St. Thekla

St. Thekla
Exemplar of Giving Oneself to God

St. Thekla is called the “proto” or “first” martyr. She was one of the first to willing give herself to God’s service. Born about twenty-five years after Jesus, she had a thirst for knowledge, which was odd for a peasant girl. Hearing St. Paul preach, she asked to become a Christian. She became a missionary and ventured to foreign lands. She was captured by a barbarian leader and tortured. God desired that she survive all attempts on her life. She died at age 90 of natural causes.

We, too, are called to offer ourselves to God. When we realize all that God has given us, we ask what we can give in return. The answer is simple: ourselves. God will accept us, and use us to be a blessing in the lives of those around us.