St. Therese Speaks to Us - Self Abandonment

"My heart is entirely filled with the will of Jesus; therefore when anything over and above falls to its share, this does not penetrate to its depths; it is a mere nothing which easily glides by, as oil on the surface of limpid water. Ah! if my heart were not filled up beforehand, had it to be filled by the sentiments of joy or of sadness which so quickly succeed each other, bitter indeed would be this flood tide of pain, but these rapid alternations do no more than ruffle the surface of my soul, and I remain ever in a profound peace that nothing can disturb." Excepted from Story of A Soul

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to always seek to lose ourselves in your merciful heart.

This photo of St. Therese as a novice and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Love of God

"The love of God reveals itself in the very simplest souls who resists His grace in nothing, as well as in the most sublime. Indeed, the characteristic of love being to humble itself, if all souls resembled those of the holy Doctors who have enlightened the Church, the good God would not seem to descend low enough in coming to them. But He has created the infant who knows nothing and can only wail; He has created the poor savage who has but the natural law for guidance, and it is even unto their hearts that He designs to stoop. " Excerpted from Story of A Soul

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to see that we are loved by You in spite of our faults and weaknesses.

This photo of St. Therese at age 3 and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Faith

"I have asked God to send me a beautiful dream to console me when you are gone," said a novice. 'Ah! that is a thing I should never do - ask for consolation! ... Since you wish to be like me you well know that I say: "Oh! fear not, Lord, that I shall waken Thee: I await in peace th' eternal shore..." 'It is so sweet to serve the good God in the dark night of trial; we have this life only in which to live by faith." Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to accept sufferings without consolation for love of you.

This photo of St. Therese taken one month before her death and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Holy Communion

"The demon, traitor that he is, knows well, that he cannot make a soul who wills to belong wholly to the good God, commit sin; therefore he endeavours only to persuade her that she sins. That is a great deal gained, but it is not yet enough to satisfy his rage...he aims at something further, he wants to deprive Jesus of a loved tabernacle. Not being able himself to enter into this sanctuary he wishes that it may at least remain empty and without its Lord. Alas! what will become of this poor heart? ...When the devil has succeeded in driving away a soul from Holy Communion he has gained his ends, and Jesus weeps..." Excerpted from a letter to her cousin Marie Guerin

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to always seek to stay close to Jesus by receiving Holy Communion frequently.

This photograph of St. Therese at eight and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Confidence

"To a novice, who bitterly repented of a fault just committed, Soeur Therese said: 'Take your Crucifix and kiss it.' The novice kissed the feet. 'Is that how a child embraces her Father? Put your arms round His neck immediately and kiss His Face. ' She obeyed. 'That is not all, He must return your caresses.' And she had to hold the Crucifix to each cheek; then Therese said: 'That is well, now all is forgiven!" Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to see that we can always ask your forgiveness.

A copy of this painting of St. Therese done by her sister Celine and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Mortification

"To a novice who was bewailing her want of courage: "You complain of what should cause you the greatest happiness. Where would be your merit if you must fight only when you felt the courage? What matters it if you have none, provided that you act as if you had! If you feel too slothful to pick up a bit of thread, and that nevertheless you do it for the love of Jesus, you have more merit that if in a moment of fervour you were to accomplish something of far greater importance. So instead of being sorrowful, rejoice to see that in letting you feel your weakness the good Master provides you with an opportunity of gaining for Him a greater number of souls." Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to see that our failings and shortcomings can be a source of grace for us.

This photo of St. Therese and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Trust in God

"If I am misguiding you by my little way of Love, she said to a novice, do not fear that I shall let you follow it very long. I shall appear to you, and tell you to take another path; but if I do not return, believe in the truth of my words; never can we have too much confidence in the good God, so mighty and so merciful! As much as we hope for shall we obtain from Him!..." Excerpted from Story of a Soul

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to always have total confidence in your love for us and your intention to care for our lives.

