Testimony of faith. Thérèse was waiting for me

It is July 2017. Exhausted by work and the hustle and bustle of the Paris region, I am looking for a spiritual retreat. I make many phone calls to find a monastery cut off from the world. Alas, everything is full, but there are still places in a pilgrimage house in Lisieux. I reluctantly set down my suitcases in this small Norman town where Saint Therese of Lisieux grew up. It doesn’t mean much to me, even if the chapel where I sing every Sunday in Paris bears the saint’s name.

Still upset, I rush out to the Servant Sisters of Saint Theresa who are putting me up: “What time does the next mass start at the basilica?” It’s at 3 p.m., so I have a bit of time to visit this imposing monument overlooking the city. It’s worth getting there because you have to climb a fairly steep hill.

Out of breath, I enter the nave where a volunteer is leading a conference on the life of Thérèse of Lisieux. She tells us about the saint, who fell ill at a very young age. During her battle, Thérèse met the Virgin Mary and wrote universal messages to find God’s love in the simplicity of everyday life. Her presence floods the basilica that bears her name. I look at a large photo of her and feel enveloped by her gaze. I am so moved that tears flow without me realizing it.

A lifelong believer, I nevertheless become aware, for the first time, that a saint can enter my life. A few hours later, I return to my accommodation, overwhelmed. The sister who welcomed me a little earlier exclaims: “But you are no longer the same!” And indeed, I feel profoundly happy and serene, as if I were more connected to life.

Over time, Thérèse became like a guide, and she taught me that God’s love can be drunk and breathed everywhere. Since that meeting, I feel the need to go to Lisieux at least once or twice a year. I chose to volunteer with the Apprentis d’Auteuil during the Semaine Thérésienne, which celebrates the saint every year. It is my way of giving back to Thérèse what she taught me about self-giving. I know now that she has been close to me for a long time, and that she will always remain in my life.

* From September 28 to October 6, 2024 in Lisieux, Paris, etc.