Mary, Model of Faith

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 18 June 2011)

Today my sharing will be on Mary, the model of faith.

All of us are very familiar with the word FAITH, that we use it often in our prayers, in our conversations with our friends, in sharing of our experiences of life and in many other situations. I am sure we all believe in the gift of faith.       

Faith is one of the most fundamental aspects of our Christian life. We believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the perfect model of our faith.

So what is the gift of faith?

Faith involves entrusting oneself, abandoning oneself to God, the willingness to submit to His will and the obedience in faith. Mary as the perfect model reflects this very well. She abandoned herself to God with total trust and in obedience in faith when she responded “Yes” to God.

To better understand what this means in practice, we can look at the life of Mary, whose acceptance of God’s invitation to be the mother of His Son is a great witness for us. By examining the dialogue that took place at the Annunciation, we can gain deeper insight about what it means to have faith.

Mary’s ‘Yes’ to God

Mary’s journey with God was one of deep faith and great trust. She had a grace-filled openness to the mystery of God in her life.

We are familiar with Luke’s account of the Incarnation when the angel appeared to Mary and announced, “The Lord is with you.” ( Lk 1: 28) However, before Mary responded to God, the Scriptures remind us that Mary was confused and frightened, and was deeply disturbed by the angel’s greeting. As Mary was fully human she too experienced fear and doubts, similar to how anyone of us would also encounter in our lives. 

She struggled to say “Yes” to the Lord! And She “pondered” these words in her heart. Pondering is not simply a question of “thinking” or of trying to master the realities of faith or mysteries of life. It is not a question of trying to control these realities or mysteries or reduce them to something our minds can handle. Rather, it is a question of letting the realities of faith be with us, to enter into us and reveal themselves to us. It is allowing ourselves to be molded by them, to allow God’s will to become our will.  It is fostering both an attitude and atmosphere of trust and openness in our lives. 

It was through her dialogue with the angel, where she asks, ”How can this be? I have no knowledge of man” (Lk1:34) And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you. And behold, your cousin Elisabeth, she too also conceived a son in her old age, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.” “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Lk1:38)With these words Mary was more assured and her fear transcended and she was able to submit herself to the will of God. 

Mary took a leap in faith. She had to let go of her plans and say “Yes” to a life of faith. In spite of her awareness of her own unworthiness and littleness, she had to say “Yes” to become the mother of God and also all that it would entail. She was asked to let go of her plans and let God take over her life. She was totally unaware what was to happen in the future, the struggles or difficulties; however she totally trusted God and that He will take care of all things as she surrendered in faith.

Mary's fiat (“let it be done, as you have said” (Lk 1:38)) demonstrates her complete obedience to God and to His will for her. In fact it was by means of her fiat, her obedient faith, that “the mystery of the Incarnation was accomplished” in accordance with God's plan.

Similarly, sometimes in our lives too, when God comes to invite us to make changes in our lives, to explore the inner part of our lives which we have been very comfortable with, we too can feel perplexed or confused just as Mary did. It is in those circumstances that we too can engage in dialogue with God and with others around us. May we too, walk in faith by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us just as he did for Mary.

We may not know what the outcome will be, however we can take the leap of faith and TRUST that God will take care of us just as He did for our Blessed Mother.

Mary, Model of Virtue –Charity towards Neighbour

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 4 June 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, we shall touch on Mary’s virtue of charity towards neighbour. Mary hastened into the hill country to visit Elizabeth.  (Luke 1:39-45)  Consider how Mary thought nothing of herself; indeed her needs were secondary to those of her cousin Elizabeth. 

We next look at Mary at a wedding feast at Cana. (John 2: 1-9)  When the wine was gone, she said to Jesus, “They have no more wine.”  When Jesus replied that His time has not yet come, His mother proceeded to instruct the servants to do whatever He tells them. At this wedding, Jesus listening to His mother and thereupon changing the water into wine opened the disciples’ hearts to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers.

I would now like to share on the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, who emulated the Virgin Mary’s virtue of charity towards neighbour. He fought for justice, the rights of the poor and the persecuted church against the “powers there be” in San Salvador. 

Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdamez was born on 15^th August 1917 in Ciudad Barrios. Romero went to a public school for three years after which he was privately tutored until he was thirteen. He grew up being his father’s apprentice in carpentry and excelled; his father had wanted him to be skilled in a trade since studies in San Salvador did not guarantee employment.

