Reflection ​by Stephanie Guillory, TI Southern Regional Coordinator

More Random Sightings of St. Thérèse

I’ve had a devotion to St. Thérèse since I was a young woman. A novena given to me by a friend has led me down a path of Spiritual Love I never expected and didn’t even know I needed. I have received roses, too! St. Thérèse has never failed to delight me with the simple, humble, even fearless love she has for Jesus and even for me!

In 1994, my family was living in Amish Country in Pennsylvania. My mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier that year. Because of the great distance from Pennsylvania to Louisiana and because I had three young children in school, I was unable to be there with her and for her as she was treated for this disease. 

When the school year was finished in June of that year, the children and I loaded our station wagon and began the three-day journey to my parent’s home in Eunice, Louisiana. My husband would join us later in the week. This particular week was special because I would take Momma to her last chemo treatment and celebrate the end of these sessions. 

I had been praying daily to St. Thérèse for my mother’s healing. St. Thérèse’s own mother, St. Zelie Martin, died from breast cancer when Thérèse was only four years old. She knew the devastating results of losing her mother. 

After a long journey with three little children, we arrived at my parents’ home with much excitement and anticipation. Cousins, aunts and uncles, friends, and neighbors all welcomed us with open arms and warm hearts. Seeing my mother, so thin with no hair, was shocking and terribly sad, but I was so glad to be home. 

I went to the little bedroom where I would spend the next two weeks. As I was coming out of the room, I faced the old, faded dresser and saw, to my delight, an 8 x 10 picture of St. Thérèse! Tears of joy and consolation flooded my being. My mother didn’t have a devotion to St. Thérèse, so where did this picture come from? 

The story slowly unraveled abut a seminarian (a friend of my brother, the priest) who had walked up to my mother and gave her the image of St. Thérèse and told her she needed to have this!

I knew my heavenly friend was welcoming me, letting me know she was with me and Momma during this painful time. 

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