From Childish to Childlike: The Lesson Behind St. Thérèse’s Little Way

St. Thérèse of Lisieux transitioned from a spoiled child to a saint known for her Little Way after a mystical experience on a Christmas Eve before her fourteenth birthday, according to Angie Allen for Catholic Exchange.

While many faithful recognize Thérèse through her book, The Story of a Soul, and her teaching of doing small things with great love, Allen notes that her personal transformation is a distinct lesson. The report states that Thérèse experienced a mystical encounter with the Child Jesus that caused her previous behavior to cease immediately.

Allen suggests that while people cannot recreate such mystical encounters, they can imitate the change in behavior that followed. Although the encounter prompted Thérèse to recognize her own actions, she had to choose to change her life and put in the effort to act in ways that did not come naturally to her.