ST. THERESE NOVENA - First Day

THE LITTLE FLOWER: LIGHT AMIDST A CULTURE OF DEATH

Opening Prayer: O my God! I believe in You: strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in You: O secure them. I love You: teach me to love You daily more and more.

WORD: "This is the Cup the Father has given me. Shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11)

Reflection: SUFFERING--GIFT OF GOD'S LOVE

Therese lived with the simplicity of a child, poor in spirit, full of unshakable confidence in the merciful love of God. She understood that in the fire of God's love, one is transformed. The heart is stretched to infinity, the impurities are burned away and one is emptied in order to be filled with God. Because of this transformation, suffering is inevitable: Once the complete surrender to merciful love has been made, "...love surrounds and penetrates me; at every moment this merciful love renews and purifies me, leaving no trace of sin in my heart."

Therese's faith in the goodness of God convinced her that we suffer because God loves us. Actually, she expresses this in a more intimate way by saying that it is Jesus' "gentle hand which strikes" us. He is the source of our pain. He may not enjoy making us uncomfortable, but he knows-Therese boldly proclaims-that only in this way can we enter His life. Nothing else can transform us. Jesus therefore smiles and sends more bitterness.

Without trust in God's love, the mystery of suffering would make no sense. This is Therese's 'little way,' the way of spiritual childhood. Though a child may not fully grasp her mother's ways, the child trusts, confident in her Mother's love. This way of spiritual childhood is open to all, especially those who are experiencing suffering and temptations that they cannot understand or remove.

"Oh! no, I will not fear his blows for, even in the most bitter sufferings, one always feels that it is his gentle hand that strikes" (St. Therese)

DAILY PRAYER
O Lord, You have said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; grant us, we beg You, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the Virgin blessed Thérèse, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.

St. Therese, beloved friend, you promised to spend your heaven doing good upon earth. We come before you in our need. We believe that you listen to us and approach God for and with us. You are love in the heart of the Church. You are love in the heart of God. With childlike faith and selfless love, you were ushered in the circle of our Lord's passion, offering us His Holy Face as the key to mystery of suffering.
O Little Flower, remembering you promise "to do Good upon earth" and to shower down your "roses" on those who invoke you, obtain graces for these intentions which we place before you:
- For those who are sick and suffering, especially those with terminal illnesses
- For all who are burdened by physical and mental affliction, disease, and all forms of addiction
- For all who have lost faith in the Gospel of life, and especially for those whose old age or infirmity temps them to despair
- For all whom society has abandoned; for those who have no one to pray for them, for those who contemplate suicide
- For their families and all who care for them, nurses, doctors and health care workers
- For our political and religious leaders and all with positions of influence,

O St. Therese, our sister, obtain for us a strong faith and love to embrace the Risen Lord. May your intercession discourage the enemy and banish from our land the scourge of the Culture of Death. Anchored in prayer, fill us with apostolic zeal to become living witnesses to the Merciful Love of God and to the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. To the Child Jesus, whose Holy Face, radiant with the wounds of his blessed Passion, is our light and our salvation, be glory and honour in this dark night and in the everlasting day. Amen.

1 'Our Father,' 1 'Hail Mary,' 1 'Glory be' in reparation for sins against the gift of life.