The Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux

Prayer is, for me, an outburst from the heart; it is a simple glance darted upwards to Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and of love in the midst of trial as in the midst of joy! In a word, it is something exalted, supernatural, which dilates the soul and unites it to God. Sometimes when I find myself, spiritually, in dryness so great that I cannot produce a single good thought, I recite very slowly a Pater or an Ave Maria; these prayers alone console me, they suffice, they nourish my soul.
Story of A Soul, Chapter X

St. Therese, one of the most popular saints of modern times, has much to teach us.

When we are tempted to think of spirituality as a complex thing, as one more skill to master, she reminds us of its essential, necessary simplicity.

When we dedicate ourselves to the goal of being something great: rich, famous, powerful or influential, she humbles us. As an adult, St. Therese never left her convent, but her life and words have helped bring millions closer to God.

When we give into the deception that the only things worth doing are the things that bring us attention or make us a profit, she calls us to the "little way" of infusing every single action of every minute of our days with love. That is enough.

My life is an instant,
a fleeting hour.
My life is a moment,
which swiftly escapes me.
O my God, you know that
on earth I have only today
to love you.