The death of Ste Thérèse of Lisieux

 

[Reposted from 30 September 2022]

S. Teresa - ora pro nobis

Today is the anniversary of the death in 1897 of Ste Thérèse of the Child Jesus. 

On Friday 27th November 1953, I was baptized at the age of three weeks in a church dedicated to St Theresa of the Child Jesus. Since then, she has featured at various points in my life, most notably in my return to the Faith in the 21st century. I pray she may continue to let fall petals of her roses, especially within my family, as she spends her time in Heaven doing good on earth.

Below is an extract from The Story of a Soul - in English followed by the French original.

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    At last dawned the eternal day. It was Thursday, September 30, 1897. In the morning,

the sweet Victim, her eyes fixed on Our Lady's statue, spoke thus of her last night on earth:

"Oh! with what fervour I have prayed to her! . . . And yet it has been pure agony, without a

ray of consolation. . . . Earth's air is failing me: when shall I breathe the air of Heaven?"

Enfin, l'aurore du jour éternel se leva! C'était le jeudi, 30 septembre. Le matin, notre douce victime, parlant de sa dernière nuit d'exil, regarda la statue de Marie en disant:

«Oh! je l'ai priée avec une ferveur!... mais c'est l'agonie toute pure, sans aucun mélange de consolation...

«L'air de la terre me manque, quand est-ce que j'aurai l'air du Ciel?»

    For weeks she had been unable to raise herself in bed, but, at half-past two in the afternoon, she sat up and exclaimed: "Dear Mother, the chalice is full to overflowing! I could never have believed that it was possible to suffer so intensely. . . . I can only explain it by my extreme desire to save souls. . . ." And a little while after: "Yes, all that I have written about my thirst for suffering is really true! I do not regret having surrendered myself to Love."

A deux heures et demie, elle se redressa sur son lit, ce qu'elle n'avait pu faire depuis plusieurs semaines, et s'écria:

«Ma Mère, le calice est plein jusqu'au bord! Non, je n'aurais jamais cru qu'il fût possible de tant souffrir... Je ne puis m'expliquer cela que par mon désir extrême de sauver des âmes...»

Et quelque temps après:

«Tout ce que j'ai écrit sur mes désirs de la souffrance, oh! c'est bien vrai! Je ne me repens pas de m'être livrée à l'amour.»

    She repeated these last words several times. A little later she added: "Mother, prepare

me to die well." The good Mother Prioress encouraged her with these words: "My child, you

are quite ready to appear before God, for you have always understood the virtue of humility."

Then, in striking words, Thérèse bore witness to herself:

"Yes, I feel it; my soul has ever sought the truth. . . . I have understood humility of heart!"

Elle répéta plusieurs fois ces derniers mots.

Et un peu plus tard:

«Ma Mère, préparez-moi à bien mourir.»

Sa vénérée Prieure l'encouragea par ces paroles:

«Mon enfant, vous êtes toute prête à paraître devant Dieu, parce que vous avez toujours compris la vertu d'humilité.»

Elle se rendit alors ce beau témoignage:

«Oui, je le sens, mon âme n'a jamais recherché que la vérité... oui, j'ai compris l'humilité du cœur!»

    At half-past four, her agony began—the agony of this "Victim of Divine Love." When the Community gathered round her, she thanked them with the sweetest smile, and then, completely given over to love and suffering, the Crucifix clasped in her failing hands, she entered on the final combat. The sweat of death lay heavy on her brow . . . she trembled . . . but, as a pilot, when close to harbour, is not dismayed by the fury of the storm, so this soul, strong in faith, saw close at hand the beacon-lights of Heaven, and valiantly put forth every effort to reach the shore.

    A quatre heures et demie, les symptômes de la dernière agonie se manifestèrent. Dès que notre angélique mourante vit entrer la communauté, elle la remercia par le plus gracieux sourire; puis tout entière à l'amour et à la souffrance, tenant le crucifix dans ses mains défaillantes, elle entreprit le combat suprême. Une sueur abondante couvrait son visage; elle tremblait... Mais, comme au sein d'une furieuse tempête le pilote à deux doigts du port ne perd pas courage, ainsi cette âme de foi, apercevant tout près le phare lumineux du rivage éternel, donnait vaillamment les derniers coups de rame pour atteindre le port.

