Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, V. (3rd October, 2018) on the
Gospel and the Memorial
Job 9:1-12.14-16;
Ps 87:10-15. (R. v. 3);
Lk 9:57-62.
Therese Martin (2nd January, 1873 – 30th
September, 1897) was the last of the children born to Louis and Zelie Martin.
Following her mother’s death when she was 4, her father and sisters babied
young Therese. She had a conversion on Christmas Eve in 1886. Therese entered
the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15 and took the name Therese of
the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She lived a hidden, simple life of prayer,
and she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Therese lived each day with an
unshakable confidence in God's love. She wrote, “What matters in life is not
great deeds, but great love.” Her spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with
extraordinary love. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she
remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. She died after a long
struggle with tuberculosis. Her last words were: “My God, I love You!” She was
canonized by Pope Pius XI on 17th May, 1925. Pope Saint John Paul II
declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.[1]
Topic: Neither mine nor yours.
Today’s gospel presented to us three categories of would-be
disciples of Jesus. Jesus replied the first who opted to follow Him, “Foxes
have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to
lay his head.” Yet Jesus said to another, “Follow me.” Despite his excuse, He
insisted, “...go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And to the third who wanted
to bid farewell to those at his home first, Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand
to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Every owner of property ought to have intention for his/her
property. And it is the intention of the owner that counts.
The Psalmist writes, “Know that the LORD is God! It is he
that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture”
(Ps 100:3; cf. Eph 2:10). Hence
Saint Paul tells us that we are God’s property, cf. 1Cor 6:19.
It is God’s intention therefore that counts in our lives and
in whatever we do even when one thinks he/she has the best of intentions, cf. 2Sam 7:5-7. In today’s gospel, Jesus
literally turned down the intention of the person who volunteered to follow
Him. The one who thought it wise to bury his father first was charged to spread
the gospel instead. And the last who wanted to say goodbye to those he was to
leave behind was judged unfit.
In our lives and in everything we do, it is neither my will
nor yours that counts. We ought to seek the will of God in everything just like
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.
Bible Reading: 2Sam 7:1-14.
Thought for today: With God are enduring wealth and prosperity, cf. Prov 8:18.
Let us pray: Lord, direct our hearts to follow
your will always – Amen.
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus –
Pray for us.
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May
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