Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and Saints – 16 February – Friday after Ash Wednesday – The Feast of the Sacred Crown of Thorns of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Isa 58:1-9; Matthew 5:43-48; 6:1-4 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This, rather, is the fasting I wish:
releasing those unjustly bound,
untying the thongs of the yoke,
setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke,
sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
clothing the naked when you see them
and not turning your back on your own. …
Then you will call and the Lord will answer,
you will cry for help and He will say:
‘Here I am!’ For I, the Lord your God, am merciful.”
Isaias 58:6-7 and 9
“But I say to you, Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you
and pray for those who persecute
and calumniate you …”
Matthew 5:44
Love for One’s Enemy
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
and the Holy Face (1873-1897)
Carmelite
“There is a Sister in the Community, who has the faculty of displeasing me in everything – in her ways, her words, her character, everything seems very disagreeable to me.
And still, she is a holy religious who must be very pleasing to God.
Not wishing to give into the natural antipathy I was experiencing, I told myself that charity must not consist in feelings but in works – then, I set myself to doing, for this Sister, that which I would do for the person I loved the most.
Each time I met her, I prayed to God for her, offering Him all her virtues and merits.
I felt this was pleasing to Jesus, for there is no artist who does not love to receive praise for his works and Jesus, the Artist of souls, is happy when we do not stop at the exterior but, penetrating into the inner sanctuary where He chooses to dwell, we admire its beauty.
I was not content simply, with praying very much for this Sister who gave me so many struggles but, I took care to render her all the services possible and, when I was tempted to answer her in a disagreeable manner, I was content with giving her my most friendly smile and with changing the subject of the conversation.
… Frequently, when … I had occasion to work with this Sister, I used to run away like a deserter, whenever my struggles became too violent.
As she was absolutely unaware of my feelings for her, never did she suspect the motives for my conduct and she remained convinced that her character was very pleasing to me.
One day at recreation, she asked in almost these words: “Would you tell me, Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus, what attracts you so much toward me; for everytime you look at me, I see you smile?”
Ah! what attracted me was Jesus hidden in the depths of her soul; Jesus Who makes sweet what is most bitter!” (Autobiographical Manuscript C 13).
AnaStpaul 