Saint of the day, October 1
St. Thérèse of Lisieux found a path to holiness in loving God through the ordinary moments of life, trusting that even the smallest acts could be offered to Him.
October 1 — St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Born: 1873
Died: 1897
Nationality: French
Vocation: Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church
Patronage: Missions and missionaries
Known as the “Little Flower,” St. Thérèse of Lisieux desired from a young age to give her life completely to God. After initially being prevented from entering religious life because of her age, she entered the Carmel of Lisieux at 15.
Life inside the monastery was simple and largely hidden, but it was there that Thérèse grew in the spirituality that became known as her “little way.” Rather than seeking extraordinary accomplishments, she placed her confidence in God and sought to make love the center of the ordinary responsibilities, sacrifices, and relationships of her life.
Thérèse also carried a deep desire to bring others to Christ. Though she never traveled to the missions, she supported missionaries through prayer and sacrifice, and the Church later named her a patroness of the missions alongside St. Francis Xavier.
At the request of her religious superiors, Thérèse recorded memories of her life and her relationship with God. Her autobiographical writings were later published as Story of a Soul, allowing the spirituality formed within Carmel to reach Catholics throughout the world.
Thérèse died in 1897 after suffering from tuberculosis. Her short and quiet life shows that holiness does not depend on accomplishing what the world considers great. Her little way instead points toward a life rooted in trust — loving God faithfully in the circumstances He places before us and allowing even small acts to become offerings of love.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, pray for us!
Comments