“You know well that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.”
— St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul
In a world that often prizes productivity over presence, noise over nuance, and speed over stillness, the human spirit can feel like a fragile flame—flickering, vulnerable, easily overlooked. Yet it is precisely this flame that makes us truly human: our capacity to love deeply, to suffer meaningfully, to hope against all odds.
To protect the human spirit is not to shield it from all pain, but to honor its dignity in the midst of it. It means resisting the forces—both external and internal—that reduce us to mere function or utility. It means cultivating silence, beauty, and truth in a culture that often trades them for distraction, spectacle, and convenience.
How do we protect the human spirit? When we choose compassion over cynicism, reverence over consumption, and communion over isolation. We protect it when we remember that each person carries within them a mystery, a sacred story, a soul worthy of care.
And perhaps most importantly, we protect our own spirit when we allow ourselves to be loved—not for what we do, but for who we are. In that love, the flame grows stronger. And in its light, we begin to see the world not as a battlefield, but as a sanctuary.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, in her “little way” shows us the path o f how to guard the flame of our human spirit. Let’s ask for God’s grace’s today.
Lord,
Teach me to love in the hidden places—
in the quiet yes, the unnoticed kindness,
the patient silence that bears another’s burden.
Let me not chase greatness,
but receive grace in the small and the simple.
Help me protect the flame You’ve placed within me—
not by shielding it from the wind,
but by trusting that even in the storm,
You are near.
May I remember my sacred story,
written not in grand gestures,
but in the gentle rhythm of daily surrender.
Let my littleness be my strength,
my weakness a doorway to Your mercy.
And when I feel forgotten,
remind me:
You see me.
You love me.
You are enough.
Amen.
Smitten With Goodness 