Countless individuals globally have experienced St. Thérèse of Lisieux via her memoir, “Story of a Soul.” However, throughout her life, the 19th-century French Carmelite sister — a revered saint celebrated for her “little way” of innocent faith and assurance in God’s compassionate love — created additional, less-recognized works, which included a poem dedicated to her guardian angel.
In the poem composed in 1897, St. Thérèse speaks to the “Glorious Guardian of my soul” who encourages her to “gaze solely at Heaven” mere months prior to her passing from tuberculosis at the age of 24.
“Throughout the final year and a half of her existence, as she endured the dreadful abyss of emotion and soul, she needed to exert a significant, frequently valiant, effort to believe that there were angels and saints who were concerned for her and subsequently to invoke them for assistance,” Father Donald Kinney, OCD, who translated “The Poetry of St. Thérèse of Lisieux” from ICS Publications, communicated to Our Sunday Visitor via email.
He referenced the book, “The Story of a Family: The Home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux,” authored by Father Stéphane-Joseph Piat, OFM, concerning St. Thérèse’s family, stating, “With their immense love for Heaven and the passing of four small children, ‘It’s as if the entire family existed gazing out the window towards Heaven.’”
“I believe this could be a pivotal aspect,” Father Kinney remarked, “that the angels and saints were so intimately connected to St. Thérèse that they were involved in all her actions.”
Today marks the feast of St. Thérèse — one of four female figures honored as a Doctor of the Church due to her substantial contributions to the Faith — which is celebrated on Oct. 1, the day preceding the feast of the guardian angels on Oct. 2.
on which she penned reflections, poetry and letters. (CNS photo/Nancy Phelan Wiechec)
The poem
Above St. Thérèse’s poem dedicated to her guardian angel, the letters “J.M.J.T.” are inscribed, paying tribute to Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and St. Teresa of Ávila. Below is the poem, translated in “The Poetry of St. Thérèse of Lisieux”:
To My Guardian Angel
1. Majestic Protector of my spirit,
You who radiate in God’s magnificent Paradise
Like a gentle and pristine fire
Close to the Eternal’s seat,
You descend to the ground for me,
And illuminating me with your brilliance,
Fair Angel, you have become my Brother,
My companion, my Comforter! …
2. Aware of my significant flaw,
You guide me by the hand,
And I observe you affectionately
Clear the obstacle from my way.
Your gentle tone consistently beckons me.
To gaze solely at Heaven.
The more you view me as modest and small,
The brighter your face appears.
3. O you! who journey across the cosmos
Quicker than a flash,
I implore you, take my place and fly.
Near to those who hold significance in my life.
With your wing, dry their tears.
Praise the greatness of Jesus.
Proclaim that pain possesses its allure,
And gently, murmur my name. …
4. In my brief existence, I desire
To rescue my fellow transgressors.
O Noble Spirit of the Fatherland,
Give me holy fervor.
All I possess are my sacrifices.
And my severe destitution.
With your heavenly pleasures,
Present them to the Trinity.
5. To you belong the Kingdom and the Glory,
The Wealth of the King of kings.
For me, the ciborium’s modest Host.
For me, the treasure of the Cross.
With the Crucifix, with the Sacrament,
With your heavenly assistance,
In tranquility, I anticipate the next life,
The pleasures that will endure eternally.
A closer look
St. Thérèse concludes the poem “To my dear Sister Marie-Philomena” with the phrase “a token of her little girl.”
In “The Poetry of St. Thérèse of Lisieux,” Father Kinney states that St. Thérèse most likely composed the poem for, and at the behest of, another nun called Sister Marie Philomena. In a footnote, he notes that research indicates St. Thérèse probably penned it in January 1897 and then transcribed it four months afterward, in May, for the sister “as a farewell keepsake.”
St. Thérèse refers to herself as Sister Marie Philomena’s “little girl,” which might allude to their shared moments during the novitiate, he states.
A resident of France, Sister Marie-Philomena of Jesus joined the Carmel of Lisieux in 1876 but departed the following year to attend to her ailing mother. She made her return at the age of 45 in 1884. A short time after, in 1888, St. Thérèse entered at the age of 15.
A focus on angels
For additional details regarding St. Thérèse’s emphasis on angelsFather Kinney referred to “A Companion to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Life and Work & The People and Places In Her Story” authored by Joseph P. Kochiss. In his writing, Kochiss mentions that St. Thérèse’s guardian angel “was very real and significant to her.”
“In Prayer 5 she expressed several devout longings, one of which states: ‘O my Holy Guardian Angel! Envelop me continually with your wings so that I may never encounter the misfortune of displeasing Jesus,’” Kochiss references a different poem by St. Thérèse.
Angels, in general, frequently emerge in St. Thérèse’s writings, particularly in her poetry, which Father Kinney refers to as a “melody directed toward heaven” in the preface of his book. He notes that she mentions “angels” 54 times within her poetry.
Angels are featured in her other pieces of artwork. In 1893, she created a fresco on the wall of an oratory designated for sisters who were ill to offer their prayers.
“In the upper left corner of the artwork, you’ll notice a small angel with lilies, who has drifted off to sleep,” Father Kinney explained in his message. “This is a self-portrait. St. Thérèse frequently dozed off while praying!”
In her renowned autobiography, the saint additionally discusses angels.
“I appeared before the angels and saints and I said to them: ‘I am the tiniest of beings; I am aware of my sorrow and my frailty, but I also recognize how much noble and kind-hearted individuals enjoy doing good,” she narrates. “I implore you then, O Blessed Inhabitants of heaven, I implore you to TAKE ME IN AS YOUR CHILD. To you alone will be the glory “which you will grant me favor, but condescend to respond to my plea.”
