 |
| Saint Thérèse of Lisieux By artist Stephen B. Whatley |
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux by Stephen B Whatley - Flickr Photo Sharing!
By Stephen B. Whatley
"I have never given the good God anything but love; He will return that love. After my death I will let fall a shower of roses," so spoke Marie Francois Thérèse Martin (1873-1897) just before her tragic death.
The discovery of Saint Thérèse (canonised in 1925) has taken my breath away. She experienced an urgent calling to serve God; while suffering great mental as well as physical anguish - openly admitting to experiencing darknesses of the soul that she feared might crush her faith entirely.
As an artist, I have fought depressions all my life; and no less so than when, on the last day of August, I felt 'divinely pushed' to begin this tribute. Fighting through exhaustion and darkness; and therefore ever dependent on prayer, I felt the promise of roses...pink roses...graces...I felt her like 'the little flower' that expressed her tender humility.
There are times when perhaps to those distant from any spiritual belief (even agnostic) can find God and I feel that such relatively contemporary Saints such as St Therese (whose presence in this life is recorded in photographs; that inspired this painting) can make the path to God more accessible.
Turn to her, in the must humble and simple of prayers....St Thérèse is known as a Saint, through whom miracles can occur. I pray that there will be miracles of healing, prosperity and waves of peace for all those who mourn. Remembering all those who lost their lives and their families and friends who grieve in New York City on September 11.
Stephen B. Whatley, September 11, 2011
Saint Thérèse de Lisieux (2011)
Oil on canvas
24 x 18in / 61 x 46cm
Private collection, Georgia, USA