Romero was ordained in Rome on 4^th April 1942. He worked at San Miguel for over 20 years. He promoted various apostolic groups, started an Alcoholics Anonymous group, helped in the construction of San Miguel’s cathedral and supported devotion to the Virgin of the Peace. In 1967, he was chosen to be Secretary of the Bishop Conference for El Salvador. He was known as fairly conservative while editing for the archdiocesan newspaper Orientacion, defending the traditional Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

In 1970, he was appointed auxiliary bishop to the San Salvador Archbishop. He became Bishop of the Diocese of Santiago de Maria in December 1975. On 23^rd February 1977, he was appointed Archbishop of San Salvador, to the surprise, dismay and even incredulity of many priests who were aligned with Marxism. They feared that his conservativeness would negatively affect liberation theology’s commitment to the poor.

On 12^th March, a progressive Jesuit priest and personal friend Rutilio Grande, who had been creating self-reliance groups among the poor, was assassinated.  His death profoundly affected Romero who later stated, “…If they have killed him for doing what he did, then I too have to walk the same path”. Romero urged the government to investigate but was ignored.  Furthermore, the censored press remained silent.

Eventually, Romero revealed a radicalism that had not been evident earlier.  He spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture.  Consequently, Romero began to be noticed internationally. In Feb, 1980, he was given an honorary doctorate by the Catholic University of Leuven. On his visit to Europe to receive this honour, he met Pope John Paul II and told him that it was problematic to support the Salvadoran government because it legitimised terror and assassinations.

In 1979, the Revolutionary Government Junta came to power amidst human rights abuses by paramilitary right-wing groups and the government. Romero criticised the United States for giving the government military aid. He warned President Jimmy Carter that the increased US aid would sharpen the injustice and the repression inflicted on the organised people, struggling often for their basic human rights.

In Archbishop Romero’s words: “In less than 3 years, more than 50 priests have been attacked, threatened and slandered. Six of them are martyrs, having been assassinated; various others have been tortured, and others expelled from the country. Religious women have also been the object of persecutions. The archdiocesan radio station, Catholic educational institutions and Christian religious institutions have been constantly attacked, menaced, threatened with bombs. Various parish convents have been sacked.”

Romero was shot on 24^th March 1980 while celebrating Mass at a small chapel located in a hospital, one day after a sermon where he had called on Salvadoran soldiers, as Christians, to obey God’s higher order and to stop carrying out the government’s repression and violations of basic human rights. An audio-recording of the Mass showed him shot while elevating the chalice at the end of the Eucharistic rite.

On 21^st December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognised the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero.

Mary, Model of Virtue – Charity towards God

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 28 May 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Faith, hope and charity are the three theological virtues which enable us to share in God’s nature (CCC, #1813) or activity (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). God infused them into us at our baptism, so that we can attain union with Him (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). Of these three, St. Paul says that charity is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God.” (CCC, #1822) Charity enables us to love the way God does (Holy Family School of Faith Institute). It summarises the two great commandments that contain the whole law of God, (Mark 12:29-31) i.e.

1.  You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength; and

2.  You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Today, we will ponder on charity towards God. I shall share points and reflexions mainly from the School of Faith website.

Why charity towards God? Does God need our charity or love? Certainly not. God Himself is Love; He does not need us to love Him to be fulfilled in any way. Why then, does He command us to love Him with our whole being? Because only by loving God will we be led to eternal happiness in Him, where we are made to be. As St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for Thyself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (Augustine of Hippo, p1)

How should we love God? As mentioned, with our entire being, above all things and for His own sake. Jesus commands us to love one another has He has loved us. How does God love? He loves us first, gives us life and all good things; not because He needs us, but as a totally free gift. It is selfless love. When we ungratefully turned away from Him, He sent His only Son to die for us, to save us from sin, while we were still sinners. His love is sacrificial. God continues to seek us out and bring us back to Him throughout the ages. To love God for His own sake, obviously we should love Him with the same selfless and sacrificial love.

What makes us love God and keep His commandments? Is it because we want something from Him? So that He will fulfil our desires? If that is so, it is not charity, but selfish love, for the focus is on what we gain from loving God. Charity motivates us to love for the good and happiness of God and neighbour. We should be willing to sacrifice time and energy for prayer, attending Mass, going for Confession, not to get something out of them, but as acts of love for God, to please Him and make Him happy. Likewise, when we pray, we do not merely ask for favours and help; prayer is also praise and thanksgiving. (Holy Family School of Faith Institute)

The famous Catholic theologian, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange gave three great signs of heroic love of God: perfect conformity to His holy will in trials, love of the cross, and perfect charity towards one’s neighbour. (Garrigou-Lagrange).

