love her…Fast forward to the wake at the funeral home. There were no orange roses around the casket. On the morning of the mass people were paying their final respects at the casket. As my better half and I knelt down in the vacated room to say our final prayers of good bye, I received a tap on my shoulder. I naturally turned around to see who it was. It was the funeral director and he handed me an orange rose…Enough said…I was overwhelmed with tears of joy…Thank you St. Thérèse

2) I had a nerve wracking presentation to make at work to a group of BMT physicians and key stake holders on a highly visible and important project. As the talk approached I ramped up my preparation. My stress and anxiety also ramped up. As the hour for the presentation approached, I asked St. Thérèse to send me a rose that this would go well and I would not be the recipient of questions I could not answer or grumbling about the report. About an hour before the event, I glanced at my catholic calendar tacked up in my office cubicle. To my elation my eyes zoomed in on the image of the shrine of OL Fatima in Portugal. Directly in the middle was a photo of hundreds of white roses surrounding our lady’s statue. Right then and there the stress drained out of my body…A calmness overcame me that no dose of atenolol could accomplish. Needless to say the presentation went favorably. Thank you St. Thérèse. Thank you, Mother Mary.

3) A few years ago, on the morning of my father’s anniversary of leaving this world, I asked St. Thérèse for a white rose as a sign that she went to my father in heaven, gave him a kiss, and told him that I love and miss him. I also said it’s ok if you don’t send me a white rose (or any rose) as I know you will do this for me anyway…I went to work and “forgot” all about it. That day at lunch time, for some reason I decided to take my lunch and eat outside in courtyard adjacent to the train station. It is important to note this is not where I had ever eaten before. Upon finishing my lunch I noticed a Catholic Church nearby. I decided to go in and say a quick prayer at the Blessed Sacrament and finish my divine mercy chaplet. After doing so as I walked down the aisle to exit the church I noticed a dimly lit area where I could light a quick candle on the way back to work. I went over and lit the candle, and knelt to say I quick prayer before a large statue. As I looked up I saw it was St. Thérèse. I was so happy to see her and said a quick prayer of thanksgiving and told her it was ok that she did not send me the white rose. As I got up and turned to my right I looked up and noticed another statue. This was the Sacred Heart. I was dumfounded and overcome with tears of joy when I noticed a white rose in the hand of Jesus…..Thank you Jesus. Thank you St. Thérèse!!  

Written by Fr. Louis Marie Navaratne, OSB.

MY SONG OF To-DAY

Oh! How I love Thee, Jesus! My soul aspires to Thee
And yet for one day only my simple prayer I pray!
Come reign within my heart, smile tenderly on me,
To-day, dear Lord.
But if I dare take thought of what the morrow brings
That fills my fickle hear with dreary, dull dismay;
I crave indeed, my God, trials and sufferings,
But only for today!
O sweetest Star of heaven! O Virgin, spotless, blest,
Shining with Jesus’ light, guiding to Him my way!
O Mother! ‘neath thy veil let my tired spirit rest,
For this brief passing day!
Soon shall I fly afar among the holy choirs,
Then shall be mine the joy that never knows decay;
And then my lips shall sing, to heaven’s angelic lyres,
The eternal, glad To-day!

(June, 1894)

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'Thou Hast Broken My Bonds, O Lord'
(Psalm CXV.7.)

For a Postulant, on her entrance-day into Carmel.
Thou, Jesu! on this day my earthly bonds hast broken.
In Mary's Order old, my soul true goods shall find;
And if to-day: "farewell" my quivering lips have spoken
To those who loved me best, so dear, so true, so kind,
Thou, Lord, wilt be to them far more than I could be;
And Thou wilt deign to win some sinful souls through me.
Jesu! on Carmel I shall dwell
Thy love has called Thy child to that oasis fair;
There I desire to serve Thee well,
To love Thee there, and then to die,
There! yes, my Jesu, there!
O Jesu! on this day, Thy love my prayer has granted;
Before Thy altar throne hereafter 'tis my part
Calmly to wait for heaven, all pain to bear undaunted,
And, lifting to the rays of Thy white Host my heart,
Within that fire of love all self to burn away,
And, like a seraph blest, to serve Thee night and day.
Ah, Jesu! 'twill be mine to dwell,
One day, with Thee on high, in heaven's bright mansions fair
There evermore to love Thee well,
To love Thee, and no more to die,
There! yes, my Jesu, there!

