Teresa of Lisieux and the holy Angels
Saint Therese of Lisieux had a particular devotion to the holy Angels. How well this devotion of hers fits to her 'Little Way' [as she liked to call that way that led her to the sanctification of the soul]! In fact, the Lord associated humility with the presence and protection of the holy Angels: "Beware of despising just one of these little ones, because I tell you that their Angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven . (Mt 18,10) ". If we go to see what Saint Teresa says about the Angels, we should not expect a complicated treatise but, rather, a collection of melodies that springs from her heart. The holy Angels were part of his spiritual experience from his tender age.
Already at the age of 9, before her First Communion, Saint Teresa consecrated herself to the holy Angels as a member of the “Association of the Holy Angels' with the following words:“ I solemnly consecrate myself to your service. I promise, in front of the face of GOD, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to my companions to be faithful to you and to try to imitate your virtues, in particular your zeal, your humility, your obedience and your purity. . " Already as an aspirant he had promised to “honor the holy Angels and Mary, their august Queen, with special devotion. ... I want to work with all my strength to correct my defects, to acquire virtues and to fulfill all my duties as a schoolgirl and Christian. "
The members of this association also practiced a particular devotion to the Guardian Angel by reciting the following prayer: "Angel of GOD, prince of heaven, vigilant guardian, faithful guide, loving shepherd, I rejoice that GOD created you with so many perfection, who sanctified you by His grace and who crowned you with glory for persevering in His service. GOD be praised forever for all the goods he has granted you. May you also be praised for all the good you do for me and my companions. I consign to you my body, my soul, my memory, my intellect, my imagination and my will. Rule me, enlighten me, purify me and dispose of me as you please. (Manual of the Association of Holy Angels, Tournai).
The mere fact that Therese of Lisieux, future doctor of the Church, made this consecration and recited these prayers - as a child usually does not do, of course - makes this then part of her spiritual doctrine. In fact, in his mature years he not only remembers these consecrations with joy, but he entrusts himself in various ways to the holy Angels, as we will see later. This testifies to the importance he attributes to this link with the holy Angels. In the “Story of a soul” he writes: “Almost immediately after my entry into the conventual school I was welcomed into the Association of the Holy Angels; I loved the pious practices prescribed, since I felt particularly attracted to invoking the blessed spirits of heaven, especially the one whom GOD had given me as a companion in my exile "(Autobiographical writings, Story of a soul, IV Ch.) .
The Guardian Angel
Teresa grew up in a family very devoted to the Angels. His parents spoke about it spontaneously on various occasions (cf. Story of a soul I, 5 r °; letter 120). And Paolina, her eldest sister, assured her every day that the Angels would be with her to watch over and protect her (cf. Story of a soul II, 18 v °).
In his play "The Flight into Egypt" he describes important aspects of the guardian angel. Here the Blessed Virgin tells Susanna, the wife of a brigand and mother of the little Di-smas suffering from leprosy: “From his birth Dismas is always accompanied by a heavenly messenger who will never leave him. Like him, you too have an angel who has the task of watching over you night and day, it is he who inspires you with good thoughts and your virtuous actions. "
Susanna replies: "I assure you that no one, outside of you, has ever inspired me with good thoughts and that, until now, I have never seen this messenger you speak of." Maria assures her: “I know well that you have never seen him because the angel next to you is invisible, but nevertheless he is really present as much as I am. Thanks to his celestial inspirations you have felt the desire to know GOD and you know that He is close to you. All the days of your earthly exile these things will remain a mystery to you, but at the end of time you will see the SON of GOD coming on the clouds accompanied by his legions of Angels (Act 1, Scene 5a). Thus, Teresa makes us understand that the angel of Dismas faithfully accompanied him also throughout his 'career' as a brigand, which he had undertaken, and finally helped him to recognize the divinity of CHRIST on the cross and to arouse in him the desire of GOD in order to help him 'steal', so to speak, the sky and thus become the good thief.
