Today, together with the universal Church, we commemorate the young woman of Lisieux whose life was a model of humility, determination and trust. Known for her holiness, Theresa of Lisieux is a model of trust in God regardless of the circumstances. She with other saints is a teacher of a "saintly reality" we believe is only for us regular mortals, namely that God even seems absent at times to those we believe are always in God's presence. Even Job came to experience the dryness God's seeming absence brings.The lives of Theresa and Job are classic examples of the fact that we, all who seek to believe , live a faith life that brings tension into our daily lives at times. Isn't there a genuine irony in our struggle to believe?
Most of us are ready to acknowledge that God is beyond our understanding as Creator and Redeemer. Nevertheless, we take time to find experiences of intimacy with God. Through our prayers and our service to others we hope to draw ourselves ever closer to that distant God.
A reading of the lives of different saints affords the opportunity to come to recognize that sanctity is a gift to all of us. A part of that sanctity, however, is the time when God just does not seem to hear our prayers.
I believe those moments are like the picture above. We are in a desert at those moments. However, I also believe that if we take the time to discern what is happening in our lives when that dryness occurs, we might more easily see where God is trying to lead us. Again, one of the ironies of the spiritual life is before us. And the wonderful reality about walking through these moments of dryness is that we won't get wet!!!
