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Good and upright is
the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, and
teaches the humble his way. Psalm 25:8-9
In today’s readings, St. Paul speaks of the great humility
of our Lord Jesus, who “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave… He humbled
himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” This
is the example we are to follow: not to exalt ourselves but to humbly submit to
God’s will.
This reading is especially fitting for today, October 1st,
the Feast of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Thérèse lived a humble and
obscure life in late 19th century France, entered a convent at the
age of 15, and died when she was just 24; not someone you would expect to make
an impact on the world. However, her “Little Way” of spiritual childhood has
become widely known in the century since her death. St. Thérèse summarizes the Little Way
in her book, Story of a Soul:
“…I have
always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as
there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble
grain of sand trodden underfoot by passersby. Instead of being discouraged, I
told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in
spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to
grow bigger... But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little
way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new… It is your arms, Jesus, which are the lift to
carry me to heaven, and so there is no need for me to grow up. In fact, just
the opposite: I must stay little and become less and less.”
Although she remained both little and obscure during her
short life, God exalted this humble daughter of the Church: St. Thérèse
was canonized 28 years after her death and named a Doctor of the Church by Pope
John Paul II in 1997.
St. Thérèse, pray for us!
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