With Empty Hands: The Spirituality of Therese of Lisieux

by Conrad De Meester

With Empty Hands is an entirely new translation and edition of Conrad de Meesters brilliant and moving presentation of the life, thought and spirituality of St. ThTrFse of Lisieux. The author has completely revised and amplified his previous books on the saint in the light of the new, thoroughly annotated editipons of her own works, and the many recent works of research and commentary that have led him to develop and change some of his interpretations of the Saints life.Fr. de Meester asks why and how this young girl who asked to be admitted to the Carmel at Lisieux and persevered in her vocation to a hidden life in an obscure part of France, is not only loved and invoked by millions of people, but has become a profound influence on theology, spirituality and the missionary apostolate.He shows how the intuitions of her faith were achieved by growing from spiritual poverty to spiritual maturity through much suffering and inspite of many crises and revearsals and pays full attention to the psychology of the Saint, her family influence and her prayer life and faith as a process of extraordinary rich development. This book reveals ThTrFse as a Saint of hope whose constant watchword was "My God, I love you" and as a revolutionary of love through whom God worked and works as a liberating force.

Genres: Religion, Catholic, Nonfiction, Biography

154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Father Conrad De Meester, OCD, a Carmelite priest from Louvain, Belgium, is the author of numerous works on the spiritual masters of Carmel: Thérèse of Lisieux, Laurent of the Resurrection, and Elizabeth of the Trinity. In particular, it was he who compiled the critical edition of the Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity for Les Editions du Cerf. He has two titles to his name published in English: With Empty Hands: The Message of Thérèse of Lisieux (St Paul Publications Australia, 1982) and St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Life, Times and Teachings (ICS Publications, Washington, DC, 1997). The Power of Confidence is a revised and updated edition of the masterpiece which won him his well-deserved reputation when it was first published as a doctoral dissertation twenty-seven years ago.

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carmelites are celebrating the 150th year of Therese's birth. Read this as the first of several books in her honor and as a part of that celebration. I am going to need to go back over the book and reread places to prepare my review, but Oh, this was marvelous. Yes, I love St. Thérèse, but not every book about her is this good.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the assigned text for my lay carmelite group, which we read over several months. I wish the author had written a bit more literally about St Therese’s life—I found myself lost in the prose at several points.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! I recommend it highly

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit dry at the beginning, but a thorough review of the development and growing depth of the spirituality of St. Therese of Liseaux.