Categories All For several months at Sunday Mass, I noticed a middle-aged gentleman quickly walk out of the Church as soon as the congregation approached the altar to receive Holy Communion. He left before anyone inclined to approach or speak to him was able to do so. I do not know why he would not approach our Lord; there could be countless reasons. Maybe he simply didn’t believe that it was Jesus he was walking away from.
To date, all I have done is pray for him. However, after Mass one day, I read an article written by Father Denis Lemieux, entitled “Who Will Be Saved?” This thought-provoking column appeared in the July-August 2018 issue of Restoration, the newspaper published by Madonna House. The good Father offered a possible explanation for this man’s reluctance to receive Communion that shook my soul; he made it quite clear I must offer this man much more than my prayers. Here is the relevant excerpt from Father’s article: “Those of us who do know what the Bread of life truly is, who know at what Table we can receive the very life of God in a fashion that is concrete, physical, touchable, tasteable, literal food and drink that bears God’s innermost being into our innermost being, have a deep responsibility to not merely receive Communion, but to be indeed taught by it. We have a responsibility to be formed by it and shaped by it so that our lives are truly indistinguishable from His, that the way we live is in fact a perpetual and ongoing Eucharist, love poured out, life given for the world. I am afraid that so many people never find their way to the sacred Table to receive that most sacred Food because so many of us who do, show so little sign of it in how we live our lives. We eat and drink God – do our lives reflect that fact?” What kind of sign have you and I been?
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Categories All I am ashamed to admit how easily I fall prey to the “blues.” God has immensely blessed me in this life. I have no real reason for ever feeling down and discouraged. But, of course, I am human and prone to such disorders.
In reflecting (many times) on what might set me off on this non-productive path, I discovered a number of culprits, these being the “big three” - thinking I can actually accomplish anything of value by myself and without God’s grace and assistance; being self-centered and self-absorbed; and not being present and helpful to others. The solution then seems so obvious: allow God to be God and use me as His instrument, put others before myself, and do something concrete to help someone. Inevitably, the “blues” evaporate whenever I stop thinking of myself and focus on God and my neighbor. But lately, these demons, like vultures circling their prey, have refused to leave. They have used my love for our Eucharistic Lord and passion for Eucharistic Adoration, to imbed their claws into my weak soul. Instead of being astonished and grateful that God has permitted our Perpetual Adoration chapel to complete its tenth year, I fret over the lack of interest from the majority of my fellow Catholics and from the general unwillingness of far too many priests to promote and participate in this vital devotion. Ever ready to thwart this devotion, I hear the evil one whispering in my ear, “You’re wasting your time. Most Catholics don’t believe He is really and substantially present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament anymore.” “That will change in time,” I say to myself. “You can tell them of the benefits of an Hour of Adoration till you’re blue in the face,” my invisible adversary blurts out in response. “They won’t come, visit and spend anytime with Him. Why should they? Many of their own priests don’t. You’re wasting your time.” Smelling the stench of discouragement trying to take root in my mind, his unrelenting assault continues: “You’re foolish to think you can keep this Adoration chapel open perpetually. You won’t fill the empty slots – look how long they have been vacant. You can’t expect the same people to pick up extra hours just to keep the chapel open. You would be better off just opening it for a few hours a day.” On and on he goes. Enough! I must stop listening to him! Discouragement never comes from God, leads to nothing good and impedes the work He asks us to do for Him. I reflected on these truths when I next filled in for an absent adorer and imagined this conversation taking place. “What’s the problem? Who is in charge of this devotion? - You or me?” “You are Lord,” I whisper sheepishly. “Then act like it. I was the one who called a handful of souls to ask their pastor to establish Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration here. I was the one who opened his heart to be receptive to that request. I was the one who provided and continues to provide the adorers needed to keep Me company 24 hours a day. Not you. If I want this sacred place to remain open, no one will be able to stop Me. So don’t be discouraged! Trust me! Keep inviting others to come. I will do the rest!” As if on cue, at varying intervals during the rest of that hour and for different lengths of time, one visitor after another came to be with Him – first a family of