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‘Perfection lies in being just what he wants us to be.’ Therese of Lisieux understood our unique identity in God, and spent her life bringing others to know this truth, leading her to describe herself one as “the mother of souls.” But Therese is also widely known as “The Little Flower” for her simplicity and her belief in smallness as an attitude before God.
Allied to smallness is weakness, and therefore Therese found this to be an essential part of the Christian’s journey, encouraging us to be ‘joyful’ in it as it leads us to God on a daily basis. Such gratitude overflows her thinking, making her praise and prayer simple and immediate.
Born in 1873 in Normandy, France, Thérèse had a childhood split by loss but bolstered by a doting father and siblings. When her sisters entered the Carmel, the under-age Thérèse couldn’t wait to follow, even daring to speak directly to the Pope. Her littleness often belied her fierce determination.
Thérèse died aged just 24 from tuberculosis.
This book is written by noted scholar John Udris and superbly illustrated by well-known calligrapher Lynne Muir.
