Most of us have a skewed view of what it means to be a saint. Saints like St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse exemplify the childlike spirit that God loves.
St. Thérèse’s thoughts on prayer help clarify what exactly it means to live and breathe in, with, and through God.
Intense prayer does not mean OUR efforts are intense, no it is God’s efforts in us that are intense. In fact, sometimes the most intense prayer times are when we are SLEEPING:
“I should be distressed that I drop off to sleep during my prayers and during my thanksgiving after Holy Communion. But I don’t feel at all distressed. I know that children are just as dear to their parents whether they are asleep or awake and I know that doctors put their patients to sleep before they operate. So I just think that God ‘knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.’”
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Life in Christ is all about surrender, letting go of control, giving God permission to act
through us. We are simply the aqueduct or pipe which the Spirit flows through. It is child’s play.
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Matthew 18:3: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
I like to say that a child, frog, and tree are holy because they are who they called to be without a mask or false persona or large ego.
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Listen to this astounding quote on the definition of a saint:
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“In fact, a saint is not one who carries out great feats based on the excellence of his human qualities, but one who allows Christ to penetrate their soul, to act through their person, He being the real protagonist of all their actions and desires, who inspires every initiative and sustains every silence.
To let oneself be led by Christ in this way is possible only for one who has an intense life of prayer.“
Pope Benedict XVI
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St. Thérèse understood and embrace a spirituality that is similar to mine.
St. Thérèse said, “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will, and being just what G
od wants us to be.”
I pray now by simply resting in Him, looking into the light and His eyes and He looks at me. l simply bask in the light and heat of His presence.
St. Thérèse said,“I say nothing to him; I love him”
He looks at me. I smile. He smiles and immediately fills me with a surge of joy.
Simply be still and know that He is God; He will do the rest of the work in you.
linking with theology is a verb
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Published by melanie jean juneau
Melanie Jean Juneau serves as the Editor in Chief of Catholic Stand. She is a mother of nine children who has edited her kid's university term papers for over a decade. She blogs at joy of nine9 and mother of nine9. Her writing is humorous and heart warming; thoughtful and thought-provoking. Part of her call and her witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life. Melanie is the administrator of ACWB, a columnist at CatholicLane, CatholicStand, Catholic365 , CAPC, author of Echoes of the Divine and Oopsy Daisy, and coauthor of Love Rebel: Reclaiming Motherhood.
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joy of nine9 
So inspirational to read this article & see the statue of st Francis & bird. Is it possible to know where it is situated. Tell me who is
The Saint with flowing sleeves?
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St. Francis of Assisi: Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, Naperville, Illinois, USA.
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You edited your kids’ university term papers??? Totally dishonest!!
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