In celebrating the feast of St. Thérèse de Lisieux, we honor not only the Carmelite nun, but everything she held dear. And if there is something that filled her heart with joy, it was Jesus Himself.
This is reflected in the choosing of her religious name: Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus led to her Uncle Isidore placing an image of the Holy Face of Jesus in a side chapel at the Cathedral in Lisieux, the hometown of the young saint.
The uncle also made sure that a lamp was placed next to the image, shining a light on Jesus. This is something his niece no doubt would have appreciated!
Interestingly, next to the image is a sign that has a quote from the book St. Thérèse: Her Last Conversations in which she states:
Our Lord did well to lower his eyes when leaving us his portrait! Since the eyes are the mirror of the soul, if we had guessed his soul, we would have died of joy. Oh how much good this Holy Face has done me in my life.”
And perhaps it is this reflection that you should hold on to when celebrating the feast of this beloved saint.
And just for further inspiration, a short prayer also accompanies the quote:
Lord, we entrust to you those who have suffered and whose face is disfigured by pain, scorn, and neglect.”
And today we celebrate...