The Little Saints of October

Oct 1

In the Church calendar, the first week of October brings us the feasts of the angels and saints who taught us to be like children. On the First of October, we remember St. Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Flower.” St. Therese gave us the “Little Way,” reminding us that we don’t have to do great things, but the ordinary, everyday tasks of our vocation can lead us to holiness and, eventually, heaven.

The next day we continue to focus on the little ones with the Feast of the Guardian Angels. The Church uses the comforting words of Jesus as he describes how God protects the weak, the vulnerable, and children: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:10)

Finally, on October 4th we celebrate “the little poor one,” St. Francis of Assisi. Francis identified closely with the poor, the lowly, the outcasts, and those overlooked in society. This was reflected in his way of life and the religious communities he founded. On his feast day, the Lectionary for Mass shows the path that the humble saint followed as he tried to live the Gospel: "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned You have revealed them to the childlike.” (Matthew 11:25)

Our own patron, St. Francis de Sales, could easily fit into these early October days. Throughout his writings, the gentle Bishop of Geneva teaches us to be like little children who cast their cares on their parents and run to them for protection. De Sales wrote:

“We, like our heavenly Father’s little children, can also advance (in the spiritual life) in two ways: first, by the steps of our own will, when we hold the hand of His divine will by that of our obedience, and following wherever He conducts us…. and secondly, we can accompany Our Lord, without any trouble of our own, merely allowing ourselves to be carried by Him as an infant in the arms of his mother, by the union of our will with that of God.”

Last month, I reflected on September as a time of new beginnings. As October begins, I am reminded that autumn brings a sense of nostalgia and closure. Summer drifts into memory, the days become darker and shorter, the temperatures drop to frost our gardens, and a sense of finality and melancholy are in the air. For Christians, these days of October are a reminder that childhood and aging are often intertwined. The lives of the saints show us that before our lives come to an end, before we enter the Kingdom of God, we must return to our beginnings, and become like children.

The liturgical prayer for the feast of St. Therese beautifully summarizes our hopes and our vision for this time of year: “O God, who open Your kingdom to those who are humble and to the lowly ones, lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of St. Therese, so that through her intercession, we may see Your glory revealed.”