My Patron Saint: St. Therese of Lisieux of the Child Jesus

Joseph Schmidt’s book “Everything is Grace – The Life and Way of Therese of Lisieux” is one that I open time and again.  Each chapter is filled with faith filled prayers, sentiments and spiritual experiences as captured by the Little Flower in her journal entries. She shares the early years of her life and how she was so loved by her family.  Her parents Louis and Zelie Martin went through so much suffering having lost 4 of their 9 children as infants.  Her beloved mother died when she was only four.  Despite her family’s grief, their faith in the Lord never wavered.  Although St. Therese became known as the Little Flower because of her immeasurable capacity to love and forgive, it was her love of God that drove her calling.  After being denied twice to join the Carmelites because of her young age of 15, she embarked on a very long and difficult journey to plead her case directly to the Pope.  After much prayer and many shed tears, she was finally granted permission.

Her Little Way

In her short life of 24 years, St. Therese shows us how we can use her “little way” of simple gestures in daily life to show our trust and love for God.  She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925 and has been acclaimed “the greatest saint of modern times.”  In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church – the only Doctor of his pontificate – in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality and intercession has influenced people all over the world.

Praying to God in her own words, Draw Me was her simple prayer:“I ask Jesus to draw me into the flames of his love, to unite me so closely to Him that He live and act in me’

Another quote that I love:

“Remember the world is your ship, not your home.”

Prayer to St. Therese:

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, Please pick a rose for me From the heavenly gardens And send it to me As a message of love. O little flower of Jesus, Ask God today to grant the favors I now place with confidence In your hands.

(Mention your specific requests)
St. Therese, help me to always believe, As you did, In God’s great love for me, So that I might imitate your “Little Way” each day. Amen