October 10
“I will not fear, for God will give me strength: He’ll never abandon me.”
-St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Today's Reflection:
In 1897, these were the last days of Thérèse’s life, and she often made these and other similar acts of faith while struggling against the unrelenting pain in her diseased lungs and intestines. To some they may seem just words, but to Thérèse and the God she loved, they were precious acts of faith. Am I able to make acts of faith when I’m in the midst of suffering? Am I able to pray, “Jesus, I trust in You; I know you’ll never leave me,” when it seems as if all hope is gone? Do I need to pray to be strengthened in the virtue of faith?
St. Thérèse, your faith in God was heroic, especially at the end of your life when you were suffering such extreme physical and spiritual pain. I know that this isn’t because you were such a “great” soul, but because you were just the opposite — a little soul whose only hope was in God. Help me to never forget this, especially when all hope seems to be gone.
This Graceline is taken from Day by Day in the Little Way by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
