Saint Therese and St Joan

Books on Therese continue to flood the market, but among them a title recently caught my eye - Praise for a Warrior. No point looking it up on Amazon or elsewhere because this is actually my translation of a very recently published French book with the title Eloge d'une guerriere. Perhaps it will be translated into English in due course, but in the meantime it is particularly relevant for today's Feast of St Joan of Arc. A wrapper on the cover bears the famous picture of Therese acting the part of Joan of Arc in a convent play. I like the title of this book because it is a reminder that the saint of Lisieux was not only an advocate of intense love for Jesus but also a warrior in the field of spiritual combat. Her life was a response to St Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 6, 11-17. 'Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.'