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Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church

Adapted from www.americancatholic.org

"I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul." These are the words of Theresa of the Child Jesus, a Carmelite nun called the "Little Flower," who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. [In French-speaking areas, she is known as Thérèse of Lisieux.] And her preference for hidden sacrifice did indeed convert souls. Few saints of God are more popular than this young nun. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved throughout the world. Thérèse Martin entered the convent at the age of 15 and died in 1897 at the age of 24.

Life in a Carmelite convent is indeed uneventful and consists mainly of prayer and hard domestic work. But Thérèse possessed that holy insight that redeems the time, however dull that time may be. She saw in quiet suffering redemptive suffering, suffering that was indeed her apostolate. Thérèse said she came to the Carmel convent "to save souls and pray for priests." And shortly before she died, she wrote: "I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth."

[On October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church, the third woman to be so recognized in light of her holiness and the influence of her teaching on spirituality in the Church.]

Comment:

Thérèse has much to teach our age of the image, the appearance, the "sell." We have become a dangerously self-conscious people, painfully aware of the need to be fulfilled, yet knowing we are not. Thérèse, like so many saints, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live (see John 12).

Preoccupation with self separates modern men and women from God, from their fellow human beings and ultimately from themselves. We must relearn to forget ourselves, to contemplate a God who draws us out of ourselves and to serve others as the ultimate expression of selfhood. These are the insights of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and they are more valid today than ever.

Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's author is Vince Zaprzal, Director of Pastoral Ministry at St. Philip the Apostle Parish.


Lk 9:51-56
Gospel

When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
"Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?"
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.

REFLECTION: If you have been driving anywhere lately in the Chicagoland area, you probably have observed the color orange--construction. These construction zones either slow down traffic or have detours setup to go a different way. Sometimes these detours are not expected and will add time onto a drive. For many of us, it always seems to be at the wrong time that these detours and/or traffic can occur. For me personally, as long as I am moving, I don't mind driving out of my way to get somewhere. It is in those moments of sitting in the gridlock that can not only irritate me, but those around as well.

In today's Gospel we read about a detour had taken place because Jesus and his followers wanted to travel through the Samaritan Village to get to Jerusalem. Since that was not allowed, immediately some of Jesus' followers wanted to take negative action against them. Jesus told them no and they went about their journey a different way.

QUESTIONS: When was the last time your life had an unexpected detour? Was it welcomed? Why or why not?

Be sure to respond below by posting your comments!

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's author is Frank Giangrego, Director of Faith Formation at St. Philip the Apostle Parish.

Eccl 3:1-11
There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task that God has appointed
for the sons of men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time,
and has put the timeless into their hearts,
without man's ever discovering,
from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

REFLECTION & QUESTIONS:
This reading reminds us that we live in God’s time not our time. Kairos time is God’s time. Our prayers are answered in God’s time not our time. Be careful of what you ask God in prayer. St. Teresa of Avila said that” more tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered prayers.” Being totally open to God’s will is a difficult thing. Anytime we have to give up our will we feel a degree of uneasiness or rebellion. The next time you say the Our Father, remember we say “Thy Will Be Done on earth as it is in heaven.” Are we serious? If so it means we have to change our hearts. Are we willing to change our hearts? Are we ready to change the way we do things? What do I need to change now in my life now to live Jesus’ message of love? Jesus’ Gospel puts demands on us but if we live this life of love we find the “peace the world cannot give.”

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Today's author is Vince Zaprzal, Director of Pastoral Ministry at St. Philip the Apostle Parish.

Mt 9:9-13

Gospel

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
"Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
He heard this and said,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

REFLECTION: Some interesting words in today's Gospel Reading! To have been seen with a tax collector was not a popular thing back then (still isn't today). Little did we know though Jesus was doing Ministry, taking care of others.

Jesus knew early on that everyone needs to be cared for. Sadly, we know that everyday this does not happen in our world with one another. This is also a big social justice issue as well. We only get to talk to Jesus though in those moments that we allow. There are times in our lives when we think Jesus may be speaking to us to slow down with life. We all have had those examples.

QUESTIONS: What is Jesus asking of you today? When was the last time you took time to talk to Jesus? When was the last time you listened to Jesus?

Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's author is Vince Zaprzal, Director of Pastoral Ministry at St. Philip the Apostle Parish.

Lk 8:1-3

Gospel

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

REFLECTION: Have you ever had a time in your life when you have gone out somewhere and not know really what to expect? It can be a time of fear, a time of hope, or even a time of uncertainty. As Jesus made his journeys, nobody could really expect what would happen in the future. They however followed him as because they were called and chosen.

QUESTION: What will you do this weekend to follow our Lord?

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today's author is Vince Zaprzal, Director of Pastoral Ministry at St. Philip the Apostle Parish.

Phil 2:6-11

Reading 2

Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

REFLECTION: What beautiful words in today's Second Reading. The words are very poetic--very moving. The more I read the reading the more simple the words in it became.

As we read and hear in a variety of scripture, we have come to know the many works of Jesus. Along the way there were many trails--to the ultimate trial--death upon the Cross.

As you go about your day today, take a moment to meditate on any of the crucifixies you may have at home. This is a great opportunity to talk to Jesus about the highs and lows of life.

Take a listen below:

http://www.spiritandsong.com/compositions/15220

Enjoy your day,
Peace,

Vince