October 1, 2006, remains a beautiful memory in my young adult life. It was my first semester in seminary. I woke up with curtains shut in my room and went to shower to prepare for Morning Prayer. My eyes had not even opened when I heard one of the brothers scream my name and say, “It’s snowing!”

As a Bay Area boy, I had never seen snow. I finished getting ready as quickly as possible. I realized I better get a scarf and a jacket to run outside and see snow for the first time. It is a fantastic thing to see a fresh blanket of white snow on the ground.

It was a great bonding moment as we threw snowballs at each other. Later in the day, one of the brothers brought an eclair to enjoy after dinner. Some say that snow and an eclair are signs of the Little Flower. She loved both and mentioned them in her writings.

Later that year, I picked up Thérèse of Lisieux’s autobiography, Story of a Soul. Through Thérèse, I grew in my appreciation for the Carmelites who lived at the bottom of Mount Angel. The autobiography is a fast read; her childlike spirit draws you into her interior life. Here’s an excerpt:

“Jesus points out to me the only way which leads to Love’s furnace – that way is self-surrender – it is the confidence of the little child who sleeps without fear in its father’s arms.

How shall I show my love is proved by deeds? Well – the little child will strew flowers…she will embalm the Divine Throne with their fragrance, will sing with silvery voice the canticle of love.

The Divine Heart’s Goodness and Merciful Love are little known! It is true that to enjoy these treasures we must humble ourselves, must confess our nothingness – and here is where many a soul draws back.

You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.

Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

Two ideas strike me in this passage. One is reckless abandonment in the arms of the Father. The other is immense love in all our work. If we genuinely seek God, there will come a point where we fall into trust. We will recognize God as a loving Father. We must sleep in his arms. All our work will always be insufficient in light of God’s immense glory. Instead of trying to do more for Jesus, do the one thing given to you with great love. This idea is her doctrine of the Little Way. Do all things, even the most menial, with great love.

Happy feast day to all in the Carmelite family! May we clothe ourselves in the scapular of our Lady’s protection. May Thérèse, the small yet mighty one, Doctor of the Church, continue her mission. May she lead us to Jesus.