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Grace Is Everywhere!
by Brian
For decades, St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, has captured the minds and hearts of countless Catholics, both young and old, with her spirituality known as the “little way.” Therese’s life and teachings, especially through her autobiography “Story of A Soul” have been at the forefront of a spiritual movement that has shown lay people the truth of how holiness is for everyone, no matter your vocation or station in life.
I must admit that unlike many Catholics I did not jump on the “little way” bandwagon. In my opinion, there were a number of Carmelite saints, such as Elizabeth of the Trinity, Teresa of the Andes and Raphael Kalinowski who also made worthy contributions to the field of spirituality, but were never given due attention because of Therese’s popularity.
However, God works in mysterious ways! My attitude toward Therese and her little way completely changed one day while reading a book on interior freedom. In one section of the book the author explained that after re-reading her work “Story of a Soul,” right before she was taken to her Heavenly home, Therese said, “Everything is grace.” These words struck my heart in such a profound way that I immediately began reflecting upon them and soon after found myself praying over them.
My reflection and prayers led me to conclude that these three words were at the heart of Therese’s little way. Therese, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knew that all the crosses and blessings she received, whether they were spiritual consolations and holy lights or sickness and death, came from the hands of a loving Father. How could Therese not see everything as grace?
Reflecting and praying over Therese’s words “everything is grace” was like a cool breeze sweeping over my soul. In many ways, it renewed my commitment to Christ by helping me see how all the little routine and mundane things that make up my daily life were filled with Jesus Christ. On the other hand, it made me painfully aware of how each day I would allow numerous graces, no matter how they were disguised, to slip through my fingers because of my spiritual ignorance and hard heartedness.
By doing my best to recognize how all the events and happenings of my daily life are moments of grace, whether they are blessings or crosses, I have found joy, peace and especially love. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, my wife can vouch for that, but I have found that Christ is beside me every moment of every day.
I am sure people emphasize various aspects of Therese’s little way. One person may emphasize her humility while another her simplicity. What is most important is to realize that the little way is all about recognizing that “everything is grace.”
God bless.