27th Sunday of the Year
Saint Luke 17:5-10
In today’s Gospel from St Luke Jesus teaches us something more about Faith. The Apostles ask Jesus to “Increase our Faith” .In reply Jesus gives them two images;
1. Faith is like a tiny seed which will grow and grow.
2. And Faith leads on to service, that is to faithfulness.
Saint Therese, the Little Flower, whose feast we celebrated yesterday, fits in very well with the theme of today’s Mass. The little seed who grew in her childlike Faith and Faithfulness to become one of the best known and most loved of the Church’s saints –despite all her sufferings and difficulties.
St Therese is the great saint of trust in God. She reminds us of how we must trust in God- because God is all merciful. Sometimes we fail to notice how that mercy is shown to us in our own lives.
So it was with Saint Therese. There are many events in her life which show us how she trusted in God’s Mercy.
May 28th 1897; she was particularly tired and it was not long before she died. One of the nuns asked her to finish a painting she had done-Therese was expert in doing very delicate art work.
But this day she was particularly tired and weak and she reacted impatiently and it showed on her face. Her sister Pauline who had been with her all through her illness was disappointed with her for this impatience and in turn Therese noticed her sister’s disappointment. Later that night she wrote,” Now you will believe me when I tell you that I am an ordinary weak soul!” Then she expressed her gratitude that her sister did not scold her, as she deserved. She saw her sister Pauline as an image of God’s mercy to her.
Strangely, Therese felt happier for being imperfect in people’s eyes than being seen as a model of meekness and goodness. The Lord was always gentle towards her especially when she was week. She knew God would do wonderful things for her. That was the simple Faith that she had.
Therese believed that really faithful disciples are ones who are able to forgive readily-that makes them even closer to God and more like God.
During the last 18 months of her life St Therese suffered intensely the trial of faith. She found it hard to believe in heaven or any spiritual reality. But her love and trust through her trials is a great comfort and inspiration for all who struggle with their belief.
Lord I believe, help my unbelief.