Tuesday 19th of Aug
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:23-30
St. Thérèse of Lisieux died of tuberculosis in 1897 at the age of just 24. She longed to be a missionary overseas, but she never left her convent in France after becoming a nun. She was made a doctor of the Church, and she became Patroness of the Missions, not by travelling, but by loving and offering herself completely to Jesus.
After her death, her autobiography, “Story of a soul”, inspired millions of people to follow Jesus in her radical Little Way. St Thérèse said: “Jesus does not demand great actions, but simply surrender and gratitude.” She also said, “I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth.” St Thérèse based her life on the promise of Jesus that if she left everything and followed Him, He would repay her one hundred-fold and she would inherit eternal life. She put herself last, so that Jesus made her first. St Thérèse, please help us to believe and to put into practice, as you did, that for people, salvation is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.