St. Therese of Lisieux

“I wondered for a long time why God has preferences, why all souls don’t receive an equal amount of graces… Jesus deigned to teach me this mystery. He set before me the book of nature; I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the Lily do not take away the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers….And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden…Perfection consists in doing God’s will, in being what He wills us to be.” - from Story of a Soul 

Therese of Lisieux was a 19th century French Carmelite nun who died at the age of 24. She left behind numerous letters and her spiritual autobiography, written under obedience, Story of a Soul. Therese was nicknamed, the little flower, because she received a revelation from God that though she was not a great saint, an elegant rose or a gorgeous Lily, she was infinitely loved and cherished by Jesus just as are all the little flowers of the garden. We will read from her letters and Story of a Soul that we too might discover our inherent preciousness, dignity, and belovedness as little flowers growing in the garden of God’s heart.  Come join us! All are welcome!