August 15, 1895.

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This poem of St. Therese, was written after her beloved father died. She grieved in silence, sh​e called him her king, and to him she was his "little queen." This beautiful poem is her way of honoring him, o how beautiful... It is important mainly because of the people in the conversation - her family. Therese was the youngest of nine children, four of whom died in infancy, four became Carmelite nuns, and one a Visitation nun. These are the "nine lilies bright," referred to in the poem here as forming their saintly father's coronet in Heaven. He used to call Teresa his "little queen," Marie his "diamond," Pauline his "pearl." He died of paralysis, after months of helplessness, tended by Celine. These remarks serve to explain the poem. . . .

PRAYER OF THE CHILD OF A SAINT*

TO HER GOOD FATHER, CALLED HOME TO GOD,

July 29, 1894.
Remember thou how once upon this earth
Thy joy was found in caring for us all!
Hear now the prayer of those who owe their birth
To thee, dear father; bless us when we call!
A little while ago, in Heaven, our home above,
Thou to our mother's side hast come with saintly love.
Together now ye reign, in Heaven made one again.
O'er us keep guard!
Remember thy first born, thy bright Marie,
She who was dearest ever in thy sight;
Remember how her charm, her gaiety,
Her love, her goodness, filled thee with delight,
That daily source of joy thou didst renounce for God;
And thou didst bless the band, that made thee feel His rod.
Thy "diamond" bright and fair,
Thy rarest of the rare,
Remember thou!
Remember thou thy beautiful "pure pearl,"
The timid lamb once to thy tendence given!
Trusting in God, behold thy lovely girl
Guide Carmel's flock along the road to Heaven.
Of thy beloved ones, "Mother" is she today:
Then come to guide even now thy darling on her way!
This Carmel of Thine own
Remember at Heaven's throne,
Remember thou!
Remember now thy strong and ardent prayer
Made here for thy third child, thy Leonie!
God heard thee; for to her this earth so fair
But banishment and exile seems to be.
She, too, from this gay world, to God would turn aside;
She loves Him only, and becomes His bride.
Her ardent, burning sighs,
Her Heaven sent ecstasies,
Remember thou!
Remember thou thy faithful child, Celine,
Who was to thee like angel from the skies,
When close to thine the Face of Christ was seen,
Testing thy virtue by great sacrifice!
In Heaven thou reignest now; her task is past and gone;
Now unto Jesus Christ she gives her life alone.
Protect her future days,
Who very often says:
Remember thou!
And, oh! remember thou thy "little queen,"
The tender love with which her heart o'erflowed;
Remember where at first her steps have been,
And whose hand guided her along her road.
Papa, remember now, that in her infancy
Her innocence was given into God's care by thee.
Even her curling hair
To thee was dear and fair!
Remember thou!
Remember thou that on the terrace green
Her place was often on thy saintly knees;
And murmuring a prayer for her, "thy queen,"
Thou didst sing softly on the Sunday breeze,
And she, upon thy heart, saw in thy holy face
A shining of Heaven's light, a strange unearthly grace.
The beauty, sung by thee,
Was of eternity!
Remember thou!
Remember now that Sunday ever blest,
When thou a pure white flower to her didst give,
And to thy child, dose to thy bosom pressed,
Didst grant the grace on Carmel's hill to live.
Oh, father dear, recall that in her trial hour
Sincerest proofs were given of all thy loving power,
At Bayeux and at Rome
Showing her Heaven as home!
Remember thou!
Remember that the Holy Father's hand
Within the Vatican was laid on thee.
The mystery, then, thou couldst not understand,
The mystic sign of suffering to be.
But now thy children here to thee uplift their prayer;
They bless thy bitter cross, that won thy coronet rare.
Upon thy brow, fair sight!
There shine, in Heaven's own light, Nine lilies brightly
August, 1894

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St. Thérèse  wrote this poem he who has Jesus has everything  because Jesus was the love of her life  please enjoy this beautiful poem written by a saint with so many special talents

