St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was a French nun who lived a simple and quiet life. She was born in 1873 and entered the Carmelite convent when she was just 15 years old. Though she lived only 24 years, her faith and love for God made her one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic Church.

Thérèse is known for her “Little Way,” which means doing small things with great love. She believed that even the smallest acts, like a smile or a kind word, could be a way to show love for God. She wanted to live like a child, trusting completely in God.

Thérèse suffered from tuberculosis for much of her life. She offered her pain and struggles to God, believing that suffering could be a way to grow closer to Him. Despite her illness, she remained joyful and full of hope.

After her death, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s writings became famous. Her book, The Story of a Soul, has inspired many people to follow her path of love and trust. In 1925, the Church declared her a saint, and she is now one of the most popular saints in the world.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was born on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France. Her full name was Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin. She was the youngest of nine children, but four of her siblings died young. Thérèse was raised in a loving, Catholic family. Her parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, were deeply religious. Both of them were later declared saints by the Church.

Thérèse was a sensitive and emotional child. She loved spending time with her family and had a close bond with her father. When her mother died of cancer in 1877, Thérèse was only four years old. This was a very hard time for her. After her mother’s death, the family moved to Lisieux, where Thérèse lived with her father and sisters.

Her family had a big influence on her faith. Her older sisters were also very devout and some became nuns. They encouraged Thérèse to love God and follow His will. This strong faith at home helped shape her desire to become a Carmelite nun at a very young age.

Thérèse felt called to become a nun at a very young age. She was just 14 years old when she decided she wanted to join the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. This was a place of prayer and silence, where the sisters lived in simplicity and dedicated their lives to God. Thérèse felt that this was where God wanted her to be.

However, joining the convent was not easy for Thérèse. She was too young according to Church rules, and her family was worried about her. Some people thought she was making a rash decision because of her youth. But Thérèse was determined. She believed God was calling her and trusted that He would make a way.

To prove her seriousness, Thérèse went to Rome with her father and asked Pope Leo XIII for permission to enter the convent early. The Pope told her to be patient and wait for God’s will. Even though she did not get a direct answer, Thérèse kept her faith. She was eventually allowed to join the convent when she turned 15.

Life in the convent was challenging for Thérèse. She had to follow strict rules and live in silence much of the time. She also faced sickness and physical weakness. Despite these challenges, she remained joyful and trusted in God’s plan for her. She believed that even her small sacrifices could be offered to God with love.

Thérèse never regretted her decision to become a Carmelite nun. She felt that this was her true calling. She saw it as a way to live a life of love and service, even in the little things. This simple but deep faith became her guiding principle throughout her time in the convent.

Saint Thérèse is best known for her “Little Way.” This was her spiritual philosophy, which focused on doing small things with great love. Thérèse believed that not everyone is called to do big, heroic acts. Instead, she thought that we can show love for God in the simple, everyday actions of life.

Thérèse’s “Little Way” was about trust and love. She wanted to be like a small child who trusts completely in a loving father. She believed that anyone could grow closer to God by accepting their weaknesses and offering their small efforts to Him. For Thérèse, even small tasks, like washing dishes or helping someone, could be a way to love God.

In the convent, Thérèse lived this philosophy every day. She did her chores without complaining and tried to always be kind to others. Even when she was tired or sick, she still offered her small struggles to God. She believed that every moment was a chance to love and serve Him, no matter how ordinary it seemed.

Thérèse also showed her “Little Way” in how she treated others. She was kind to the sisters in the convent, even those who were difficult. She smiled at them, listened to them, and prayed for them. She did not seek praise or attention. Her focus was always on loving God through loving others.

Through the “Little Way,” Thérèse showed that holiness can be found in simple acts of love and kindness. She believed that no act is too small if it is done for God. Her simple path of love and trust has inspired many people to live their faith in everyday life.

In her early twenties, Thérèse began to suffer from tuberculosis. This disease weakened her body and caused her great pain. At first, she tried to keep up with her duties in the convent, but her health quickly got worse. As her illness progressed, Thérèse struggled to breathe and was often in severe pain.

Despite her suffering, Thérèse accepted her illness with patience. She saw her pain as a way to draw closer to God. She believed that by offering her suffering to Him, she could help others. Thérèse prayed for people who were far from God and offered her suffering for their sake. This was her way of loving others, even when she could no longer work or serve in the usual ways.

Thérèse also faced deep spiritual struggles during her illness. She sometimes felt abandoned by God and experienced darkness in her soul. But even in these hard moments, she trusted that God was with her. She kept her faith and continued to offer everything, even her doubts and fears, to Him.

