Monday, June 13, 2011

Daily Reflection From St. Therese

At the hospital where I may very well be employed soon, each meeting is opened with a daily reflection.  It is up to the leader of the meeting to provide the reflection, and since it's a Catholic hospital, there is no worry about being "PC" and offending people of other faiths.  Therefore, I thought I'd better start posting a reflection each day to get a head start.

Today's reflection comes from St. Therese.  If you belong to the Society of the Little Flower, you, too, may have received an envelope bearing this message:

"I cannot express in words what happened in my soul, what I know is that the Lord illuminated it with rays of truth, which so surpassed the dark brilliance of earthly feasts that I could not believe my happiness." - St. Therese of Lisieux

"How come you don't ride horses anymore?" someone asked me. How can I explain to someone who does not share my zeal for the Lord?  When I rode, I thought my heart would burst with happiness.  I looked into the face of a horse and saw God.  But it was also an all-consuming sport.  It took hours to care for horses properly.  It's not like a bike where you can ride it til you're ready to drop and then just lock it up  It took hours of travel back and forth because we don't live in the country.  It took money better spent on college tuition and helping those in need.  Riding was not something I seemed able to do in moderation.  It became my religion for a long time and that was just plain wrong.

I stopped riding because I thought I had spent enough time away from the Lord that I should make this sacrifice and also because it brought me a false sense of happiness, what St. Therese might have called felt or sensible joy.  

Our only real joy in life is to do God's will, even when it does not bring us happiness we can feel.

4 comments:

  1. Amen to that! I have many interests that could pull me in just as many directions. I know what it is to lay stuff aside. Just think, if we "make it" to heaven, perhaps there will be such things as horseback riding, chamber concerts, juggling....

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  2. I added that BEFORE I read Terry's post. Really! LOL

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  3. I know about many interests. You are quite wise to give the horse up. Perhaps when you retire you might find time and still keep up your devotions. Afterall you do see God in the horse.

    By the way Joyce, if you get a chance, check out my blog about my date with the Pope's Choir. You might enjoy it.

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  4. Oh never mind on that last comment. I just noticed you had seen it. Thanks for commenting. :)

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