Thérèse of Lisieux entered the convent at the tender age of fifteen and died at the tender age of twenty-four. If it hadn’t been for her biological sister, Pauline, who was her mother superior and assigned Thérèse, under the vow of obedience, the task of writing out her spiritual story, her legacy would be relegated to a folder in some dusty corner of the archives. Canonized in 1925, a mere twenty-eight years after her death, however, Thérèse has not only become one of the most popular saints in the history of the Catholic Church, but has been named a Doctor of the Church, and is considered to be a spiritual master the world over. Her “little way,” which insists that we only ever encounter the Lord authentically in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives, inspired a certain missionary sister to choose the religious name Teresa before going halfway around the world to serve the poor, and has awakened countless souls to the utter closeness of our salvation. Let’s slow things down and keep things simple this week. Let’s pay attention to the details and smile with each new surprise. Let’s bask in the mystery of our littleness and, with Thérèse, find our way back to Jesus.
Ave Crux, Spes Unica 🌹
