St. Thérèse of Lisieux is famous for her Little Way of nonviolent love. In her own words, “No doubt, we don’t have any enemies in Carmel, but there are feelings.” Like us, she encountered difficult and damaged people who aroused in her feelings of resentment, anger, or indignation. Her intuition told her that unloving feelings are the wellsprings of violence if not managed appropriately.

Through reflection, prayer, patience, and the grace of God, Thérèse gradually came to see others with the compassionate eyes of Jesus. She also learned how to avoid violence to herself by understanding her own limits and needs. Tonight, we consider how Thérèse cultivated a non-adversarial stance towards ourselves, others, and life itself – trusting in God who never abandons our suffering world.

Marisa Guerin, PhD, is the co-author with the late Br. Joseph Schmidt, FSC of “Life Lessons from St. Thérèse of Lisieux.” She is a retired consultant and educator with expertise in organizational behavior and the psychodynamics of leadership. Marisa is married living near Philadelphia.