Happy Feast Day!

On October 1, the Church celebrated the Feast Day of St. Therese. I have always had a special love and devotion to her. As a mother, I lean on the wisdom of St. Therese's Little Way, both for my own spirituality and for teaching my daughter about the faith.

This year, I was determined to try to keep this Feast Day in our own home. As it happened, Rose Marie woke up that morning with an awful cold, so I felt slightly discouraged. However, it turned out to be a blessing. She and I spent the good part of the morning setting up a special area in our home dedicated to St. Therese. Rose Marie poured her whole little being into making it special. We went to the store to find candles. When I asked her which color St. Therese would like, she carefully looked over the options and said, "Mama, St. Therese loves pink, she likes pink candles." So, pink it was! We went to chose three roses to give to St. Therese and of course, she chose pink again! The long and short of it was that, despite how sick she felt, she was determined to make the day special for Jesus' friend. In the midst of her efforts and preparations, she forgot about her cold. She filled the vase with water and arranged our three humble roses, she placed the candles next to St. Therese's picture and then stood back to admire her handiwork.

I realize that she does not understand the theology of St. Therese's Little Way, but I think her little heart knew it in a special way. She knows that Jesus is St. Therese's "best Friend," because she explained this fact to me several times throughout the day. The candles remained lit throughout the day and they would draw Rose Marie to the table, where she would gaze at the photo, make sure everything was in order, and she would quietly say, "St. Therese, pray for Rose Marie."

Yes, St. Therese, please pray for Rose Marie and for her Mommy.