On October 1, Catholics celebrate the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux. For those who love TEC, this is a special feast day for us, as Therese is the patron saint of the TEC movement! (Click here to read more about how Therese embodies the spirit of TEC.)
Therese believed with her whole heart that sainthood was attainable not just for herself but for everyone who loves God and does all things with love for God in their hearts. Sainthood was not some far-off, distant desire that only a few may achieve through outstanding acts of martyrdom, bravery, and faith— Therese lived with the certainty that everyone can become a saint through what she called the “little way.”
Talking with chatty nuns when she would have preferred working in silence; smiling and being friendly to those she disliked; decorating statues around the convent with flowers and keeping those areas tidy; declining to receive credit for work well done; gracefully accepting criticism, whether warranted or not… through all these small acts, Therese made little sacrifices throughout her day with only the thought of pleasing God. Alongside deep prayer, she offered insults, annoyances, and frustrations to Jesus for the conversion of sinners and found joy in the ordinary work of life:
“I was working in the laundry, and while washing handkerchiefs, the Sister opposite me repeatedly splashed me with dirty water. My first impulse was to draw back and wipe my face, to show the offender I would be glad if she would behave more quietly; but the next minute I thought how foolish it was to refuse the treasures God offered me so generously, and I refrained from betraying my annoyance. On the contrary, I made such efforts to welcome the shower of dirty water, that at the end of half an hour I had taken quite a fancy to this novel kind of aspersion, and I resolved to come as often as I could to the happy spot where such treasures were freely bestowed.” (St. Therese, Story of a Soul)
“I was working in the laundry, and while washing handkerchiefs, the Sister opposite me repeatedly splashed me with dirty water. My first impulse was to draw back and wipe my face, to show the offender I would be glad if she would behave more quietly; but the next minute I thought how foolish it was to refuse the treasures God offered me so generously, and I refrained from betraying my annoyance." -St. Therese
We, too, can fix our gaze on God.
In the last six months, we have found our own lives stripped down to nearly the bare minimum while following social distancing measures and COVID-19 precautions. Perhaps we have found ourselves suffering from cabin fever, or sick with worry over how to protect our families or maintain our finances. Maybe the excess of time at home has been a strain on our relationships with those we live with, or maybe the burden of being truly, fully isolated has been difficult to bear. We may find ourselves frustrated with the responses of our neighbors or differences in opinions.
Although Therese did not live through a pandemic, her own suffering (and eventual death) from tuberculosis and her utter faith in God throughout her trial point to how we, too, can fix our gaze on God no matter how we suffer or the response of the world around us. Therese’s little way serves as the ultimate example for how we can find joy and gratitude in the ordinary, when all events, outings, and other escapes no longer fill our time. When we are frustrated with others or with our situations, we can still sacrifice all that weighs us down in the name of God’s love. We can turn to him in all that we do and say and pray that our actions lead others to him.
Ultimately, Therese’s lifestyle included “making [herself] little,” so small that she could be carried by God like a child. What can we give up or sacrifice to make ourselves small so that God may carry us? What can we offer up in love during this time when nothing feels quite normal? How can we follow Therese’s little way through the pandemic and straight to God’s heart?
