I have set my soul in silence and peace
Feast of St Therese of the Child Jesus
The Responsorial Psalm in the Mass today was Psalm 30. It is a short psalm, just three stanzas, all of which were sung today. It is a simple psalm that carries an important Christian truth.
The first stanza says,
O Lord, my heart is not proud,
Nor haughty my eyes
I have not gone after things too great
Nor marvels beyond me.
This disposition of heart is one that is most important for anyone who seeks to not only live a life of faith but wants to truly grow in intimacy with God.
I am sure its truth is self-evident. As we contemplate the wondrous nature of God, who are we? The Sacred Scriptures reveal epiphanies of the glory of God given to people like Moses on Mount Sinai, or the prophet Ezekiel while in exile in Babylon. And our spiritual tradition gives countless examples of mystical experiences that reveal the glory and majesty of God.
How small we are before the immensity of God! How limited and fragile we are before God’s infinite power. How shallow our understanding before the profound wisdom of God.
All we can do is bow before the greatness of God. We humble ourselves in his Divine Presence. We are so small, so insignificant.
So, the psalmist expresses our disposition of heart in the presence of God: “My heart is not proud, nor haughty my eyes”.
We do not dare to puff up our self-importance or make claims for our capacities. As the psalmist says, we don’t go after things beyond us. Coming before the presence of God we adopt an attitude of humble surrender and abandonment to the provident wisdom of God. God is all supreme, and who are we?
The second stanza continues to offer us reflection on the right disposition of a soul before God.
Truly, I have set my soul
In silence and peace.
A weaned child on its mother’s breast
Even so is my soul.
“I have set my soul in silence and peace”. The foundation of true prayer is silence, not words. This is the teaching of St Teresa of Avila. The more the soul advances in its relationship with God the simpler and quieter the prayer becomes. Indeed, in the end words and even thoughts fall away. They are no longer necessary and will actually impede the depth of relationship.
This is the way of St Therese of Lisieux whom we honour today. She embraced what she called the “little way”.
She said in one place,
For me, prayer is a movement of the heart; it is a simple glance toward Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus…I have not the courage to look through books for beautiful prayers…I do like a child who does not know how to read; I say very simply to God what I want to say, and He always understands me.
Here the soul is drawn towards God inspired by love. Love seeks presence and not modes of communication. Being drawn towards God in love then animates the soul in wanting above all to love. St Therese understood that love should animate the simplest and most ordinary things. She understood what the psalmist meant in not going after great things.
She says,
Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden to me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.
In another place she says,
Merit does not consist in doing or giving much. It consists in loving much.
This is what the Little Flower knew so well. It is not that silence is an emptiness, but that silence enables a true communion at the level of the spirit. It is being a child at its mother’s breast.
As she says,
You make me think of a little child that is learning to stand but does not yet know how to walk. In his desire to reach the top of the stairs to find his mother, he lifts his little foot to climb the first step. It is all in vain, and at each renewed effort he falls. Well, be like that little child. Always keep lifting your foot to climb the ladder of holiness, and do not imagine that you can mount even the first step. All God asks of you is good will. From the top of the ladder He looks lovingly upon you, and soon, touched by your fruitless efforts, He will Himself come down, and, taking you in His Arms, will carry you to His Kingdom never again to leave Him. But should you cease to raise your foot, you will be left for long on the earth.
Today as we honour this humble saint who has been declared a Doctor of the Church for her spiritual teaching, we can simply pray for the grace to imitate her “little way”.
O Lord, my heart is not proud,
Nor haughty my eyes
I have not gone after things too great
Nor marvels beyond me.
Archbishop Julian Porteous
Tuesday, 1 October 2024