He Who Has Jesus Has Everything

Scorning earthly joys,
I’ve become a prisoner.
I’ve seen that all pleasures are passing.
You are my only joy,
Lord!...
Beneath my feet the grass has been crushed.
The flower in my hand has withered!...
Jesus, I want to run in your meadow.
My steps, won’t leave a trace
On it!...
It’s Your love alone that transports me.
I leave my flock on the plain.
I don’t take the trouble to tend it.
I just want to please my one
New lamb.
Jesus you are the lamb I love.
You are all I need, O Supreme Good!
In you, I have everything, the earth and even heaven.
The flower that I pick, O my King!
Is you!...
In You, I’ve the beauty of nature.
I’ve the rainbow, pure snow,
Distant islands, the ripe harvest,
Butterflies, the bright springtime,
The fields.
I’ve the ship slipping away from the beach,
The golden wake and the shore,
I’ve the sun decorating the cloud
As it disappears from the sky.
You whose hand upholds the spheres,
Who plant the deepest forests,
You who at a mere glance makes them fertile,
You always watch over me
With a look of love!...
Drawn to the gentle flame,
The moth flies and catches on fire.
So Your love draws my soul.
In it, I want to fly,
To burn!...
My God, I already hear
Your eternal feast being prepared.
Taking my silent harp from the willows,
I’m going to sit down near You,
To see You.
With You, I’ll see Mary,
The saints, my dear family…
After this life’s exile, I’ll go
To see my Father’s house again
In Heaven!...

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Canticle to the Holy Face.

Dear Jesus! 'tis Thy Holy Face
Is here the start that guides my way;
They countenance, so full of grace,
Is heaven on earth, for me, to-day.
And love finds holy charms for me
In Thy sweet eyes with tear-drops wet;
Through mine own tears I smile at Thee,
And in Thy griefs my pains forget.
How gladly would I live unknown,
Thus to console Thy aching heart.
Thy veiled beauty, it is shown
To those who live from earth apart.
I long to fly to Thee alone!
Thy Face is now my fatherland,
The radiant sunshine of my days,
My realm of love, my sunlit land,
Where, all life long, I sing Thy praise;
It is the lily of the vale,
Whose mystic perfume, freely given,
Brings comfort, when I faint and fail,
And makes me taste the peace of heaven.
Thy face, in its unearthly grace,
Is like the divinest myrrh to me,
That on my heart I gladly place;
It is my lyre of melody;
My rest  my comfort is Thy Face.
My only wealth, Lord! is thy Face;
I ask naught else than this from Thee;
Hid in the secret of that Face,
The more I shall resemble Thee!
Oh, leave on me some impress faint
Of Thy sweet, humble, patient Face,
And soon I shall become a saint,
And draw men to Thy saving grace.
So, in the secret of Thy Face,
Oh! hide me, hide me, Jesus blest!
Ther let me find its hidden grace,
Its holy fires, and, in heaven's rest,
Its rapturous kiss, in Thy embrace!

                                                                August 12, 1895.

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WHAT I USED TO LOVE
COMPOSED AT THE REQUEST OF HER SISTER

CELINE, SOME MONTHS AFTER THE LATTER'S

ENTRANCE INTO CARMEL.

"I have in my Beloved the mountains, the solitary and wooded valleys, the foreign islands, the resounding rivers, the murmur of the amorus zephyrs, the peaceful night, so like the dawn of day, the harmonious solitude, all that charms and that augments love."

St. John of the Cross.