Should we love God first, or neighbour first? Modern liberalism advocates may say, “Feeding the poor is more important.” In his classic, Liberalism Is A Sin, Dr. Salvany wrote: “Charity is primarily the love of God, secondarily the love of our neighbor for God's sake. …” And Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange wrote, “Perfect charity toward one's neighbor springs from close union with God…”

After Christ, Mary is the epitome of this heroic love of God, for she submitted to His will entirely, and remained faithful amidst the greatest sufferings. Her total love of God made her love mankind as He loves them.

How can we acquire this virtue to love God as we should? Besides our effort, we must be open to God’s grace through daily prayer, especially meditation of the Holy Rosary, and by frequently receiving the Sacraments, i.e. Confession and the Eucharist. (Holy Family School of Faith Institute) Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Mirae Caritatis (#11), wrote that charity towards God to promote mutual charity among men can be enkindled if we ponder well the charity which Christ has shown in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Mary is our role model, for according to St. Alphonsus Liguori, her humility and self emptiness enabled Divine love to fill her so that, quoting St. Bernardine, “her love towards God surpassed that of all men and Angels”.

By this first and greatest commandment, then, we can hope to attain union with God, like Mary.

References:

Alphonsus Liguori. The Glories of Mary, from Mary's Charity Towards God. Retrieved on 19 May 2011 from http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/charity-mary1.htm.

Augustine of Hippo. Confessions of St. Augustine.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Holy Family School of Faith Institute. Retrieved on 27 May 2011 from http://www.schooloffaith.com/_assets/files/Virtue/NT0602.pdf

Holy Family School of Faith Institute. Retrieved on 25 May 2011 from http://www.schooloffaith.com/_assets/files/Virtue/NT0608.pdf

Leo XIII. (28 May 1902). Mirae Caritatis. Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on the Holy Eucharist.

Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (n.d.). The Three Ages of the Interior Life. Retrieved on 19 May 2011 from http://www.christianperfection.info/tta96.php

Mary, Model of Virtue - The Humility of Mary

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 21 May 2011)

•    "Humility," says St. Bernard, "is the foundation and guardian of virtues;" and with reason, for without it no other virtue can exist in a soul. Should she possess all virtues, all will depart when humility is gone.

St. Francis de Sales wrote to St. Jane Frances de Chantal, "God so loves humility, that whenever He sees it, He is immediately drawn thither." This beautiful and so necessary virtue was unknown in the world; but the Son of God Himself came on earth to teach it by His Own example, and willed that in that virtue in particular we should endeavour to imitate Him: Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart.

•    Mary, being the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ in the practice of all virtues, was the first also in that of humility, and by it merited to be exalted above all creatures.

The first effect of humility of heart is a lowly opinion of ourselves. St Teresa: Humility is truth. A humble heart always acknowledges the special favors of the Lord, to humble herself the more. The Divine Mother, by the greater light by which she knew the infinite greatness and goodness of God, also knew her own nothingness, and therefore, more than all others, humbled herself. A soul that is truly humble refuses her own praise; and should praises be bestowed on her, she refers them all to God.

At the Annunciation, Mary is disturbed at hearing herself praised by St. Gabriel; ..and when St. Elizabeth said, Blessed are you among women ... and why has this happened to me, that the Mother of my Lord comes to me? ... and blessed is she who has believed, [Luke 1:42-45], Mary referred all to God, and answered in that humble Canticle, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.” She spoke of the lowliness of His servant to make sure nobody misunderstood what she meant by “servant”.

•    Those who are humble are retiring and choose the last places; and therefore Mary, when her Son was preaching in a house, wishing to speak to Him, would not of her own accord enter, but remained outside, and did not avail herself of her maternal authority to interrupt Him, as it is related by St. Matthew, [12:46]

•    “The Lord scatters the proud and exalts the lowly.” There are two kinds of exaltation: self-exaltation and divine exaltation. The greatest danger for us is self-exaltation, because it opposes the condition for divine exaltation, that is, lowly, Marian humility. She declared that the Lord fills the hungry (those who admit their emptiness) with good things. Hunger in the Bible means emptiness not only of the body, but a symbol of the admitted emptiness of everything. By ourselves, we are emptiness, a vacuum. We must admit that we are a vacuum, or we shall not be filled by the goodness of God. We must admit and constantly confess our emptiness, which is another word for humility.

•    Humility serves. Humility waits on others. Mary did not refuse to go and serve Elizabeth for three months. Elizabeth wondered that Mary should have come to visit her; but what is still more admirable is, Mary came not to be ministered to, but to minister. This is the mother of God, but only because she is also the lowly handmaid of the Lord.

