Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Today’s optional readings for the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus offer several images of nurturing or comforting children and looking to children as models for our path to the Kingdom of heaven. Isaiah compares the joy and comfort we shall find in Jerusalem to the delight of nursing infants and mothers comforting their sons; our psalm references a child who is stilled and quieted on its mother’s lap; and the Gospel is the familiar story of Jesus placing a child in the midst of the crowd and urging us to humble ourselves like children. All of these together conjure images of peace, joy, reverence and respect.
Now, if you spend any amount of time in my house when my kids are awake, you will be greeted with loud noises, overflowing energy, and, inevitably, some screaming, crying, or tantrum-throwing. But then there are the moments of quiet, however brief, when everyone is content. There are many times my heart melts when I witness the care, compassion, humility, and innocence of my kids and it challenges me to continue modeling these virtues inside and outside our home. Our baby is now 7 months old and she truly has a calming effect on everyone. She smiles easily and even her simple actions like yawning, hiccuping, or grabbing another’s hand, bring squeals of laughter from her siblings. As a mother, I love the quiet hours in the evening, or even the middle of the night, when she nurses and then falls back to sleep, content with life. I wish I could remember that feeling. That feeling of just being held, being surrounded by peace and not worried about the messiness and sorrows of our earthly life. As adults, we tend to be far removed from those moments. Our readings today call us back to a simpler time. As our psalm says, “In you, Lord, I have found my peace…I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.” (Ps. 131:2)
What would it take to still and quiet our souls? Whether or not we can still physically sit on the lap of our earthly mothers, we can certainly sit in the lap of our Heavenly Mother, Mary. Following the pattern of a nursing infant, we can turn to Mary when we first wake up in the morning, before we drift off to sleep at night, and every hour in between when we just need a hug. Allow Mary to comfort us. There is a statue at the University of Dayton called “Mary, Seat of Wisdom,” by Bro. Joseph Aspell, SM. Mary is depicted as an older woman, having lived through suffering and hardships, yet with a smile on her face and her arms outstretched in an act of praise and welcome. The statue is so large and perfectly shaped that we, even as adults, can actually sit in her lap.
How can Mary comfort you today? How can you find your peace in the Lord? Let’s take some time today to breathe deeply, allow our minds to rest with the simplicity and humility of a child, and sit quietly with our Mother.
Peace,
LeeAnn Meyer