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Fellow Pilgrims in Christ,

Among the saints who shine most brightly in modern times, few have touched the world with such sweetness and depth as St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, better known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux or “The Little Flower.” Though she lived only twenty-four years, her simple and profound spirituality has transformed countless hearts across the globe.

Thérèse Martin was born in 1873 in Alençon, France, the youngest daughter of Louis and Zélie Martin—who themselves were canonized as saints in 2015. From the start, Thérèse’s life was marked by both joy and suffering. She lost her mother to breast cancer at the tender age of four, and her sensitive spirit often wrestled with scruples, illness, and sorrow. Yet through her family’s deep faith and tender love, she was formed in an atmosphere of prayer and devotion.

At just fifteen years old—after boldly petitioning the Pope himself for permission—Thérèse entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. Behind cloistered walls, she embraced a hidden life of prayer, sacrifice, and humble obedience, where her “Little Way” would begin to blossom.

What made Thérèse extraordinary was not grand works or dramatic miracles, but her conviction that holiness could be found in the smallest of daily actions. She believed in “the little way”—that each smile offered when weary, each small sacrifice borne silently, each hidden act of kindness could become an offering of great love to God.

Her own words capture this beautifully: “Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.”

Thérèse compared herself to a small flower in the Lord’s garden—not the tall rose or majestic lily, but a little wildflower hidden and unnoticed, yet still radiant in God’s sight. Through this image, she gave us a path of holiness accessible to everyone.

St. Thérèse lived a time when France was deeply divided between secular forces and the Catholic Church. The faith was under assault in many public spheres, yet the Carmelite convent became a quiet fortress of prayer. At the same time, the Church was emphasizing global missions, and although Thérèse never left her convent, her prayers and sacrifices were offered for missionaries across the world. This is why she was later named Patroness of Missions, a striking irony for a cloistered nun who never set foot abroad.

In obedience, Thérèse wrote her autobiography, Story of a Soul, which was published after her death in 1897 from tuberculosis. Her words, filled with simplicity, honesty, and fire, quickly spread far beyond Lisieux. They inspired both ordinary believers and great theologians, convincing many that trust in God’s mercy and childlike confidence are the surest ways to heaven.

Pope Pius XI called her the “Star of his pontificate” and canonized her in 1925. In 1997, Pope St. John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, one of the youngest and few women to receive that title.

In an age obsessed with achievement, fame, and grandeur, St. Thérèse’s “Little Way” reminds us that holiness does not lie in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things with extraordinary love. Whether folding laundry, writing emails, or bearing hidden sufferings, every act offered to God with love has eternal weight.

She teaches us that God is not looking for the strong or the powerful, but for the willing heart that trusts Him completely. Her life is proof that the smallest flower can perfume the entire Church.

As we honor St. Thérèse of Lisieux, let us seek to imitate her trust, her humility, and her love for Jesus in the little things. May we, too, walk the Little Way, confident that in every small sacrifice, we draw nearer to heaven.

“I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux