St. Thérèse of Lisieux

October 1

Twenty-Four Years

Thérèse Martin was born in France on January 2, 1873, the last of nine children born to Louis and Zellie Martin. Her mother passed into eternity when she was four and a half years old. Her 16 year old sister Pauline became her “second mother,” but Pauline entered the Carmelite order five years later. Only a few months after that, Thérèse herself became so ill that she appeared to be dying.

When little Thérèse Martin saw her sisters praying to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in her room, she also prayed. She saw the Blessed Virgin smile, and suddenly she was cured.

In time, her sister Marie also became a Carmelite and her other sister Leonie became a Poor Clare. Thérèse was left alone with her last sister Celine, and her father.

By the age of 11, little Thérèse had developed the habit of mental prayer. She often went into a little space between her bed and the wall to reflect in solitude on God, on life, and on eternity. But she refused to do housework and, when anyone criticized her, she would cry up a tempest.

On Christmas Eve in 1886, at the age of 14, Thérèse experienced a conversion. From then on, her driving energy and sensitive spirit focused on love, instead of on keeping herself happy. Her love for God was so great that, at 15, she decided to join her sisters Pauline and Marie in the Carmelite convent. However, the Carmelite superior refused to take Thérèse because she was so young. So she went to the bishop. When the bishop also said no, most young girls would have moved on. But Thérèse decided to go over his head too. Her father and sister took her to Rome to try to get her mind off this incredible plan. Somehow, they were able to arrange an audience with the Pope. They had been forbidden to speak to the pope, but little Thérèse suddenly begged him to let her become a Carmelite. Two of the pope’s guards carried her away, but the Pope’s Vicar General was impressed, and she soon was admitted, taking as her name in religion Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

Soon after that, Thérèse began to experience so much desolation, lack of awareness of God’s presence in our life, that she would lament, “Jesus isn't doing much to keep the conversation going.”

Pauline was elected prioress while Thérèse was still a novice. Many of the sisters feared that the Martin family would take over and push the other sisters around. To allay their fears, Pauline asked Thérèse to remain a permanent novice, and never to become a fully professed nun. She would always have to ask permission for everything she did. Humbly, she agreed. Soon after that, her last sister Celine also joined the convent.

After a long struggle with illness, Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face passed into eternity on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were, “My God, I love You!”

The Little Way

Thérèse knew that as a permanent Carmelite novice she would never be able to perform great deeds. She believed that love proves itself by deeds, so she wondered how she would be able to show her great love. She came up with her “little way.” If she could not do magnificent deeds, she would do small deeds magnificently. She took every opportunity for sacrifice, even the smallest.

She smiled at sisters who always gave her a hard time. She ate whatever she was given without complaint, even the worst leftovers. When she was accused of breaking a vase, which she had not done, instead of defending herself she kneeled down and begged forgiveness. She loved flowers, and saw herself as the “little flower of Jesus,” scattering these small sacrifices as flowers all over the convent.

This is the great path to heaven Thérèse has given us all: If we cannot not do magnificent deeds, we can at least do small deeds magnificently. Whatever our place in the vineyard, we can carry the cross Jesus has given us with extraordinary grace.

Thérèse in Eternity

Thérèse resolved that her mission to make God loved would begin after her death. “I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” Roses have become her signature. The Catholic Community of the Beatitudes in Denver has a special relationship with St. Thérèse. Each year they put on their Rose Petal Evenings, which ask St. Thérèse for special intercessions, which are granted in a remarkable number of instances.

Pope Pius XI canonized her as St. Thérèse on May 17, 1925. Then, on October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Thérèse a doctor ecclesiae, Doctor of the Church.