The Unfolding of the Little Flower: “The Sprouting Corn”

A Study of the Life and Spiritual Development of the Servant of God, Sister Theresa od the Child Jesus, 

by  William M. Cunningham, Rector of the Church of Saint Thomas the Martyr, Sevenoaks, Kent, Vicar Forane for the County of Kent, Notary Public and Archivist to the Diocesan Curia of Southward   (1916)

THE SPROUTING CORN

The above title will remind most of our readers of one of the first signs of the new spirit in France, that was evidenced by the ringing and triumphant note of the much discussed novel ” Le Ble qui Leve.”

Elderty socialist charlatans, dubbing themselves statesmen, were congratulating themselves on the abrogation of the Concordat that a few years more would see the destruction of the French Church. They were already in their minds settling a scheme for the utilising of the Church fabrics that would no longer be wanted ; but they were reckoned without the coming generation and now that the new generation is arriving. Briand, younger and more alert than the fossilising ” mangeurs de pretres,” is courting this new generation in dulcet tones.

This sudden and dramatic appearance of a new generation of fervent, nay, ardent Catholics, who are not merely ready to confess their faith, but are proud of it; and being a vigorous, athletic, active and open-air generation, seem almost spoiling to fight for it, is one of the great surprises of this 20th century, and a sign that God has great consolations in store for the Church of this century.

What has brought about this sudden, unexpected and dramatic change? May we not venture to suggest as at least one of the factors, Sister Theresa’s memorable pledge: “I shall spend my time in heaven in doing good on the earth” ? And what has been one of the instruments of the change but the very method the enemies of religion were most enamoured of as the one efficacious means for ” putting out the lights in heaven,” the enrolling of the young clergy in the army. Let us, they said, draft the seminarists into the Army it will make men of them once they are men they will never be priests. ” Mentita est iniquitas sibi.” Their premiss was correct but their deduction was at fault. They bestowed upon the French clergy, already the finest and most exemplary in the world, the crowning glory of virility. A priest now holds up his head in France if needs be he can give an account of himself, and what is more, his former comrades know it too, and realise he is ” a better man than themselves.” Before the seminarist came to the camp the Catholic soldier almost apologised for his existence now he is proud of himself and assertive. Religion has now to be reckoned with in France, and it is, as they say” l’audace, toujours l’audace ” that is bringing the youth of the country to rally round the Church and to work unitedly to at last set up a clean, honest, manly Government in the fair land of France. Things seemed almost at their very worst when Sister Theresa made her dying promise. If the past sixteen years have seen such unexpected changes, what may we not hope for the future.

In case some of our readers fear we exaggerate, may we reassure them by giving an account of a scene at Sister Theresa’s grave on August 24th, 1913.

When the good parishioners of St. Jacques, at Lisieux, went to their 6 o’clock Mass on that Sunday, they were surprised to find their church in the hands of the soldiers. They had no misgivings however, as a soldier is now no longer a free-thinker. They had taken possession of the church overnight, and had maintained a military guard of honour before the Blessed Sacrament all night, and when the faithful entered they found their brave defenders all praying with extended arms.

After a General Communion thanksgiving and breakfast, with colours flying, in military order they marched through the little town out to the cemetery, where Sister Theresa’s remains still lie. With colours still flying, and singing the Magnificat, the battalion enters into the little enclosure set aside for the religious of the Carmelite Convent. The military colours are then lovingly laid on the cross at the head of her grave, and one of the troop, on behalf of his comrades, lays a magnificent wreath on the grave. Then, after long and fervent prayer, to the strains of the ” Te Deum,” they go to dinner, and later in the afternoon pay a visit to ” Les Buissonnets,” the home of Sister Theresa’s childhood, ending up with a visit to the Carmelite Convent, where they were privileged to see all the souvenirs of Sister Theresa that are enshrined there ; then the day was fitly ended with a discourse by their chaplain, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

A consoling event, and one that is significant of much it may be said, but some may, perhaps, find it hard to perceive how Sister Theresa could have had any share in inspiring this new spirit into her young countrymen but I think we may find this new note of generous intrepidity so characteristic of Sister Theresa in her writings so when we read her words ” I should give anything to die on the field of battle in defence of the Church. . . We must set about saving our country, preserving its faith, and keeping its honour intact. . . . My brothers will take up the task in my place as for me, I shall keep near the royal throne I shall make acts of love on behalf of those who fight.” I think we are not far from the genesis of the new spirit.