St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (9 August): Sometimes the Faith Costs You

About this sermon

The extraordinary life of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross—better known as Edith Stein—is one of the most remarkable stories of conversion, truth, suffering, and martyrdom in modern Catholic history. Born into a Jewish family in Germany in 1891, Edith Stein eventually abandoned belief in God. Brilliant and intellectually gifted, she devoted herself to philosophy and became a student of Edmund Husserl, eventually earning her doctorate with the highest distinction. But God was already leading her toward something greater. One seemingly insignificant event helped begin her conversion. While in Frankfurt, Edith saw an elderly woman coming from the marketplace enter an empty Catholic church simply to pray. Edith was struck by the realization that this woman was entering the church as though she were going to have an intimate conversation with Someone. She never forgot it. Later, Edith witnessed a Christian widow endure the death of her husband with extraordinary faith. Through this encounter, Edith began to understand the power of the Cross and the Christian meaning of suffering. Her unbelief began to collapse. Then came the decisive moment. One evening, Edith Stein picked up the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila. She read throughout the night. When she finally closed the book, she said: “This is the truth.” Edith Stein was baptized into the Catholic Church in 1922. She would eventually enter the Carmelite convent and take the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross—Teresa Blessed by the Cross. And the Cross would define the rest of her earthly life. As Nazi persecution intensified, Edith Stein understood that suffering united to Jesus Christ could be offered for others. She prayed for her Jewish people, for Germany, and for peace, and willingly entrusted her life and death to Divine Providence. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us. 0:00 St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross — Edith Stein 0:28 Who Was Edith Stein? 1:01 Her Jewish Childhood & Loss of Faith 1:36 Edith Stein’s Brilliant Young Mind 1:43 Her Early Feminism 2:49 Turning to Philosophy 2:57 Studying Under Edmund Husserl 3:35 A Brilliant Atheist Philosopher 3:50 The Moment of Grace That Changed Everything 4:07 An Old Woman Walks Into a Catholic Church 4:16 The Catholic Practice Edith Stein Never Forgot 4:58 Treating God as a Real Person 5:13 How Our Example Can Convert Others 5:21 The Next Step in Edith Stein’s Conversion 5:44 Seeing Christian Suffering for the First Time 6:08 “My First Encounter With the Cross” 6:33 The Catholic Meaning of Redemptive Suffering 6:57 Why Suffering Has Value 7:21 Edith Stein Begins Searching for God 7:46 She Begins Praying Again 7:54 St. Teresa of Avila Changes Everything 8:00 “My Longing for Truth Was a Single Prayer” 8:08 Edith Stein Becomes Catholic 8:24 Why She Didn't Immediately Enter Carmel 8:47 Using Her Gifts in the World 9:04 Edith Stein & St. Thomas Aquinas 9:29 Bringing Divine Life Into the World 10:25 Nazi Persecution Begins 10:54 Her Life Changes Forever 11:09 Edith Stein Enters Carmel 11:49 Understanding the Cross 12:41 Offering Herself for Others 12:58 Kristallnacht & Open Persecution 13:45 Edith Stein Accepts Her Coming Death 14:09 Catholic Bishops Speak Against the Nazis 14:40 The Nazis Retaliate 14:48 Edith Stein Is Arrested by the Gestapo 15:04 “Let Us Go for Our People” 15:13 Edith Stein’s Final Writings 15:32 Deportation to Auschwitz 15:48 Her Martyrdom 16:04 Why Catholics Must Speak the Truth 16:36 When Speaking for Christ Has a Cost 17:14 Courage Against Evil 18:03 Did God Hear Edith Stein’s Prayers? 18:20 Nothing Happens by Chance 18:43 Edith Stein on Divine Providence 19:09 Why Does God Permit Evil? 19:17 The Great Mystery of the Cross 19:32 Giving Your Entire Life to Christ 19:58 How Suffering Can Convert the World 20:07 St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Pray for Us Please remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #EdithStein #StEdithStein #StTeresaBenedicta #Catholic #CatholicFaith #CatholicSaints #CatholicChurch #Catholicism #CatholicMartyrs #Carmelite #CarmeliteSpirituality #CatholicConversion #Conversion #RedemptiveSuffering #DivineProvidence #TrustGod #CatholicHistory #CatholicYouTube #Saints #JesusChrist

Topics

• Faith
• Jesus Christ