In real life, Teresa encouraged her sister Céline to abandon herself in a holy way to divine providence, imploring the presence of her Guardian Angel: “JESUS placed at your side an angel from heaven who always protects you. He takes you on his hands so that you don't trip over a stone. You do not see it and yet it is he who has been protecting your soul for 25 years by making it keep its virginal splendor. It is he who takes away from you the occasions of sin ... your Guardian Angel covers you with his wings and JESUS, the purity of the virgins, rests in your heart. You don't see your treasures; JESUS sleeps and the angel remains in his mysterious silence; nevertheless they are present, together with Mary who wraps you with her mantle… ”(Letter 161, April 26, 1894).
On a personal level, Teresa, in order not to fall into sin, invoked her Guardian Angel for guidance: “My holy Angel.
To my Guardian Angel
Glorious guardian of my soul, which shines in the beautiful sky of the Lord like a sweet and pure flame near the throne of the Eternal!
You come down to earth for me and enlighten me with your splendor.
Beautiful angel, you will be my brother, my friend, my comforter!
Knowing my weakness you lead me with your hand, and I see that you gently remove every stone from my path.
Your sweet voice always invites me to look only at the sky.
The more humble and small you see me, the more radiant your face will be.
Oh you, who cross the space like a lightning I beg you: fly to the place of my home, next to them who are dear to me.
Dry their tears with your wings. Declare the goodness of JESUS!
Tell with your song that suffering can be grace and whisper my name! ... During my short life I want to save my sinful brothers.
Oh, beautiful angel of my homeland, give me your holy fervor!
I have nothing but my sacrifices and my austere poverty.
Offer them, with your heavenly delights, to the most holy Trinity!
To you the kingdom of glory, to you the riches of the kings of kings!
To me the humble host of the ciborium, to me of the cross the treasure!
With the cross, with the host and with your celestial help I await in peace the other life the joys that will last for eternity.
(Poems of Saint Teresa of Lisieux, published by Maximilian Breig, poem 46, pages 145/146)
Keeper, cover me with your wings, / light up my path with your splendor! / Come and lead my steps, ... help me, I beg you! " (Poem 5, verse 12) and protection: “My holy Guardian Ange, always cover me with your wings, so that the misfortune of offending JESUS never happens to me” (Prayer 5, verse 7).
Trusting in intimate friendship with her angel, Teresa did not hesitate to ask him for particular favors. For example, he wrote to his uncle in mourning over the death of a friend of his: “I rely on my good angel. I believe that a heavenly messenger will fulfill this request of mine well. I will send it to my dear uncle with the task of pouring into his heart as much consolation as our soul is capable of receiving it in this valley of exile… ”(Letter 59, 22 August 1888). In this way she could also send her angel to participate in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist that her spiritual brother, Fr. Roulland, a missionary in China, had offered for her: "On December 25th I will not fail to send my Angel Guardian so that he may place my intentions next to the host that you will consecrate ”(Letter 201, 1 nov. 1896).
This mediation of prayer is more formally articulated in its representation The Mission of the Maid of Orleans. Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret affirm to Giovanna: “Dear child, our sweet beloved companion, your voice so pure has reached heaven. The Guardian Angel, who always accompanies you, has presented your requests to the Eternal GOD ”(scene 5a). The archangel Raphael did not assure Tobias: "Know then that, when you and Sarah were in prayer, I presented the certificate of your prayer before the glory of the Lord." (Tob 12,12:XNUMX)?
The Angel brings from GOD light and grace, in a word, His blessing. Thus Saint Margaret promises to Giovanna: “We will return with Michael, the great Archangel, to bless you” (The mission of the holy Maid of Orleans, Scene 8a). This blessing will become a source of strength and perseverance.
St. Michael explains to Giovanna: “We must fight before winning” (Scene 10a). And how much Giovan-na fought! She, in all humility, drew courage from faith in GOD.
When the hour of her death arrives, Giovanna initially rejects the idea of being the victim of a betrayal. However, St. Gabriel explains to her that dying as a result of a betrayal is to become more like Christ, in that He too died because of a betrayal. Giovanna then replied: “Oh beautiful Ange-lo! How sweet is your voice when you talk to me about the sufferings of JESUS. These words of yours make hope reborn in my heart… ”(Fight and victory of the holy Maid of Orleans, Scene-5a). Such thoughts will certainly have sustained Saint Teresa during the bitter trials at the end of her life.