As the convent bells rang the evening Angelus, she fixed an inexpressible look upon the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, the Star of the Sea. Was it not the moment to repeat her beautiful prayer:

"O thou who camest to smile on me in the morn of my life, come once again and smile, Mother, for now it is eventide!"

Quand la cloche du monastère tinta l'Angélus du soir, elle fixa sur l'Etoile des mers, la Vierge immaculée, un inexprimable regard. N'était-ce pas le moment de chanter:

Toi, qui vins me sourire au matin de ma vie,

Viens me sourire encor, Mère, voici le soir!

    A few minutes after seven, turning to the Prioress, the poor little Martyr asked: "Mother, is it not the agony? . . . am I not going to die?" "Yes, my child, it is the agony, but Jesus perhaps wills that it be prolonged for some hours." In a sweet and plaintive voice she replied: "Ah, very well then . . . very well . . . I do not wish to suffer less!"

A sept heures et quelques minutes, notre pauvre petite martyre, se tournant vers sa Mère Prieure, lui dit:

«Ma Mère, n'est-ce pas l'agonie?... Ne vais-je pas mourir?...

—Oui, mon enfant, c'est l'agonie, mais Jésus veut peut-être la prolonger de quelques heures.»

Alors, d'une voix douce et plaintive:

«Eh bien... allons... allons... oh! je ne voudrais pas moins souffrir!»

Then, looking at her crucifix:

"Oh! . . . I love Him! . . . My God, I . . . love . . . Thee!"

    These were her last words. She had scarcely uttered them when, to our great surprise, she sank down quite suddenly, her head inclined a little to the right, in the attitude of the Virgin Martyrs offering themselves to the sword; or rather, as a Victim of Love, awaiting from the Divine Archer the fiery shaft, by which she longs to die.

Puis, regardant son crucifix:

«Oh!... Je l'aime!... Mon Dieu, je... vous... aime!!!»

Ce furent ses dernières paroles. Elle venait à peine de les prononcer qu'à notre grande surprise elle s'affaissa tout à coup, la tête penchée à droite, dans l'attitude de ces vierges martyres s'offrant d'elles-mêmes au tranchant du glaive; ou plutôt, comme une victime d'amour, attendant de l'Archer divin la flèche embrasée dont elle veut mourir...

    Suddenly she raised herself, as though called by a mysterious voice; and opening her eyes, which shone with unutterable happiness and peace, fixed her gaze a little above the statue of Our Lady. Thus she remained for about the space of a Credo, when her blessed soul, now become the prey of the "Divine Eagle," was borne away to the heights of Heaven.

Soudain elle se relève, comme appelée par une voix mystérieuse, elle ouvre les yeux et les fixe, brillants de paix céleste et d'un bonheur indicible, un peu au-dessus de l'image de Marie.

Ce regard se prolongea l'espace d'un Credo, et son âme bienheureuse devenue la proie de l'Aigle divin s'envola dans les cieux....

Ste Thérèse in death. By Céline. 1897.

The picture  faithfully shows the facial expression and posture of St Therese immediately after her death, 30 September 1897. It is based on a picture by Céline. The words in the picture are: 'In the evening of this life, you will be judged on love.'

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Septem Dolorum Beatæ Mariæ Virginis

Stabat Mater. J-J Tissot.
Brooklyn Museum.

Today, the Church recalls for us the Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

We pray that our Blessed Mother will intercede on behalf of family members who have suffered the catastrophic consequences of sin, asking that her Divine Son will heal the wounds, repair the damage and undo the scandal caused.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. 

Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, 

sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper 

Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. 

Amen.

WE fly to thy loving protection, O holy Mother of God; 

despise not our petitions in our necessities, 

but deliver us always from all dangers, 

O glorious and blessed Virgin. 

Amen.

Stabat Mater

STABAT Mater dolorosa

iuxta Crucem lacrimosa,

dum pendebat Filius.

AT, the Cross her station keeping,

stood the mournful Mother weeping,

close to Jesus to the last.

Cuius animam gementem,

contristatam et dolentem

pertransivit gladius.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

all His bitter anguish bearing,

now at length the sword has passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta

fuit illa benedicta,

mater Unigeniti!

