Saint Therese of Lisieux - The Little Flower of God

 

Today is the feast day of Saint Therese, known as The Little Flower of God.

I remember the first time I read Story of a Soul. I was inspired by Saint Therese’s  beautiful, childlike heart. But there is also profound depth in her writing and her mission. 

Although she lived behind a grille in a Carmelite Cloister from the ages of 15 till her death at only 24, she is patroness of foreign missions.

This is because she witnesses to how powerful prayer and loving sacrifice can be and what extraordinary Graces can be found by laying down one’s life for God completely and resolutely. 

Her life is an example of what mountains can be moved by simply trusting God completely. Not relying on our own counsel, but in all our ways looking to God. 

Her book Story of a Soul, is still one of the most widely read books ever and has converted and inspired countless numbers of people.

I took Saint Therese as my confirmation Saint and she is patron of my online writing especially because of what us known as her ‘little way.’

She lived a spiritual childhood and wrote about her ‘little way to God’ through the ordinary sacrifices of daily life.

She said that a garden is made up of many flowers, statuesque lilies and roses but also daisies and violets and each one brings beauty and delight to the gardener.  She said, this is what God’s garden is like in heaven where each soul is it’s own gift.

I felt that this was a spirituality I could follow. I might never accomplish anything heroic or great but I could try to do small things for love. 

I believe, Saint Therese was instrumental in my road to Carmel too.

When the children were young, inspired by Saint Therese, we made sacrifice beads and the children would move a bead along and pray an Ave when they did something kind for each other. 

Many miracles have been attributed to the intercession of Saint Therese. Often roses or the scent of roses will appear as a sign of her intercession. 

My daughter Seraphina made this portrait of Therese in honour of her feast day.

 I have two videos for you today. One is about Saint Therese and Mary.

The other is a short excerpt from her book.

‘That same evening, when the sun appeared to be sinking into the vast stretch of the waters beyond a golden path of light, I went with you to sit upon a lonely rock. I gazed for ages on this path of light, and you said it was the image of the path to Heaven when grace lights up the way.
Then I thought of my heart as a tiny ship with white and graceful sails gliding down the middle of a path of gold and I resolved that I would never sail it out of the sight of Jesus, so that it might voyage swiftly and in peace toward the shores of Heaven.’
Saint Therese of Lisieux