United with the Angels
Teresa, who never sought either visions or consolations, said: “You will remember that with my 'Via Piccola' you shouldn't want to see something. You know well that I have often told GOD, the Angels and the saints that I have no desire to see them here on earth. … ”(The yellow notebook of Mother Agnes, 4 June 1897). “I never wanted to have visions. We cannot see here on earth, the sky, the Angels etc. I prefer to wait until after my death ”(ibidem, 5 August 1897).
Teresa, on the other hand, sought the effective help of the Angels for her sanctification. In his parable the 'Little Bird' cries out to CHRIST: "Oh JESUS, how happy is your little bird to be small and weak, ... it does not despair, its heart is at peace and always resumes its mission of 'love. He addresses the Angels and the saints who soar like eagles to take themselves before the divine fire and since this goal is the object of his desire, the eagles have pity on their little brother, protect him and they defend by chasing away the birds of prey who try to devour it ”(Scritti autobiografici, p. 206).
During Holy Communion it did not seem unusual to her to often remain without consolation. “I cannot say that I frequently received consolations when, after Mass, I offered thanksgiving prayers - perhaps it was precisely in those moments that I received them the least. ... Nevertheless it seemed understandable to me, since I had offered myself to JESus not as one who would have liked to receive His visit for his own consolation, but simply to give joy to Him, who had given himself to me "(Autobiographical writings, p. . 176).
How did he prepare himself for the encounter with our Lord? She continues: “I imagine my soul as a large empty square and I ask the most blessed Virgin to further clear it of any other remaining debris that could prevent it from being really empty; then I ask her to put up a huge tent that is worthy of heaven and to embellish it with her jewels, finally I invite all the saints and the Angels to come and perform a magnificent concert in this tent. It seems to me that when JESUS descends into my heart, He is happy to be received so well and consequently I am too… ”(i-bidem).
Even the angels rejoice in this banquet, which unites us as 'brothers'. Teresa, in one of her poems, makes Saint Cecilia say the following words to her converted husband Vale-rian: “You must go and sit down at the banquet of life to receive JESus, the bread of heaven. / Then the Seraph will call you brother; / and if he sees in your heart the throne of his God, / he will make you abandon the shores of this earth / to see the abode of this spirit of fire ”(Poetry 3, Alla santa Ceci-lia).
For Teresa the mere help of the angels was not enough. She aspired to their friendship and to a part of that intense and intimate love they had for GOD. In fact, she even wanted the Angels to adopt her as a daughter, as she expressed with her bold prayer: “Oh JESUS, I know that love is paid only with love, so I searched and found the means to calm my heart. , giving you love for love ... Remembering the prayer that Elisha dared to address to his father Elijah asking him for his double love, I presented myself in front of the Angels and saints and told them: "I am the smallest of creatures, I know the my misery and my weakness, but I also know that noble and generous hearts love to do good. Therefore I beg you, oh blessed inhabitants of heaven, to adopt me as your daughter. Of you alone will be the glory that I will deserve with your help, but deign to welcome my prayer kindly, I know it is audacious, but I dare to ask you to obtain your double love ”(Autobiographical writings, pag. 201/202).
Faithful to her 'Via Piccola', Teresa was not looking for glory, but only for love: “A child's heart does not seek riches and glory (not even that of heaven). … You understand that this glory rightly belongs to your brothers, that is, to the Angels and to the saints. His glory will be the reflected joy that radiates from the forehead of his mother [the Church]. What this little girl yearns for is love… she can do only one thing, to love you, oh GE-Sù ”(ibidem, page 202).
But, once she got to heaven, she would look to God at wisdom. In fact, to the observation that in this way she would be placed among the seraphim, Teresa promptly replied: “If I come to the seraphim I will not do like them. They cover themselves with their wings before the good God; I will take good care not to cover me with my wings ”(The yellow notebook, September 24, 1897; I will enter life, page 220).
