Hablemos, Tele

By: Tele Figueroa

June 16, 2026

The Revolutionary “Little Way” of Saint Thérèse: How to Be Great Through Littleness

Have you ever felt that holiness or true spiritual peace are unreachable goals, reserved only for heroes or scholars? Today, I want to invite you to discover a young woman who thought exactly the same way, but who managed to revolutionize history with a brilliant idea: the “Little Way.” She didn’t build great monuments or travel the world, but she discovered a “heavenly elevator” that transforms the simplest tasks of your daily life into a giant act of love. Read on to discover how to change your life with the guidance of the most beloved saint of modern times.

A Heart Connection: The Mystery of the Dates

Before we dive into her life, I want to share a very personal reason why this saint touches my heart in a unique way. I was born on October 3rd.

For many years, October 3rd was precisely the day when the entire Catholic world celebrated the feast of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. However, in the 1970s, the Church reformed its liturgical calendar and moved her feast day to October 1st. The Vatican’s reason was beautiful: they wanted her feast to be as close as possible to the day of her death (September 30th), following an ancient Christian tradition that celebrates the day saints are “born into heaven.”

Even though the date officially changed on paper, the bond remains intact for me. Despite that calendar shift, I still remember, admire, and venerate her with the exact same strength as always. Being born on the original day of her feast is a gift from heaven that always stays with me, and a beautiful coincidence that links me to her for life.

A Brief but Extraordinary Life

Saint Thérèse (also known as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux) was born in France in 1873 to a deeply faithful family (her parents were also declared saints). After suffering the early loss of her mother, Thérèse developed a very sensitive nature. At the early age of 15, after asking for special permission from the Pope himself, she entered the convent of the Discalced Carmelites. She died very young, at age 24, from tuberculosis, leaving behind a spiritual diary that would become a worldwide bestseller: Story of a Soul. Pope Pius X called her “the greatest saint of modern times.” [1]

The Secret of the “Little Way”

Thérèse knew she was too small and weak to perform the grand deeds of other saints. Inspired by elevators—a brand-new invention in her time—she decided to look for her own “elevator” to reach heaven: the arms of Jesus. Thus, the “Little Way” or spiritual childhood was born, built upon four main pillars:

1. Childlike trust: Having blind confidence that God, like a loving father, cares for us and forgives our weaknesses.
2. Love in small things: Giant sacrifices are not needed. Sweeping, smiling at someone who tests our patience, or washing the dishes with immense love are massive deeds in the eyes of God.
3. Humility and secrecy: Seeking to do good in secret, without waiting for the applause of others.
4. Living in the present moment: The past is gone and the future does not belong to us; we only have “today” to love.

Her Prayer and Her Global Legacy

For Thérèse, praying was not repeating boring words, but “a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” From her cloistered convent, she dedicated her prayers to priests, missionaries (of whom she is a global patron saint), and sinners.

Before dying, she left a beautiful promise: “I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” Her wisdom was so deep that the Church named her a Doctor of the Church. Thérèse’s “Little Way” continues to prove that we do not need to be perfect, but simply let ourselves be loved by God and offer Him every little moment of our lives.