Sleepless in Seattle

Last Saturday night, I decided to tune into the movie, Sleepless in Seattle, the 1993 classic love story. It seemed like a “safe” movie that hopefully would pass my “G” rating preference in movies.

However, very soon into the story I was upset over the story line. The setting is: Tom Hanks (Sam) loses his wife to cancer and he is now a single dad trying to move on with his life with his son Jonah. In this particular scene, Jonah asks his dad what happens to people after they die, and Sam says he doesn’t know. He said he has dreamed about talking to his wife, which makes him think, perhaps there is some afterlife, but then he brushes that off and again says he just doesn’t know. The two look at each other with a look of loss and confusion, end of the scene.

I am thinking this is the worst tragedy of the whole movie and it brings me back to a statement I hear so often in the Christian community when people face trials in their lives, “How do people who don’t know God, deal with these things?” I cannot imagine waking up and thinking that there is nothing but what is in front of me every day and when I die, that’s it, the story is over. How depressing is that thought? I know the truth and I know my family and friends that have gone before me are watching over me right now and I will see them again, when God calls me home. Best of all is to meet Jesus face to face and enter the eternal kingdom that he has ready for each one of us who believe.

I remember watching this movie when it first came out and enjoying it and not noticing all of its secular messages of atheism and the worldly accepted immorality of sex outside of marriage. That was back in the days when I was wrapped up in reading secular novels, watching prime time TV shows, and watching the latest movie. I was all wrapped up in a world that did not have a place for God, except on Sundays to attend mass. After mass, I went right back to my secular life. Things have changed for me since then and I gave up the secular novels and movies and focus on reading God’s Word. The veil of the secular world is being lifted from my sight and I am beginning to see the world for what it really is. It’s quite painful to see how blind I was, and it is necessary every day, to keep turning to God for the truth and the path to eternal life.

The world we live in is difficult at best for many and for those of us that are blessed with all of the earthy comforts of the developed world; we still suffer in many ways due to our fragile human nature. I like to keep in mind that we are exiles of this world and until we reach the eternal kingdom of heaven, we will suffer through many trials, some brought on by our own sinfulness, and some brought on by the sinfulness of others. We know the end of the story and we just have to persevere and pray every day for God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.

Spiritual Marriage

Today I want to share another excerpt from Saint Therese of Lisieux's, autobiography, The Story of a Soul. Saint Therese entered a Carmelite Monastery when she was only 15 years old. She is known for her simple and humble personality, and is referred to  as the “little flower”. The religious community that she joined, along with several of her biological sisters, is a cloistered community, which means they participate in contemplative prayer and do not interact with the outside community. This story of hers shows the creativity of her youth and devotion and love for God.

The story begins when Therese’s newly married cousin visits Therese at the monastery (of course, people could visit them, but they do not go out into the world). Her cousin is filled with the excitement of being newly married and shares stories of her husband and her joy in her marriage. It seems this encounter sparked Therese to think about her recent spiritual union/marriage and devotion to serving God (by joining the community). Women who join religious communities devote their lives to praise, worship and service to God, and they are considered to be “spouses of Jesus”, in a spiritual sense as opposed to an “earthy” marriage between men and women.

Therese “amused herself” by creating this endearing wedding invitation and shared it with her community to “bring home to them: the glory of earthy unions cannot compare with the glory of being the Spouse of Jesus:

ALMIGHTY GOD

The Creator of Heaven and Earth,

And Ruler of the World

And

THE MOST GLORIOUS VIRGIN MARY

Queen of the Court of Heaven

Invite you to the Spiritual Marriage of the August

Son

JESUS, KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS

With

Little Therese Martin

Now Lady and Princess of the Kingdoms of the Childhood and Passion of Jesus, given in dowry by her Divine Spouse from whom she holds her titles of nobility OF THE CHILD JESUS and OF THE HOLY FACE.

It was not possible to invite you to the Wedding Feast celebrated on Mount Carmel on the 8^th September, 1890, only the Celestial Choir being admitted.

You are nevertheless invited to the Bride’s AT HOME, tomorrow, the Day of Eternity, when Jesus, the Son of God, will come in splendor on the clouds of Heaven to Judge the Living and the Dead.

The hour being uncertain, please hold yourself in readiness and watch."

(The Story of  Soul, page 119)

God Bless,

Paula

The Story of a Soul

I am reading, for the second time this week, "The Story of a Soul", an autobiography by St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Therese's story is in my opinion, different from so many of the other stories of saints who did amazing things in the lives. Recently, I was watching a documentary on St. Catherine of Siena and found it overwhelming to comprehend how anyone could have such an influence on so many people and accomplish so many great things, including getting the pope to return to Rome, within a short period of her life. Catherine died at the age of 33, an age where I was just beginning to become enlightened with some spiritual sense. St. Therese's story is very different. Her life is a story of simplicity and humility. St. Therese sees herself as a perpetual child and she talks about her thoughts and feelings about simple things in life that we all struggle with. She has a way of connecting basic day to day life events and feelings to a spiritual level that is very accessible to any reader, at any point in their spiritual life. Throughout this story, I found myself smiling inside and relating to what she is talking about and embracing her attitude of acceptance of our personal flaws. She strived to be a saint from a young age, yet she accepts her shortcomings and finds simple ways to work on the virtues. She particularly speaks to her imperfections of oversensitivity, having scruples, worry and anxiety. In spite of her imperfections she is confident that she will be a great saint,

"I am not relying on my own merits, because I haven't any. I hope in Him who is Virtue and Sanctity itself: He alone, content with my frail efforts, will lift me up to Himself, clothe me with his Own merits , and make me a saint." (Saint Therese, Story of a Soul, pg. 48)

Later in story St. Therese talks about doing penance for God.

"I do not mean the sort of penance the Saints undertake. I was not like those grand souls who practice all kinds of penances from childhood. My mortification consists in checking my self-will, keeping back an impatient word, doing little things for those around me without their knowing, and countless things like that." (Saint Therese, Story of a Soul, pg. 100)

I find her story both down to earth and spiritually refreshing. In this world, there is so much pressure for achievement, status, and to accomplish "important things. As St. Therese's sister told her, "Because you have an extremely simple soul; however, it will be even more simple when you become perfect. The closer we come to God, the more simple we become." (pg105).
My advice to you my brothers and sisters is to let go of the world and let God in.

God Bless

Paula