In addition to using the intercession and prompt assistance of the Angels, Saint Teresa went further and required their holiness for herself, to grow herself in it. In her consecration to merciful love she prays like this: “I offer you all the merits of the saints in heaven and on earth, their acts of love and those of the holy Angels. Furthermore, I offer you, oh Holy Trinity, the love and merits of the Blessed Virgin, my dear mother. I leave my offer to her, begging her to present it to You ”. (Only love counts, Consecration to merciful love, pp. 97/98). He also turns to his Guardian Angel: “Oh, beautiful Angel of my country, give me your holy fervor! I have nothing but my sacrifices and my austere poverty. With your celestial delights offer them to the Holy Trinity !! (Poem 46, To my Angel Cu-stode, page 145).
In her own religious consecration Teresa felt deeply united to the holy Angels. “Chastity makes me become the sister of the Angels, these pure and victorious spirits” (Poetry 48, My weapons, page 151). Thus he encouraged his novice, Sister Mary of the Trinity: "Lord, if You love the purity of the angel / this spirit of fire, which moves in the blue skies, / You do not also love the lily, which rises from the mud, / and that Your love has been able to keep pure? / My GOD, if the angel with vermillion-colored wings, appearing before you, is happy, my joy on this earth is also comparable to his / since I have the treasure of virginity! … ”(Poem 53, A lily among the thorns, page 164).
The Angels' esteem for consecrated souls focuses on the special spousal relationship they have with CHRIST (and which each soul can share). On the occasion of the religious consecration of Sister Marie-Madeleine of the most holy Sacramen-to, Teresa writes: “Today the angels envy you. / They would like to experience Your happiness, Marie, / because You are the Lord's bride "(Poem 10, Story of a shepherdess who became queen, page 40}
Suffering and the Angels
Teresa was well aware of the great difference between Angels and men. One might have thought that she envied the Angels, but it was just the opposite, since she understood very well the importance of the Incarnation: "When I see the Eternal wrapped in swaddling clothes and I hear the faint weeping of the Divine Word, / Oh my dearest Mother I no longer envy the Angels, / because their powerful Lord is my beloved Brother! … (Poem 54, 10: Because I love you Mary, p. 169). Even the Angels have a deep understanding of the Incarnation and would like - if possible - to see us poor creatures of flesh and blood. In one of his Christmas representations, in which Teresa lists the Angels according to their tasks regarding JESus (eg: the angel of the child Jesus, the angel of the most holy face, the angel of the Eucharist) she makes the angel of the final judgment sing: “Before You, sweet child, the Cherub bows. / He admires in delight Your unspeakable love. / He would like like You to be able to die one day on the dark hill! " Then all the Angels sing the return: “How great is the happiness of the humble creature. / The Se-rafini would gladly, in their enthusiasm, oh JESUS, strip off their angelic nature to become children! " (The Angels at the Manger, final scene).
Here we encounter the theme that is dear to Saint Teresa, that is the 'holy envy' of the Angels for humanity for which the SON of GOD became flesh and died. She owed this conviction in part to her dear, suffering father, to whom she dedicated Raffaele's words addressed to Tobias: "Since you have found grace in the eyes of GOD, you have been tried by suffering" (Various writings, Easter Concordance 1894) . On this topic she quotes one of her father's letters: "Oh, my hallelujah is wet with tears ... We must pity her [ed .: as was customary in those days, the father gave her to his daughter] so much here on earth while in the sky the Angels congratulate you and the saints envy you. It is His crown of thorns that they send You. Love, therefore, these thorn pricks as signs of love from your divine spouse ”(Letter 120, 13, Sept. 1890, p. 156).
In the poem dedicated to Saint Cecilia a Seraph explains this mystery to Valerian: “… I lose myself in my GOD, I contemplate his grace, but I cannot sacrifice myself for Him and suffer; / I cannot Give Him neither my blood nor my tears. / Despite my great love, I cannot die. … / Purity is the luminous part of the angel; / his immeasurable happiness will never end. / But compared to the Seraphim you have the advantage: / You can be pure, but you can also suffer! … ”(Poem 3, page 19).
Another seraph, contemplating the baby Jesus in the manger and His love on the cross, cries out to Emmanuel: “Oh, why am I an angel / unable to suffer? … JESUS, with a holy exchange I would like to die for You !!! … (The Angels at the manger, 2nd scene).
