Photo was taken near Killarney, Co.Kerry (Irl)
A holly tree stands all on its own on the mountain walk between Killarney and Kenmare
Thought on Wednesday – October – 03/10/2018
‘Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.’ ~Therese de Lisieux
The start of October last Monday has a blend of some beautiful feast days, each one as special as the next. Monday (Oct 1st) is the feast of St Therese and she is one of the most popular saints of our time. Her huge appeal is not that she did extra ordinary things but that she did the little things extraordinary well. She found that she was closest to God when she was doing the simplest and most mundane tasks. The spectacular and sensational always attracts interest and sometimes hype. Celebrities are always in the spotlight. But this was never a part of her life.
We may have many things planned for today and across the coming week. The chances are that much of is nothing extra ordinary. It will not make headlines and most of it we have done so many times before. But the feast of St Therese reminds us that this is where life is meant to be. This is where life really matters. It is comforting to know that in the simple and ordinary events of our lives, we can be quite close to God. This is something we so often take for granted. Getting close to God is not reserved for the elite or the chosen few. It is always within our reach.
On Tuesday (Oct 2nd) we had the feast day of our guardian angel. From an early age we have been taught that we have a guardian angel. But before we were even taught we just knew. We sensed that there was someone special watching over us. This is not just a childhood fantasy, it is something real and something that gives us great comfort as we journey through life. Like many things we take our Guardian Angel for granted. We often forget that they are there as we allow the complexities of life take over our lives. A fitting prayer on Tuesday and indeed every day might be: “O Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen”
Finally tomorrow Thursday (Oct 4th) we have the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. He is one of those rare saints who has managed to capture the attention and admiration of the entire world. His life has inspired people of all ages and the appeal of this saint, cuts across national boundaries and religious differences. He is most famous for his respect towards God, his simple life and his tender love and attention to all creation. Francis had little time for excess, waste and greed. The life of Francis still challenges all of us today. The invitation is to sort through our lives and discard the unnecessary and useless. There is great freedom in doing with less and using it to our advantage. St Francis did it so well and has inspired so many more to do the same.
