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In her short life, Thérèse of Lisieux quietly but radically challenged Jansenist attitudes that persisted in Catholicism of her day. Jansenism, a movement that gained ground in the 17th century, emphasized the unworthiness of man and the alleged difficulty of “earning” God’s grace. Its followers, marked by blatant scrupulousness, often saw life as a constant struggle for acceptance by a distant God, as they trudged through their days weighed down by fear and self-doubt.
St. Thérèse’s “Little Way” could not be more different. At the heart of her spirituality is a childlike abandonment to God’s mercy – an attitude directly opposed to the rigidity of Jansenism.
For Thérèse, perfection wasn’t found through exhaustive self-examination or rigorous penance, but through simple trust and humility. She recognized her smallness before God, but saw this unpretentiousness as a source of joy, not despair. In her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, she wrote: “I am too small to climb the rough stairs of perfection.” Instead, she trusted God to carry her, as a child trusts a loving parent.
This reliance on God’s love challenges the Jansenist mindset radically. Rather than a harsh and demanding judge, Thérèse saw God as a loving Father, intimately involved in the smallest details of her life.
Jansenism often led people to scrutinize their every thought and action, fearing that a misstep might jeopardize their salvation. Thérèse, on the other hand, believed that even her imperfections could bring her closer to God – if she embraced them with trust and sincerity. In this spirit, her small way invites us not to obsess over our failures, but to place them in the hands of a merciful God.
Thérèse’s renunciation frees the soul from the exhausting scrupulosity that plagued so many under the shadow of Jansenism. Her simple way of loving God transforms the spiritual life from a burden into a liberating relationship, emphasizing that true holiness is not reserved for a “spiritual elite” of sorts but is accessible to everyone, especially those who feel most insignificant. This “democratization of holiness” (an invitation to love with childlike freedom) continues to inspire millions.
In an age that still struggles with perfectionism and the fear of inadequacy, Thérèse’s Little Way speaks with remarkable relevance. Her approach reminds us that love, not fear, is the foundation of a life with Christ. Where Jansenism may have left many discouraged and isolated, Thérèse’s message offers gentle reassurance: Simply trust in God’s embrace and rest unafraid in His love.