Later, JESUS assures the Angel of the Divine Face that his prayers of mercy will be accepted; for consecrated souls so that they do not become lukewarm: "But these Angels on earth will dwell in a mortal body and at times their sublime impulse towards You will slow down" (ibidem, scene 5a) and for sinners, so that they sanctify themselves: "In Your goodness, O JESUS, with just one of Your glances make them more resplendent than the stars of heaven! " - JESUS replies: “I will accept your prayer. / Every soul will get forgiveness. / I will fill them with light / as soon as they call my name! … (Ibidem 5, scene 9a). Then JESUS adds these words full of consolation and light: "Oh you beautiful angel, who wanted to share my cross and my pain with me on earth, listen to this mystery: / Every soul that suffers, is your sister. / In heaven the splendor of his suffering will shine on your forehead. / And the splendor of your pure being / will enlighten the martyrs! . "(Ibidem, Scene 5,9-1oa). In heaven, Angels and Saints, in the communion of glory, will divide and rejoice in mutual glory. Thus there is a wonderful symbiosis between Angels and saints in the economy of salvation.
Teresa communicates these thoughts to her sister Céline and explains why GOD did not create her as an angel: “If JESus did not create you as an angel in heaven, it is because he wanted you to become an angel on earth. Yes, JESUS wants to have his heavenly court both in heaven and here on earth! He wants Angels martyrs, He wants Angels apostles, and, for this purpose, He created a little unknown flower with the name Céline. He wants this little flower to save souls for Him. Therefore He desires only one thing: that His flower turn to Him while He suffers His martyrdom ... And this mysteriously exchanged look between JESUS and His little flower he will do miracles and give Him a great number of other flowers… ”(Letter 127, April 26, 1891). On another occasion he assures her that the Angels, "like watchful bees, collect honey from the many mysterious chalices that represent the souls or rather the children of the little virgin flower ..." (Letter 132, 20 Oct. 1891), that is the fruit of a purifying love.
His mission in heaven and in the world
When T approached his death he confessed: “I feel that I am about to enter into rest ... I feel above all that my mission will begin, that is to teach to love GOD as I love Him and to show souls my 'Little Way'. If GOD will accept my prayer, I will spend my heaven on earth until the end of the world to do good. This is not impossible, since even the Angels, even in the beatific vision of GOD, manage to take care of us ”(The yellow notebook, 17. VII. 1897). Thus we see how she understood her heavenly mission in the light of the service of the Angels.
To Father Roulland, his missionary 'brother' in China, he wrote: “Oh! Brother, I feel that in heaven I will be much more useful to you than here on earth and with joy I announce my imminent entry into the blessed city, in the certainty that you will share my joy and thank the Lord who will give me the opportunity to help you. more effectively in your apostolic work. I will certainly not remain inactive in heaven. I wish to continue working for the Church and for souls. I ask GOD to give me this possibility and I am sure he will grant me. Aren't the Angels always busy with us without ever ceasing to contemplate the divine face and get lost in the immense ocean of love? Why shouldn't JESUS allow me to imitate them? " (Letter 254, July 14, 1897).
To Father Bellière, his first spiritual 'brother', he wrote: “I promise to make you savor, after my departure for eternal life, the happiness of feeling close to a friendly soul. It will not be this more or less extensive correspondence, but always incomplete that you already seem to have nostalgia for, but a conversation between brother and sister that will enchant the Angels, a conversation that creatures cannot disapprove of because will remain hidden. " (Letter 261, July 26, 1897).
When Sister Mary of the Eucharist accused fear of Teresa's visits after her death, she replied: “Are you afraid of your Guardian Angel? … And also he follows Her constantly; well, I too will follow you in the same way, perhaps even closer! " (The latest conversations, p. 281).
Conclusions
Here is the 'Via Piccola' of little Saint Teresa in the light of the Angels! The Angels formed an integral part of his inner life. They were his companions, his brothers, his light, his strength and his protection on his spiritual path. She could count on them, the faithful servants of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to whom she had consecrated herself as a child and to whom she had entrusted herself as their spiritual daughter in her maturity. Teresa is a light for the members of the Work of the Holy Angels, as unless we become like children - which is the essence of the 'Via Piccola' - we will never achieve true intimacy with these celestial spirits. Only by following in his footsteps will we be able, in union with the Angels, to fulfill our mission at the service of CHRIST and his Church.