This month's saint is St. Therese of Lisieux whose feast day is October 1st.
Therese Martin was born in 1873 to a loving family. She grew up with 4 older sisters. When her mom died when she was 4, Therese's sisters took on the role of her motherly figure. Therese grew up as a normal child for her age but was very sensitive. At age 9 after a spiritual experience, Therese decided that she wanted to become a Carmelite nun. After receiving Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time, Therese was struck with a bad case of scrupulosity. On Christmas eve in 1886, Therese had another conversion. She described it as having all the tears of her childhood dried up! She then poured herself out in loving others and making little sacrifices for souls until she could enter the convent at 15 years old.
Therese spent the rest of her short life praying for the world and making sacrifices for souls. Her "little way" spirituality has inspired thousands of people and is described in her autobiography Story Of A Soul. There was nothing very special about her, and she was just seen as another nun. But it was what was inside that counted. Therese felt that she could not do great things on earth, so she instead trusted in the mercy of her beloved Jesus, and believed that He would do it for her. This was her "little way".
"It is impossible for me to grow up, so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and totally new. I wanted to find an elevator which would raise me to Jesus, for I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection. I searched then in the Scriptures for some sign of this elevator, the object of my desires and I read these words coming from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: 'Whoever is a little one let him come to me.' The elevator which must raise me to heaven is your arms, O Jesus, and for this I have no need to grow up, but rather I have to remain little and become this more and more,"
In living her "little way" Therese accepted the little sacrifices that God sent her way. If an older Sister was being grumpy, Therese smiled and dealt with her in love. It was little things like this that made her so great.
On September 30, 1897, Therese entered Heaven where she was immensely happy. She said 2 years before her death, "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." And she certainly has! St. Therese is a powerful intercessor and a wonderful example of holiness for all. Millions of people are inspired by her story to live their lives in the "little way" of coming closer to Jesus and standing at foot of the cross as a little child. The rose has been seen as a gift from Therese, a sign that she is watching over you :-) She is a Doctor of the Church (only the 3rd woman ever!!) and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. She is the youngest person ever to become a Doctor of the Church. (Go young people!!)
If you'd like to learn more about St.Therese, you can find her autobiography on Amazon as well as at many religious and secular bookstores.
St Therese, pray for us that we may learn to be little, just as you were little. Hear our prayers and intercede for us before God! Show us how to trust and love him completely as you did. St Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!!
Source: https://www.littleflower.org/
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