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“On the last page of one of her original manuscripts, [St.] Thérèse wrote: Forever will I sing the mercies of the Lord. Beneath this quotation from Psalm 89, she lists the important dates of her life, or, as she says, the ‘days of grace granted by the Lord to his little spouse,’” writes Br. John Metilly (’23), O.P., in an for Dominicana Journal. “Her life was a gift, and Thérèse was grateful for it.”

On the Little Flower’s feast day, October 1, Br. John reflected on the saint’s oft-expressed gratitude, inspired by his first reading of Story of a Soul. He broke down the three qualifications of gratitude outlined by St. Thomas Aquinas — recognition of the gift, expressed appreciation, and eventual repayment of the favor — and described how St. Thérèse fit each one.

“Thérèse was not lacking in the recognition of God’s blessings,” he says, noting the saint’s regular choice to acknowledge both joys and sufferings placed before her as gifts from her Creator. Nor did she fail to express her thanks: Her autobiographical magnum opus shows her perpetual glorification of God’s workings in her life as “one extended hymn of thanks to the Lord.” And, while there is no way for man to fully repay God, she still offers Him her full self as a return present, forming a deep friendship with Him in her gratitude.

“As we acknowledge God’s gifts, we grow in our friendship for Him, knowing that He cares for us,” Br. John concludes. “Let’s ask Thérèse to obtain for us the grace of gratitude: acknowledging the gift, giving thanks for it, and paying it back with love — a love that is itself God’s gift.”