Review: never really knew anything about her or who she was
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2012
When I went to Catholic school the nuns always mentioned St Teresa of Avila  and I thought they called her the Little Flower  and from looking up St Teresa  of Avila her story is more of what the nuns at my school taught.  Both Saints though  are from the Carmelite Order  and both are doctors of the Church.  ( the book also gives their connection to each other )The Life and Prayers of Saint Thérèse of Lisieuxis really an excellent book.  Saint Thérèse of Lisieux came from a family of 9 children but only 5 survived.  Her parents and family were devout Catholics.  Also her family was not poor.  She was born in 1873  and died an early death in 1897 when she was 24.  She grew up wanting to be a saint but she didn't know how she would accomplish this when saints did great things and  she was sickly from childhood.  Two of her sisters entered the Carmelite Order before her  and a younger sister entered after her.  This sister was given  the unusual permission to bring her camera to the convent which is why we have pictures of her.  The younger sister Celine  also brought notebooks with quotes from the Old Testament ( at the time there was not an authorized Catholic translation of the Old testament in French).Two bible verses Therese took to heart.  Proverbs 9:4 Let whoever is naive turn in here and Isaiah 66: 12-13 You shall nurse, carried in her arms, cradled upon her knees; As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.  These verses showed her that every small action we do can be devoted to God. She called this " the little way" and then started signing "very little" before her name.  I would highly recommend reading this book.  This book also contains verses and poems from St Therese' own writings and prayers and novenas devoted to her.