Day 18- Her Shield- Unreserved, Childlike Abandoment to God

"The good God wills that I surrender myself like a very wee child who does not trouble himself as to what will be done with him." 

 ~ St. Therese

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:

In the book, "Joy in Suffering" talking about St Therese it says, "Her life was like a blank sheet of paper at the bottom of which she affixed her signature and then placed it in the hands of God, to let Him write thereon all that might please Him, accepting in advance, with joy and gladness, whatever He would write, not knowing what it might be, but convinced it would be only for His glory and her own spiritual good."  St. Therese herself said, "Whatever has com from God's hands has always pleased me, even those things which have seemed less good and beautiful than the gifts made to others."  And she was not impatient waiting for God to act in her life when she was feeling forgotten, but rather indifferent saying, "He is free to do so, since I am no longer my own but His.  He will weary sooner of making me wait than I of waiting!"

Prayer:

Dear St. Therese, help me to abandon myself in the arms of Jesus, as you did, making myself as a "blank piece of paper" for God's will to be written on.  I desire to not worry about when God will answer my prayers or what He has given to others all around me- knowing that whatever and whenever God chooses to act in my life is for my own good and for His greater honor and glory.

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....