four, then an elderly and crippled woman, followed by seven other individuals. I had no idea so many were stopping in for brief visits. He was letting me see the pool of potential adorers from which He would be drawing! And as an added and unsolicited blessing, He had a friend send the unique picture (see above) that was taken during the late Pope’s visit to Mexico--a perfect image that so stirringly conveys the power and awesomeness of His Presence among us: Nearly fifteen years have passed since I wrote this post. The Adoration Chapel referenced in it is still open. Those responsible for overseeing it continue to place their trust in God. At His direction, they keep inviting others to come, knowing that He will do the rest!” Oh, that none of us will ever tire of inviting others to Come and Adore Him! by Ms. Mary Kay Welgoss, OP Categories All  St. Paul Preaching in Athens, by Raphael, 1515. Wikimedia Commons It was a Saturday in early June. The day was perfect for a local festival–sunny and warm with a light breeze. I felt the knots-in-my-stomach kind of trepidation I usually experience when setting out for a day with St. Paul Street Evangelization. Sharing my faith in Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church with strangers and acquaintances always feels daunting at the outset. I imagine crumbling under anticipated hostility or proving totally inadequate in my effort to explain the truths of the Gospel and of Church teaching in on-the-spot encounters. But God always encourages me. Somehow, he lets me know that there is value in trying. With a group of dedicated team members from my church, we set about preparing our table among all the other not-for-profit groups. We displayed an array of colorful rosaries, holy medals, prayer cards, pamphlets, note cards and the wooden box for prayer intentions made especially for us by a fellow parishioner. We prayed the rosary together before the festival started with the special intention that the Holy Spirit would help us to plant many fruitful seeds that day.
Things started out amicably enough; we met many people who were cordial and receptive, people with a wide variety of religious experiences who were genuinely interested in connecting with the Catholic Church on some level. We also experienced a few scoffs and mild jeers, but these people tended to move on quickly. Then, sometime in the early afternoon, a beautiful young woman walked up to the table and started looking at the rosaries. My colleague–who excels among us at being the welcoming presence that draws people into conversations about faith and religion–began talking with her, asking if she would like to take one of the rosaries and whether or not she knew how to pray it. The young woman was quick to inform us that she knew all about rosaries. She had attended Catholic school until sixth grade and knew all about Catholicism. Her manner was not hostile or angry, just very matter-of-fact. But as she continued to speak, it was clear there was something more on her mind. There was an earnestness about her, a sense of being owed an explanation for something that was important to her. She began by informing us that she just graduated from high school and was heading off to an ivy league college in the fall. She said she thought that intelligent people didn’t believe in religion because they have the capacity to apply reason to solve problems rather than turning to God. Never being one to walk away from a debate, I jumped into the conversation. I asked her whether or not she believed in God, and she said yes, she did. It was the first of many answers she gave that seemed to logically contradict her stated positions. It wasn’t long before she was asking about hot button issues, like the Church’s teaching on abortion, contraception, and same-sex attraction. I tried in my best educator way (I am a retired high school teacher of 32 years) to answer her questions as clearly as I could. But they kept coming–-one after another. Again, it was not an angry exchange; she was respectful throughout. But she wanted answers. We talked intensely for over an hour. Every time I was sure the conversation was coming to a close, she would take up another question. It was not that I wanted it to end, but I have never experienced this level of intensity in a conversation with someone I just met. Without a doubt, she was a person of great intelligence who thought deeply about the world around her. Something happened along the way that severed her connection with the Catholic faith, but I am convinced that deep down she still believed it to be true or desperately wanted it to be true. The conversation finally ended when her father appeared at the table and told her he wanted to get something to eat. So, I shook her hand, wished her well and sat down, exhausted and unsure if anything I had said to her actually made any sense. As I debriefed with my colleagues, I realized that this conversation had been a bit of a spectacle among people at nearby booths. The young woman and I were so engaged in our conversation, that we didn’t notice others listening around us. The woman at the table next to ours said, “It sounds like you were having a