Sometimes a saint enters our lives quietly, long before we realize just how much she will mean to us. For me, that saint was St. Therese of Lisieux. I first discovered her in high school when my family visited the National Shrine Museum of St. Therese in Darien, Illinois. I didn’t know then how deeply her “little way” would eventually speak to my own life or how often I would return to her example of trusting God in the smallest things.
What first drew me to St. Therese was her simplicity. She sought to love God in the ordinary moments of daily life…to do small things with great love and to trust Him as a little child trusts. There was something incredibly beautiful and comforting about that.
As I grew older, my relationship with St. Therese grew with me. I began to turn to her not only as a saint I admired, but as a spiritual friend who could accompany me on my own journey toward God. Her “little way” reminded me that I did not have to do something extraordinary to become holy. I could simply love God where He had placed me, offer Him the little things, and trust Him with the rest.
In the fall of 2023, I had the opportunity to venerate St. Therese’s relics when they came to the National Shrine of St. Therese all the way from Lisieux, France. It was such a special experience for me. Being able to be so close to the relics of a saint who had become so dear to me made my devotion to her feel even more personal. I was grateful to be there, to ask for her prayers, and to entrust my own journey to her.
The Little Way
As I have grown in my devotion to St. Therese, I have also come to appreciate that her “Little Way” is not about avoiding suffering. She knew what it meant to experience darkness, uncertainty, and suffering, yet she continued to place herself in God’s hands. In her autobiography, Story of a Soul, St. Therese shared about the trial of faith she experienced toward the end of her life, when she struggled with thoughts of doubt and felt as though a wall separated her from Heaven. Even in that darkness, she continued to choose God and trust in Him. Her example has helped me see that even the things I would never choose for myself can become opportunities to love and trust Him. St. Therese has also taught me not to become discouraged by my own weakness. Instead of focusing on everything I cannot do, she encourages me to approach God with confidence, knowing that He loves me as His child. I am reminded that I do not have to be perfect or have everything figured out. I can simply come to Him as I am and trust in His love.
One Reason I Love St. Therese
One of the reasons I love St. Therese so much is because I can see so much of my own spiritual journey in hers. She knew her own littleness and she knew she could not accomplish great things on her own. But she never allowed that to keep her from loving God wholeheartedly.
You don’t have to accomplish something extraordinary to follow St. Therese. Her Little Way begins right where you are, whether it be your home, your workplace, your family, your friendships, and even in the small inconveniences that come up on an ordinary day. She reminds us that nothing is too small to offer to God when it is done with love. Looking back on that first visit to the shrine with my family in high school, I never could have imagined how much St. Therese would come to mean to me. What began as a simple introduction to a young Carmelite saint became a friendship that has continued to grow. I am grateful that God allowed me to discover her and I continue to ask St. Therese to teach me her little way…to love Him simply, trust Him completely, and offer Him the little things each day.
As we celebrate St. Therese’s feast day on October 1, we are invited to rediscover the simplicity of her “little way” by doing small things with great love, trusting in God’s mercy, and allowing even ordinary moments to become opportunities for holiness.
St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!
Keep Learning About St. Therese, The Little Flower
The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux
The Little Flower: A Parable of St. Therese of Lisieux
What Did St. Therese Of Lisieux Ask God For As A Punishment For Her Sins?