O how sad and sore distressed

was that Mother, highly blest,

of the sole-begotten One.

Quæ mærebat et dolebat,

pia Mater, dum videbat

nati pœnas inclyti.

Christ above in torment hangs,

she beneath beholds the pangs

of her dying glorious Son.

Quis est homo qui non fleret,

matrem Christi si videret

in tanto supplicio?

Is there one who would not weep,

whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Quis non posset contristari

Christi Matrem contemplari

dolentem cum Filio?

Can the human heart refrain

from partaking in her pain,

in that Mother's pain untold?

Pro peccatis suæ gentis

vidit Iesum in tormentis,

et flagellis subditum.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

she beheld her tender Child

All with bloody scourges rent:

Vidit suum dulcem Natum

moriendo desolatum,

dum emisit spiritum.

For the sins of His own nation,

saw Him hang in desolation,

Till His spirit forth He sent.

Eia, Mater, fons amoris

me sentire vim doloris

fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O thou Mother! fount of love!

Touch my spirit from above,

make my heart with thine accord:

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum

in amando Christum Deum

ut sibi complaceam.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;

make my soul to glow and melt

with the love of Christ my Lord.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,

crucifixi fige plagas

cordi meo valide.

Holy Mother! pierce me through,

in my heart each wound renew

of my Savior crucified:

Tui Nati vulnerati,

tam dignati pro me pati,

poenas mecum divide.

Let me share with thee His pain,

who for all my sins was slain,

who for me in torments died.

Fac me tecum pie flere,

crucifixo condolere,

donec ego vixero.

Let me mingle tears with thee,

mourning Him who mourned for me,

all the days that I may live:

Iuxta Crucem tecum stare,

et me tibi sociare

in planctu desidero.

By the Cross with thee to stay,

there with thee to weep and pray,

is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgo virginum præclara,

mihi iam non sis amara,

fac me tecum plangere.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,

Listen to my fond request:

let me share thy grief divine;

Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,

passionis fac consortem,

et plagas recolere.

Let me, to my latest breath,

in my body bear the death

of that dying Son of thine.

Fac me plagis vulnerari,

fac me Cruce inebriari,

et cruore Filii.

Wounded with His every wound,

steep my soul till it hath swooned,

in His very Blood away;

Flammis ne urar succensus,

per te, Virgo, sim defensus

in die iudicii.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,

lest in flames I burn and die,

in His awful Judgment Day.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire,

da per Matrem me venire

ad palmam victoriæ.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,

by Thy Mother my defense,

by Thy Cross my victory;

Quando corpus morietur,

fac, ut animæ donetur

paradisi gloria. Amen.

While my body here decays,

may my soul Thy goodness praise,

safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

From the Liturgia Horarum. Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

"Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the seven greatest Latin hymns of all time. It is based upon the prophecy of Simeon that a sword was to pierce the heart of His mother, Mary (Lk ii.35). The hymn originated in the 13th century during the peak of Franciscan devotion to the crucified Jesus and has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (d. 1216), St. Bonaventure, or more commonly, Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306), who is considered by most to be the real author.

The hymn is often associated with the Stations of the Cross. In 1727 it was prescribed as a Sequence for the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (September 15) where it is still used today. In addition to this Mass, the hymn is also used for the Office of the Readings, Lauds, and Vespers for this memorial. There is a mirror image to this hymn, Stabat Mater speciosa, which echoes the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the birth of Jesus."

[Taken from the Treasury of Latin Prayers, by Michael Martin]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin mary

The Vladimiskaya icon. 13th century?
Artist unknown.Church of St. Nicholas,Tolmachi. 

This post is in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary's birthday.

There is a prayer known in the West as the Sub tuum præsidium and it is considered to be the oldest Christian prayer dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It has been found, for example, on an Egyptian papyrus dated to the third century A.D. (see the article posted on the New Liturgical Movement website). 

At the beginning of my research into this prayer, I was surprised to find a contrast in the first line between the Latin word præsidium and its equivalent in the Greek version of the prayer: εὐσπλαγχνίαν.

I reviewed the scriptural uses of præsidium online  and found they broadly match the senses given by Lewis & Short (see Logeion website) :

"defence, protection, help, aid, assistance; esp. of soldiers who are to serve as a guard, garrison."

