St Thérèse of Lisieux

“It is impossible for me to grow up, so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and totally new.”

 

Through her life on earth Thérèse was convinced that she was incapable of charity. So in response, she increasingly surrendered her life to Christ with the hope that he would act through her. 

 

Burdened with a terrible temper, she uniquely aspired not to great deeds, but simply to surrender the daily grind of life among the Carmelites to Jesus. This was what she called her “Little Way.”

 

Thérèse often used flowers and roses as metaphors. She referred to herself as the "little flower of Jesus" in the garden of God. Novices at the Convent also reported that Thérèse said: "After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses", - a sign of the graces and blessings that she would send to earth once in heaven.

 

In this design I have sought to pay tribute to her words by creating a subtle cross from a garland of roses.