“Anyone united with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him’ (1 Cor 6:17). The traces of a great mystic are evident in St Mariam Thresia from her childhood. Her intense desire for spiritual perfection can be found from her Autobiography and Letters. When we go through the Writings of St Mariam Thresia and the History about her written by Venerable Fr Joseph Vithayathil, we come across more than thirty times the Child Jesus appearing to her on various occasions which carry different spiritual messages. Through these experiences Jesus led her to the mystery of incarnation and His kenosis.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph appeared to St Mariam Thresia individually and together as family throughout her life journey. They consoled, revealed, played, dined together, healed and guided her to reach the Triune God. So much so was their bond that she was given the heart of Jesus on 15 August 1904, the heart of Blessed Virgin Mary on 5 October 1906 and the heart of St Joseph on 7 November 1906. No one in the history of the Church has been known of receiving the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family she met was not confined to the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Joseph with Child Jesus alone but extended it to the King of Glory along with the Virgin Mother and St Joseph who imparted her rare favours.
Jesus would come and celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the room of St Mariam Thresia and give her the Holy Communion. Sometimes she felt the Communion remaining on her tongue even before receiving the Holy Communion. Jesus would appear in different form like Child Jesus, the Suffering one, Crucified, Risen, Judge, Enthroned in Heaven, Sacred Heart and the Eucharistic Lord. She used to fall into ecstasies and have visions of hell, purgatory, heaven, and many more. In her visions of heaven, about 15 times, she would see herself standing in the company of saints and the angels. The angels often gave her the Holy Communion and imparted to her messages from heaven. Saints, especially, St Teresa of Avila and St Clare would talk to her often.
St Mariam Thresia participated in the Passion of the Lord and the Lord imprinted her with His five sacred wounds, thus making her the first stigmatic saint in India. She would be transfixed on the wall of the room in the form of the cross. She was gifted with the mystical experience of transverberation. An angel would come and pierce her heart on five different occasions, revealing it as the ‘Wound of Love.’ Jesus put a stone studded ring on her finger inviting her to spiritual betrothal. She was given a crown of flowers and later a crown of thorns. Occasionally she had locutions, aura, fragrance and the gift of reading the hearts.
The Triune God blessed St Mariam Thresia to be a great mystic of India. Even though she had various mystical experiences, she did not remain in the consolations of such experiences rather surpassing the existing social taboos and norms she entered into the families. With a compassionate heart, she committed herself to revitalize and make them holy families. St Mariam Thresia is a precious pearl among the mystics, who gives a unique message to the world.
Sr Lisa CHF,
Arunodaya Province