🌹Born in Alençon, France, on January 2, 1873, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus entered the Carmel of Lisieux at the age of 15, with special permission from Pope Leo XIII. Her life was marked by a profound simplicity and trust in God, developing what she called the "Little Way," a path of holiness accessible to all souls, based on total surrender to God like a child in its father's arms. Despite living a cloistered and hidden life, her missionary zeal was immense, which made her the patroness of missions. Her famous promise, "After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses," reflects her continuous intercession from heaven, and her extraordinary graces continue to touch countless lives.
🙏Introit (Cant 4, 8-9)
Veni de Líbano, sponsa mea, veni de Líbano, veni... Come from Lebanon, my spouse, come from Lebanon, come! You have wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have wounded my heart. Ps. Praise the Lord, you children; praise the Name of the Lord. ℣. Glory be to the Father…
📜Epistle (Is 66, 12-14)
Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. You shall be nursed, you shall be carried at the breasts, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother caresses, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants.
✝️Gospel (Mt 18, 1-4)
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven."
🤔Reflections
💡The humility of spiritual childhood, exalted in the Gospel, is the condition for receiving the divine consolation described in the Epistle. Saint Thérèse embodied this truth, understanding that true greatness lies not in deeds, but in the littleness that abandons itself to love. "When the Apostles asked who was the greatest, Jesus did not propose an angel, but a child, to teach that simplicity, not power, brings us closer to Heaven. A child does not hold a grudge, knows no malice, and forgetting injuries, runs to its mother's arms." (St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew). Regarding God's maternal comfort in Isaiah, divine tenderness manifests itself to those who recognize their need. "God, like a loving mother, stoops to lisp with us in our imperfect language, so that we might understand Him. He carries us in His arms, not because we are strong, but because we are His little children." (St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Isaiah). Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is, therefore, the ability to let oneself be loved and cared for by God with total trust. "He exhorts them to strip themselves of pride and to clothe themselves in the innocence of the little ones, for the Kingdom belongs to those who recover the simplicity of childhood." (St. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Gospel of Matthew).
📖While Matthew reports the disciples' direct question about who is the greatest, the Gospels of Mark (9:33-37) and Luke (9:46-48) add contextual details. Mark reveals that the disciples had been arguing about this "on the way" and that Jesus, upon arriving in Capernaum, sat down and called the Twelve to teach them, showing the solemnity of the moment. Luke deepens the psychological aspect, stating that "a thought arose in their hearts" and that Jesus, "knowing the thought of their heart," took the child and placed him by His side, demonstrating His omniscience and responding not only to their words but to their hidden intentions.
🕊️St. Paul elaborates on the theology of littleness and divine sonship. In Philippians (2:5-8), he presents Christ as the supreme model of humility, who "emptied himself" (kenosis), divesting Himself of His divine glory out of obedience, a perfect echo of the Gospel's "becoming little." In Galatians (4:6-7), Paul explains the consequence of this sonship: the Spirit in our hearts cries out, "Abba, Father!", expressing the same intimacy and trust of a child, making us no longer servants, but heirs. He also challenges the wisdom of the world by stating, "we are fools for Christ's sake" (1 Corinthians 4:10), which aligns with the rejection of the quest for greatness and status that Jesus condemns in the disciples.
🏛️The documents of the Church consistently exalt humility as the foundation of the Christian life. The Roman Catechism, promulgated by the Council of Trent, teaches that humility is the "guardian of all virtues," for without it, faith is corrupted by pride and good works become vain. The encyclical Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum by Pope Benedict XV warns against pride and lack of charity as the roots of social evils, calling for a return to evangelical humility. In canonizing Saint Thérèse, Pope Pius XI presented her as a model for the modern era, stating in his homily that the "Little Way" of spiritual childhood is not an extraordinary path, but the very summary of the Gospel, made accessible to all who wish to achieve holiness through trust and love, not presumption.
🧐See English version of the critical articles here.
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