In her final days, Thérèse was confined to bed. The sisters in the convent cared for her as she grew weaker. Thérèse remained calm and peaceful, trusting in God’s love. She died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were, “My God, I love You.”

Thérèse’s death was the end of her physical suffering, but her life continues to inspire people. She showed that even in the hardest moments, it is possible to find peace by offering everything to God. Her example of patience and trust in suffering is a central part of her legacy.

Saint Thérèse is often called the “Little Flower” because she saw herself as a simple flower in God’s garden. She believed she was small and unimportant, but like a flower, she could still bring beauty to the world by trusting in God’s care. This idea of being little but loved by God is central to her spirituality, and it is why many people find comfort in calling her the “Little Flower.”

After her death, Thérèse’s writings, especially her book The Story of a Soul, touched the hearts of many people. Her simple faith and message of love spread quickly around the world. In 1925, only 28 years after her death, Thérèse was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XI. This was an unusually fast path to sainthood, showing how much her life and teachings had inspired the Church.

Thérèse’s influence did not stop with her canonization. In 1997, 100 years after her death, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church. This title is given to saints whose teachings are especially important for the Church. Thérèse is one of the youngest saints to receive this honor, and it shows how deeply her “Little Way” has shaped Catholic spirituality.

Devotion to Saint Thérèse is strong all over the world. Many people pray to her for help in trusting God and living with love. She is especially popular in France, where she lived, but her influence extends to many countries. Her feast day is celebrated on October 1, and she is the patron saint of missionaries, florists, and people suffering from illness.

Thérèse’s life offers many lessons. She taught that we can serve God in the smallest ways, and that our weaknesses are not barriers to holiness. She showed that faith can be lived out through love and trust, even in the face of suffering. Her teachings continue to guide people who seek to live a life of simple love and complete trust in God.

Her impact on Catholic spirituality remains strong. Many people see her as a model of how to live out the Gospel in ordinary life. Her “Little Way” has helped countless people find peace in trusting God and offering small acts of love in their daily lives. Thérèse’s legacy is one of love, simplicity, and trust.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux teaches us that holiness is not about doing big things, but about doing small things with love. Her “Little Way” reminds us that we can find God in the ordinary moments of our lives. Whether we are at work, home, or with friends, we can choose to do simple acts of kindness. Thérèse didn’t perform miracles or do anything that made her stand out in the eyes of the world. She just loved deeply in the small things, and that’s something we can all do.

Thérèse’s life also shows us the value of trust. She believed that no matter what we face, God is with us and loves us. When she struggled with illness and doubt, she still trusted in God’s plan. In our own lives, we face challenges, worries, and pain. Thérèse encourages us to bring these struggles to God, trusting that He will guide us through them. We don’t need to have all the answers; we just need to trust that God knows what is best for us.

Her example of offering suffering to God is another lesson for us. Thérèse showed that suffering doesn’t have to make us bitter or hopeless. Instead, we can use it as an opportunity to grow closer to God. This doesn’t mean we seek out suffering, but when it comes, we can choose to unite our pain with Christ’s, finding peace in knowing that it has meaning.

Finally, Saint Thérèse reminds us that we don’t need to be perfect to be holy. She accepted her weaknesses and used them as a way to trust God even more. In a world that often values strength and success, Thérèse teaches us that our weaknesses can actually bring us closer to God, if we offer them to Him with love.

Reflection Questions

• How do I respond to suffering in my life? Can I offer it to God like Thérèse did?
• How can I practice the “Little Way” in my daily life?
• Do I trust God when I face challenges, or do I try to rely on my own strength?

Word on Fire: The Little Way of Love

In a reflection from Bishop Robert Barron, he highlights Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s “little way” of love. Thérèse teaches that true spirituality comes from surrendering to God like a child resting in its Father’s arms, trusting fully in His love. She emphasizes that God does not ask for great deeds, but for surrender and gratitude. Through this humble attitude, we can please God and serve the Church, even in the smallest acts. Thérèse’s simple yet profound approach to faith reminds us of the power of childlike trust and love.

Center for Action and Contemplation: Discovering the Little Way

Richard Rohr, in discussing his own spiritual journey, highlights his admiration for St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her “little way,” which he describes as a “spirituality of imperfection.” Thérèse’s teachings emphasize that holiness is not about being perfect but about embracing one’s flaws and imperfections. She countered the prevailing notion in the 19th-century Catholic Church of an angry, punitive God and the need for personal perfection. Rohr stresses that true spiritual growth often comes more from our mistakes and how we handle them than from our triumphs.