The Little Way: What St. Thérèse Taught Me Today

This month, I’ve been thinking a lot about “the little way” because my husband’s work has ramped up and the quiet reality is—I’ve been carrying more of the home load (on top of the already very long list of things that I do). You know the kind: cooking, feeding, bathing, tidying, rinsing and repeating- both kids on my own every weekday night.

And because I dislike conflict, I often keep my emotions tucked away rather than making them the headline of our evenings. It’s easier to just keep moving, one small task at a time. But it can feel thankless. Invisible. And that’s where St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, whispers back: these tiny, hidden sacrifices matter.

St. Thérèse never set out to do anything spectacular. She wasn’t founding an order or running schools. Instead, she chose to do the smallest of acts with the greatest of love. Washing dishes, folding laundry, cutting up toddler grapes—mundane things can feel like the opposite of holy work. But what if they were the very soil where holiness grows?

Motherhood often feels like a loop of little things. No one throws a parade when you clear the sink for the fifth time in a day. (If they did, I’d ask for confetti that sweeps itself up.) But each act of care—unseen by the world—is a chance to practice love in miniature.

For Catholic mothers especially, The Little Way reminds us that even hidden, ordinary work is a way of living out faith. Every unseen act can be an offering to God, shaping not just our homes but our own hearts.

For me, September is not about grand gestures or polished routines. It’s about recognising that when I brush the tangles out of my daughter’s hair gently instead of rushing, that’s love. When I smile at my baby boy in the middle of a midnight feed instead of scrolling through my phone, that’s love. When I choose to stay silent instead of snapping at my husband after a long day, that too can be love—though admittedly, sometimes it feels more like martyrdom.

The Little Way tells us it’s enough. Enough to meet God here, in the soup-stained highchair, in the laundry basket, in the countless small offerings only a mother would notice. These small things, done faithfully, shape our children’s sense of being loved and safe. They shape our hearts too—teaching us to see grace in repetition.

If you, like me, are buried in the “little” right now, remember: St. Thérèse reminds us that little isn’t lesser. Little can be holy. Little can be world-shaping. The hidden work of motherhood matters more than it appears.

And maybe—just maybe—that’s enough permission to put down the mop, pour yourself a cup of tea, and remember that sanctity isn’t always found in the spectacular. Sometimes, it’s found in the small, the steady, and the quietly faithful.

If you’re looking for encouragement this September, I invite you to visit the Tales and Teachings Store and explore our latest devotional kits: Sacred & Seen: A 14-Day Devotion for the Invisible Work of Motherhood and Faith in the Little Things: Daily Devotions for Tired Moms. Both are crafted to help mothers (like myself) embrace The Little Way in the midst of everyday life.

You can also receive a free set of Prayer Cards for Mothers here: Get Your Free Prayer Cards