Submit your intentions for the Little Flower Novena

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Here in our San Antonio community we always look forward to October 1st and celebrating the liturgy of the Solemnity of St. Thérèse. It not only brings joy and spiritual blessings, but also unites us with our brothers and sisters of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Because it is so special, this great celebration is not only a Carmelite feast, but has also become an Archdiocesan celebration. Every year Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller or one of the auxiliary bishops is the main celebrant of the liturgy and priests and seminarians from the Archdiocese join us for the Solemn Mass of Roses. People come from other parishes in the city and even from other cities in the Archdiocese.

Of course, prior to the Mass of Roses are the Novena Masses held at Little Flower Basilica. Every day of the Novena helps us to spiritually prepare ourselves to celebrate the solemn Mass of St. Thérèse. Moreover, for us Carmelites it is a special time to pray for your particular intentions, asking the intercession of our Little Flower. The Novena of St. Thérèse is also a time to acquire more knowledge about her way of sanctity and her relationship with God. Knowing more about the Little Flower’s life can help us to reflect on our relationship with God and with our neighbor. For this reason, this year I would like to invite you to reflect on St. Thérèse’s Spiritual Poverty.

Our Little Flower is the saint of Spiritual Poverty. In the way she lived her life we can see that she was very faithful to the teachings of the Holy Gospels. From them she learned how to imitate the example of the poor Jesus, who lived in this world only trusting in the will of his Father. St. Thérèse learned very well what Jesus says about becoming like little children to welcome the Kingdom of God into your life. As all Carmelites strive to, she learned how to live in humility of heart and in simplicity of soul, detached from all the things that could become an obstacle in her spiritual life. She lived depending only on God, not on herself, not on her plans, not on other people, nor on worldly things.

In her short life St. Thérèse learned to be happy in what she received from the Merciful God, and in what she could do for or give to others. She was someone who knew how to live the present moment well, who lived in sapiential poverty because she was not attached to what happened in the past or would happen in the future; only focused on what she was living at the present moment, being fully aware of God’s presence. I am almost sure that you, like me, can feel our present time is moving so fast, in so many directions, and that there are so many demands in our life that there is no room for God. When we realize life is so busy, full of so many distractions and responsibilities that, as a consequence, we are taken away from God, we should look at Thérèse. St. Thérèse was a person who learned how to live in the present, one day at a time.

Dear brothers and sisters let us try to keep growing in our relationship with God by living a spiritual poverty in the example of St. Thérèse. Let us remember to live in simplicity by being fully aware of God’s presence in our life and by living the will of God.

During the novena and the feast day of our Little Flower, let us remember that life is but an instant, a passing hour, as St. Thérèse says in her poem, “My Song for Today.” I would like to share with you some of these verses, and at the same time, invite you to pray with us this year’s novena by sending us your prayer requests. Please remember that your needs and intentions will be present in our novena Masses as well as in the solemn Holy Mass of St. Thérèse on October 1st.

May you live in humility of heart and in simplicity of soul,

Very. Rev. Luis Joaquin Castañeda, OCD

Provincial

My Song for Today

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

1. My life is but an instant, a passing hour.

O my God! You know that to love you on earth

I only have today!...

2. Oh, I love you, Jesus! My soul yearns for you.

For just one day remain my sweet support.

Come reign in my heart, give me your smile

Just for today!

3. Lord, what does it matter if the future is gloomy?

To pray for tomorrow, oh no, I cannot!...

Keep my heart pure, cover me with your shadow

Just for today.

4. If I think about tomorrow, I fear my fickleness.

I feel sadness and worry rising up in my heart.

But I’m willing, my God, to accept trial and suffering

Just for today.

7. Near your divine Heart, I forget all passing things.

I no longer dread the fears of the night.

Ah! Jesus, give me a place in your Heart

Just for today.

(Translated by Fr. Donald Kinney, OCD)