Daily Gospel Reflection for September 23, 2018 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel: Mark 9:30-37 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time When I was a girl, I was taken with St. Thérèse the Little Flower. I was fascinated by this girl, who at my age, knew she wanted to be a nun and devote her life to Jesus. Later, I realized that St. Thérèse the Little Flower is St. Thérèse of Lisieux – the giant of sainthood. Many saints are well known. St. Joan of Arc – burned at the stake. St. Francis of Assisi – sold all his stuff and devoted himself to God. Mother Teresa – selflessly tended the poor and sick. St. John Paul II - rock star Pope. What made Therese a saint? At 15 she joined the Carmelites and died at 24. What could a cloistered nun possibly have done to become a saint? She did one very simple and powerful thing with her whole being – she loved Jesus. And that’s what made an ordinary life extraordinary. She dedicated her life to Jesus; every day, every happiness, every struggle. She embraced her place as his child. As Jesus wrapped His arms around the child in the Gospel, He wrapped His arms around St. Thérèse. In her little way, she reveled in her role as God’s child and taught us to seek this for ourselves. We do not have to do great things. We only have to love Jesus as a child. We need Jesus to wrap his arms around us. When we offer every moment of every day to him (whether saving a life or folding laundry), He becomes the center of everything. When we embrace our place as His beloved child, the greatness starts. That is when He does extraordinary things through ordinary us. All we have to do is love Him and let Him in. It really is as easy as it sounds.