Sunday, July 11, 2010

Prayer and Penance

The following is recounted from "Thoughts and Sayings of St. Therese" from Tan Books. (Many of the conversations were recounted by her novices).


One day a novice lingered on the pathway en route to prayer to when St. Therese overtook her. "Is this how a mother with children (souls) to support hastens to work?"

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I was reminded of this today at Mass. The air conditioning, which we are most fortunate to have in the first place, seemed to have concentrated all its efforts elsewhere in the church as it was nearly suffocating where I sat. I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't wait until Mass was over. At one point, the mantilla was driving me crazy and I was convinced if I took it off, I'd feel better, but I didn't. If I couldn't even stand a little discomfort and found it so difficult to unite myself to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how on earth could I ever think I have anything in common with the Saints, who at the height of their tortures, never lost sight of Christ crucified?

At Fatima, Our Lady beckoned that we should make many sacrifices and endure penance for the salvation of souls, including our own! Forgive me Lord, for not making the most of the opportunity You gave me today. The discomfort of the Church on a hot summer's day has nothing to compare to the torments of hell.

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