To be Willing is Enough

The image of the Little Flower that stands in
the Parish Church of St. Therese of the Child
Jesus, UP Los Banos.

                     "Our Lord has deigned to explain this mystery to me. He showed me the book of nature, and I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its spring-tide beauty, and the fields would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord's living garden. He has been pleased to create great Saints who may be compared to the lily and the rose, but He has also created lesser ones, who must be content to be daisies or simple violets flowering at His Feet, and whose mission it is to gladden His Divine Eyes when He deigns to look down on them. And the more gladly they do His Will the greater is their perfection."

- St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul

When the young Therese wanted to go on missions, she was unable and was prevented because of her poor sickly health. She understood that she cannot do anything and everything she wanted even if those are forms of service for the Lord. In her account she wrote that God was pleased to see even the mere WILLINGNESS to serve. We may not be given the chance to do all we want even if we can but it is that fire in our hearts, the zeal to serve, and the willingness to honor and glorify God that give our desires the benefit. She accepted the fact humbly and turned to prayer for the missions as her contribution. In a letter to her brother missionaries she wrote: "Our Divine Lord asks no sacrifice beyond our strength. At times, it is true, He makes us taste to the full the bitterness of the chalice He puts to our lips. And when He demands the sacrifice of all that is dearest on earth, it is impossible without a very special grace not to cry out as He did during His Agony in the Garden: 'My Father, let this chalice pass from me!' But we must hasten to add: 'Yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.' It is so consoling to think that Jesus, 'the Strong God,' has felt all our weaknesses and shuddered at the sight of the bitter chalice--that very chalice He had so ardently desired."

Live like the Little Flower

Browsing a commemorative calendar of the Missionary Catechists of St. Therese which was founded by the late Archbishop of Lipa, Rufino Obviar, I stumbled upon one of his excellency's notes. It wrote:

"Live like the Little Flower, to offer the little things that came to your life,

little displeasures and everything that you could offer to the Lord."

I began meditating and deeply pondered on his words that followed:

"Look at the branches of the mango trees.

They are bent when they are filled with fruits. They are erect when they are empty."

Today starts the novena to St. Therese of the Child Jesus who teaches us the sure way to heaven - a gaze of loving humility. She taught no dogma but lived her life totally out of love. This is why she was declared a Doctor of the Church, the Doctor Amoris (Doctor of Love), and was esteemed as the Millennium Saint. She is a model for our contemporary life where we need love the most. For the next days, we pray to her intercession asking that we too may live as she deed, to follow her example and be truly conformed to the image and likeness of Christ, who gives His total self for love of God and others.

The relics of St. Therese in her 3rd Pilgrim Visit to the Philippines.
My hand, in black cassock and laced surplice, touching her.

NOVENA PRAYER

Dearest Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions…

(State your intentions)

Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply.

Saint Therese, you were faithful to God up until the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen.

Panalangin Kay San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila at kasamahang Martir

San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila (in white)
together with other martyrs in Japan.

PANALANGIN KAY SAN LORENZO RUIZ DE MANiLA AT MGA KASAMANG MARTIR
September 19-27

Si San Lorenzo Ruiz ang unang Pilipinong santo at martir. Siya ay isang laykong sakristan at katekista na pumunta sa bansang Hapon. Doon niya sinapit ang kamatayan dala ng pag-uusig sa pananampalataya. Sinasabi na kanyang mga pasakit ay nawika niya, "Sanlibo man aking buhay, bawat isa pa rin ay aking iaalay sa Diyos."


Amang Mapagmahal, ang Iyong Anak na si Hesukristo ay naghandog ng kanyang buhay para sa kaligtasan ng tanan. Kasihan kami ng iyong pag-ibig upang maihandog ang aming buhay para sa iyo at sa aming kapwa tao. Inakay rin ng mapagpala Mong kamay ang iyong mga lingkod na sina San Lorenzo Ruiz at mga kasama sa lupain ng Hapon upang tularan ang sakripisyo ni Kristo at ipamansag ang Mabuting Balita ng Kaligtasan.

Isinasamo namin na sa pamamagitan ng panalangin ng mga banal na martir na kami'y maging matatag sa pananampalataya tulad nila at maging kasangkapan ng pagpapahayag ng mabuting balita sa aming bayan at sa mga bansang nasa paligid namin. Dinggin Mo ang aming kahilingan at ang tanging biyayang aming hinihingi:
(Banggitin ang mga kahilingan)
Kaisa ni San Lorenzo Ruiz at mga kasama, hinihiling namin ito sa pamamagitan ni Hesukristo na aming Panginoon. Amen.