Oh, how I love your memory,
My childhood days, so glad and free!
To keep my innocence, dear Lord, for Thee,
Thy love came to me night and day,
Alway.
So, when a little child was I,
To Thee I gave me utterly
Making with joy to Thee my promise high,
To wed a King beyond my view,
­Jesu!
I loved the Mother loved by Thee;
Saint Joseph, too, was friend to me.
How near Thy promised heaven seemed to be,
When shone, reflected in mine eyes,
The skies!
I loved the fields of wheat, the plain
Of emerald grass, the gentle rain.
Joy grew so great in me, 'twas almost pain!
How dear my sisters' presence there;
How fair!
I loved to cull the grass, the flowers,
Forget me nots in leafy bowers;
I found the violets' perfume, all the hours,
With crocus growing neath my feet,
Most sweet.
I loved the daisies fair and white;
Our Sunday walks, oh, what delight!
The azure skies so gloriously bright;
The birds that sang upon the tree
For me!
I loved my little shoe to grace,
Each Christmas in the chimney place;
To find it there at morn, how swift I'd race!
The feast of heaven, I hailed it well;
Noel!
I loved my mother's gentle smile,
Her thoughtful glance that said, the while:
"Eternity doth me from you beguile.
I go to heaven, my God, to be
With Thee!
"I go to find, in realms above,
My angel band in Mary's love. h, prove,
The children whom I leave below, ah, prove,
Jesu! to them their guide and stay,
Alway!
Oh, how I loved my heavenly Lord,
In His blest Sacrament adored!
He bound me to Him by His given word
That He my Spouse from infancy
Would be!
I loved, upon the terrace fair,
My father's reveries to share;
To feel his gentle kisses on my hair.
I loved that father who shall tell
How well!
Teresa, seated on his knee,
Listened with me there, tenderly,
To those melodious songs he sang for me.
Those accents sweet I can not yet
Forget.
O Memory, what joys you bring!
You wake the thought of many a thing
That flew from me, long since, like birds awing.
Faces I see, voices I hear
How dear!
At sunset's hour I loved to be,
Teresa, heart to heart with thee;
Thy soul was as my very own to me.
My sister friend, my love, wert thou
As now.
Hand clasped in hand our hymns we sang.
Above earth's noisy clash and clang,
Our voices through the holy twilight rang.
Our dreams were then to Carmel given,
And heaven.
In Switzerland and Italy
The fairest scenes were shown to me;
But fairer yet I deemed the sight to be
Of him, Father of Christendom,
At Rome!
The Coliseum's hallowed ground,
With rapturous joy, my footsteps found;
The Catacombs re-echoed to the sound
Of hymns I sang to Thee, th' Adored,
My Lord !
What sorrows followed then, amain;
What fears have filled my heart with pain!
But Jesus came to help me, and sustain,
And His dear cross has been my stay
Alway.
I fled the world, I turned my face,
And. in a quiet resting place,
I sought in silent prayer for constant grace
My load to bear, and for my grief
Relief.
I loved to hear, from distant towers,
The sweet church bells ring out the hours;
I loved to cull, through burning tears, the flowers
And hear, at eve, among the trees,
The breeze.
I loved the swallows' graceful flight,
The turtledoves' low chant at night,
The pleasant sound of insects gay and bright,
The grassy vale where doth belong
Their song.
I loved the delicate morning dew,
On Bengal rose of charming hue;
I loved to see the virginal bee accrue

