As some of you know, my Saint for the year is St. Therese. My theme in prayer for the year is to ask St. Therese for an outpouring of love within families. Today I've had some difficulty in keeping hope after the unfortunate decision our New President has made regarding abortion. I was having a hard time praying this morning so I had to ask St. Therese for her prayers and intercession to help me to pray. Well I'm literally typing this five minutes after this happened. It's something that may seem very small and insignificant to the rest of you but it means the world to me and just a reminder to me of the Love our Lord has for us and how quickly our prayers are heard even though the results are not what we have asked for. I'm in the midst of doing homework and packing for my move next weekend. So I was taking a break from the computer and went to look through some books I have to decide what I am going to keep and get rid of. Well, two books I immediately began looking through were "Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons" and "Archbishop Fulton Sheen's St. Therese~ A treasured love story". Well, there was a book mark in Mother Angelica's book so I opened up the book mark to get this:
It's a Novena to St. Therese the Little Flower! The Novena is from a prayer card given to Mother Angelica on January 8, 1943. Nine days later her stomach ailments she had been plagued with her entire life disappeared! Praise God! I will close with this Novena...but not before I write what I opened up to in the Fulton Sheen book about St. Therese. It's a miracle to me how God can speak directly to the heart of my soul at exactly the right time and exactly the right thing! I love you Jesus!
What I found in this book ironically has a lot to do with the post I did yesterday:
"Coming back now to the Little Flower. What is the secret of humility? She said it is to become nothing. Nothing. Never to stress our own powers, our own wealth(if we have any), our own gifts, but to recognize they all come from God.
There are two kinds of emptiness. There is the emptiness of the Grand Canyon in the United States; it is sterile and produces nothing. There is also the emptiness of a flute, which if you breathe through, you can pipe a tune. Now we are bidden like our Blessed Lord, to become empty, to become nothing so He can work on us. That is the basis of humility. That is what people called her "Little Way"."~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen's St. Therese: A treasured love story.
Now for the Novena:
Novena Prayer to the Little Flower
O beautiful Rose of Carmel, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, deign according to your promise to descend from heaven to visit those who implore you. Pour down on us in profusion those celestial graces that are symbolized by the shower of roses that Jesus your Spouse has put at your disposition. Your power is great with His heart. He can only listen and hear your prayer. I have then recourse to you, O St. Therese of the Infant Jesus, assist me in this circumstance. Speak for me to Jesus and to Mary and obtain for me to live a holy life and die a happy death. Amen.
St. Therese hear my prayer. Show your power with God and cure me if it be for the honor of God, and the good of my soul. Amen.
I encourage you to pray this with me throughout the year for an outpouring of love within all families and for all those who are considering abortion or are in danger of abortion. Life is a basic right for all humans...Choose Life..Your Mother Did!
May God bless us all and you all remain in my prayers!
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2 comments:
Erin,
I like hearing about your experiences and reflecting on what amazing things Our Lord and the saints may do for us. The saints are set up as the stars in heaven to guide us on our course, and it is beautiful how at certain times in our lives, some twinkle and shine so brightly for us.
I was also distraught to hear about Obama's apparent 'eagerness' on the abortion issue...but even more so about something I heard on the BBC over here. While abortion does not really register on the social or moral conscience of this very secular nation, and it is already relatively easy to have one performed, abortions are now going to be offered at GP's offices. That means you can go into your normal family doctor and have an abortion performed almost as a matter of routine. Of course, this is also free on the NHS, paid for by the taxpayer.
As I head home this week I am hoping our own country is not taking another step towards this direction...
Keep praying, as no miracle is too 'little' for Our Lord.
--Erin
Erin,
I enjoyed reading your beautiful post. St. Therese is certainly making herself known in your life in gentle and powerful ways. I will be praying for you as your first Carmelite meeting is soon approaching. May St. Therese and her holy parents intercede on behalf of all families.
Peace be with you!
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