therapy session rather than talking about religion!” This seemed like an apt description of what just happened. So this is where you might think the story ends, but you would be wrong! About forty-five minutes later, I was completely dumbfounded to see the same young woman standing in front of me, this time with two of her friends. One was another young woman of 18, originally from El Salvador, who had been adopted by an American family shortly after birth. The other friend was a young man who was grappling with questions of gender identity. Initially all three of them launched into a debate about abortion rights that sounded rehearsed. But quickly the conversation turned. The woman who was adopted said that being given up by an impoverished mother had left her feeling unwanted all of her life. Despite the love and opportunities afforded to her by her adoptive parents, she felt abandoned and unloved by her birth mother–and these feelings drove her to depression and despair. Then she made two statements that absolutely horrified me: she said she wished her mother had aborted her, because it would have made life easier for both of them. Because her mother was Catholic, she did not believe in abortion or did not have access to the procedure in her native Catholic culture. She went on to say that she recently attempted suicide, because she could not imagine ever getting over this feeling of being unwanted. It was then that I truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit giving me the words this young woman needed most to hear: I told her, “God wants you. God loves you. He made you in his image and likeness. He conceived his idea of you and your unique life path long before he knit you in your mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head. Your life is infinitely valuable to him. And it seems much more likely to me, especially because I am a mother myself, that your mother made two extreme acts of loving sacrifice for you, her beloved child. First, she cooperated with God to give you life, and second, she gave you up to be raised by others in the hope that you might have a fuller and happier life than she could provide. This was not an act of someone who didn’t want her child. This was an act of a woman who loved her child more than she loved herself.” At that point the young woman turned away in tears. It was clear to all of us standing there that she was in deep pain. The conversation continued for a few more minutes before the three friends left. It was obvious we were no longer debating an abstract social issue. We were witnessing what a life without God is like; it is a life full of pain, loss, confusion, hopelessness and a lack of meaning and purpose. It is a devalued life. While there is no guarantee that a life with God in this world won’t have its share of pain and loss, the confusion, hopelessness, meaninglessness, and lack of purpose are gone. With God we experience the joy that comes from knowing we are deeply loved and deeply valued. His love gives meaning to all things. In the inspired words of Saint Paul, “It [Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8) This is the good news! God loves us so much that he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile us with God and so to save us from a life of sin, a life without God. This is the message all of us on the evangelization team so fervently hoped these young people would hear. We prayed as they left that the Holy Spirit might open their minds and hearts to receive it. Jesus tells all of us to go forth and spread this good news. My experiences with St. Paul Street Evangelization have convinced me in a very personal way of the absolute necessity of doing this, especially in our current culture that is so dominated by nihilism and hedonism. Our neighbors are carrying heavy burdens, and they do not know that God can alleviate them. They do not know of his infinite mercy and love. Evangelization is work that can be intense and demanding, but so wholly satisfying too. To connect with fellow travelers and to share what Christ has done is truly a great blessing and a great gift. by Mr. Michael Seagriff, OP Categories All  Homily of St. Dominic in Recanati by Lorenzo Lotto, 1508. Wikimedia Commons The Gospel of Matthew (8:16-20) which commands us “to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit”, prompts this question: Have we Catholics abandoned our Christ-given mission?
