Today is Oct. 1, the memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and Doctor of the Church.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3-4).
“To my mind,” writes Father Bernard Bro, OP, “the life and example of Thérése of Lisieux are those few days of unexpected sunshine before harvest.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the French Carmelite nun, is undoubtedly one of the greatest saints of modern times. But why? What was her secret? What was it that she understood so clearly that offers, as Father Bro puts it, “unexpected sunshine”?
The answer is small but mighty: littleness. St. Thérèse writes: “When I read this or that spiritual treatise, in which perfection is represented as being hedged about with a thousand obstacles and encompassed by a host of illusions, my poor little spirit soon grows weary; I close the learned book, since it only puzzles my brain and dries up my heart, and I turn to Holy Scripture instead.” St. Thérèse is not afraid to put things aside that don’t help her grow in virtue or understanding. She is not afraid of being little.
St. Thérèse’s understanding of “being little,” put very simply, means allowing someone else to be the master. Like a child, who relies on parents and teachers, in the spiritual life, we must rely on friends and guides — above all the Lord himself. Practically speaking, for St. Thérèse, that means doing everyday things with extraordinary love.
Little St. Thérèse is right. God’s grace is found at work in the little things. In chores, like dishes and laundry and raking leaves. In prayers, like the ones we’ll pray together every morning. Today, let’s imitate St. Thérèse’s way of seeking God in the little things, relying a little less on ourselves and a little more on God.
Prayer invoking the intercession of St. Thérèse:
O God, who open your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones, lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of Saint Thérèse, so that through her intercession we may see your eternal glory revealed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
My Daily Visitor spiritual reflections are a dose of daily Catholic inspiration from Our Sunday Visitor magazine.
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