“One does not have to reach a certain age to love God”. This was what Thresia said when her mother wanted to excuse her from going to Holy Mass daily. Her mother wanted to shield her from other children who often yelled at her as ‘old granny’ for going to Church. Usually the children did not go daily to church as the Eucharistic celebration still held in Syrian languages in those days. It was really strange for a five- year old to be round the clock awaiting to participate in the Holy Mass. But Thresia wanted to meet Jesus and found great joy in talking to Him.
As for Thresia she intensely desired to make her Confession at the age of six, she stubbornly kept requesting her parish Priest to allow her to confession, stating that she knew what sin is and that it was God who taught her.She reasoned saying that one cannot love God entirely with a least of sin in the heart. The parish Priest tested her spiritual maturity and could not but allow her to the sacrament of confession at the age of six.
Then next she wanted to receive Holy Communion at the age of nine, when the customary age for it was twelve. It is recorded that, on the day of her first Communion, ‘Child Jesus appeared to her, embraced her and kissed her lovingly’. She remained in ecstasy for a while also committed her entire self in purity and holiness for life. Thresia promised Jesus lifelong chastity at the age of nine.
Her earnestness and knowledge surpassing her age aroused great curiosity among the elders. She had feared nothing butto offend God by her sins. She had a great horror for sin from her childhood and would lovingly correct other kids,keeping her mother’s word “not to pain Jesus with least of sins ever in life”.
She danced at the finger of her mother when it came to go the church for Eucharistic adorations, those must have been the sweetest moments of communion with Jesus for her. Her intimacy with the Eucharistic Jesus transformed her to be a Eucharist for families as she grew up. Thresia found an ecstatic joy to sacrifice herself for the needy and destitute.
In every Eucharist she offered the families along with her prayers and penances, sanctifying them in the Body and Blood of Christ every day. Her sufferings and good deeds along with the agony on the cross of Christ attracted more and more blessings for families and persons she prayed for. Thus the Eucharist became the source of redemption for families and persons in need.
The devils tormented her mostly when she was on the way to Church. They tried to confuse her; chased her away from church disguised as her Spiritual Father. They threw stones, dust and chili powder on her eyes, fractured her leg to make her immovable. They constantly accused her with inability to receive the Holy Communion and blinded her. Yet her childlike faith and trust could not be moved, it grew more and more strong.
Jesus set the Eucharistic table in her small room while she could not go to church and gave her Holy Communion by himself. Often the angelsalso brought her the Communionto her sick bed. There were many such days she survived only with the reception of Holy Eucharist. Most of the days Jesus stood by her while she attended the Holy Mass talking to her andexplaining about the mystery of love. One day she doubted why Jesus was talking to her in the middle of the Mass, Jesus then answered her saying “do not doubt I am the offering and the one who offers”.
Sr. Udaya Kallukaran Chf