Tuesday, October 1, 2013

St. Terese, The Little Flower and Doctor of the Church

The Little Flower
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux who is one of the most beloved saints of our time. She is a Doctor of the Church, patron of missionaries and author of the Story of A Soul.

Virtue of Cheerfulness
One of my favorite accounts about St. Therese is one describing her interaction with a fellow nun who was especially difficult to get along with. St. Therese's response was to simply be nicer to that nun and smile at her as often as possible; she was practicing the virtue of cheerfulness. There is a great scene in the movie Therese (now available for streaming on Netflix) depicting this story. The other nun is so moved by Therese's kindness that she can't help but ask, "Why do you like me so much." Although Therese doesn't specifically say so in the scene, it's because she sees Christ in that nun.

The Simple Way
Herein lies one of the simply ways which we can model the Little Flower. I am sure each of you reading this post, knows at least one person you work with or encounter regularly who challenges your ability to be friendly. Smile, bite your tongue and remember they too are made in the image and likeness of God.

Word on Fire Video

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