Its store of honey from the flower,
Its dower.
I loved to gather autumn leaves;
And, where the moss a carpet weaves,
How oft, from 'mongst the vines, my hand receives
A butterfly, so light of wing,
Fair thing!
I loved the glow worm on the sod;
The countless stars, so near to God!
But most I loved the beauteous moon, endowed
With shining disk of silver bright,
At night.
To my dear father, worn and old,
I gave myself with love untold.
He was all to me.  Joy, and home, and gold,
Were mine in him; for him my kiss,
My bliss.
We loved the sweet sound of the sea,
The storm, the calm, all things that be,
At eve, the nightingale sang from the tree.
Oh, seemed to us like seraphim
Its hymn!
But came one day when his sweet eyes
Sought Jesus' cross with glad surprise...
And then my precious, loving father dies!
His last dear glance to me was given;
Then  heaven!
Jesus, with hand benign and blest,
Took Celine's treasure to his rest,
Where endless joys are evermore possessed;
Placing him near his throne of love,
Above!
Now, Lord, I am Thy prisoner here;
Gone are the joys once held so dear.
I have found out, none last, all seek their bier.
I have seen all my joys pass by,
And die.
The grass is withered in its bed;
The flowers within my hands are dead.
Would that my weary feet, Jesu! might tread
Thy heavenly fields, and I might be
With Thee!
E'en as the thirsting hart doth crave
Its lips in some cool stream to lave,
I seek from Thee, Jesu! the healing wave.
I need, to calm my ardors and my fears,
Thy tears.
Thy love, naught else, attracts my soul;
Heaven is my only aim, my goal;
Love, Love divine, has me in Its control.
I seek the Lamb upon His throne,
Alone.
Jesu! Thou art that Lamb divine;
Naught else I crave, if I am Thine.
In Thee all things in heaven and earth are mine!
Thou art the lovely Flower of spring,
My King!
Thou art the Lily, pure and fair;
Thy perfume sweet embalms the air.
O Bunch of sacred Myrrh, divinely rare,
Upon my heart, I beg Thee, stay
Alway!
Thy love goes with me where I go!
In Thee have I the sparkling snow,
The rains, the lofty hills, the valleys low,
The babbling brooks, the leafy trees,
The breeze!
All these I  have in Thee, dear Lord:
The yellow wheat, the harvest horde,
The Rose of Sharon, type of Thee, Adored!
Round me what flowers of charming dyes
Arise!
I have the dear melodious lyre,
The solitude of my desire,
My waves, and mighty rocks, and brilliant fire,
My birds that sing, my murmuring stream,
Fair dream!
My rainbow in my rain washed skies,
Horizon where my suns arise,
Island in far off seas, pearl I most prize,
Springtime and butterflies, I see
In Thee!
Thy love is like the flowers of May,
The palm trees where the breezes play,
The nights almost as bright and light as day.
In Thee I find what shall not cease,
Sweet peace!
Delicious grapes in Thee are mine,­
The purple burden of the vine;
The virgin forest and the stately pine,
The fair haired children, Lord, I see
With Thee!
In Thee I have the springs, the rills,
The mignonette, the daffodils,
The eglantine, the harebell on the hills,
The trembling poplar, sighing low
And slow.
In Thee I have the waving wheat,
The winds that murmur low and sweet.
All Mary's flowers, once blooming at my feet,
The glowing plain, the tender grass, I see
In Thee.
Beneath my habit's plain, coarse fold
Thou givest me rare gems and gold.
Within my clasp what brilliant rings I hold,
Pearls, sapphires, rubies, diamonds bright,
Tonight.
The lovely lake, the valley fair
And lonely, in the lambent air,
The ocean touched with silver everywhere,
In Thee their treasures, all combined,
I find.
I have the barque on mighty seas,
Its shining track, the shore, the breeze,
The sun that sinks behind the leafy trees,
Lighting the clouds, ere it expire,
With fire.
In Thee, the glorious stars are mine;
And often at the day's decline
I see, as through some veil silken and fine,
Beckoning from heaven, our fatherland,
Thy hand!
O Thou Who governest all the earth,
Who giv'st the mighty forests birth,
And at one glance mak'st all their life of worth!
On me Thou gazest, from above,
With love.
I have Thy Face, I have Thy Heart!
Lo! I am wounded with thy dart;
Thou dost Thy sacred kiss to me impart.
I love Thee! Thee alone I view,
Jesu!
I go, to chant, with angel throngs,
The homage that to Thee belongs.
Soon let me fly away, to join their songs!
Oh, let me die of love, I pray,
One day!
Drawn by the light, the insect flies
To meet the flame wherein it dies.
So, to Thy light, my longing soul would rise;
So would I gladly in that tire,
Expire!
I hear, e'en I, Thy last and least,
The music from Thy heavenly feast;
There, there, receive me as Thy loving guest!
There, to my harp, oh, bid me sing,
My King!
Mary I go to see, and there
The saints, and those once treasured here.
Life is all past, and dried at last each tear.
To me my home again is given,
In heaven!
April 28, 1895

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TO MY ANGEL GUARDIAN

O glorious guardian of my frame!
In heaven's high courts thou shinest bright,
As some most pure and holy flame,
Before the Lord of endless light.
Yet for my sake thou com'st to earth,
To be my brother, Angel dear:
My friend and keeper from my birth,
By day and night to me most near.
Knowing how weak a child am I,
By thy strong hand thou guidest me;
The stones that in my pathway lie,
I see thee move them carefully.
Ever thy heavenly tones invite
My soul to look to God alone;
And ever grows thy face more bright,
When I more meek and kind have grown.
O thou who speedest through all space
More swiftly than the lightnings fly!
Go very often, in my place,
To those I love most tenderly.
With thy soft touch, oh! dry their tears;
Tell them the cross is sweet to bear;
Speak my name softly in their ears,
And Jesu's name, supremely fair.
Through all my life, though brief it be,
I fain would succor souls from sin.
Dear Angel, sent from heaven to me,
Kindle thy zeal my heart within!
Naught but my holy poverty,
And daily cross to give have I;
0 join them to thine ecstasy,
And offer them to God on high.
Thine are heaven's glory and delight,
The riches of the King of kings;
The Host in our ciboriums bright
Is mine, and all the wealth pain brings.
So with the Cross, and with the Host,
And with thine aid, dear Angel Friend,
I wait in peace, on time's dark coast,
Heaven's happiness that knows no end.

February, 1897

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