Soaring ....

St. Therese's message to "little souls" ...

Lord, "I know well that for your sake the saints have made themselves foolish -- being 'eagles', they have done great things. Too little for such deeds, my folly lies in the hope that your love will accept me, and in my confidence that the angels and saints will help me fly to you.

As long as you will it, I shall remain with my gaze fixed on you, for I long to be fascinated by your divine eyes, to be a prey to your love.

I am filled with the hope that one day you will swoop down upon me and bear me away to the source of all love . . . that you will plunge me into its glowing abyss.Jesus, I want to tell all little souls of the wonder of your love. If by any chance you could find a soul weaker than mine, which would abandon itself to perfect trust to your infinite mercy, I feel you would take delight in loading it with still greater favours. 

Where do these desires to make known the secrets of your love come from? You alone can have taught them to me. You alone can reveal them to others. I ask you to look upon a vast number of souls; choose in this world a legion of little people worthy of your love."

- St. Therese of Lisieux

 

"Little 'earnings'", St. Francis de Sales

"The worst thing that can befall persons who have good will is to want to be what they cannot be and not want to be what they necessarily must be. They conceive desires to do great things, which perhaps will never be expected of them; in the meantime, they neglect the little things which God puts into their hands. There are thousands of acts of virtue as, for example, to bear little troubles and the imperfections of our neighbors; to suffer a biting word or some little injustice; to repress a harsh word; to mortify a little attachment or curiosity; to refrain from giving a bit of news; to excuse an indiscretion; to be condescending towards others in little things -- these are for everyone, so why not practice them? Very seldom do we have the opportunity to gain large 'sums', but we can daily earn little ones. And with the intelligent handling of these little 'earnings', there are many who become rich. Oh, how many merits we would earn and what great saints we would become if we were to take advantage of every occasion that our vocation offers us!" - St. Francis de Sales

 

Preacher

 

"Let everything recall to you the presence of God. If, for example, you go into the garden and see some flowers, ask one of them, What are you? It will not reply, I am a flower. No, but it will say to you, Ego vox -- I am a preacher; I preach the power, the wisdom, the goodness, the beauty, the prudence of our great God.

Imagine that the flower makes you this reply, and let it penetrate your heart and teach you a lesson of divine love."

 

St. Paul of the Cross

 

 

St. Francis of Assisi on Peacemakers

"They are truly peacemakers who are able to preserve their peace of mind and heart for love of our Lord Jesus Christ, despite all that they suffer in this world."

St. Francis of Assisi

 

How true this statement is! How much more peace there would be in our hearts, in our lives, if suffering were born with resignation. 

We are all wounded, we all suffer, we all need to forgive and be forgiven. Throughout our life's journey, we find wholeness in the Lord -- in His love for us and through our acceptance of His will as He works through the brokenness and pain in our lives. 

The peace of Christ flows forth from the inner recesses of a loving and prayerful human heart. We may be in the midst of pain and strife, yet through the taking up our Cross we discover peace in Him. So simple and yet not so easy to put into practice! Let us take heart in knowing that each small victory is one step towards a more peaceful heart and world. Jesus leads the way!!

 

 

"Peaceful lake scene in Colorado" by ellenm1
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