A Rose From Heaven

"I shall spend my heaven doing good on earth. After death I will let fall a shower of roses." St. Therese of Lisieux


St. Therese of Lisieux has always been one of my favorite saints, as I'm sure is the case for many people. What's not to love about this sweet, devoted and brilliant young girl? I had been in the habit of praying to her daily for most of my life. My favorite prayer in her honor is so simple and easy, that I'd often repeat it throughout the day...

St. Therese, the little flower
please pick me a rose from the heavenly garden
and send it to me with a message of love.
Ask God to grant me the favor I thee implore
and tell Him I will love Him each day more and more.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.

I'd often hear stories of people receiving roses out of nowhere, or smelling the scent of roses, if their prayer was about to be answered. I had never had that experience myself until recently.

Last year, on October 1st, the feast of St. Therese, I decided to teach this prayer to my children while driving to Mass. Then I didn't give another thought to St. Therese or the prayer as I continued on my busy day.

Later that day, on my lunch break, I went outside for a walk in the busy downtown streets. I had been looking for signs of God's love and presence in my life, but really wasn't thinking about it at that time. It was raining out so most of my thoughts were about keeping dry. I was holding an umbrella and had my face towards the ground and I was walking at a very brisk pace. Then, there at my feet, I saw a beautiful pink rose! It was the kind you find growing in a garden. There were no gardens nearby, only cement and buildings. There were no people nearby who might have dropped it. The only explanation for this rose was that it came from heaven as a sign of God's love for me. It was a little blessing from my favorite saint!

I took that rose home, pressed it dry, and framed it with a holy card of St. Therese and her beautiful prayer. Each day I am reminded of God's love for this special saint, and for me.

Happy Feast Day of St. Therese, The Little Flower!