Living the Mission of Holy Mother Church: St. Therese of Lisieux / of the Child Jesus

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 19 Mar 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last week, we shared on St. Francis Xavier living the mission of Holy Mother Church. This week, you will hear about St. Therese of Lisieux a.k.a Therese of the Child Jesus or the Little Flower whose love and devotion to our Lord has touched and is still touching the hearts of millions of followers.

Therese, born on 2^nd Jan 1873 in Alencon, Normandy in France, was the pampered youngest daughter of two very devout Catholics. When she was four, her mother died of cancer.

Pauline, her second sister, became a surrogate mother to her. When Pauline entered the Carmelite Convent, Therese was upset and became critically ill. She was cured when she prayed before the statue of Mary and saw a vision of Mary smiling at her.

By eleven, she had developed the habit of mental prayer. She would find a place and think about God and eternal life in solitude. Her two other sisters, Marie and Leonie also left home to join the Carmelites and the Poor Clares respectively.

In 1886, at fourteen, Therese felt a stirring in her heart, which she referred to as her conversion. Therese decided that she wanted to enter the Discalced Convent at Lisieux.  However, the ecclesiastical superior objected and told her to come back when she turned 21. She consulted the Bishop but was also rejected. On a pilgrimage to Rome with her father and sister Celine, she broke decorum during an audience with the Pope and asked him for a special dispensation to enter Carmel. Pope Leo Xlll responded that she would enter if God wills it. Soon thereafter, at 15, Therese finally entered Carmel. There, Therese lived a life of humility, simplicity and childlike trust in God. She shared the Little Way of Spiritual Childhood with the novices under her care. 

She knew, as a Carmelite nun, she would never be able to perform great deeds.  She wanted to show her love for God by scattering flowers which were little sacrifices she made no matter how insignificant it would seem.  She smiled at the sisters she did not like; ate everything given without complaining so that she was often given the worst leftovers. Once, she was wrongly accused of breaking a vase.  Instead of arguing, she knelt to beg for forgiveness.

These little sacrifices of humiliation and good deeds cost her more than bigger ones because they were not recognised by others. When Pauline became prioress, Therese had to pay the ultimate sacrifice by remaining a novice so as to allay the fears of the other nuns that the three sisters would be dominating. This meant that she would never be a fully professed nun, and would have to ask permission for everything she did.

Therese energetically sought holiness in the life she led.  She did not want to be just good. She wanted to be a saint. Comparing herself to the great saints, she told herself she could aim at being a saint despite her littleness as God would not want her to wish for something impossible. She had to put up with herself, with all her countless faults, but she would look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is “very short and very straight”.

On 9^th June 1895, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, she offered herself as a sacrificial victim to the Merciful Love of God. At this time, ordered by her prioress, Therese began to write her autobiography, ‘The Story of a Soul’. This unique book gives evidence of her spirituality. In her own words: “I just tell our Lord all that I want and He understands.”

In 1896, Therese coughed up blood. Over the next 18 months, her condition steadily deteriorated. In the months prior to her death, she prayed for the grace to “spend heaven doing good on earth” and promised that after her death, she would send a shower of roses from heaven.

Therese died of tuberculosis on Sept 30th, 1897 at the age of 24. By 1925, only 28 years later, she was canonised by Pope Pius Xl. He proclaimed her Universal Patron of the Missions, alongside St. Francis Xavier in 1927. St. Therese was conferred this honour not because she ever went anywhere, but because of her special love of the missions and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries. This reminds those of us who feel that we can do nothing, that it is the little things that keep God’s Kingdom growing.

Living the Mission of Holy Mother Church: St. Francis Xavier

(Sharing at Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 12 March 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Last week, we heard of the Church’s motherhood, and how we can live it. Today, we shall see how our beloved patron saint, St. Francis Xavier lived this mission. Most of my sharing materials today are from the Eternal Word Television Network website and the book “He in Malacca” by Celine Joyce Ting.