There was a suggested derivation from præsideō, sēdī, 2, n. and a.: "to sit before."

An investigation into εὐσπλαγχνίαν through the Logeion website revealed:

εὐσπλαγχν-ία, ἡ, [eusplanknía]  good heart, firmness. 

Seeking further elucidation, I finally unearthed a surprising insight buried in a detailed article online:

Mirguet, Françoise. “Compassion in the Making: Lexicographic Explorations in Judeo-Hellenistic Literature.” CHS Research Bulletin 1, no. 2 (2013). Here is the link: 

Here is the conclusion of the article :

"§48 Words constructed on the root σπλαγχν- [splankn-] are built on the noun σπλάγχνα, [splankna] the “inner organs” or “womb.” Their association with compassion may have been influenced by the Hebrew term רַחֲמִים (rachamim), “compassion,” whose singular form designates the womb. At some point, the meaning “compassion” seems so attached to the root that both a noun (εὐσπλαγχνία) and a verb (σπλαγχνίζομαι) are coined, referring exclusively to the emotion. Terms built on σπλάγχνα, however, retain their embodied connotations, as reflected in metaphors where compassion is portrayed as a force moving or shattering the inner organs, alongside other bodily metaphors, all suggesting the effect of emotion on the body. The terms, therefore, tend to refer to compassion as a sensation, felt in the body. Besides, the association of σπλάγχνα with the womb, as well as its use in reference to maternal and paternal affection, suggests that compassion is felt for someone vulnerable."

The association of σπλάγχνα with the womb made me think of the words in the Ave Maria : Blessed is the fruit of thy womb and the way this is rendered by our French cousins/neighbours as: "le fruit de vos entrailles est béni." (see Luc i. 42, Bible Crampon).

The use of the word εὐσπλαγχνίαν in the Greek prayer suggests an image of the faithful supplicant flying to the tender and compassionate heart of the Theotokos, the Holy Mother of God.

The use of præsidium in the Latin prayer, however, suggests an image of the faithful supplicant flying to the protective safety of the Holy Mother of God. This imagery of a warrior-protectress is found in other significant references, e.g.,

I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

[Genesis iii.15]

Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array? [Canticles (Solomon) vi. 9 & The Little Office]

There are also numerous references in the Old Testament to valiant women as "types" of Mary, the Theotokos : see Crushing satan's head: The Virgin Mary’s Victory over the Antichrist Foretold in the Old Testament, by Fr James Mawdsley [2023].

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The (old) Russian Orthodox version of the prayer, Подъ твою милость (Pod tvoyo milost), seems to follow the Greek sense and this raises the question of whether an apparently minor difference of language reflects a more general contrast in the cultures of the Eastern (Greek/Russian) and the Western (Latin) traditions. I almost fancy this contrast may be heard when comparing a Russian musical setting with two from the West:

Bortniansky (Dmitry Stepanovich,1751 – 1825). Подъ твою милость :  ‘Beneath Thy Compassion’

“Sub tuum præsidium”  – Antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary – Gregorian Chant

Finally, the same prayer in a setting by Mozart (c. 1775). After a short orchestral introduction, the hymn begins at around the 48 second mark:

It is my fervent prayer in these dark days that the faithful Eastern (Greek/Russian et al) and Western (Latin) Christians reunite to form the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church as it was in the age of the Church Fathers, the Martyrs and the Doctors - before the "great schism."

The Vladimiskaya icon. 13th century?
Artist unknown.Church of St. Nicholas, Tolmachi.

Here then is the Sub tuum præsidium:

WE fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.

Latin

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genetrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

Greek

Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν

εὐσπλαγχνίαν

καταφεύγομεν

Θεοτὸκε·τὰς ἡμῶν

ἱκεσίας μὴ παρ-

ίδῃς ἐν περιστάσει

ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ κινδύνου

λύτρωσαι ἡμᾶς

μόνη ἁγνὴ

μόνη εὐλογημένη.

Russian (old text)

Подъ твою милость,

прибѣгаемъ богородице дѣво,

молитвъ нашихъ не презри в скорбѣхъ.

но ѿ бѣдъ избави насъ,

едина чистаѧ и благословеннаѧ.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.