I THIRST
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The heartfelt bond between Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Mother Teresa of Calcutta can be traced to their common interest in assuaging the thirst of Christ on the Cross. Not only their thirst for Jesus, but Jesus’ thirst for them, for us. Their profound resemblance to one another is to be found in their unalterable desire to slake the thirst of Christ, to console Him in the face of the indifference of so many people, to quench His thirst for love, to love Him in others and letting them be loved by Him. They did so by opening up the floodgates of tenderness which had prevented the love in His heart from being welcomed as it ought. The cry of Jesus, mentioned countless times in their writings, was a determining factor in each of their lives. The words, “I Thirst,” are to be found side by side with the Crucifix in all the houses of the Missionaries of Charity, and the photograph of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, patroness of missions, is never far away. Saint Thérèse and Mother Teresa are like two mirrors mutually reflecting the compassion of Christ. These two witnesses, making use of the “little way” of confidence and surrender, accessible to all, were chosen by God to reveal to us His thirst for love.

About the Author: Jacques Gauthier, Professor of Theology at St. Paul University Ottawa/Canada has over twenty-five books to his credit. In the course of his lifetime he has grown into an ever deeper relationship with St. Thérèse of Lisieux and has written five books just about her. Today he is widely known throughout Canada and in France for his conferences and teachings on radio and television.