Roses and Wildflowers

Jesus set the book of nature before me and I saw that all the flowers he has created are lovely. The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. I realized that if every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness and there would be no wildflowers to make the meadows gay.

It is just the same in the world of souls ‑ which is the garden of Jesus. He has created the great saints who are like the lilies and the roses, but he has also created much lesser saints and they must be content to be the daisies or the violets which rejoice his eyes whenever he glances down. Perfection consists in doing his will, in being that which he wants us to be.

Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be ‑ and becoming that person.

Saint Therese of Lisieux, from Story of a Soul

I like this quote from Therese of Lisieux and it causes me to think about my life. Of course the difficulty of what she is saying is in knowing whether Jesus wants me to be a rose, a wildflower, or a daisy. I never want to settle for being a daisy if Jesus has called me to be a rose; nor do I want to strive to be a rose, if I am called to be a wildflower. It seems that such decisions require a good deal of discernment and listening to Jesus. As Therese says, “Perfection consists in doing his will, in being that which he wants us to be.” Indeed, if that is the case, then I must listen carefully to the voice of Jesus to know his will for my life and to know that which he wants me to be. That likely takes more time than I usually allot to such endeavours. It may take the guidance of coaches, mentors, spiritual directors, and other people in my life. Even as I consider how much time and energy such a process might take, I am convinced that the rewards of discovering who it is that Jesus wants me to be will far outweigh the difficulty in the journey. May each of us become the person we are called to be.