Every 1 October, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, better known as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
Loved throughout the world, ‘Little Thérèse’ left us a message of extraordinary simplicity: to draw closer to God, there is no need to do extraordinary things. Sometimes, all it takes is doing the smallest things with great love.
? Who was Saint Thérèse of Lisieux?
Thérèse Martin was born on 2 January 1873 in Alençon, in Normandy. She was the youngest of nine children of Louis and Zélie Martin, who were themselves canonised by the Catholic Church.
After her mother’s death whilst she was still a child, Thérèse was brought up mainly by her father and her sisters.
From a very young age, she felt a deep calling to religious life. At just 15 years old, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, where several of her sisters had gone before her.
There she took the name Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face.
Her life at the Carmelite convent was not marked by any major, visible events. It consisted of prayer, silence, daily sacrifices, joys, but also trials. It was precisely in this hidden life that Thérèse would discover what she would call her ‘little way’.
? Saint Thérèse’s ‘little way’
Saint Thérèse understood that holiness is not reserved for a select few capable of performing extraordinary deeds.
Her path is based on trust in God, humility and love lived out in the little things of daily life.
A smile offered when one is tired, a kind word, a service rendered discreetly, forgiveness granted, a setback accepted with patience, a prayer for someone who is suffering…
For Thérèse, all these small actions can become true acts of love when they are offered to God.
This spirituality remains deeply relevant today: it reminds us that we can seek God at the very heart of our daily lives.
❤️ ‘My vocation is Love’
Thérèse spent a long time searching for her true place within the Church. She wanted to be a missionary, an apostle, a priest, a martyr… Her desire seemed boundless.
She eventually came to realise that all vocations have their source in love.
She then wrote this now-famous sentence:
“In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I shall be Love. ”
She realised that her mission would be to love and to pray, particularly for priests, missionaries and those who do not yet know God.
Although she never left her Carmelite convent to go on a mission, her spiritual influence would extend far beyond its walls.
? Why are roses associated with Saint Thérèse?
Today, the rose is inextricably linked with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
Shortly before her death, she expressed her desire to continue doing good after she had left this earth. The Theresian tradition has notably retained the image of a ‘shower of roses’, a symbol of the graces obtained through her intercession.
This is why Saint Thérèse is very often depicted holding in her arms a crucifix covered in roses.
Even today, many of the faithful entrust their intentions to her and bear witness to the graces they have received after praying to her.
?️ A very short life, a universal message
Thérèse’s health deteriorated rapidly due to tuberculosis.
She died at the Carmelite convent in Lisieux on 30 September 1897, aged just 24.
Her life might well have remained unknown to the world. But her writings, collected in particular in Story of a Soul, gained considerable influence after her death.
Thérèse was canonised in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. She subsequently became the patron saint of missions alongside Saint Francis Xavier.
In 1997, Saint John Paul II proclaimed her Doctor of the Church, an exceptional recognition of the richness of her spiritual teaching.
? How can we celebrate Saint Thérèse on 1 October?
This feast day can be an opportunity to rediscover the simplicity of her message.
We can entrust to her our families, our children, our difficulties, our sick, and all those who are going through a trial.
But above all, we can try to live out her ‘little way’ by choosing, on this day, to perform a small act of love, freely and discreetly.
A kind gesture towards someone who is alone, an act of forgiveness, a phone call to someone we have neglected, a prayer or simply a few words of comfort can become our little offering for the day.
? Prayer to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus,
you who chose the little way
of trust and love,
teach us to place our lives
in God’s hands with simplicity.
Help us to find love in the little things,
to keep our trust during trials
and to recognise each day
the graces that God places on our path.
Watch over our families and those we love.
Present our intentions,
our sorrows and our hopes to the Lord.
Saint Thérèse,
let a shower of roses fall upon our lives
and lead us ever closer to Jesus.
Amen. ?
? Saint Thérèse, teach us to love simply
On this 1st October, let us keep in our hearts the simple message of Little Thérèse: we do not necessarily need to accomplish great things to draw closer to God.
Every day offers us countless opportunities to love.
At school, at work, within our families, whilst caring for someone who is ill, or simply in our daily interactions, even the humblest of gestures can become great things when done with love.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us. ?
May God bless you,
Christine