Francis Xavier was born into a noble family at Xavier Castle, Navarre, Spain on 7 April 1506. The youngest of five children, he was educated by resident chaplains of the castle and had a strong religious education.^[1] At 18, Francis entered the University of Paris. He excelled in both studies and sports, and had worldly ambitions.

In his third year, came Ignatius Loyola. Francis resented him for his gentle quietness, his ideals and aspirations so opposed to his own, and more so when he learnt that Ignatius was the soldier that brought Navarre’s downfall.^[1]They were later made roommates, much to Francis’ chagrin. However, Ignatius’ magnanimity became Francis’ own when he was eventually won over by Ignatius’ patience and kindness. His conversion was not without many serious thoughts and struggles with his conscience, having heard Ignatius repeating Jesus’ words, “What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”^[2] This change overwhelmed even Ignatius, who remarked that Francis was the hardest piece of clay he ever moulded.^[1]

Francis began to live all for God’s glory and for the salvation of souls, and led an austere life of self-mortification. He became one of Ignatius Loyola’s companions who were to start the Society of Jesus. They disposed themselves to the Pope’s employment wherever he deemed fit. Their ardent charity towards the sick and incurable won the attention of many, including the King of Portugal, who desired to spread the Christian faith to the East Indies. By a turn of circumstances, Francis was sent on this mission.

He braved the seas and storms to bring Christianity to our region – first to India, and later to Malacca, the islands of Indonesia and Japan^{[1, 3]}. Goa and Malacca became centres of his apostolic work in this region. Travelling with anyone or in any ship, he was only concerned in evangelising as many countries as he could. It was a Chinese pirate who was brave enough to bring him to Japan.^[1] Francis considered his vocation as a pioneer, opening the doors so that others could go in. Besides his priestly duties, he arranged for travels to new places. China was one land that he longed to reach, but never did.

Besides teaching the tenets of the faith, hearing confessions and baptising, Francis especially loved and cared for the sick and the poor. He broke through barriers of language and culture, fetters of polyglot communities where evil and “sins of the flesh” reigned, and converted our ancestors by the thousands.^[1] Once, he accounted how he could barely move his arm, fatigued from baptising.^[2]

The fruits of Francis’ short ten years of missionary labour show us “what marvels can be achieved by a person blessed by God”, expressed in the Novena of Grace prayer. By his work, he brought to birth so many more members of Christ’s Body. It was truly deserving of him to be named the Patron Saint of All Foreign Missionaries.

Francis’ kindness was not always reciprocated. The man he had nursed back to health when the Plague hit Malacca, eventually thwarted his plans to go to China, due to  jealousy and greed. He incited the people to turn against Francis when Francis decided to use his authority as Apostolic Nuncio to sail to China. Francis left Malacca feeling rejected by the very people he had loved. Amidst the struggles of his apostolic work, Francis had to contend with loneliness. Far from his own land, he often missed his companions, especially Ignatius.

What sustained him? The Sacraments and prayer. In Malacca, the Church of Our Lady of the Hill on St. Paul’s Hill was the pivot of Francis’ life. There, he said Mass daily and after a long day’s work, prayed long into the night.

Like Mary, St. Francis Xavier had believed, pondered upon and responded to God’s message, given it to the world and remained faithful to it through trials. Through him, the Church lives her motherhood. Like him, we can live this mission. In this Jubilee Year, let us implore St. Francis Xavier to pray for us, that we may live out the mission of Holy Mother Church as he did.

