Day 22- Love of God

Happy Feast Day of St. Therese!!

(I'm sorry this novena did not finish in time!  I was out of town a few days and was not able to keep on top of it....but I know St. Therese is very pleased with our efforts!)

"Love can do all things; even the most impossible tasks seem to it sweet and easy." 

 ~ 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:

St. Therese knew that God the Heavenly Father loved her with such tenderness and immensity that she thought it quite impossible for God to love a creature any more than He loved her.  She also knew that since He is God and she is but a creature, that nothing she did merited His love for her, it was just that God delighted in Her for being who He created her to be.  This unmerited love is what she called "the mercies of the Lord."  Saint Therese knew that the only way to "repay" God for all His merciful love, was to love in return.  She desired to love God back with as much love as He showed her- this meant borrowing God's love for her and turning it back into love for Him.  She said, "Love attracts love; mine darts toward Thee and desires to make the abyss brim over.  Alas, it is not even as a dewdrop in the ocean!  To love Thee as Thou lovest me, I must make Thy love my own.  Thus alone can I find rest."  She also knew this would mean much suffering for her because she would have to prove her love of God in everything she did or did not do.  She also said, "I do not desire that thrill of love which I can feel; if Jesus feels the thrill, it is enough for me."  Similarly, she said in speaking of all her sufferings, "When God disappoints me, I pay Him all manner of compliments."

Prayer:

Dear St. Therese, I desire to love Our Dear Heavenly Father with as much love as He loves me, with such tender mercy!  Help me to not always rely on "feeling" God's love of me or spiritual highs, but be patient and trusting knowing that when I don't feel God's particular love of me, He still "feels" my particular love of Him.  Help me to courageously persevere through all my trials to prove my love even more to God.  I desire for God to know my love for Him, even if I feel disappointed in my circumstances.  I want to only fill Our Dear Lord with compliments!

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....