The Little way of St Therese of Child Jesus

Summary

The video script discusses St. Therese of Lisieux's 'Little Way,' a spiritual path emphasizing humility, trust, and surrender to God. It highlights her belief in the importance of spiritual childhood, where one acknowledges their own nothingness and relies entirely on God's goodness. St. Therese's approach to holiness involves active love and good works, not passivity. She encourages maintaining a childlike disposition, expecting everything from God's goodness, and using virtues as God's treasures. The script suggests that by embracing this 'Little Way,' one can journey towards sanctity.

Takeaways

• 🌟 St. Therese emphasized 'the little ways' as a path to spiritual growth and perfection in daily life.
• 👶 She referred to this path as 'spiritual childhood,' highlighting humility and surrender to God's will.
• 💬 Pope Benedict XV and Pius XI recognized the transformative potential of this approach for individuals and society.
• 📜 The concept is rooted in Jesus' teachings about humility and the importance of being like a little child in the kingdom of heaven.
• 🌱 St. Therese did not write about the 'little way' extensively but verbally conveyed its significance.
• 🌼 She encouraged offering 'flowers of little sacrifices' to Jesus as a means of spiritual progress.
• 🙏 The 'little way' involves recognizing one's own nothingness and relying entirely on God's goodness.
• 💡 It is not about passivity but about active trust in God while performing good works to the best of one's ability.
• 💪 St. Therese's approach was to remain a spiritual child, never attributing virtues to herself but acknowledging God's role.
• 📝 Despite not writing a formal treatise, her final words encapsulated the essence of the 'little way' as a disposition of arms and trust in God's goodness.
• 🔥 St. Therese's unwavering desire was to be a saint, and her 'little way' was a tool for achieving this holiness.

Q & A

What is the 'little way' as described in the script?

The 'little way' is a spiritual path of humility, confidence, and complete surrender to God, inspired by the words of Jesus about humbling oneself as a little child to be great in the kingdom of heaven.

Why did St. Therese refer to her spiritual path as 'the little ways'?

St. Therese referred to her spiritual path as 'the little ways' because it is based on the idea of spiritual childhood, which involves recognizing one's own nothingness and expecting everything from God's goodness.

How did St. Therese explain the concept of remaining like a child before God?

St. Therese explained that remaining like a child before God means recognizing our own nothingness and relying entirely on God's goodness, similar to how a child looks to its father for everything.

What did St. Therese mean when she said that one should not grow up spiritually?

St. Therese meant that one should not attribute virtues to oneself or believe in one's own capabilities, but rather remain humble and recognize that all virtues are God's treasures given to us to use as needed.

How does the 'little way' relate to the idea of spiritual childhood according to St. Therese?

The 'little way' relates to spiritual childhood by emphasizing the importance of humility, trust, and dependence on God, just as a child depends on its parents for everything.

What role did St. Therese believe one should play in achieving salvation?

St. Therese believed that while one should be humble and childlike in faith, one should also actively work towards salvation by doing all in one's power to give without counting the cost and by performing good works.

How did St. Therese's 'little way' influence the views of other religious figures like Pope Benedict XV and Pius XI?

Pope Benedict XV and Pius XI recognized the significance of St. Therese's 'little way,' with Pius XI stating that human society could be reformed and restored if this path were followed.

What did St. Therese mean when she spoke of 'casting before Jesus the flowers of little sacrifices'?

St. Therese meant that one should offer small acts of sacrifice and love to Jesus, which, though seemingly insignificant, are precious and contribute to one's spiritual growth and path to holiness.

What was St. Therese's view on the importance of confidence in one's spiritual journey?

St. Therese believed in maintaining confidence in God's love and mercy, even in the face of personal faults and failures, drawing a parallel to how a loving father cherishes a repentant child.

How did St. Therese's desire to be a saint shape her approach to the 'little way'?

St. Therese's desire to be a saint was the driving force behind her development of the 'little way,' as she aimed to achieve holiness through humility, trust, and active love expressed through good works.

What is the significance of the 'little way' in St. Therese's teachings, and how can it be applied today?

