IFTTT Autopost 
Today’s missionary hero is one of the most famous and popular saints of all time, St. Therese Martin, known in Religious life as Sr. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She is also commonly known as Therese of Lisieux or “The Little Flower.”
Therese was born in France on January 2, 1873 into a very devout family. In fact, both of her parents, Louis and Zélie, were canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, and her sister Léonie, a Visitation Sister, has been named a Servant of God by the Church. Therese’s other 3 sisters were Discalced Carmelite nuns as was Therese.
Therese entered the Carmel in Lisieux at the age of 15. Sr. Therese wanted to do something very special for Jesus. For example she wanted to be a priest, but she couldn’t because of her gender. She wanted to be a missionary in Vietnam, but she couldn’t as her health wasn’t strong enough for the missionary life. And she wanted to be a martyr, but that was not likely to happen to a nun cloistered in a French Carmel.
So, after much prayer and reflection, Therese decided she would be a great lover of Jesus. To do that, she would do every task the best way she could, all for the honor and glory of God. So, if she was washing dishes, she did the best she could. She called this the “little way” of spirituality. And because this “little way” can be used by any human being regardless of their station in life, it became quite popular.
Therese felt that by living the little way, she could be a “little flower” in God’s garden, not a “big flower” like a rose or a lily that great saints were, but rather giving glory to God as a simple violet or daisy.
Therese also felt very close to priests, especially missionary priests. So, she devoted much of her prayer life for the missions and missionary priests. And, before she died, she said she planned on spending her time in heaven serving the people on earth, sending forth a shower of roses to those in need.
Therese died on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24 from tuberculosis. After her death, one of her sisters who was also in the same Carmel as Therese, had Therese’s autobiography made into a book. This book, called The Story of a Soul, is one of the most profound works in Catholic Christianity. In fact, as a result of it, Therese was declared a Doctor (teacher) of the Church.
Pope Pius XI canonized Therese on May 17, 1925. St. Therese, the Little Flower, is a patron saint of missionaries, florists, persons with AIDS, and the sick. St. Therese’s feast day is October 1.
What a beautiful life, I see the inspiration for Mother Theresa’s life and work.