This photo of St. Therese and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Gratitude

"Walking one day in the garden, leaning on one of her sisters, Therese paused to enjoy the fascinating sight of a little white hen sheltering its chickens beneath its wings. Very soon her eyes filled with tears, and turning to her dear companion she said; "I can stay no longer, let us go in again quickly..." And in her cell, her tears continued falling and she could not utter a word. At last, looking at her sister with an expression that was quite heavenly, she said:

"I was thinking of our Lord, and of the touching comparison He chose in order to make us believe in his tenderness. That is just what He has done for me all my life: He has wholly hidden me beneath His wings! I cannot express what passed within my heart. Ah! the good God does well to veil Himself from my sight, to show me the effects of His Mercy rarely, and as it were, "through the lattices;" such consolations would, I feel, be more than I could bear. " Excerpted from Story of a Soul

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to see our littleness and nothingness as graces given to us by God. Help us to see and acknowledge the signs of gratitude in our lives.

This photo of St. Therese in death and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Love of God

"The love of God reveals itself in the very simplest soul who resists His grace in nothing as well as in the most sublime. Indeed, the characteristic of love being to humble itself, if all souls resembled those of the holy Doctors who have enlightened the Church, the good God would not seem to descend low enough in coming to them. But He has created the infant who knows nothing and can only wail; He has created the poor savage who has but the natural law for guidance, and it is even unto their hearts that He deigns to stoop." Excerpted from Story of a Soul.

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to see our littleness and nothingness as graces given to us by God.

This photo of St. Therese and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Remain Little

"A novice under temptation which seemed to her insurmountable said: "This time I cannot rise above it - it is impossible." Therese replied: "Why do you try to rise above it? Pass beneath it quite simply. It is very well for great souls to soar high above the clouds when the storm is raging, but for us, we have merely to bear the showers with patience. If we do get rather wet - no matter! We shall dry ourselves afterwards in the sunshine of Love.

That brings to mind this little trait of my childhood; a horse one day standing at the garden gate barred our entrance; those with me endeavoured by force of talking, etc., to get him to move back, but while they talked I very quietly slipped in, through the horse's legs...See how one may gain by remaining little!" Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences.

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to remember to to see the value in remaining little.

This photo of St. Therese at age 3 and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Love of Neighbor

"A novice remarked to Soeur Therese: "I do not like to see others suffer, especially saintly souls." She replied instantly:
"Oh! I am not like you: to see saints suffer never moves me to pity! I know they have the strength to endure, and they thus give great glory to God; but those who are not holy, who know not how to profit by their sufferings, oh! how I pity them; they do indeed arouse my compassion, and I would do all I could to comfort and help them." Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to remember to not be afraid of suffering and to see its redemptive value.

This photo of St. Therese and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Confidence

"Truly the Heart of Jesus is more grieved by the thousand little imperfections of His friends than by even grave faults of His enemies. But it seems to me that it is only when His own chosen ones make a habit of these infidelities, and do not ask His pardon, that He can say: "These wounds which you see in the midst of My Hands; with these was I wounded in the house of them that loved Me."

For those who love Him and who come after each little fault and throw themselves into His arms, begging His forgiveness, the Heart of Jesus thrills with joy. He says to His Angels what the father of the prodigal son said to His servants: "Put a ring on his finger and let us rejoice." Oh! the goodness and the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus, how little is it known! True it is, that to share in these treasures we must humble ourselves, must acknowledge our nothingness, and that is what many souls are unwilling to do." Excerpted from VII Letter to Her Missionary "Brothers"

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to remember to remain as little children and always flee into Your arms.

This holy card of St. Therese and other inspirational items about her can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.

St. Therese Speaks to Us - Simplicity

"You are wrong to find fault with one thing and another, and to seek that all should yield to your way of viewing things. We want to be like little children, and little children know not what is best, to them all seems well; let us imitate them. Besides there would be no merit (in obedience) were we only to do what would appear reasonable to us."
Excerpted from Counsels and Reminiscences

Oh little St. Therese, instill in our hearts a love of your little way. Help us to remember to always remain as little children.

This reproduction of a painting of St. Therese done by her sister Celine and other inspirational items about St. Therese can be purchased from our webstore The Little Way.