The more gifted a person, the more prone that person is to pride. Possession of anything naturally generates pride. And not only does possession generate pride, but the greater the possession the more pride it generates. Wealth of any kind inflates the human heart. The more a person has of physical or mental or moral or even spiritual riches, the harder it is for that person to be humble, to serve. How are we to be humble? How can we possess without being proud? Only through being in the presence of Jesus Christ.

•    Mary's humility is a paradox. The most gifted creature ever produced by the Creator was also the lowliest in her own eyes. That is the key to humility: seeing everything we are, everything we have, everything we hope to become, everything we hope to achieve or possess – seeing everything as a free, undeserved and totally gratuitous gift from God.

But this is possible only by the grace with which God who became man provides us. The same grace He provided Mary by His Real Presence with her, He provides by His Real Presence with us today. There's no more basic reason for the Real Presence on earth of Jesus Christ than to provide us with the humanly impossible grace of humility.

References:

St Alphonsus Liguori. The Glories of Mary: –: http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/humility-mary.htm

Fr John Hardon, posted by Fr Fernando OMV: http://cloudoffire.blogspot.com/2009/03/mary-perfect-model-of-humility.html

John Hardon S.J. (1914-2000) http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0943.htm

Mary as a Type of the Church - Holiness

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 14 May 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We have shared with you about Mary as a type of the Church as a virgin mother, and how we, members of the Church, can live the life and mission of the Church as both mother and virgin. Today, I would like to share on Mary’s holiness and the Church, again extracting mainly from Fr. Josef Neuner’s “Mary, Mother of the Saviour”, the Lumen Gentium (LG) and other Church documents.

Fr. Neuner wrote: God alone is holy beyond all creation. Christian holiness is based on God’s free invitation to share in His life. This free gift from God must be responded to and realised in the newness of life. All holiness in the Church comes from Jesus Christ, who “loves the Church as his bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her”. (LG, #39). This is realised first in Mary, whose holiness makes her the model of the whole Church.

Mary’s holiness is God’s free gift to her because she is the Virgin-Mother of Jesus Christ, the Saviour. Embodying the mystery of Mary in her life and mission, the Church too, is virgin and mother. Thus the Church also shares in Mary’s holiness. But, Mary, conceived without sin, is holy from the beginning, whereas the Church is called from sin to grace; as St. Chrysostom wrote: a harlot made virgin by Christ the bridegroom (p93). I quote Fr. Neuner: “We are members of the Church not through the natural birth but through baptism, reborn in Jesus Christ. Hence as Eve became the symbol of the unredeemed world, so Mary is the type of the world redeemed and sanctified in Jesus Christ, which is the Church.”

Fr. Neuner concluded: “Christian holiness is embodied in Mary and must be realised in the Church. It is God’s transforming presence which must become fruitful in life and work. …Holiness…is the transparency of God’s presence. …Mary is transparent, filled with the mystery of God. When people pray before her image they enter into God’s presence. Also in the Church holiness is more than moral correctness. The “Holy” Catholic Church must offer to the world the consciousness of God’s presence, elevating and powerful in its silence.”

How do we, as members of the Church, live up to that? Whom shall we turn to if not Mary, the very one who is filled with holiness, and is the figure of the Church? For Vatican II taught: “But while in the most holy Virgin the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she is without spot or wrinkle, the followers of Christ still strive to increase in holiness by conquering sin. And so they turn their eyes to Mary who shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues.” Moreover, (LG, #65) “…true devotion … proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God, and we are moved to a filial love toward our mother and to the imitation of her virtues.” (LG, #67)

To imitate Mary, we need to know her, constantly be reminded of her virtues, and have the grace and perseverance to live by them against worldly temptations. We get to know Mary by reading about her; there is a vast ocean of literature on Mary – in printed material, on the Internet, and prayers and homilies. We also know her through others’ sharing on their experiences of her love and intercession.

Praying the Rosary will remind us of her virtues. Meditating often on the mysteries of the Rosary, we learn more and more about the life of Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother, and will be better disposed to imitate their virtues.

As God alone can make us holy, we must pray for the grace to respond to this invitation of His. We receive grace and strength through the sacraments administered by the Church.  

We should also ask Mary to pray for us to be more like her, so that we will be more like Christ. Mary, being our Mother, is ever ready to help us and intercede for us. Again, the Rosary is the prayer where we invoke our Blessed Mother’s powerful intercession.

In subsequent weeks, we will share on Mary’s virtues. Quoting St. Alphonsus Liguori, “Humility being the foundation of all virtues, as the holy Fathers teach…” we will next share on the great humility of the Mother of God.

