Little Lessons from St. Therese of Lisieux: An Introduction to Her Words and Wisdom

Therese Martin wanted to accomplish the most heroic deeds for Christ; she wanted to be a saint, a prophet, a martyr, a Doctor of the Church, a missionary. I would be a light unto souls; I would travel to every land to preach Your name, O my Beloved, she wrote. I would spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, even to the most distant isles.

In time, Therese would achieve all of those things, despite the fact that she died at the age of twenty-four after spending nine years as a cloistered Carmelite nun. The autobiography that was published after her death, Story of a Soul, propelled her to international renown, making her one of the most popular saints of modern times. Charming in its childlike simplicity, yet full of profound (and hard-won) wisdom, Story of a Soul found millions of readers, inspiring many to follow her little way of detachment, sacrifice, and joy. Today, the Church honors her not only as a saint, but as a patron of missionaries and a Doctor of the Church (one of the Church’s greatest teachers).

Little Lessons from St. Therese of Lisieux presents brief excerpts from Story of a Soul as a way of introducing those unfamiliar with Therese to some of the essential themes of her spirituality. The words of St. Therese are accompanied by the artwork of award-winning watercolorist Jeanine Crowe, a wonderful aid to prayerful meditation on the words and wisdom of St. Therese of Lisieux.

Little Lessons from St. Therese of Lisieux includes twenty-one selections from the words of St. Therese, twenty artworks, and ten questions for reflection and discussion.