Read, Reflect, St. Therese Story of a Soul Group Study January 13, 2014 Focusing on Her Early Childhood Instructions: While I whole- heartedly recommend reading/listening to the autobiographical book, Story of a Soul, I think you will gather a few of the most important points about the childhood of St. Therese through your reflections on the following portions and events that I pulled from Chapters 1-4. Yet, there is much more to learn about St. Therese and most especially her mission, which is perhaps to teach us Little Way, so I hope you won t stop here. Two blank lines are provided under each passage so that you can write your own random notes. I don t expect you to answer all of the questions but I hope you will bring this guide to our group study for discussion next week.. We will only have a very short time to review our responses, but oh, I so look forward to that! God Bless! ~Christi 913-322- 6097 Jesus taught, "The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones (Luke 16:10). St. Therese WAS faithful in little ways. She would go on to say: I feel that my mission is about to begin, my mission to make God love as I love Him, to teach souls my little way. Focus of Group Study: What was the mission of St. Therese? How did she live Out God s Will and her mission? How did she discover and claim it? How is the writing of her autobiography, Story of a Soul, essential in St. Therese s mission? Read & Reflect: Chapter 1 St. Therese wrote with an Obedient and Grateful Heart This is taken from the first paragraph, Story of a Soul, Chapter 1: It is to you, dear Mother, that I am about to confide the story of my soul. When you asked me to write it, I feared the task might unsettle me, but since then Our Lord has deigned to make me understand that by simple obedience I shall please Him best. I begin therefore to sing what must be my eternal song: "the Mercies of the Lord." What virtue(s) is demonstrated by St. Therese s singing the Mercies of the Lord? How does this paragraph hint at the mission of St. Therese? St. Therese s eternal song nourishes many hearts; Still, briefly summarize your personal understanding of what she is referring when she uses the phrase the Mercies of the Lord?
Read & Reflect: Chapter 1 St. Therese wrote with an Obedient and Grateful Heart Her words as expressed in Story of a Soul are St. Therese s obedient response to the command of the Prioress of Carmel, Mother Agnes (her sister, Pauline) that she write of her childhood memories. Prudent it was, for one even so holy as St. Therese, to consider the snares she might encounter as she endeavored to write her autobiography. Upon deliberation, she decided how she could most humbly reflect on her past; she would use this approach: It seems to me if a little flower could speak, it would simply tell what God has done for it without trying to hide its blessings. All of us have various motivations (outside of and within our hearts) that have lead us to share and tell stories. Some motivators are nobler than others. The very same weaknesses and sinfulness that St. Therese made choice to avoid can easily sneak into our conversations and correspondence. What are some virtues that St. Therese chose to motivate her writing? What are vices that she may have been trying to avoid when she made the decision, I am going to write my thoughts on the graces God deigned to grant me.? What are possible dangers we run into when we communicate, esp. when we share stories? Or can you recall time when a vice may have inadvertently influenced you or someone you know into sharing? Did it work out okay? Read & Reflect: Chapter 1 St. Therese wrote with an Obedient and Grateful Heart It is the spirit of gratitude which draws upon us the overflow of God s grace, said St. Therese, for no sooner have we thanked Him for one blessing than he hastens to send ten additional favors in return. Then, when we show our gratitude for these new gifts, He multiplies His benedictions to such a degree that there seems to be a constant stream of divine grace ever coming our way. It is true that when we make a prayer of thanksgiving our daily habit, we become more aware of our blessings.
What is your method of thanksgiving prayer? Are you counting your blessings daily? Make a list of blessings. Now, list a new one that you hadn t recognized as such lately? Is there someone if your life that you need to thank today? Read & Reflect: Chapter 1 St. Therese recalls taking everything rather than choosing one One day her big sister Leonie brought the younger ones a basket filled with clothes, pretty pieces of stuff, and other trifles on which her doll was laid. Leonie offered, Here, dears, choose whatever you like. Celine chose a woolen ball. Little Therese responded, I choose everything, and off she went, carrying both doll and entire basket. St. Therese revealed meaning from this by writing, This childish incident was a forecast, so to speak, of my whole life. Later on, when the way of perfection was opened out before me, I realized that in order to become a Saint one must suffer much, always seek the most perfect path, and forget oneself. I also understood that there are many degrees of holiness, that each soul is free to respond to the calls of Our Lord, to do much or little for His Love in a word, to choose amongst the sacrifices He asks. And then also, as in the days of my childhood, I cried out: My God, I choose everything, I will not be a Saint by halves, I am not afraid of suffering for Thee, I only fear one thing, and that is to do my own will. Accept the offering of my will, for I choose all that Thou willest. Are there other examples of St. Therese choosing all that come to mind? What are they? In what ways are you like St. Therese, accepting all, or nothing? Have you ever found it difficult in your life or faith-life to accept all? If it was a problem, how were you able to resolve that?
