In this episode of Saint of the Week, we honor Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, known affectionately as The Little Flower of Jesus. Though she lived only 24 years, her humble and profound spirituality has left a lasting legacy in the Church and in the hearts of believers worldwide.
Early Life and Spiritual Sensitivity
Saint Thérèse was born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France. She was the youngest of nine children, though only five daughters survived into adulthood. Her parents, Louis and Zélie Martin, were deeply devout and were themselves canonized as saints in 2015.
Thérèse was a sensitive and precocious child, displaying a spiritual depth uncommon for her age. After the death of her mother when she was just four years old, she became especially close to her older sister Pauline, who later entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux — a move that deeply inspired Thérèse.
At the age of 15, after much prayer and even appealing directly to Pope Leo XIII during a pilgrimage to Rome, Thérèse was granted special permission to enter the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. There, she took the name Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.
Within the cloister, Thérèse developed her famous spirituality known as “The Little Way”. Rather than seeking grand acts of penance or visible achievements, she believed in loving God through small, ordinary acts done with great love. She wrote: “What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love.”
She believed that holiness could be achieved through trust, humility, and offering up life’s daily struggles with love and faith.
Writings and Interior Life
Thérèse was asked by her prioress to write about her spiritual journey. The result was her autobiography, Story of a Soul, which has become a spiritual classic. In it, she reveals her profound trust in God’s mercy, her deep desire to be unknown and unnoticed, and her struggle with doubts and physical suffering.
Her writings resonate because of their simplicity and depth. She compared herself not to a mighty eagle soaring to heaven, but to a little bird, content to stay near God and trust in His grace.
In 1896, Thérèse began to suffer from tuberculosis, a disease that would claim her life 18 months later. During this time, she experienced profound physical pain and spiritual dryness — yet she never abandoned her faith. She died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24, whispering, “My God… I love You.”
Though her life was hidden, her impact was soon to be revealed.
Canonization and Legacy
Thérèse was canonized in 1925 by Pope Pius XI, just 28 years after her death. In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, recognizing the spiritual wisdom and insight she left behind. She is one of only four women to hold this title.
She is the patron saint of missions, not because she traveled the world, but because of her fervent prayer and spiritual solidarity with missionaries. She is also patron of florists and France.
Her feast day is celebrated on October 1st.
What We Can Learn
Saint Thérèse teaches us that holiness is not reserved for the few or the extraordinary. Her Little Way reminds us that every act, no matter how small, can be a path to sanctity when done with love. She challenges us to live with trust, humility, and a heart fully surrendered to God.
Join us next week for another moving edition of Saint of the Week, where we continue to celebrate the lives of the faithful who illuminate the path to holiness.
