It is the feast day of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and my parish feast day, so it's cause for celebration. Her spirituality of the Little Way is inspiring for she is the saint for small people, people who may never be great in the way the world measures greatness, and yet, they are people who accomplish much with their quiet faithfulness.
From the point of every individual's conception, we are called to life and chosen to love in a similar fashion that God loves each and every one of us.
It does not matter if we are not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, the most beautiful or sweetest smelling flower in the garden, the juiciest apple, the sparkliest diamond...what matters most is that we love God. That is all that is required for greatness.
As Saint Augustine put it: Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.
That was exactly what Saint Thérèse did, hence she knew from a tender age what she wanted to do and she pursued her dreams with unrelenting compromise until her early demise at age 24.
She was inspired by Saint John of the Cross who "taught her that God can never inspire desires that cannot be fulfilled." Therefore we must not be faint-hearted in pursuit of our dreams, especially if we know these are the desires put into our hearts by the Lord.
Saint Thérèse shows us that her Little Way of simplicity and humility in glorifying God can lead to greatness. How else can we explain why she could enter the convent at age 15, six years ahead of most people, then, a few years later, was ordered to write her memoirs which subsequently took the world by storm when it was published posthumously.
Or how these simple writings led to her becoming a Doctor of the Church, a rare title reserved only for those who have made significant contributions to theology or doctrine.
We may be small, weak, über ordinary, even insignificant, but we have no excuse for giving up or for mediocrity. Being physically frail and a weepy, sensitive soul did not stop Saint Therese from being true to who she was, the Little Flower who loved God, and others, in a big way. So what's stopping us?
Saint Thérèse,
Help me to always believe,
As you did,
In God's great love for me,
From the point of every individual's conception, we are called to life and chosen to love in a similar fashion that God loves each and every one of us.
It does not matter if we are not the sharpest tool in the toolbox, the most beautiful or sweetest smelling flower in the garden, the juiciest apple, the sparkliest diamond...what matters most is that we love God. That is all that is required for greatness.
As Saint Augustine put it: Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.
That was exactly what Saint Thérèse did, hence she knew from a tender age what she wanted to do and she pursued her dreams with unrelenting compromise until her early demise at age 24.
She was inspired by Saint John of the Cross who "taught her that God can never inspire desires that cannot be fulfilled." Therefore we must not be faint-hearted in pursuit of our dreams, especially if we know these are the desires put into our hearts by the Lord.
Saint Thérèse shows us that her Little Way of simplicity and humility in glorifying God can lead to greatness. How else can we explain why she could enter the convent at age 15, six years ahead of most people, then, a few years later, was ordered to write her memoirs which subsequently took the world by storm when it was published posthumously.
Or how these simple writings led to her becoming a Doctor of the Church, a rare title reserved only for those who have made significant contributions to theology or doctrine.
We may be small, weak, über ordinary, even insignificant, but we have no excuse for giving up or for mediocrity. Being physically frail and a weepy, sensitive soul did not stop Saint Therese from being true to who she was, the Little Flower who loved God, and others, in a big way. So what's stopping us?
Saint Thérèse,
Help me to always believe,
As you did,
In God's great love for me,
So that I might imitate
Your "Little Way" each day.
Your "Little Way" each day.
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