22nd February, 2019
On the driving, listening to Therese recount something that I never really picked up. Sitting on her sister Maree’s lap, after her miraculous cure and Pauline’s entry into Carmel… She said that the light of her sister’s own soul flooded hers, as she instructed her in the ‘war of life.’ The notion that Maree shared with her was that of the ‘eternal treasures’ that one could take a handful of each day, if they only took the time and care to do so. It was a wonderful image, and poignant reminder of all that we do, or fail to do, in prayer, devotion, discipline. To be reminded of the wonders that await us, should we simply set the time aside, rather than fritter it away on other things. I think of my mornings, fumbling through the menial few things I need to do without setting aside enough time for the discipline and presence that matters most. The form, function and practicality of our routines should not lack the grace of devotions required to draw us closer to Him, as ‘if the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labour.’ Part of the discipline must however, start the night before, which is the harder part, somehow.