January 2023
Dear Friends,
A recent trip to Aylesford Priory in Kent reminded me of the profound witness of one of the Saints of the Carmelite tradition, St. Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897), who lived her short life in a small religious community of nuns. It was here in the enclosed life of contemplation and prayer, that Therese articulated her teaching on the nature of God’s love and what it meant to abandon yourself wholeheartedly to divine providence. Therese spent the last nine years of her life at the Lisieux Carmel. Her fellow Sisters recognized her as a good nun, nothing more. She was conscientious and capable. Sister Therese worked in the sacristy, cleaned the dining room, painted pictures, composed short pious plays for the Sisters, wrote poems, and lived the intense community prayer life of the cloister. Superiors appointed her to instruct the novices of the community. Posthumously, Therese was made a Saint and a Doctor of the Church because of her remarkably illuminating, insightful and wise teachings about the love of the divine. These teachings continue to offer a remarkable legacy in the Carmelite tradition of spirituality and offer deep encouragement to contemporary pilgrims.
This remarkable young saint died at the tender age of twenty-four years old, and it is said that on her deathbed, one of the sisters encouraged her and said ‘Therese, You are a saint’. On hearing these words, she pointed to the tops of the trees in the garden, golden in the setting sun,
‘My soul appears to you to be all brilliant and golden because it is exposed to the rays of love. If the Divine Sun stopped sending me His fire, I would immediately become dark and full of shadows.’
I wonder what we might learn from this young and prayerful Saint, as we embark together upon the challenges and opportunities of this new calendar year of 2023. I think there is little doubt that Therese would commend any sincere intention or desire to commit oneself to a life of prayer however that is expressed in contemporary life. This is the heartbeat of the Christian life of faith as we live out our discipleship in the company of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In this New Year of 2023, the East Anglia District has committed itself to a year of prayer through the Pray 2-3 initiative – an opportunity to rediscover the gift of prayerful union with God by praying differently, creatively, corporately & systematically for renewal in our own lives, communities, and churches. I do hope you will take the opportunity to visit the Pray 2-3 dedicated website to find ideas and inspiration for how you might be involved!
As we engage in this year, perhaps we might remember the example of Therese of Lisieux – when we pray (in whatever manner we choose) we are exposing our deepest selves to the rays of divine love. It is through this constant illumination that are human nature is mysteriously transformed by the rays of divine love and we become all that God in Christ has called us to be in divine grace.
I hope you will be inspired to pray often and find the deep consolation of God’s peace and in so doing, that you will share the light of Christ, as the shining of the Sun.
With very best wishes,
Julian