Zélie Martin- Wife, Mother and Saint

Hello, my name is Melanie Gibbs and I am in love with St. Zélie Martin.

I must admit I loved her from the start. The first thing I heard about her was that she was the first woman to be canonized at the same time as her husband, St. Louis Martin. As a woman who has been called to the married life, that was immediately attractive. All my life, the saints have seemed like a serious bunch of aloof single people. Their lives must have been markedly different than mine from the start, so what influence could they realistically have on my life?

The second thing I learned about her was that she was the mother of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who I was not yet much impressed with. However, this too was intriguing because I had always wanted to be a mother. Mothers could be saints? Who knew?!

The third fact I learned about Zélie was what really had me hooked - she was a maker of Point d'Alençon lace. As a lifelong knitter, avid crocheter, and aspiring weaver, the idea of a saint who loved needlework and fiber like I do was a breath of fresh air.

"I am happiest at my window putting together my Point d'Alençon" -St. Zélie

The more details I learned about Zélie, the more I considered her my own patron. My wonderful husband gave me for my birthday the book of her correspondence, the letters written to her sister-in-law, brother, daughter Pauline and even occasionally to St. Louis himself. My beautiful daughter was born just days later, so her letters became my go-to postpartum reading. Perfect for the bleary, sleepy-deprived period because I could pick it up for just one letter at a time. I read rather slowly, so I was unable to devour it like I do most books. It seems to have been better that way, since I started to feel like each time I picked it up, I was receiving a letter from the saint herself. I found myself developing a relationship with her like I could have never imagined before. She seems to have the answer to so many of my questions, or at least to empathize deeply when there are no answers that will satisfy.

Motherhood, especially in the beginning, was not what I had imagined it would be. In the process of her birth, my daughter almost died. Zélie, who herself lost four of her little ones, wrote a letter of consolation to her dear sister-in-law who had a stillborn son, and it seemed that her consolation was in some way for me. Breastfeeding was an incredible challenge for me, and here was a saint who understood the struggle. I was suffering in ways and to a degree that I had never anticipated, and letter after letter was my new friend who could commiserate while reminding me not to look to this life for true happiness. After a while, I realized that my daughter was much more difficult than the average baby, and Zélie knew that struggle as well, describing St. Thérèse's frequent temper tantrums and her daughter Leonie's ongoing behavioral and bonding difficulties.

" I have to correct this poor baby, who goes into a terrible rage when things don’t go as she’d like. She rolls around on the floor like a desperate person, believing all is lost." -St. Zélie, speaking of young St. Thérèse

Her letters brought her to life, so to speak, in a way I had never before experienced. They illuminate the thoroughly modern life of mother, wife, businesswoman, homemaker, and sister which she led. I now find myself asking what Zélie would think of a given situation, which is a useful question, because the answer always points me back to Christ. She has shocked me with her friendship, and has shown me that to become a saint, though an arduous and intensely difficult thing, is in fact possible for a person in my life circumstances. She has illuminated a path and she beckons us to follow.