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Daddy, I’m not perfect, I do lots of silly things, but you know how much I love you! And when I do something silly, I ask you to punish me with a kiss!”— how could any father resist? Humility, because Scripture says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace […]
Rosary Struggles? St. Therese Can Relate
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly …in vain do I strive to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary; I am unable to fix my attention. For a long time, I was sad because of this lack of devotion which surprised me, for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy […]
Does Holiness Seem Impossible? St. Therese of Lisieux Felt The Same Way And Did This
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Sometimes when I read certain spiritual treatises where perfection is shown through a thousand obstacles, surrounded by a host of snares, my poor little spirit quickly tires, I shut the learned book that makes my headache and dries up my heart, and I take up Sacred Scripture. Then everything […]
Wisdom From St. Zelie And St. Louis Martin
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly We must dispose ourselves to accept generously the will of God, whatever that may be, since that is always what is best for us. – St. Zelie Soon, we’ll have the intimate of happiness of the family, and it’s this beauty that brings us closer to Him. – St. […]
The Saints Teach Us How To Be Holy
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly 50+ Of 2020’s Best Catholic Gifts 6 Great Quotes By Saints And Popes On Prayer And Its Importance 10 Quotes on Friendship From the Saints That You’ll Want to Share With Your Bestie 7 Starter Tips For When You Need Emotional Healing In Your Life Subscribe To […]
10 Saints Who Had A Deep Devotion To Mary
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly 10 Saints Who Had A Deep Devotion To Mary Gallery: 10 saints devoted to Mary Catholic Books About Mary True Devotion to Mary: with Preparation for Total Consecration Mary-Virgin, Mother, and Queen: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics The Life of Mary As Seen By the Mystics Mary, Mother […]
You Cannot Be Half A Saint | St. Therese of Lisieux
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in holiness. SUBSCRIBE! Thank you for subscribing!
4 Ways St. Thérèse Befriends People Here on Earth
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly As a Carmelite friar, or a member of the Carmelite order to which St. Thérèse of Lisieux belonged, many times over the last several years a young person has said to me: “St Thérèse is stalking me.” I have to admit, I appreciate their candor, but I want to […]
Some Of The Best Quotes From Young Saints
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Gallery: Quotes by young saints To read more: Too Young to Be Saint? 10 Phrases That Prove You Wrong Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to […]
World Youth Day And St. Théresè: Traveling The World
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly You might say that I’m a groupie. Beginning when I was sixteen, I attended four World Youth Days: Denver (1993), Manila (1995), Paris (1997), and Toronto (2002). My experience, along with millions of other young people, was transformative. The impact is still felt in our lives and around the […]
Jesus Is Here With His Cross | St. Therese
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly “Yes, my heart’s dear one, Jesus, is here with His cross. Since you are one of His favorites, He wants to make you into His likeness; why be afraid that you will not have the strength to carry this cross without a struggle? On the way to Calvary, Jesus […]
Surrender And Gratitude | St. Therese Quote
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Jesus does not demand great action from us but simply surrender and gratitude. – St. Therese of Lisieux More St. Therese Resources *Amazon Affiliate links help the ministry of Catholic-Link at no additional cost to you! Thank you! Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to […]
St. Therese’s Method Of Prayer
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly How great is the power of Prayer! One could call it a Queen who has at each instant free access to the King and who is able to obtain whatever she asks. To be heard it is not necessary to read from a book some beautiful formula composed for […]
Want To Become A Saint? Better Late Than Never
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly I want to become a saint; it will not be easy at all. I have a lot of wood to chop, and it is as hard as stone. I should have started sooner, while it was not so difficult; but, in any case; ‘better late than never.’ – St. […]
What Saint Should You Ask For Help From Today?
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly What Saint Should You Ask For Help From Today? More Catholic Resources On The Saints Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in […]
9 Saints Who Devoted Themselves To The Holy Name Of Jesus
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Family movie night. We hadn’t watched a movie with my 19-year-old daughter for months. Her boyfriend was there too and as we pushed “play,” I relished the first satisfying crunch of popcorn and snuggled under a plush blanket next to my husband. The movie was just the kind I […]
Every Flower Created By Him Is Beautiful
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, […]
“For Me Prayer Is A Surge Of The Heart” – St. Therese of Lisieux
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly “For Me Prayer Is A Surge Of The Heart” – St. Therese of Lisieux Keep Learning About St. Therese, The Little Flower The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux The Way of Trust and Love The Little Flower: A Parable of St. Therese of […]
Saints Louis And Zelie Martin Share Their Wisdom
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of St. Therese de Lisieux, share their wisdom! Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter!Our weekly email newsletter includes links to our seasonal content so you can stay connected to the Church’s liturgical seasons and find simple ways to celebrate them and grow in holiness. […]
Leo XIII: Habemus Papam– Episode 254
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Leo XIII: The second longest serving Pope since Peter and a great encyclical writer. He is also the oldest person to be recorded on motion picture film. Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99cgefDHXE In this episode of Habemus Papam, Fr. Conrad discusses Leo XIII, who succeeded Blessed Pius IX: Our […]