The 'little way' is significant because it offers a practical and accessible path to holiness for everyone, emphasizing the importance of spiritual childhood and confidence in God's goodness. It can be applied today by embracing humility, trust, and performing small acts of love and sacrifice.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Little Way of Spiritual Childhood

This paragraph introduces the concept of 'the little way' as a path to spiritual perfection, inspired by St. Therese of Lisieux. It emphasizes humility and childlike trust in God, suggesting that true holiness is not about grand gestures but rather about daily acts of surrender and confidence. St. Therese's teachings highlight the importance of recognizing our own limitations and relying entirely on God's goodness. She encourages making small sacrifices and maintaining a childlike dependence on God, not out of passivity but as an active stance of trust and love. The paragraph also clarifies that this approach does not imply passivity in spiritual growth; rather, it involves actively doing good and striving for holiness, despite our weaknesses.

05:00

🎵 The Musical Interlude

This paragraph is a placeholder for a musical interlude in the video script, serving as a transition or a moment of reflection between the sections discussing St. Therese's teachings and the broader implications for spiritual life.

Keywords

💡Little Ways

The term 'Little Ways' refers to the concept of making small, consistent efforts in one's daily life to advance spiritually. In the video, it is presented as a path of spiritual childhood, emphasizing humility and surrender to God's will. The phrase is used to illustrate how even simple acts of sacrifice and trust can lead to sanctity, as mentioned when she says, 'I wish to teach others the little means, which have succeeded so perfectly with me.'

💡Spiritual Childhood

Spiritual childhood is the state of being likened to a child in one's relationship with God, characterized by trust, humility, and dependence. The video explains that this concept is central to the 'Little Ways,' where one remains always a child before God, recognizing one's own nothingness and expecting everything from God's goodness, as exemplified by the statement, 'it is recognizing our own nothingness and expecting everything from the goodness of God.'

💡Sanctity

Sanctity in the context of the video refers to the state of being holy or sacred, particularly in a religious sense. It is said to be achieved through the 'Little Ways,' which involves a disposition of arms and awareness of one's weaknesses while being confident in God's goodness. The video quotes Pius XI, 'Human society would be reformed and restored if this way of spiritual childhood were followed,' highlighting sanctity as a societal ideal.

💡Humility

Humility is the quality of being modest and meek, and in the video, it is a key aspect of the 'Little Ways.' It is demonstrated through the willingness to recognize one's own limitations and to submit to a higher power. The video connects humility to the teachings of Jesus, 'whoever therefore shall humble himself as a little child, he is greater in the kingdom of heaven.'

💡Surrender

Surrender in this context means to yield or give up control to a higher power, which is a part of the 'Little Ways' as described in the video. It is about letting go of one's own will and trusting in God's plan, as indicated by the phrase, 'the path of confidence and complete surrender.'

💡Confidence

Confidence here is not in one's own abilities but in God's goodness and provision. The video suggests that even with awareness of one's weaknesses, one can be boldly confident in God's love and care, as expressed in the idea that 'holiness is not a matter of... pious practice but... a disposition of arms of God being aware of our weaknesses yet boldly confident in the goodness of our Father.'

💡Self-Denial

Self-denial is the act of giving up one's own desires and comforts for a higher purpose, which is encouraged in the video as part of the 'Little Ways.' It involves a constant willingness to sacrifice for the sake of spiritual growth, as she told her novices, 'we must do all in our power to give without counting the cost, we must deny ourselves constantly.'

💡Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son is a biblical parable that the video uses to illustrate God's unconditional love and forgiveness. It is mentioned when she expresses confidence that even with grave faults, one can find mercy and love in God, as she recalls, 'how he cherished the prodigal son who had returned to him.'

💡Holiness

Holiness, as discussed in the video, is not about performing specific pious acts but rather a state of being that involves a deep relationship with God and a recognition of one's own weaknesses coupled with trust in God's goodness. It is described as 'not a matter of this or that pious practice but... a disposition of arms of God being aware of our weaknesses yet boldly confident in the goodness of our Father.'

💡Ordinary

The term 'ordinary' in the video refers to the desire to live a simple, unassuming life, focusing on spiritual growth rather than worldly achievements. It is reflected in her wish to be a simple ordinary nun, as she wrote to her sister, 'I want to be a saint,' indicating that holiness can be pursued even in the most ordinary of lives.