For years, our Church has downplayed the importance of conversion and the salvation of all souls, choosing instead the promotion of social justice and worldly objectives. We act as if the solution to the world’s problems remains in the secular realm, when in fact, it can be fought and defeated only on the spiritual plain. Our silence in light of such misguided efforts slays souls and emboldens Satan. We have limited our ineffective evangelization efforts (for the most part) to just those calling themselves Catholic, thereby reinforcing the secular belief that one religion is just as good as another. Most Catholics do not know their Faith and few live it – because they have often not been taught it. Even though God’s Truth will set a soul free, far too often we insist on substituting His full and complete (and no doubt challenging) Truth for a watered down, pastorally comforting non-truth, that can never nourish and foster authentic spiritual growth. Our silence in light of such misguided efforts slays souls and emboldens Satan. God’s law and commandments are applicable to all human beings, whether they be Catholic or not or whether they believe in a supreme being or not. God’s Truth is implanted in the hearts, minds and souls of all whom He has created. We humans know intuitively what is right and what is wrong. Why have we not shouted this Truth from the rooftops and reflected it in the way we live our lives? Our silence in light of such inaction slays souls and emboldens Satan. No one (relatively speaking) comes to Church on Sunday. We, our bishops and priests, for the most part, remain silent about the eternal consequences for those souls who do not participate in Sunday Mass. Our silence in such situations slays souls and emboldens Satan. We are told that of the few Catholics who come to Sunday Mass, upwards to seventy-five percent no longer believe that Jesus Christ is really truly and substantially present, Body Blood Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist hidden behind locked tabernacle doors and in the Sacred Host placed on their tongues. Our silence in light of such non-belief slays souls and emboldens Satan. We wonder why so many Churches have been closed and abandoned. Surely, if we believed that Jesus is present in our Churches we would act with the reverence such belief requires and spend time with Him. Obviously, our catechesis and example have failed to teach that essential and fundamental Truth. Our silence and poor example slay souls and emboldens Satan. Rarely are our Churches the silent, reverent, sacred spaces they were intended to be and which our Lord deserves – unique places where one can in quiet, adore, worship and speak to the God who longs to be loved. Yet we do little or nothing to correct this tragic state of affairs. Our silence in light of such irreverence slays souls and emboldens Satan. When was the last time the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke with one uniform, persistent, fearless and endless voice, not just condemning such evils as abortion, contraception, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, fornication, active homosexual lifestyle and transgenderism, but with love and in fraternal correction, explaining to everyone (not just to Catholics) why such conduct is evil and leads to eternal punishment? Our silence in light of such failures slays souls and emboldens Satan. How many more lives will be brutally ripped out of the wombs of their mothers before we, our Bishops and our priests will call this evil what it is – murder not health care, not the right to choose, but murder? If the harvesting of human body parts from aborted human beings and the use of taxpayer funds to support such evil will not receive the universal, persistent and unending condemnation of all God-fearing people, priests and bishops of our Church, what will? Our silence in light of such evil slays souls and emboldens Satan. How do we save souls if we, our priests and our bishops create or acquiesce to ambiguity in Church doctrine where none had heretofore existed? Let me offer a few examples. The Church has taught that there are eternal consequences to those who have rejected God’s grace and die in the state of mortal sin unwilling to repent and seek forgiveness. How can any Catholic now accept the suggestion that “No one can be condemned forever because that is not the logic of the Gospel?” Such a concept appears contrary to all that the Church has taught (see Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1033 and 1035). Our silence in light of such error slays souls and emboldens Satan. It has always been undisputed Church teaching that it is a mortal sin to receive Holy Communion if you are a divorced and remarried Catholic who never sought or obtained annulment of one’s marriage (CCC 1650). How can we support assertions to the contrary today? Our silence in light of such error slays souls and emboldens Satan. The Church’s constant teaching has been that a soul in mortal sin receives no spiritual benefit from receiving Holy Communion, but rather eternal condemnation if such conduct is left unconfessed. (CCC 1384-1385) Why would we, our bishops or priests encourage others to commit such sinful acts? Our silence in light of such conduct slays souls and emboldens Satan. It has been the teaching of the Church that we MUST strive with God’s grace to overcome our sinful behaviors and that with His grace all things are possible, including abandoning long-standing sinful acts. Even if we are never fully successful in overcoming our sinful behaviors, we are never exempt from trying to do so. How can we now teach that such a standard is too high and those who have been unsuccessful in striving to free themselves from entrenched sin, are no longer obligated to do so? Our silence in light of such erroneous teaching slays souls and emboldens Satan. How can we have a reasonable hope that all souls will be saved or that atheists (who die not knowing Jesus) are in heaven, or that God makes a person gay, or that gay sexuality can be “in some way be Eucharistic,” that “it can be expressive of Christ’s self-gift” or that “it can be expressive of mutual fidelity, a covenantal relationship in which two people bind themselves to each other for ever” or that it is licit for a non-Catholic spouse to receive Holy Communion? Our silence in light of such false assertions slays souls and emboldens Satan. Who would ever have thought that the administrators of a Catholic College would fail to unequivocally support a well-respected tenured faculty member and a student who were attacked for simply proclaiming and defending the teachings of their Church against those who promoted error and sinful conduct? Our silence in light of such failures slays souls and emboldens Satan. Were you shocked that a once vibrant and faithful Catholic nation approved the killing of children in their mother’s womb and celebrated this tragedy joyfully and unashamedly? You shouldn’t be. That is what happens when we remain silent and don’t engage in spiritual combat. When the Church and its members fail to teach and defend the Truth, Satan offers a counterfeit substitute truth – one that leads only to hell. Our silence slays souls and emboldens Satan. Is it not time for we silent souls to defend God’s Truth, to fulfill our baptismal obligation to be the Gospel to those we meet and to more fully engage in the spiritual battle for the salvation of all souls? Or do we want to remain silent and slay souls and embolden Satan? by Mr. Michael Seagriff, OP catagories All God calls all of us to walk the Via Dolorosa with Him, to spend time at the foot
of His cross, to be there as He is nailed to it, to be there throughout the entire three hours of His agonizing death, to be there as He is taken down from the cross, to be there as He is placed in His mother’s arms and to be there at the tomb. I have tried from time to time to obey Him. But I have found it hard to do. Painful would be more accurate. I don’t want to be reminded of the price He paid for my sins. I don’t want to acknowledge how ungrateful I have been for such an undeserved sacrificial gift. I am afraid of what other things He might ask of this obstinate sinner and of the additional disappointment, pain and anguish my refusing to change may cause such a loving and merciful Lord. Yet, if I am ever to succeed in abandoning my will for His, of allowing Him to make of me the new creation He intended, and of spending eternity in His glorious and magnificent Presence, I must obey. I must daily walk that road and spend time at the foot of His cross. I am hopeful that as a result of my visit to St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal – the work of Saint Andre Bessett, more commonly known as Brother Andre – I will be successful in this most difficult but necessary exercise. Let me tell you why. Shortly after arriving at the Oratory and during a casual conversation at lunch with other pilgrims, I heard for the first time of a Crucifix in the Grotto Church at the Oratory to which a great devotion had developed. Over the years, many answered prayers and miracles have been reported by those who spent time at the foot of that Cross and who left their written prayers and petitions there. I wanted to find that special place. I had never been to the Oratory but went to look for that Crucifix. I had not walked very far at all when I saw the Grotto’s entrance just feet from where I stood. I entered with joyful expectation. Mass was about to begin but there was still a line down the side aisle in front of a Crucifix that was in the sanctuary next to the altar rail. My wife and I got on the line. At first I was unsure whether I was disrespecting our Lord and the priest who had just begun Mass but felt compelled to remain in the line, joining in the hymns and Mass responses. I was moved by the depth of emotion others displayed as they approached the Crucifix and held on to our Lord’s nailed feet while praying silently. When it was my turn, I snapped a quick picture of the crucifix and then reached up and put my two hands on Jesus’ crucified feet. I rested my head there as well, pleading for the salvation of my soul and the souls of my loved ones. I shed a few tears. I did not want to leave or remove my hands but knew I had to do so. Others were waiting. Link for St. Joseph’s Oratory: https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/ Link for St. Andre Bessett: https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-ones/st-andre-bessette/ by Mr. Benjamin Dominic Categories All  As a Catholic scientist, I fortunately have not struggled with reconciling my scientific profession with my Catholic faith. Truth cannot contradict truth, as Pope Leo XIII wrote in his encyclical Providentissimus Deus. Hence, whether truth comes from the use of reason (including the sciences) or Divine Revelation, it cannot contradict itself merely based on its source. This inspires confidence in any Catholic that the Catholic religion and science are ultimately harmonious, despite any seeming contradictions that may currently be present.
