Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower
Feast day – October 1
Lived 1873 – 1897
Saint Therese, the Little Flower, is a doctor of the Church. And, yet she was not a very educated person by the world’s standards. She did not attend any college or university. But, she did possess the greatest wisdom and knowledge concerning the path to holiness and the path to heaven. She called that path to holiness “The Little Way”. Her little way consisted in serving God in the very ordinary tasks of everyday life which she did with great love. The “little way” involved total abandonment in God’s service and perfect accomplishment of the simple and small duties of everyday life. In fact, Therese spent her days in the convent performing very menial tasks which included: working as a sacristan setting up and caring for the altar in the chapel, doing the laundry in the convent, and working in the convent kitchen.
Therese wanted to go to heaven in a different way from the path described in books of the lives of the saints. She did not consider the lives of these saints to be realistic. They all seemed to have accomplished such grand things in their lives. And her life was very simple and ordinary. But, Therese gave every moment of her simple little life to Jesus with total trust in God’s love and protection. As she stated, “I wanted to find an elevator that would raise me to Jesus”. And, the elevator would be the arms of Jesus lifting her up in her littleness, her simplicity, her humility.
St Therese’s great mission was to open our eyes and hearts to the great mercy of God. She wanted us to know that God is a merciful Father. And, in the “little way”, little souls must take the first step of knowing God and His loving mercy. Then we seek to love God. And, we love Him in our actions performed with pure intentions. Every action that we perform in love is done with a pure intention. As Therese had said, “To pick up a pin with love may save a soul”. It is the intention in our hearts that is seen by God.
One of the greatest quotes from the saints is this one from St. Therese which has influenced my life in many ways. She said, “When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens, I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.” Let us strive to live a life which reflects that same goal right now of doing good on earth. As we ask St. Therese to intercede for us on earth and as we remember this great saint how wonderful to display and wear the St. Therese saint medal or St. Therese ring.