Not many people, even those most devoted to her, think of
Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, as a Prophet. But this is
not surprising, when one recalls the many
passages in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, wherein she
tells of her love for nature, particularly flowers and birds. She tells
of the day out fishing with her dear Papa, “the beautiful blue sky became
suddenly overcast and soon the thunder began to roll and the lightning to flash
through the dark clouds. I saw it strike a short distance away, and, far
from being frightened, I was thrilled with delight because God seemed to be so
close!...” (Pages 37-38 in Autobiography translation by
John Clarke, O.C.D., 1CS, 1975.) Even more significant is the passage
wherein Therese tells of her growing love for learning. She was in her
early teens:
“I had always loved the great and the beautiful,
but at this epoch in my life, I was taken up
with an extreme desire for learning. Not satisfied with the lessons and
work my teacher was giving me, I applied myself to some special studies in
history and science, and I did this on my own. The other studies left me
indifferent, but these two subjects attracted all my attention. In a few
months I acquired more knowledge than during my years of study. Ah, this
was really only vanity and affliction of spirit. The chapter in the Imitation
of Christ, which speaks of knowledge came frequently to my
mind…” (Page 101.)
Was it not these earlier impressions – made by the
very emphatically – empirical and materialistic science of her day
(1873-1897) – that prompted and allowed the Holy Spirit to show her at
the end of her life, where that knowledge was to lead the world? Darwin’s
Origin, had shocked the cultural milieu of Europe only some
fourteen years before she was born (1859).
And so, during the August before her ecstatic death of
love, - September 30, Mother Agnes (her sister Pauline), has this entry in her
Notebook:
“One evening, in the infirmary, she was drawn to
confide her troubles to me more than she usually did. She had not yet
opened up in this way on this subject. Up until then, I had known her
trial of faith only vaguely. (p.257 in Last Conversation.)
I interject here, the comment that, -- Mother Agnes
apparently relates the following words of Therese to Therese’s trial of
Faith – not seeing the broader references to the world at large.
Also, not seeing the importance of these words themselves, she, Mother Agnes,
failed to record the entire prophecy – for such it was. These are
the words of Therese – recorded by Mother Agnes:
“If you only knew what frightful thoughts obsess
me. Pray very much for me in order that I do not listen to the devil, who wants to persuade me about so many
lies. It’s the reasoning of the worst materialists, which is imposed upon my mind: Later,
unceasingly making new advances, science will explain everything
naturally….we shall have the absolute reason for everything that exists
and that still remains a problem … because there remain very many things
to be discovered, etc..etc..” (Last Conversations. Trans.
John Clarke, O.C.D., 1977 – p.257)
Apparently, Mother Agnes did not record the entire words
concerning the “discoveries” of science, but we, in hindsight, can
fill in the events she saw in vision. The words of Therese warn us of the
Atheism that the false science of evolutionism produces. It is the
fulfillment of what Pascendi, describes as the subjugation of
Faith to “Science” – to what poses as true science.
St. Therese went on to say, as recorded by Mother
Agnes:
“Finally, I offer up these very great pains to
obtain the light of faith for poor unbelievers, for all those who separate
themselves from the Church’s beliefs.” Mother Agnes
interjects: “She added that she never reasoned with these
thoughts.” In other words, she did not attempt to argue with the
Devil, much less to dialogue with him, as Eve had done.
Therese concludes: “I undergo them under
duress, but while undergoing them, I never cease making acts of faith. (Last
Conversations. – p.257-258)
St. Therese, pray for us who live in the darkness of this
false science, that we too, never cease making acts of Divine Faith in all the
truths of Faith and of Reason.
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