The Little Flower

By Cindy Ferrante
As the Christmas season approaches, the general pace of life picks up as does our stress level! It is easy to get caught up in the commercial message, “bigger and more is better.” I think this season is a good time to reflect on the words of St. Therese of Lisieux or “The Little Flower.” Her mission is her words: “I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and very new.”

She lived her life serving God in little ways. She hears our requests and intercedes with God on our behalf. It is known that if your prayer can be answered, she will send you a rose sign. “My mission, to make God loved, will begin after my death. I will let fall a shower of roses.” The following novena has been a source of strength and inspiration to me personally.

St. Therese, The Little Flower, please pick me a rose from the heavenly garden and send it to me with a message of love. As God to grant me the favor I thee implore and tell him I will love him each day more and more.

(For Catholics or anyone interested, the above prayer, plus five Our Father’s, five Hail Mary’s, five Glory Be’s, can be said on five successive days. Before 11 a.m. on the fifth day --the fifth set of prayers having been completed--offer one more set of five of each prayer.)