By Fr. Ed Liptak, SDB

Shortly before her death, St. Therese of the Child Jesus learned that her manuscripts about her little way, her method of living a holy life, would be published. She imagined numbers discovering, as she did, that God can be well served simply by accepting life’s daily claims and living them for God, the “Little Way.” She knew her death was not far off and that both she and her followers would need to make one last offering to God. She did not think herself a saint but easily admitted that she was a loving “Victim” sacrificed for God. Therese wrote: “I beg You [Lord] to cast Your Divine Glance upon a great number of ‘little’ souls. … Choose a legion of ‘little Victims’ worthy of Your LOVE.”  

Our Church this week wants to impress on us the memory of the great Sacrificial Victim, Jesus our Savior. His immense sacrifice is beyond imitation, for He was God and Man. Ours can only be a “little” sacrifice, as Therese would say. Each scripture lesson this week can remind us that Jesus is greatly pleased by daily efforts to join the little sacrifices of our daily lives with His saving sacrifice.

Isaiah: How admirable was his prediction about Israel’s Savior, how He would be crushed with infirmity to redeem them and us from sin. My Jesus, help me to share my pains with you.

Second: The Letter to the Hebrews addresses Jesus by the Name truly His: “Jesus, Son of God.” Yet the Lord endured our human weaknesses – all of them save sin, so tested was He by ugliness and evil.

My Jesus, You shared my weaknesses.

Help me now with a share of your strength.

Third:  Skillfully, St. Mark takes various incidents and quickly draws from them the lessons of Jesus. James and his brother John were favorites of the Lord. Perhaps that is why they ambitiously sought the highest ranks in His Kingdom. “No,” Jesus told them. God prefers humble service. He urged them not to be ambitious nor bossy with power. Humbly serve others with Love!