Great Faith, Great Grace. By:C.C

``Everything is a grace, everything is the direct effect of our Father's love- difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs - everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weakness. Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events - to the heart that loves, all is well. (St. Therese of Lisieux)

     When reflecting upon the lives of our beloved Saints it is important to acknowledge the difficulties and sufferings that they too had to endure. In our veneration of them, and the way in which we regard them as `spiritual heroes` of our Church it is important to also recognize and be reminded of the obvious fact that these men and women were indeed human. They were faced with challenges and joys, trials and tribulations, sufferings and consolations. They were created no different from you and I. They are beloved children of God just as we are. They, like us are called to love. The degree in which these men and women experienced the love of God in their lives is the result of how much they truly loved, trusted, and honored God through all things. This too is the same for us. The Saints were not excused from the trials of life, and quite often they were faced with the most perilous of circumstances. What is it then that these men and women possessed which enabled them to lay down their lives for the Lord?  It was great love and great faith in God.

  I have chosen to use these words from St. Therese of Lisieux because of the amazing example she has been to me in my life and also in the lives of many I encounter. Her simplicity and her humility enabled her to experience our Lord's love in the most beautiful of ways. It is because of her great love of God that she was able to accomplish great things and be an example for us today. 
   "Everything is grace". How often do we find ourselves truly saying this throughout our daily dealings and struggles? Do we find time in each moment and circumstance to seek the hand of God upon what we are faced with? 
  Though our flesh may urge us to scream and rage in reaction to some of life's obstacles the spirit reminds us that these "stumbling blocks" are moments of great opportunity for purifying us and strengthening our faith in the Lord if we remain focused on Him. In recognizing all things as a gift from God we can better approach our challenges with a sense of peace and serenity. If our love and trust in God is great then we trust that He can accomplish the unimaginable; we can accept all things from His hand as necessary even if we do not understand them. May we continually seek to serve our Lord in love through all things. May our trust in Him grow in accordance with our love so that we are able to face difficulties, contradictions, humiliations,  and all the soul's miseries with great faith. (C.C.)