Why Should You Love Your Enemy? St Therese Of The Child Jesus Will Tell You!

Therese of Lisieux entered the Carmelite Monastery in France at 15 years young; it was there where she said that “she was surprised by Love.” We all should be!

The Feast Day of St Therese of the Child Jesusis the 1^st of Oct, that’s why I'm writing this.
(“Little Acts” from medium.com, “Stained glass” photo at St Therese chapel by Ela Hilario, 01 Oct 2016, UP Los Baños)

ANN says Therese wrote in her autobiography (Author Not Named, Catholic News Agency (catholicnewsagency.com):

Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that the Church had a Heart and that this Heart was burning with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I understood that Love comprised all vocations, that Love was everything, that it embraced all times and places...in a word, that it was eternal! Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: O Jesus, my Love... my vocation, at last I have found it... My vocation is Love!

And I? I bought a copy of her autobiography “Story Of A Soul” years ago. Inspired by little St Therese of the Child Jesus’ vocation, I owe her this definition today: “My vocation is Writing with Love.” Since about 2 years ago, With Love for Regenerative Agriculture.

(Read online for free her autobiography: https://mycatholic.life/books/story-soul-saint-therese-lisieux/).

From ANN:

On entering, [Therese the nun] devoted herself to living a life of holiness, doing all things with love and childlike trust in God. She struggled with life in the convent, but decided to make an effort to be charitable to all, especially those she didn’t like. She performed little acts of charity always, and little sacrifices not caring how unimportant they seemed. These acts helped her come to a deeper understanding of her vocation.

Don’t forget – Her vocation was Love and she lived it. She was kind to all, “especially those she didn’t like”! How do you like those you do not like? You dedicate that to God. (What if you do not believe in God? Then you are one of those whom people must struggle to love!)

Since her death, millions have been inspired by her “little way” of loving God and neighbor. Many miracles have been attributed to her intercession. She had predicted during her earthly life that “My Heaven will be spent doing good on Earth.”

If you are a Christian, Catholic or not, St Therese advises you to do your good on Earth no matter how little. Since 2020, I have been writing thousands of little essays, each exactly 517 words, propagating the love for Regenerative Agriculture – because this is Little Love practiced against the Big Enemy called Climate Change.

How little is the love you can find for your enemy? Never mind, just go ahead and do it – it will be good for both of you!@517