Sacrifice Beads - A Unique Catholic Symbol
One obscure and not so well known Catholic symbol is the Sacrifice Beads.
Have you ever seen them? They are a small string of beads, usually ten, that are used to count the good deeds or sacrifices you perform throughout the day. They are sometimes called Good Deed Beads or St. Therese beads after the saint who first used them. As a matter of fact some of these bead strings may even contain a medal of St. Therese at the end; some may have a crucifix instead.
Sacrifice Beads originated in the childhood of St. Therese of Lisieux. When Therese was a small girl, her older sister gave her a set of beads on which to count the things she offered up for God. This became a regular and consistent practice for St. Therese. To this day many children use these beads as a way of getting into the habit of doing good deeds.
Keeping count of good deeds and sacrifices is not about pride. Tracking the sacrifices is a method of making oneself aware of his or her relationship with God and how he or she is seeking opportunities to do God’s work and act as an instrument of God’s love. Each time one slides a bead he or she should take a moment to offer the deed to God.
Not all Catholic symbols are as well known as the crucifix or rosary. The Sacrifice Beads are one example of a symbol that, unfortunately, is not in wide use today.
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