Saint Therese of the Child Jesus - "In the heart of the church I will be love"
In the heart of the church I will be love
From the autobiography of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Manuscrits autobiographiques, Lisieux 1957, 227-229
Having an immense desire for martyrdom, I resorted to the Epistles of Saint Paul so as to find an answer.
My eyes by chance came upon the 12th and 13th chapters of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and in the first chapter that all of them cannot be at the same time apostles, prophets and teachers; that the Church consists of diverse members and that the eye cannot be at the same time a hand. A very clear answer, certainly; yet, not sufficient to satisfy my desires and give me peace.
I continued reading without becoming discouraged and I found this consoling exhortation: "aspire to the most excellent gifts. I want to show you a path that is still even better."
In effect, the Apostle allows us to notice how gifts without charity are nothing and how this same charity is the best path to arrive to God in the most secure manner. Finally I have found tranquility!
Upon contemplating the Mystical Body of the Church, I recognized myself in none of the members that Saint Paul enumerates; instead what I desired was to see myself in all of them.
In charity I discovered the hinge post of my vocation. I understood that the Church has a body which results from the union of its various members, but which is not lacking the most needed and noble of all: I understood that the Church has a heart and that this heart is burning in love.
I understood that only love is that which motivates the members of the Church to work and that, if that love were to be lacking, neither would the Apostles announce the Gospel; nor would the martyrs spill their blood.
I clearly recognized and convinced myself that love encloses within itself all the vocations, that love is everything, and that it covers all times and places. Expressed in one word, that love is eternal.
Then, full of an overflowing joy, I exclaimed: "Oh Jesus, my love, I have finally found my vocation: my vocation is love. Yes, I have found my own place in the Church, and that place is the one that You have pointed out to me, My God. In the heart of the Church, who is my mother, I will be love; in this way I will be all, and my desire will be completely fulfilled."
Translated from the Spanish Liturgies of the Hours by Jan Paul von Wendt -
liturgiasdelashoras.com.ar
In the heart of the church I will be love
From the autobiography of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Manuscrits autobiographiques, Lisieux 1957, 227-229
Having an immense desire for martyrdom, I resorted to the Epistles of Saint Paul so as to find an answer.
My eyes by chance came upon the 12th and 13th chapters of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and in the first chapter that all of them cannot be at the same time apostles, prophets and teachers; that the Church consists of diverse members and that the eye cannot be at the same time a hand. A very clear answer, certainly; yet, not sufficient to satisfy my desires and give me peace.
I continued reading without becoming discouraged and I found this consoling exhortation: "aspire to the most excellent gifts. I want to show you a path that is still even better."
In effect, the Apostle allows us to notice how gifts without charity are nothing and how this same charity is the best path to arrive to God in the most secure manner. Finally I have found tranquility!
Upon contemplating the Mystical Body of the Church, I recognized myself in none of the members that Saint Paul enumerates; instead what I desired was to see myself in all of them.
In charity I discovered the hinge post of my vocation. I understood that the Church has a body which results from the union of its various members, but which is not lacking the most needed and noble of all: I understood that the Church has a heart and that this heart is burning in love.
I understood that only love is that which motivates the members of the Church to work and that, if that love were to be lacking, neither would the Apostles announce the Gospel; nor would the martyrs spill their blood.
I clearly recognized and convinced myself that love encloses within itself all the vocations, that love is everything, and that it covers all times and places. Expressed in one word, that love is eternal.
Then, full of an overflowing joy, I exclaimed: "Oh Jesus, my love, I have finally found my vocation: my vocation is love. Yes, I have found my own place in the Church, and that place is the one that You have pointed out to me, My God. In the heart of the Church, who is my mother, I will be love; in this way I will be all, and my desire will be completely fulfilled."
Translated from the Spanish Liturgies of the Hours by Jan Paul von Wendt -
liturgiasdelashoras.com.ar
Saint Therese of Lisieux mosaic, crypte at the Basillica of Saint Theresa of Lisieux, Normandie, France; commons.wikimedia.org
"For me, prayer is a burst from my heart, it is a simple glance thrown toward heaven, a cry of thanksgiving and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy."
October 1 (New) / 3 (Traditional) - Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus of Lisieux (1873-1897) - "In the heart of the church I will be love"
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