A few days ago I discovered a prayer filled with love composed by Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (the Little Flower). The prayer is a beautiful insight into the loving admiration that St. Therese felt for her Divine Spouse. It also gives us a glimpse into her life in Carmel as she describes a sacrificial rule of her religious life – keeping one’s eyes lowered in the refectory. Her words connect this practice to an incident in Christ’s Passion, being brought before Herod. She then beseeches Christ to reward his “little brides” with a “look of love”.
Her prayer gives me a lesson in what she called her “little way”. We can all look for little things in our lives to give up and join to Christ’s Passion. I will always think of Therese when I hear the Passion during Holy Week. I will keep my eyes cast downward as The Passion is read or chanted and I, too, will ask Christ to give me a look of love, unworthy though I am.
[dropcap]J[/dropcap]esus, your little brides resolve to keep their eyes lowered in the refectory so that they may honor You and imitate the example You gave them when You were in Herod’s presence. When that impious ruler mocked You, O Infinite Beauty, not a complaint fell from your divine lips. You did not even deign to rest your adorable eyes on him. Oh! divine Jesus, doubtless Herod did not deserve a look from You, but we, your brides, want to attract your divine gaze toward us. We ask You to reward us with a look of love every time we deprive ourselves of raising our eyes and we ask You not to refuse us this gentle look even when we fall, since we will count our failings. We will form a bouquet that you will not reject; we are confident of it. In these flowers You will see our desire to love You and to resemble You, and You will bless your little children.O Jesus! look on us with love and give us your sweet kiss.
Amen.