A Thank You Letter To Saint Therese on Her Feast Day

Dear St. Therese, the Little Flower,

I finished reading your autobiography at a time in my life when I needed to know that the little things mattered. You challenged me to ask God to show me the hidden graces that I had helped to bestow.  One by one, seeds I had planted long ago came back to me.  A man from church quoted word for word what I had said to him a year ago that changed his whole perspective. A friend from high school reminisced about how I made cookie bouquets for the nursing home and how that memory had inspired her to get out of her comfort zone and creatively give back to the community. And the list goes on.  Things that I had completely forgotten, or had never seen the fruits of, were brought to my attention.  What a gift to see myself in a new light, to know I was not striving for naught.

Then your visions gave me greater insight into the love of God.  The image you received of bypassing the giant stairs to heaven with a Jesus elevator ride blew my mind!  That was the first time that I realized life could be easy.  Everything did not need to be a struggle or discipline or earning our way.  No, you gave a beautiful illustration of the way love elevates us quickly, lifting us out of the mire.  This shifted my whole attitude on grace. 

The simple way you wrote your stories, the way you looked at others with such compassion and love, reminded me that we are holy in our littleness. I am grateful I can open up this book of your private writings at any point and be renewed by your insights from across time and space. And I delight in the way you bring flowers to those who pray your novena ! You made me realize not only that miracles happen every day, but that we are ourselves miracles.

With Gratitude,

Julie