A shower of roses....

Many of you know that I have a special affinity for St. Therese of Liseux. When I first read her auto-bio I thought, what a spoiled silly little child. Then she started to grow on me. Her Little Way began to work its way into the depths of my soul. I'd pass the large photograph of her in the Newman Center and she seemed to stare into the depth of my soul questioning me.

One day I was washing dishes in the kitchen there and I looked up and there she was smiling mischeviously at me (in the photo perched on the windowsill, I wasn't hallucinating!) as if she were up to something.

When Fr. A went to Liseux I asked for a photo of Therese for my desk. He brought me back a lovely medal instead (I still chuckle over that). I think he always knew that she would get to me eventually. She and I are a lot alike I've found. We're both quite impetuous at times! And we both struggle to pray our rosaries.

I've been thinking a lot about Therese this week. Probably because I just watched the movie about her by Luke Films. Often when I think of her I find that I am restless, that my soul is searching for something. I haven't figured out what just yet.

Anyhow, here I was pondering on Therese at odd hours and in odd ways, and I was showered by roses! I hadn't asked for a rose, much less a shower of them, but there they were -- two dozen long stemmed red roses in the arms of my beloved who was asking me out on a date! I of course accepted, but it wasn't until later as we were getting in the car that it hit me. Roses! A shower of roses!

Funny how Therese works. My soul is still restless, but I know that she is walking with me, leading me in her little way to the heart of Christ, to the feet of the Little Child Jesus. She is like a mother in a way, anticipating the needs of my soul before I even think to ask.

And yes, when I picture her, she still has that mischevious but knowing smile on her face and she is loving me, calling me to come closer to her Beloved.