I stayed long in the adoration chapel tonight. There was much for me to pray and reflect on beyond my usual prayers. When I finally drove home, it was dusk and dark all around. I thought more on the “coincidences” happening in my life recently, and then determined to write this.
- - - - - - - - - -
It was nearing the usual end of my prayer time in the chapel tonight, and two others were staying long in the chapel near me. One, I knew, was praying fervently for healing of his wife and grandchild. Sometimes he cried.
I picked up the two new books I brought with me to read and reflect upon. One little one, which I found on my bookshelf this afternoon, was titled: Small Things with Great Love. The title reminded me of the book on St. Therese of Lisieux which I recently read, and of her “little ways” of showing love. This little booklet was a 9-day novena to “Mother Teresa, Saint of the Gutters”. I’m not sure why, but I had never read it before. The other book, which I recently bought, was titled: When You Pray. The cover sub-text of the book said “Trust, Surrender, and the Transformation of Your Soul”, by Dr. Edward Sri, an author I admire very much.
I first began reading Dr Sri’s book, and saw that it was thirty short chapters, each about the prayer practices of different saints. I opened to read the first chapter and was very surprised to see that it too was about St. Teresa of Calcutta, whom I was later going to begin that novena prayer to with the other book. I also recalled then, that it was only a couple of weeks ago that I was nudged to add St. Teresa of Calcutta to my morning prayer list of saints. Two weeks ago, now twice this evening about prayer to Mother Teresa --- coincidence, or was she already telling me that she hears the prayers I started directing to her?
Dr. Sri began his first chapter by describing his visit to a chapel of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by Mother Teresa. He was struck by the bareness of the space, no chairs, pews, or kneelers, and the sisters took their shoes off before entering. In the chapel was an altar, a gold tabernacle, and a large crucifix with two words printed beside it: “I Thirst.” As Dr. Sri explains, for Mother Teresa those words of Jesus from the cross were His crying out from the depths of His heart His thirst for each individual soul, whom He longed to love, and be loved by. It was His thirst for her, personally, Mother Teresa, and she was amazed. My God NEEDS me. “That God has become small, and that He thirsts of MY love, begs for it --- I cannot understand it; I cannot understand it; I cannot understand it.” But she knew it was true, hence the words in the church wherever the Missionaries of Charities exist.
Dr. Sri suggests I pray in front of the crucifix, look at Jesus in the eye, and then hear Him say to me: “(your name), I thirst.” That short chapter was an awesome reflection, and I stopped and prayed long, looking at Him, and hearing my name. And I considered that my God, THE God of all the universe, He needs me.
When I finally got to the novena booklet, I saw it was titled: One at a Time. The first day’s reflection spoke about the anxiety of our days (remember my blog’s title?), so much to do, and then noted that “Mother Teresa paused to take care of every single need that unfolded before her --- whether it was the beggar at her door, or picking maggots off the person she found struggling in the gutter, or feeding and rocking the tiny baby she found in the dust bin, or negotiating ceasefire between two political enemies.” The Gospel notes Jesus said “Whatever you do to the least of My brothers, you do to Me,” And Mother Teresa focused on everyone before her.
Both of these reflections about Mother Teresa gave me much to think and pray about. And then, in the chapel, I noticed the man was still kneeling, praying, and so I went up to him and asked how his wife and granddaughter were doing. And he seemed relieved to talk about it. ,,, to the least of my brothers.
- - - - - - - - - -
And now as I was finishing my drive home from the chapel and my thoughts on these things, I turned down my street, and there saw, at the top of a very tall tree in my neighbor’s yard, the bright light of the setting sun, sticking out from the darkness all around. I took it as a reminder that “He needs me,” ---- or, maybe He was just smiling at me. Or maybe it was just another coincidence. 😊
No comments:
Post a Comment