Day 2- Her Esteem for Suffering

St. Therese esteemed every cross as a "Mine of gold for us to turn to account."

Preparatory Prayer:

Dear St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, I thank the Most Holy Trinity for all the graces lavished upon you, and through you upon the world.  I have great confidence in your intercession, both because of your power in Heaven, since you yourself said that "God would refuse you nothing," and because of your goodness and your promise that "no one would invoke you without receiving answer, since you would "spend your Heaven in doing good upon earth" and "let fall from Heaven a shower of roses."  Intercede for me with the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, that the Holy Spirit may assist me to understand your teaching on "Joy in Suffering" and may grant me the gift of fortitude, that fired with a burning love of God and souls, I may eagerly follow you in joyous suffering and share in your glorious triumph.  I promise to show my heartfelt gratitude by doing whatever I can to promote your honor and to make you ever more widely known and loved throughout the world, for the greater glory of the Most Holy Trinity.  Amen.

Reflection:

St. Therese knew that all suffering came from the Hand of God, but she didn't want to just leave it there.  Our saint wanted to know just why God chose to send us trials so that she might more fully enter into His loving designs.  She was able to find these three reasons why God would send us sufferings...

1)  The proof of her love of God.  She says, "There can be no love without suffering."  And so, "Under the pressure of pain I prove my love by test divine!"  Our willingness to suffer for a person is in complete proportion to the measure of love we have for them.  In our suffering for love of God, He desires us to turn to Him alone.

2)  Oneness with God.  St. Therese says "He longs to give us a magnificent reward."  "He knows that suffering is the only means of preparing us to know Him as He knows Himself, and to become ourselves divine."  In short, Our Lord wants to transform us, through suffering, into saints.

3)  The ransom of Souls.  She says, "Jesus has for us a love so incomprehensible that He does not wish to do anything without making us His cooperators.  He wills that we should have a part with Him in the salvation of souls."  Our sufferings are redemptive- we can help earn grace for many souls who are in need of conversion or release from purgatory.

Prayer:

Dear St. Therese, help me to fully understand as you did the beautiful meaning and power in our sufferings. You knew the power of suffering in saying, "Ours in an enviable lot, and the Seraphim in Heaven are jealous of our happiness."  Help me to desire more and more to unite my sufferings with those of Christ's so that we can one day spend eternity with you and all the angels and saints in Heaven.  I also recommend to you my special intentions in this Novena.  (Specify your intentions.)  To one who has suffered so much for Him, God will refuse nothing.

Our Father....  Hail Mary....  Glory Be....