“Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.”
— St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Some words strike us like a bell—clear, simple, and impossible to ignore. St. Thérèse’s reminder does exactly that for me. It hits two places in my heart at once: it convicts me and comforts me.
Conviction: Where Is the Love in My Daily Grind?
Most days, I’m moving fast—too fast. I’m trying to keep up with life, family, clients, expectations, and an endless list of small demands. And if I’m honest, I often reach the end of the day anxious, exhausted, confused… and sometimes resentful. I give so much. I do so much. Yet I can’t always say that I love much in those moments.
My busyness keeps me from Mass.
It distracts me from prayer.
It dulls my heart and steals the energy that belongs to God’s call on my life.
And so I find myself asking: If I’m doing all these things without love, what am I really offering the Lord?
St. Thérèse’s words illuminate the truth: God is not keeping score of my productivity. He is searching for the love behind my actions—love that sometimes gets lost somewhere between my calendar and my to-do list.
Comfort: Love, Not Busyness, Is the Way
But her words also comfort me. They free me.
There is no heavenly award for being overwhelmed.
No virtue in being unavailable to the hearts of others.
No sanctity found in running on empty.
Love is the way. Always.
The Lord isn’t impressed by how complex my day is or how much I accomplish—only by the love I bring to Him, and to others, through those efforts. That truth softens my heart and steadies my spirit. It allows me to breathe again.
Returning to the Foot of the Cross
And so I know what I must do: return to the foot of the Cross—where everything is simplified into love, sacrifice, and presence.
Like Mary, I need to sit at Jesus’ feet.
To open my heart again.
To mourn my sin, repent, and ask for the grace to do even the smallest things with authentic love.
Because quantity means nothing without love.
Complexity means nothing without love.
Even success means nothing without love.
Only love—His love—makes everything possible. It opens our eyes to the suffering around us and invites us to share in His mercy. It transforms our work, our relationships, our commitments, and our burdens.
A Simple Prayer
Lord, I love You.
Thank You for the saints who have gone before us.
Thank You for their witness, for their clarity, and for the way they turn our hearts back to You.
Teach me to do all things with love.
Let nothing I do today be empty of You.
