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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

October 1st: Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
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Gospel text (Mt 18:1-5): The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven..."

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of the Church (1873-1897)

Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench (Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we celebrate the “champion” of spiritual “smallness”. The issue being that this has deserved her the title —quite uncommon— of “Doctor of the Church”. From this "spiritual childhood" a complete refreshing and renewed spiritual theology has sprouted...

Paradoxical as it may seem, «God's greatness lies in the fact that He can make himself small» (Benedict XVI). Thus, we could say that discretion, simplicity, humility... make part of the divine DNA. Today’s saint Doctor of the Church joined the Carmel when she was very young (aged 15) and entered the “eternal Carmel” when she was twenty-four. So small and so great! What a paradox to human eyes! But not really so from the perspective of love. If you want to love, if you want to serve, make yourself small, very small, as the Child Jesus in the manger, as Jesus Christ on the Cross.

—Therese traveled the path of childhood: «I am a very little soul who can only offer very little things to the Lord».