In preparation for our parish pilgrimage, let us look at St. Therese’s mission: her mission from Jesus, her mission at the Convent and her mission in Heaven.
St. Therese’s Mission in Heaven:
Her desire to be a missionary further intensified as she lay on her sick-bed and she looked forward to being an even greater missionary after her death:
“I do not intend to remain inactive in Heaven, my desire is to continue working for the Church and for souls. It is what I ask of God and I am certain he will grant it.” (LT 254)
“I feel that my mission is about to begin, my mission of making others love God as I love him, my mission of teaching my little way to souls.” (JEV 85)
“I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth until the end of time.” (JEV, 85)
On Vocation, St. Therese says this: Without being discouraged I continued my reading, and this phrase comforted me: “Earnestly desire the more perfect gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor 12:31). And the Apostle explains how all gifts, even the most perfect, are nothing without Love... that charity is the excellent way that leads surely to God. At last I had found rest.... Considering the mystical Body of the Church, I had not recognized myself in any of the members described by St. Paul, or rather, I wanted to recognize myself in all... Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that if the Church has a body composed of different members, the noblest and most necessary of all the members would not be lacking to her. I understood that the Church has a heart, and that this heart burns with Love. I understood that Love alone makes its members act, that if this Love were to be extinguished, the Apostles would no longer preach the Gospel, the Martyrs would refuse to shed their blood... I understood that Love embraces all vocations, that Love is all things, that it embraces all times and all places... in a word, that it is eternal! Then in the excess of my delirious joy, I cried out: “O Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my vocation, my vocation is Love!”
Indeed charity is the key to all vocation: love is the foundation of all service. Love is the foundation of the world. Love begins with the Summary of the Law, the Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength; Love your neighbor as yourself.
Let us be sure we have the same definitions: Who is our neighbor? The one who needs us, as Jesus tells us in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Let us look further into the Scripture for the definition of love: No greater Love is this: than to lay down one’s life for a friend.
Of all the virtues, faith, hope and love are key; and the greatest of these is Love. Love will never cease, even beyond the end of time, when faith and hope will have found their fulfillment in Love.
What we do on earth will continue its effects into eternity. The soul you bring to Christ will be with Him forever; the Love you sow now will bear fruit forever.
Eternity begins now. Who were you made to be?
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