Today is the Feast Day of St. Therese of Lisieux, one of my favorite saints since childhood. Since today is her special day and this week of my blog is dedicated to the angels, I am posting a poem St. Therese wrote to her guardian angel. May it inspire you to seek the intercession of St. Therese and also that of your guardian angel!

To My Angel Guardian

O glorious guardian of my frame!

In heaven's high courts thou shinest bright,

As some most pure and holy flame,

Before the Lord of endless light.

Yet for my sake thou com'st to earth,

To be my brother, Angel dear;

My friend and keeper from my birth,

By day and night to me most near.

Knowing how weak a child am I,

By thy strong hand thou guidest me;

The stones that in my pathway lie,

I see thee move them carefully.

Ever thy heavenly tones invite

My soul to look to God alone;

And ever grows thy face more bright,

When I more meek and kind have grown.

O thou who speedest through all space

More swiftly than the lightnings fly!

Go very often, in my place,

To those I love most tenderly.

With thy soft touch, oh! dry their tears;

Tell them the cross is sweet to bear;

Speak my name softly in their ears,

And Jesu's name, supremely fair.

Through all my life, though brief it be,

I fain would succor souls from sin.

Dear Angel, sent from heaven to me,

Kindle thy zeal my heart within!

Naught but my holy poverty,

And daily cross to give have I;

O Join them to thine ecstasy,

And offer them to God on high.

Thine are heaven's glory and delight,

The riches of the King of kings;

The Host in our ciboriums bright

Is mine, and all the wealth pain brings.

So with the Cross, and with the Host,

And with thine aid, dear Angel Friend,

I wait in peace, on time's dark coast,

Heaven's happiness that knows no end.

February, 1897

 

Today's Angelic Strategy

In her poem, St. Therese of Lisieux implores her guardian angel's help in a number of ways.

List the ways she seeks her angel's divine intervention. Of these ways, which one most speaks to your heart and why?

Implore your angel to give you assistance in this one area.

Note: You may want to share your answer as a comment on the blog.

Copyright 2009, by Johnnette S. Benkovic. All rights reserved.