“But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:16-17
Saint Therese of Lisieux had a very short life span of 24 years. She lived in France in the late 1800’s. For generations she has also been known to many as the “Little Flower.” What I most love about Therese, and what I can most relate to, was her humanness. She was spoiled rotten, refused to help with the housework, and burst into tears at any hint of criticism. After the death of their mother, two of Therese’s sisters entered into religious service as Carmelite nuns. However, they refused to take Therese. They wanted nothing to do with her childlike emotional outbursts.
There is a story about Therese when she was fourteen years old. It was customary in France for young children to leave their shoes by the hearth at Christmas to be filled by their parents with gifts. This particular Christmas, Therese had hurried home from church only to overhear her father sighing and saying that he was glad this would be the last year since Therese was now too old. The flood of tears was sure to come, but Therese had been praying, for quite some time without an answer, asking Jesus to help her outbursts. This time He did. He came into her heart making her think of her father’s feelings over her own. She pretended not to have overheard and graciously accepted his gifts to her.
Now, with the help of Jesus, Therese was able to gain control of her emotions, however, she was still refused entry into the convent. While on a trip to Rome she was part of an audience seeing the Pope. Even though she had gained control of her outbursts she still knew how to use them to her advantage. Being forbidden to speak to the Pope, as soon as she neared him, she started begging him to let her enter the convent. She had to be taken out by armed guards!
Soon afterwards she was allowed into the Carmelite Order. Then, her father suffered a series of strokes, causing him both physical and mental impairment. He was placed in an insane asylum. As a cloistered nun, Therese was not permitted to leave and visit her father. In her grief she entered into a period of great spiritual dryness. She felt as if Jesus wasn’t responding to her prayers, and she often fell asleep during them.
Knowing that she was not going to accomplish big things in her life as a Carmelite, she was looking for a way to make her life worthwhile, to make her life matter. She began to see that she could make a difference in little things, little sacrifices. She likened them to scattering flowers. Each flower was a little sacrifice, whether it be smiling at those she didn’t like, or taking the blame and begging forgiveness on her knees for something she didn’t do. No one even knew of her little sacrifices. She received no accolades. In this way, they cost her even more than if she had done some big public sacrifice with accolades and fame.
Therese’s goal was to become a Saint. She realized that this was not going be done on a field of glory and fame; that for her, it would be accomplished in little ways. One of Therese’s sisters had her write a journal of her daily life, which after her death, was published. Through her writings millions of Catholic and Christians have been inspired to imitate the “Little Flower” by doing little things for holiness each day.
As I mentioned in the beginning, what I love most about Saint Therese of Lisieux was her humanness. She was self-centered, prone to emotional outbursts, manipulative, suffered periods of spiritual dryness, and fell asleep during her prayers! And, in spite of all, she became a Saint. This gives us each hope, for in our own humanness, in our sinfulness, we can find a path to holiness. God calls us each to be holy, especially those of us who are most sinful.
Look to Saint Therese of Lisieux for hope and inspiration. Pray for help and intercession, that like her, you may become holy in little ways.
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