St. Thérèse and the way of love

On Oct. 1, the church celebrates the feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux -- the beloved "Little Flower" whose "little way" of love continues to inspire countless souls more than a century after her death.

This year, devotion to St. Thérèse takes on even deeper resonance as her relics travel around the United States, drawing thousands of faithful to encounter her tangible presence and to be reminded of her enduring message: Holiness is not about doing great things, but about doing small things with great love.

St. Thérèse once wrote, "My vocation is love." Those four words sum up her life and her witness. As a young woman, she longed to do great deeds, to be a missionary, to do something magnificent for God. But over time, she discovered that the most magnificent thing any of us can do is to love -- wholeheartedly, humbly and persistently, in every ordinary moment of life.

Her message feels especially urgent today, when many of us -- young and old alike -- feel weighed down by pressure to "do more" or "be more." St. Thérèse reminds us that what matters is not how much we accomplish, but how much love we bring to the people and tasks right in front of us.

As a Catholic singer-songwriter and speaker, I have tried to live out this "little way" through my own creative work. A few years ago, I developed The Way of Love -- a musical presentation inspired by St. Thérèse that combines music, storytelling and reflection on the transformative power of love.

When I bring The Way of Love to parishes, conferences and communities, I often witness how St. Thérèse's words continue to break through the noise and touch people's hearts.

One of the songs I wrote for my "The Way of Love" album, that coincides with the presentations, is "The Way of Love" - which reflects on St. Thérèse's courage to embrace each day with trust, even when the path forward feels uncertain: "And when the paths at a bend/ Like a lamp on my steps/ Love will lead the way back home/ Love will lead the way back home."

That is the "little way" in action -- trusting that every small act, every hidden sacrifice, every moment of love is valuable to God.

When I think about St. Thérèse, I also think about young people today. In a culture that often glorifies celebrity, influence or material success, the life of a cloistered Carmelite nun who died at 24 could seem irrelevant. But the opposite is true. St. Thérèse shows us that sanctity is not reserved for a few extraordinary people. Every person -- no matter how hidden, no matter how ordinary -- is called to holiness.

The traveling relics of St. Thérèse offer a powerful reminder of this truth. As people gather to venerate her relics, they are not only honoring her memory, but are also being invited to imitate her example. She is close to us, interceding for us and cheering us on as we attempt our own "little ways" of love.

St. Thérèse once said, "Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing." What a timely message for all of us. Our world doesn't need more brilliance or busyness -- it needs more love. It needs people willing to smile at a stranger, forgive an enemy, care for a child, visit the sick or comfort the grieving. Those simple acts may not make headlines, but they can transform hearts and, ultimately, the world.

As I continue to share The Way of Love, I hope people leave not only moved by the beauty of music and story, but also inspired to walk in St. Thérèse's footsteps -- to trust God's love, to embrace simplicity, and to believe that holiness is possible in the ordinary rhythm of our daily lives.

On this feast day, may we echo St. Thérèse's words in our own hearts: "My vocation is love." And may her "little way" continue to guide us all the way home.