Highlights

St. Therese's 'little ways' is a path of spiritual childhood and perfection in daily life.

Benedict XV and Pius XI recognized the transformative potential of the 'little ways' for sanctity and societal reform.

The 'little ways' are based on the teachings of Jesus about humility and childlike faith.

St. Therese never explicitly wrote about the 'little ways' but verbally expressed it shortly before her death.

The 'little ways' involve confidence and complete surrender to God.

St. Therese aimed to teach others the simple means that led to her spiritual success.

She emphasized the importance of recognizing our own nothingness and relying on God's goodness.

The 'little ways' do not advocate passivity but rather active reliance on God's provision.

St. Therese believed that even as adults, we should remain spiritually childlike, not childish.

She wrote about the importance of not attributing virtues to ourselves but recognizing them as God's gifts.

St. Therese encouraged not being discouraged by faults, comparing children's resilience to spiritual strength.

Despite her faults, St. Therese maintained unwavering confidence in God's love and forgiveness.

The 'little ways' imply an active role in achieving salvation through good works and self-denial.

St. Therese's teachings on the 'little ways' emphasize a disposition of arms and reliance on God's strength.

She aspired to be a saint and directed all her thoughts, words, and actions towards this goal.

St. Therese's 'little way' is a practical approach to holiness that anyone can adopt.

Her message invites us to march towards holiness by embracing the 'little ways' in our daily lives.

Transcripts

the little ways of st. er s through what

she did and wrote she showed how in the

daily business of life we can make sure

that we are advancing along the path of

perfection she called it the little ways

of spiritual childhood Benedict's the

15th said that it holds the secret of

sanctity and pius xi declared that human

society would be reformed and restored

if this way of spiritual childhood were

followed there was nothing new in her

little way it rested on the words of

Jesus whoever therefore shall humble

himself as a little child he is greater

in the kingdom of heaven though she

never mentioned the little way in her

writings she mentioned it verbally

though only just a month or two before

she died when she was asked for an

explanation of this little way she said

it is the way of spiritual childhood the

path of confidence and complete

surrender

I wish to teach others the little means

which have succeeded so perfectly with

me to tell them it is necessary to do

one thing only to cast before Jesus the

flowers of little sacrifices when she

was asked what she meant when she said

we must keep like a child before God she

said it is recognizing our own

nothingness and expecting everything

from the goodness of God just as the

little child looks at his father for

everything by this she didn't mean to be

passive and expect all from God it means

worrying about nothing not even about

gaining spiritual riches even poor

people always give a little child what

he needs but as soon as he is grown up

his father no longer wants to provide

for him but tells him to work and look

after himself he never wanted to grow up

as she felt herself incapable of earning

eternal life by herself alone remaining

always a child does not mean being

childish but it means never attributed

to ourselves the virtues we possess in

the belief that we ourselves are capable

of anything we must recognize that God

puts this treasure of virtue in the hand

of his little child for him to use when

he needs it but it remains God's

treasure

she writes he must not be discouraged by

our faults for little children often

tumble down but they are too small to

hurt themselves badly

she could say I am certain that even if

I had every imaginable crime on my

conscience

I should lose nothing of my confidence

rather would I hate them

with a heart broken with sorrow to throw

myself into the arms of my Jesus I

remember how he cherished the prodigal

son who had returned to him it would be

a mistake however to imagine that the

little way implies that our role in

achieving salvation is a passive one she

told her novices we must do all in our

power to give without counting the cost

we must deny ourselves constantly we

must prove our love by all the good

works of which we are capable and which

after all are of little worth

though she did not live long enough to

write a treatise on her little way she

said something nearly 2 months before

her death which perfectly explained her

little way holiness is not a matter of

this or that pious practice it consists

of a disposition of arms of God being

aware of our weaknesses yet boldly

confident in the goodness of our Father

can we also be like her though she

wanted to be a simple ordinary nun she

was firm on one thing before entering

the order she wrote to her sister

Pauline I want to be a saint all what

she thought said and did were directed

towards the achievement of this aim it

was to achieve this end that she

developed her own little way today if we

are ready to take up her little way we

too can march towards holiness

[Music]