Mary as a Type of the Church - Virginity

(Sharing for Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 9 Apr 2011)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We have seen Mary being a type of the Church as mother. Because Mary is both mother and virgin, she is model of the Church also as virgin.” (Neuner, 2004, p. 75) Vatican II teaches, in the mystery of the Church, “the Blessed Virgin stands out in eminent and singular fashion as exemplar both of virgin and mother” (Lumen gentium, #63). Today, I will share on the virginity of Mary and the Church, drawing mainly from Fr. Josef Neuner’s “Mary, Mother of the Saviour” and other Church documents.

We normally understand virginity as the state of a person who has not had sexual relations. Generally, it conveys purity that makes one more suitable for special religious functions, but the biblical meaning of virginity is “a state of helplessness and total dependence on God”. (Neuner, 2004, p. 60)

In the New Testament, virginity means the orientation of the whole person to discipleship above all human bonds. (Neuner, 2004, p. 61) Jesus Christ Himself directs to spiritual relationships rather than those of the flesh. In St. Paul’s letters, virginity means faithful adherence to Jesus Christ’s Gospel and the state of life committed to more exclusive service of God. (Neuner, 2004)

In Christian Tradition, virginity is understood mainly as “a life of total commitment to God”. (Neuner, 2004) The Magisterium of the Church sees virginity as a total adherence to God, consecrated to Him fully body and soul.

The meaning of Mary’s virginity is that she is included in God’s salvation plan with her whole being, body, mind and spirit. (Neuner, 2004, p. 75) Pope John Paul II saw Mary’s consent to motherhood as, above all, a result of her total self-giving to God in virginity (Redemptoris Mater, #39). By virtue of this spousal love, Mary wished to be always and in all things "given to God," living in virginity.

The Church is made virgin by Christ’s ransoming her from the fornication of demons. (Augustine of Hippo, as cited by Neuner, 2004, p. 76) “Thus the Church is… mother through her heart of love, virgin through integrity of faith and devotion.” (Neuner, 2004) The Church is the Bride of Christ. And so, the Church’s virginity consisted in the integrity of the faith and the exclusive adherence to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Neuner, 2004) Just as the Church learns her own motherhood from Mary, following Mary’s example, she remains the virgin faithful to her spouse (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, 1987, #43; St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians).

How does the Church follow Mary in her virginity? Through openness to God’s word, responsive involvement and exclusive reliance on God. (Neuner, 2004, p. 75) As St. Ambrose taught, Mary is a type of the Church “in the order of faith, charity and perfect union with Christ.” (Lumen gentium, #63) The words "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord" testify to Mary’s openness of spirit. (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, 1987, #39)

How is understanding the virginity of the Church relevant to us? Firstly, the virgin-mother aspects justify both perpetual celibacy and marriage; both may be holy. (Brownson, n.d.) Virginity “has nothing to do with a negative attitude towards the body and sexual relations”; in fact the Bible “breathes the pure spirit of God’s creation and mandate: Be fruitful and multiply”. The higher state, however, as Christ taught in Matthew 19, is celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of God. Jesus said “He that can take it, let him take it.” Thus, virginity is not necessary for Christian perfection (Pius XII, Sacra Virginitas, #45). Virgins are extolled not because they are virgins, but because they are dedicated to God. (Augustine of Hippo, as cited by Pius XII, Sacra Virginitas, #16)

Secondly, I quote Fr. Neuner, “The virgin-spouse metaphor emphasises the attitude of contemplative love, the need to be fed by the word of God and to keep the union with God as the ultimate goal of human life.” Virgins, be they the clergy, religious, consecrated laypersons either by public or private vows, may more completely reflect this by lives in service of the kingdom and neighbour. Pope JPII wrote that “…such virginity, after the example of the Virgin of Nazareth, is the source of a special spiritual fruitfulness: it is the source of motherhood in the Holy Spirit.” (John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, #43)

My reflexions: married people living faithfully to the Gospel may bear fruits of spiritual virginity in the Church through the faith planted in their children. By providing every help for youths who feel called to the priesthood or religious life, they help the Church to be truly mother, for the Church is fully mother only when her children are fully virgin, in body, mind and spirit, like Mary.

And so, celibate or married, in so far as we live our vocation faithfully, we are living as Christ’s faithful Bride, the Church.

The PMPT theme for April being “Vocation for Mission”, our next two sharings will be on the charisms of two religious orders, which reflect the virginity of the Church.

References:

Brownson, O.A. (n.d.) The moral and social influence of devotion to Mary. [Electronic version]. Retrieved 22 December 2010 from the Catholic Culture website: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=5860.

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.

Pius XII. (25 March 1954). Sacra Virginitas. Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on Consecrated Virginity.

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

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.