Why Little Things Matter In Prayer and Work, Part II
October 1st was the feast of St Therese of Lisieux. She's been a relatively popular saint since her death at age 24 in 1897 and canonization in 1925.
Continuing our thoughts about why little things matter in prayer and work, let's think about St Therese. She wrote about what she called her "little way."
If you're not careful, she can seem a bit "light" as a saint. There's her nickname, "the little flower." Photos show her as small and cute. When I was growing up, I thought of her performing her duties conscientiously, striving for perfection. Not that that's all that easy to do, but not quite St Isaac Jogues having his fingers cut off by the American Indians to whom he preached.
We all knew she suffered from tuberculosis, so it wasn't like we didn't know she suffered. But somehow, for whatever the reasons, she was the sweet, little nun more appropriate for kids than us he-men.
Then in 1997, Pope John Paul II named her a Doctor of the Church. I remember when it happened. Hmmm...even though I prayed to her, I thought I might be missing something. After all, other Doctors of the Church were men like Augustine or Jerome, women like Catherine of Siena. A Doctor of the Church had something to do with doctrinal or theological matters, not just working conscientiously every day. So I got a copy of "Story of a Soul" - a kind of autobiography St Therese wrote at the direction of her religious superior.
If you haven't read it, get a copy. If you don't know why she's a Doctor of the Church, this book will open you eyes. And you'll get a real appreciation for her "Little Way," as well as a deeper understanding of the whole concept of heroic virtue.
Now with that in mind, you look at the little things in your day. You can start just with the prayers you say right now, with the work you do right now. You don't have to add more prayers to your day, or more hours to your work. Just take what you do and do it something like the way St Therese might do it.
You'll see how the intention with which you do little things matters in the most profound way imaginable.
Continuing our thoughts about why little things matter in prayer and work, let's think about St Therese. She wrote about what she called her "little way."
If you're not careful, she can seem a bit "light" as a saint. There's her nickname, "the little flower." Photos show her as small and cute. When I was growing up, I thought of her performing her duties conscientiously, striving for perfection. Not that that's all that easy to do, but not quite St Isaac Jogues having his fingers cut off by the American Indians to whom he preached.
We all knew she suffered from tuberculosis, so it wasn't like we didn't know she suffered. But somehow, for whatever the reasons, she was the sweet, little nun more appropriate for kids than us he-men.
Then in 1997, Pope John Paul II named her a Doctor of the Church. I remember when it happened. Hmmm...even though I prayed to her, I thought I might be missing something. After all, other Doctors of the Church were men like Augustine or Jerome, women like Catherine of Siena. A Doctor of the Church had something to do with doctrinal or theological matters, not just working conscientiously every day. So I got a copy of "Story of a Soul" - a kind of autobiography St Therese wrote at the direction of her religious superior.
If you haven't read it, get a copy. If you don't know why she's a Doctor of the Church, this book will open you eyes. And you'll get a real appreciation for her "Little Way," as well as a deeper understanding of the whole concept of heroic virtue.
Now with that in mind, you look at the little things in your day. You can start just with the prayers you say right now, with the work you do right now. You don't have to add more prayers to your day, or more hours to your work. Just take what you do and do it something like the way St Therese might do it.
You'll see how the intention with which you do little things matters in the most profound way imaginable.
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