A Big Smile

Let us accept whatever He gives and gives whatever He takes with a big smile.---Mother Teresa

 

This is sounds so simple. The early Church Fathers explained a Saint this way, "a friend of God". Sounds so easy. Mother Teresa's smile became one of the most talked about aspects of her life. And now, as we read her letters about her struggle with a never ending "Dark night of the Soul", we have a new appreciation for her smile. She was a friend of God. Even though her desire to feel His presence and know His nearness were taken from her by Jesus, she learned to smile at Him for it. She willed herself, by grace, to never say no to Jesus. A friend is defined by Jesus as  someone who, "lays down their life for others." The poor became to Mother Teresa Jesus personified. She ministered to Him in every soul she cared for. She is only one example of this great journey of friendship. Starting all the way back to Augustine, we see these smiles at God in the face of confusion, loneliness, dark nights, fear, and silence. There is so much we will face this year that will confuse us. We will be tempted to look to things to give us assurance when God hides from us. He hides so that we might cry out more for Him. We learn to die to self in these dungeons. This is so important to growing our friendship with Him. Our desire for Him must grow to a fever pitch that even seems strange to our own way of thinking. He must become to us a Lover Whom we desire more than life itself, even though He wounds us.( Song of Solomon) Our souls won't rest until they rest in Him, whether we feel Him, get the answer we want, or understand a dang thing we are going through. So let us ask Mother Teresa to teach us to smile at Jesus today.

 

wkm