Spiritual Marriage

Today I want to share another excerpt from Saint Therese of Lisieux's, autobiography, The Story of a Soul. Saint Therese entered a Carmelite Monastery when she was only 15 years old. She is known for her simple and humble personality, and is referred to  as the “little flower”. The religious community that she joined, along with several of her biological sisters, is a cloistered community, which means they participate in contemplative prayer and do not interact with the outside community. This story of hers shows the creativity of her youth and devotion and love for God.

The story begins when Therese’s newly married cousin visits Therese at the monastery (of course, people could visit them, but they do not go out into the world). Her cousin is filled with the excitement of being newly married and shares stories of her husband and her joy in her marriage. It seems this encounter sparked Therese to think about her recent spiritual union/marriage and devotion to serving God (by joining the community). Women who join religious communities devote their lives to praise, worship and service to God, and they are considered to be “spouses of Jesus”, in a spiritual sense as opposed to an “earthy” marriage between men and women.

Therese “amused herself” by creating this endearing wedding invitation and shared it with her community to “bring home to them: the glory of earthy unions cannot compare with the glory of being the Spouse of Jesus:

ALMIGHTY GOD

The Creator of Heaven and Earth,

And Ruler of the World

And

THE MOST GLORIOUS VIRGIN MARY

Queen of the Court of Heaven

Invite you to the Spiritual Marriage of the August

Son

JESUS, KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS

With

Little Therese Martin

Now Lady and Princess of the Kingdoms of the Childhood and Passion of Jesus, given in dowry by her Divine Spouse from whom she holds her titles of nobility OF THE CHILD JESUS and OF THE HOLY FACE.

It was not possible to invite you to the Wedding Feast celebrated on Mount Carmel on the 8^th September, 1890, only the Celestial Choir being admitted.

You are nevertheless invited to the Bride’s AT HOME, tomorrow, the Day of Eternity, when Jesus, the Son of God, will come in splendor on the clouds of Heaven to Judge the Living and the Dead.

The hour being uncertain, please hold yourself in readiness and watch."

(The Story of  Soul, page 119)

God Bless,

Paula