Less than 24 hours until Ash Wednesday. I am stuffing my face with gummy bears, in preparation for giving up sweets for Lent. This one is truly a hard one for me (giving up sweets, that is. Not eating gummy bears. That is, sadly, very easy for me). Such a sweet tooth. God will know I love Him!
I am also prepping for immersing myself in a Teresa yet again. This year is Teresa of Avila, my favorite saint since college. I have always loved her spirit, her verve, her zest, her grand theology.
Last year, I concentrated on the Little Flower - Therese of Lisieux. She has, as I have explained before, never been among my favorite saints. I just do not "identify" with her. Yet, last year, I felt called to her. I thought it would be just for the duration of Lent.
However, as I reflected on 2012 at the close of the year, I was startled to realize the Therese thread ran strongly throughout my entire year.
Love. Small things. Hiddeness.
The over-arching ideas of Therese were the themes of my whole year. I thought Therese would be my companion throughout Lent 2012. I did not even realize she was with me the rest of the year.
I literally sat, stunned, in my car, the day I realized this. (In my driveway, mind you. God allowed this realization to hit me after I finished driving.)
So, this year, I look forward to journeying with Theresa of Avila. I do not know if God has any larger plan for my lessons with Teresa this year, as occurred with Therese last year. It may just be an interesting and pleasant study throughout Lent. However it goes, it ought to be interesting!
Happy Mardi Gras!
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