Read & Reflect: Chapter 2 St. Therese s mother died when she was four years old St. Therese experienced early sadness, especially with the death of her mother. Therese s mother s funeral was the beginning of the second period of her life, a very sorrowful time. What specific consolations may have balanced out the painful loss of her mother, giving St. Therese strength for future trials? In what ways have you found strength when experiencing personal struggle? Read & Reflect: Chapter 2 St. Therese s mother died when she was four years old. When she was between the ages of four and 14, she says she was led away from childish gaiety and understood more fully the serious side of life. What were some of the external activities in her life that perhaps reflected her and her family s search for meaning as she matured in her spiritual relationship with God? What external activities appear to lead you to a more mature relationship with God? Which of these activities seem to be the most satisfying? Which are most effective?
Read & Reflect: Chapter 3 St. Therese Experienced Separation, Sacrifice and Detachment Therese describes her misery when she found out by dreadful surprise that her second mother, Pauline, would be taken away from her. She wrote, How can I describe the anguish I suffered! In a flash I saw life spread out before me as it really is, full of sufferings and frequent partings, and I shed bitter tears. At that time I did not know the joy of sacrifice; I was weak so weak that I look on it as a great grace that I was able to bear such a trial, one seemingly so much beyond my strength and yet live. I shall never forget how tenderly my little Mother consoled me, while explaining the religious life. Then one evening, when I was thinking over the picture she had drawn, I felt that the Carmel was the desert where God wished me also to hide. I felt this so strongly that I had not the least doubt about it; nor was it a childish dream, but the certainty of a Divine Call. This impression, which I cannot properly describe, left me with a feeling of great inward peace. Despite the apparent consolation in the moment, soon after, Therese would fall victim to a serious nervous disorder that would be a great cause of concern for her life. Think about a time that you lost a most precious connection(s) or possession(s) and you felt nothing could renew your desire to go on? How did you manage to leave the past behind and find a new way to live? If so, what were the things that helped you to prevail? Read & Reflect: Chapter 4 St. Therese Nourished Her Soul Daily St. Therese thanks her sister Pauline, or Mother Agnes, for the beautiful pictures she gave her as rewards, as they were one of the sweetest joys and strongest impressions that aided her in the practice of virtue. She speaks of the picture to the right; The little flower of the Divine Prisoner depicts Jesus behind bars alongside a flower growing below his hands of blessing outside of his prison cell. St. Therese comments that the picture, said so many things to me that I became deeply recollected and I offered myself to Jesus as His little flower. Also, St. Therese loved reading and I would have spent my entire life at it. Through reading and art, she nourished both her heart and her mind, yet having been taught by her father that one constantly must be on guard against wasting precious time in fruitless diversion, she chose to temper the time she spent on favorite past times out of obedience to God. Advertising, along with every good thing that our modern world offers our senses, clamors for our attention. All affect our mood, our beliefs, how we treat others, and even whether we fit into our jeans! In free society, we can make better choices about what we allow into our homes, our body, hearts, minds Name an activity that takes up a great amount of you time and yet does not really support your Christian vocation? How much of your time is spent on this activity? How might this use of your time or other enticements you enjoy influence your vision of life?
Which of your enjoyments nourish and refresh your soul? Which could be damaging or depleting? How is your time split between the activities that enhance and those that might wear on your soul? Read & Reflect: Summary St Therese looked for the Extraordinary in the Ordinary. A simple little girl in France, St. Therese shares stories revealing her uncanny ability to draw meaning and extraordinary grace from mundane events. While she reflects, I was born for great things, and sought the means to attain them, she also understood that, the only true glory is that which lasts for ever; and that to attain it there is no necessity to do brilliant deeds, but rather to hide from the eyes of others, and even from oneself. St. Therese therefore lived as though her "personal glory would never reveal itself before the eyes of men, and instead, her merit would consist in becoming a saint through her life of love lived out in the shadows. For any of us, it is a hard fact to accept that our own glory will be a product of an ordinary life and that our merit will be found in loving those God entrusted us to and fulfilling our Christian vocation. What is your attitude toward the daily tasks of your existence? Which of your responsibilities seem to be a hassle? Do you consider any of them a privilege? Why do you feel this way about them? Do you complete your daily vocation while sharing praise and thanksgiving to God for your blessings? Are there any changes can you make (outer life or inner life) that you can, even more, see your work as a loving response to the needs of God s children? All Are Welcome to St. Therese s Story of a Soul Group Study on Mondays 7pm St. Michael s Church St. Therese of Lisieux s garden story beautifully conveys how appreciation of each souls uniqueness leads to perfection: I understand how all the flowers God has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. Do you long for complete Trust in God s Mercy with confidence and love? Join St. Michael s Marian Prayer group Mondays in the lower level of the church. Bring a copy of your Bible as we read excerpts from St. Therese s Story of a Soul. We will also refer to Fr. Michael Gaitley s book, Consoling the Heart of Jesus. Learn about St. Therese s total act of surrender, Offering to God s Merciful Heart, and discover your personal Little Way of revealing God s love for the world. Ends in February 2014. Compiled/written by Christi White