Day 4- St. Therese's Favorite Crosses- Little Crosses

"Everything has much value in the religious life...Pick up a pin from a motive of love, and you may save a soul."  ~St. Therese

Preparatory Prayer:

Dear St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, I thank the Most Holy Trinity for all the graces lavished upon you, and through you upon the world.  I have great confidence in your intercession, both because of your power in Heaven, since you yourself said that "God would refuse you nothing," and because of your goodness and your promise that "no one would invoke you without receiving answer, since you would "spend your Heaven in doing good upon earth" and "let fall from Heaven a shower of roses."  Intercede for me with the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, that the Holy Spirit may assist me to understand your teaching on "Joy in Suffering" and may grant me the gift of fortitude, that fired with a burning love of God and souls, I may eagerly follow you in joyous suffering and share in your glorious triumph.  I promise to show my heartfelt gratitude by doing whatever I can to promote your honor and to make you ever more widely known and loved throughout the world, for the greater glory of the Most Holy Trinity.  Amen.

Reflection:

St. Therese dreamed of being like St. Joan of Arc who aided in saving France as a young women with her Faith and Courage.  Despite this, she knew that she would most likely never have an opportunity to fight in a war on the battlefield or to be a martyr.  This led St. Therese to find another way, or a "little way" in which she could fight spiritual warfare, without ever leaving her monastery.  She knew that everyone had the ability to do small things....and had the opportunity to do small things with love many times throughout one day!  This became a way for her to become a great saint- like Joan of Arc, but not in dying once as a martyr but in dying to her own will many times throughout her days.  In this way, she has paved a way for all of us to become saints- little by little, one small sacrifice at a time.  St. Therese said, "It is such a joy to think that for each little pain borne with joy we shall love God more throughout eternity!  If we only realized what we gain through self-denial in all things."

"We must not let slip the smallest opportunity of giving Jesus joy.  We must refuse Him nothing." ~ St. Therese

A beautiful example of St. Therese's loving sacrifices was that times when the sisters would save for St. Therese the left over food that had been reheated a dozen times and in which no one else would eat.  St. Therese would put a smile on and act so pleasantly while eating this old food as if she was eating a chocolate cake- even though they aggravated her very sensitive stomach that no one knew she had!  Another example would be that she would never satisfy her curiosity by asking why...  something we can all surely try!

Prayer:

Dear St. Therese, you who once said, "Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them."  Help me to lovingly make small sacrifices throughout my days as you did, so that I might one day be a saint like you, by following your little way!  I also recommend to you my special intentions in this Novena.  (Specify your intentions.)  To one who has suffered so much for Him, God will refuse nothing.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be....