Reciprocal Union in St. Thérèse of Lisieux Story of a Soul - Sheldon R. Tabile, O.Carm.

This paper takes a spiritual perspective on St. Thérèse of Lisieux's Story of the Soul. The central focus of this study is on the text's portrayal of God and St. Thérèse of Lisieux as partners in a reciprocal relationship. The reader's ability to read becomes sharper as he explores the soul's receptivity, reciprocity, responsiveness, and responsibility in response to God's action. In spiritual reading, the emphasis is on identifying the ongoing relationships in the text. Readers are given knowledge of reciprocal union in this manner: the soul completely surrenders to God, and He fully submits to them in this relationship.   References John of the Cross. St. John of the Cross Collected Works. Trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD and Otilio Rodriguez, OCD. Washington: ICS, 1991. Thérèse of Lisieux. Story of a Soul, Study Edition. Trans. Translation by John Clarke, OCD. Washington: ICS, 2019. Waaijman, Kees. Spirituality. Forms, Foundations, Methods. Leuven: Peeters, 2002. Welzen, Huub. Biblical Spirituality, Contours of a Discipline. Leuven: Peeters, 2017.