Thérèse of Lisieux, a French Carmelite nun who lived only until she was twenty-four (24) years old, wrote something about the spiritual life that has always touched me deeply. She said that “holiness is within the reach of anyone willing to do God’s will in love at each successive moment as life unfolds.” How we handle our imperfections, our sinful tendencies, has much to do with how we respond to the love of God. At every turn we have to give ourselves into the heart, into the hands, of God. And when we fail, when we sin, we face the potential to grow spiritually because of what we learn from doing it wrong rather than from doing it right. So it is crucially important how we handle the imperfection that is a spiritually mature person ends up being one who can consciously forgive and include imperfection rather than the one who thinks they are totally above and beyond imperfection.
Near the end of her life, Thérèse, who died from TB, explained that in all her imperfections, God’s love drew towards her. She believed that God had to love her and help her because she is “too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection.” With utter confidence, she believed herself infinitely loved by Infinite Love.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
Let me close with lyrics from this beautiful contemporary song:
Lord, I Need You
Song by Matt Maher
Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here, I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
You're my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
Comments