thoughts on being a 'little flower'

I just read this article about humility and the teachings of St Therese..
http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=34381

it really made me think..

I love the last 3 paragraphs especially...

"It’s actually a relief to know that I am not fooling God. He knows this fearful, perverted “humility” lives in my heart, preventing me from realizing the peace of true humility. He will take care of it if I let Him; even in this I have to let go, trust Him to keep His word and wait. My progress toward holiness follows my cooperation, not my command. It will not be accomplished on my schedule; I cannot rush or cajole Him into action. Learning to wait is part of learning humility. I have no one to impress – I only have One to love.

St. Therese helps me understand, “the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy…if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.” (Story of a Soul)

A heart that is humble rests confidently in His mercy and love, and has no fear of being little or unnoticed, nor any need for adulation. He may be walking with the red rose in His hand, smelling its sweet fragrance, but He will also lie down on the grass that is covered in a bed of small wildflowers, and He will rest His head on their simple beauty, enjoying their soft comfort. I can think of nothing sweeter than to be that wild flower that’s pressed close to His heart as He lies down to rest. That is all my soul really longs for."

Neither can I..

That is beautiful and that is the one important thing there is.. to seek to please Jesus and to live for Him in whichever way He chooses.

prayer of a soul that longs for God

my God, where are You?
tell me how to find You..
i will go to the ends of the world
i will do anything You ask.

my heart is restless without You
the enemy tells me, 'all is well', -
and i find myself falling asleep..
but i know my soul needs You

i long for You, my God,
- can i still call You my Beloved?
i feel a silence inside; a stillness...
but no whisper of Your voice.

my soul is like a still lake in darkness.
no wind, no movement stirs it
where are You, Holy Spirit, river of Life?
have i offended You so that You left me?

my Lord, i beg You to not leave me
my heart longs for union with You
but i am unworthy
against You alone have i sinned

the Saints say...
when a soul feels rejected
that is when God is nearest.
could it be?

in Your mercy i will take refuge
Lord, oh Lord do not turn Your face from me
i want to look into Your eyes
Jesus i wish i could feel Your embrace

but if that is for greater souls -
Jesus then let me suffer with You.
i will be as gold
purified in the fire of Your love



God desires to make you a saint; and He refuses to remove you from your circumstances to do so. - Jose Maria Escriva

Christ's suffering

I think it's so important to think about the suffering of Our Lord. I've been feeling lately like I should do this more.

It's almost unbelievable that God would let Himself be killed by His own creation. and not only killed, but also treated with so much mockery, hatred, disrespect... it must have been unimaginably painful...not only His physical suffering, but emotional and spiritual as well. I think the more a person loves, the more they're able to suffer for that love. If Jesus loves us infinitely, imagine what His sufferings must have been! and the suffering of Our Blessed Mother too, as she stood by His side, because she loves Him so much!

I've wondered, why did Jesus have to endure so much...why did He have to die so painfully? and then I was praying the Rosary and I read the reflections for the Sorrowful Mysteries in my booklet... and it said, He wore the crown of thorns because of our pride.. He was scourged because of impurity.. in everything that happened, He offered reparation to the Father. And that's when I realized, He suffered so much because His love is so great and because the sin of the world - our sin - is so great. If there had been no impurity, for example, He might not have had to be scourged. And just that knowledge, that sin - my sin - caused all this, ...wow.. I just don't understand though, how through all that He loved us! Even though it was our sin that was causing Him all this suffering, even that didn't make Him bitter or angry. He only prayed.."Father, forgive them.."

and now too, when we repent, Jesus accepts us so readily and unconditionally... He is so glad we've come back to Him, even though we caused Him such pain. I think that is what true love is..

and then I think of all the ways He is still offended today.... people stealing the consecrated Hosts and destroying them.. so much distrust, unbelief, hatred, etc.. and then I look at my sins, and I really don't understand, how could He still love me like this? how could His love be so unconditional? and my heart is so poor and what can I offer Him that's of value..but how can anyone not love Him, seeing His suffering?