References: 

[1]  Ting, C.J. (n.d.). He in Malacca (1545 – 1552). Malaysia

[2]  Butler, A. (n.d.). The lives of the Fathers, martyrs and other principal saints. Vol. III

[3]  Novena of Grace (Day 8) Year A. (2008). http://homiliesofajesuit.blogspot.com/search/label/Novena%20of%20Grace

St. Francis Xavier Novena of Grace. (n.d.). From Eternal Word Television Network, Inc.: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/Grace.htm

Mary as a Type of the Church - Motherhood

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 5 March 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Three weeks ago, we shared about Mary as Mother of the Church, followed by a story of faith in her intercession as Mother. This week, we continue our theme of Mary and the Church by seeing her as a type of the Church. The Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, (#63) cited St. Ambrose in stating that “the Mother of God is a type of the Church in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ”.

“Type”, in this context can be interpreted as “figure” or “model”. Hence, Mary as a type of the Church simply means that Mary is a figure or model of the Church. By looking at Mary, the Church finds herself, her role and mission, because, in Pope John Paul II’s words, Mary “has gone before” the People of God in the pilgrimage of faith. Like Mary, the Church is both mother and virgin.

Today, I will share on the aspect of the Church’s motherhood. I am sure you have heard of the phrase “Mother Church”. It means simply that the Church is Mother – just as we call Mary, “Mother Mary”. I quote Fr. Josef Neuner, “Mary gave birth to Jesus’ earthly body, the Church is to give birth to the body of his faithful…” (2004, p4). How?

The Lumen Gentium (#64) states: “The Church indeed, contemplating her (i.e. Mary’s) hidden sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will, by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a mother. By her preaching she brings forth to a new and immortal life the sons who are born to her in baptism, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of God.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: through the Church, we receive faith and new life in Christ by Baptism (CCC, #168). “Because we receive life of faith through the Church, she is our mother….” Hence, “…she is also our teacher in the faith.” (CCC, #170) “As a mother who teaches her children to speak and so to understand and communicate, the Church our Mother teaches us the language of faith in order to introduce us to the understanding and the life of faith.” (CCC, #171)

So Holy Mother Church gives birth to us spiritually, and teaches us so that we may attain eternal life. Through the Sacraments, she nourishes and sustains us in our journey to the eternal kingdom of God, and heals us when we fall into sin. Through her other children, our brothers and sisters in Christ, she supports us in our journey to eternal life. Thus, Holy Mother Church is fully mother as Fr. Neuner described: she gives life created by God in her womb, nourishes the child to make him live and grow, and accompanies him through his life and mission. This is the first, intimate task of every Christian life, Fr. Neuner wrote. (p131) Why?

It is because every Christian is a member of Christ’s Body, the Church. Having received from Holy Mother Church, we are bound to give to others what we have received. Christ’s commission to proclaim the Good News and make disciples from all nations (Mk. 16:15; Mt. 28:19) exempts no members of the Church. We are to embrace the mission of the Church, and live out the spiritual motherhood of the Church. How? Mary is our exemplar.

“Like Mary, who first believed by accepting the word of God revealed to her at the Annunciation and by remaining faithful to that word in all her trials even unto the Cross” (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, #43), we are to believe the Word of God transmitted by Holy Mother Church (through Bible reading, hearing it proclaimed at Mass); ponder upon it, respond freely to it, and remain faithful to the Word in trials and temptations. We avail ourselves of Christ’s help to do this by regularly receiving the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation. Then, we are able to live out the Gospel that we are called to preach, and so proclaim Christ’s salvation to others, that they may also believe and be born again spiritually. In this way, we make the Church a mother, while fulfilling Christ’s command to us.

Fr. Neuner concluded, “Mary, model of the Church, is great not by her works but through believing God’s message, responding to it, giving God’s Word its earthly life and offering it to the world.” (Neuner, p55) We, children of Holy Mother Church, are called to do the same.

Next week, we shall hear a true story of how the motherhood of the Church is lived out, and see how it impacts our lives today.

References:

Catechism of the Catholic Church

John Paul II. (25 March 1987). Redemptoris Mater. On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church.

Neuner, J. (2004). Mary – Mother of the Saviour. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India.


Vatican Council II. (21 November 1964). Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium.