Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, V. (3rd October, 2016) on the
Gospel and the Memorial
Gal 1:6-12;
Ps 110:1-2.7-10. (R. v.5);
Lk 10:25-37.
Therese Martin (2nd January, 1873 – 30th
September, 1897) was the last of the children born to Louis and Zelie Martin.
Following her mother’s death when she was 4, her father and sisters babied
young Therese. She had a conversion on Christmas Eve in 1886. Therese entered
the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15 and took the name Therese of
the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She lived a hidden, simple life of prayer,
and she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Therese lived each day with an
unshakable confidence in God's love. She wrote, “What matters in life is not
great deeds, but great love.” Her spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with
extraordinary love. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she
remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. She died after a long
struggle with tuberculosis. Her last words were: “My God, I love You!” She was
canonized by Pope Pius XI on 17th May, 1925. Pope Saint John Paul II
declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.[1]
Topic: Known to God.
A lawyer to test Jesus asked Him in today’s gospel, “...what
must I do to inherit eternal life?” He told him to love God and his neighbour
as written in the law. To justify himself, he asked further, “And who is my neighbour?”
Jesus told him a parable in which a man who travelled from Jerusalem to Jericho
fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and left him half
dead and went away. A priest and a Levite saw him and passed by on the other
side. It was a Samaritan who had pity on him, poured oil and wine on his wounds
and bandaged them. He “put him on his animal, brought him to an inn, and took
care of him.” He gave the innkeeper two denarii with the instruction to take
care of the man and promised to pay whatever more he spent.
It is important to remind ourselves that the Jews and the
Samaritans were enemies at the time of this parable. The action of this
Samaritan can be likened to someone spending his/her resources on a professed enemy.
But he must have seen beyond the man who fell into the hands of the robbers and
was certain his good action was known to God who will repay everyone according
to their deeds, cf. Is 59:18; Jer 25:14.
Saint Therese’s life stands out in the imitation of the Good Samaritan.
Although she desired to be a saint, she sought and found it through the little way.
There is need for us to remember that “What matters in life
is not great deeds, but great love.” We ought to do the ordinary, with
extraordinary love.
Bible Reading: Jas 2:14-26.
Thought for today: Do good to everyone.
Let us pray: May God help us imitate the Good Samaritan
– Amen.
Saint Therese of the Child Jesus – Pray
for us.
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