St Therese consoling Jesus

In a Carmelite prayer group last night, we were discussing the ‘Act of Self-Offering to Merciful Love’ (you can google it to see the text) made by St Therese, and someone remarked how surprising it was that she wanted to console Jesus.  For we are accustomed to thinking about Jesus consoling us, but not the other way round; however, when she thinks of the words of Jesus on the cross, ‘I thirst’, Therese longs to give him something to drink.  For Therese, our relationship with Jesus is like our relationships with close family – we encourage each other, we help each other, we console each other.  The good Father both gives and receives from his children.  The Father does not need our love in the sense that He can’t function without it, but He needs our love in order to perfect us, to make us what He longs for us to be.  

Intercessions:

Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela), Agnes – cancer

Siena, Elara – sick children

Rosemarie – multiple afflictions

RIP Philippa Hodges OCDS – funeral Thursday

Wojtek – massive heart attack