However, one obstacle I have faced as a Catholic scientist is of a vocational rather than intellectual nature. How can writing computer code, solving mathematical equations, or conducting laboratory experiments serve our Lord, lead others to Him, and foster my own growth in holiness? When I was discerning this vocation, it certainly felt that more “explicitly religious” choices (such as being a Catholic missionary or a teacher in a Catholic school) could serve our Lord and His will better. I found consolation in a Catholic astronomer whose cause of canonization has been opened. Paraphrasing his self-reflection on being a Catholic astronomer, he said, “I have the ability to take the stars into my hands, give them a voice, and make them praise their Creator.” [1] Something from this quote echoed the Canticle from the Book of Daniel (Dan 3:57-88, 56), which is prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours and includes invocations such as: Sun and moon, bless the Lord. Stars of heaven, bless the Lord. Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord. Like the Catholic astronomer quoted above, is it not possible for every Catholic scientist -- astronomer, physicist, chemist, biologist, and more -- to similarly give voice to the natural objects they study, to praise and bless the Lord? Black holes and exoplanets, bless the Lord. Protons and electrons, bless the Lord. Hydrogen and helium, bless the Lord. DNA and RNA, bless the Lord. When viewed this way, pursuing a vocation to be a scientist may not appear to be “explicitly religious.” But, echoing the sentiments of St. Albert the Great (the patron saint of scientists) as well as Dominican priest-scientists I know personally, scientific research can be approached as an act of prayer, of praise, of worship of the Lord who made all the things I study. As a physicist, I too have the ability to take electrons and atoms “into my hands, give them a voice, and make them praise their Creator.” In this way, I can say with the writer of Wisdom, “For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator,” (Wis 13:5) or with St. Paul, “Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made.” (Rom 1:20) As I have found time and again, there is no real contradiction between being a Catholic and being a scientist. Even in this vocation, I can find a way to serve our Lord, bring others to know His grandeur through His creation, and grow in holiness through prayerful study myself. -------------- [1] Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I cannot relocate the article in which I read this! I believe it was from the official Vatican website. If it rings a bell and you find it, please let me know! by Mr. Benjamin Dominic Categories All St. Therese of Lisieux is a well-beloved saint of our modern times. Perhaps it is because she is the most recently living saint to be declared a Doctor of the Church. Perhaps it is a selection bias within my friend circle; they are mostly around the same age St. Therese was when she passed away, and might therefore be inspired by her combination of sanctity and youth. I think it is more likely that she is attractive because of her personality: simple, charming, endearing, and boldly confident in the Father’s love for her.
All of these aspects of her personality are reflected in her characteristic path of holiness, the “Little Way,” described as doing “small things with great love.” It is an inspiring truth for any person: holiness -- great holiness -- can be achieved by the simplest and smallest of us. It is the greatness of our love in even the smallest deed, and not necessarily the greatness of the deeds themselves, that matters most in light of eternity. Since this idea is so enlightening and inspiring for so many people, you can imagine my shock when I felt I had no idea what the Little Way really meant. In particular, I recall reading St. Therese say that “to pick up a pin for love of God can save souls,” but I did not understand what it meant (practically speaking) to “pick up a pin” with love. Did it mean to pick up a pin with the loving intention that someone else does not step on it and get hurt? That did not seem quite right! In my efforts to understand this, I found the letter of St. John and the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas to be helpful. St. John famously writes, "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. [...] God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." (1 Jn 4:7-8, 16) In parallel, consider the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas that God is Ipsum Esse, Being Itself (ST I, q.4, a.2). God is the First Cause; that is, no created thing is sufficient to explain its own existence. No created thing caused its own existence. Rather, any created thing is held in existence by the First Cause, by Being Itself, by God, without Whom it would cease to exist. And yet, putting the two together, Being Itself -- God -- is love. Every created thing that exists in the world is held in its existence by God’s continual love. In this way, everything we touch, see, and experience can serve as a constant reminder that God is loving us and holding all these things in existence through His love. And what is the proper response to this perpetual love? In my view, the Little Way is the proper response. If all that we are and all that we do is sustained by God’s perpetual love, the Love in which “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), then there is no action that cannot be offered back to God as a sign of our love for Him. [1] Every action, no matter how small, is simultaneously a reminder of God’s infinite love for us, and can be offered with great love back to Him. The Little Way is the presence of mind and will to say, with any action, “God, in this act I am aware that I am sustained and surrounded by Your infinite love for me. And, I respond by consecrating and offering my whole being, my whole self, and this act, back to You out of love for You. In this way, I abide in You and Your love, and invite You to abide in me and my acts.” Perhaps this drawn-out exposition has marred the simplicity of St. Therese’s writings and the Little Way. But, I hope it may be fruitful for those of you who think like me. -------------- [1] Of course, we cannot offer an act of sin out of love for God. As St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, evil (such as sin) is a privation of the good (ST I, q.49, a.1). |
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