St. Thérèse of Lisieux

October 1st is her feast day, and as a stay-at-home mother of little children I have developed a real connection and admiration for this humble woman. She lived her life as a Carmelite nun working at the most menial of tasks. She worked in the laundry and the dining hall — accomplishing the same tasks for her fellow sisters as we do for our young families. However, I often feel that the similarities end there. She saw this monotony as an opportunity for prayer and greater communion with Christ and the saints. She wrote, “I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul.” Amazing.

So, Saint Therese, pray for us, mothers, that we may possess the spiritual calm and profound humility with which you lived every day and died.