Saint Peter Julian Eymard – First Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in Paris in 1857

Early in my career, I was blessed with a wise Christian man as a mentor. He once told me that it didn’t matter whether he was being asked to lead the department or sit at a desk stapling papers all day; he would do either job with the same zeal and dedication, being the best worker he could be. This was his answer to my relentless questions about what I needed to do to be promoted. I was not too fond of his response; it was what I needed to hear but not what I was looking for. I was focusing on things that would pass; he wanted me to focus on something that would live on.

“Abide in my love, the Lord would tell his apostles, for the one who abides in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit [John 15,9.5]. It’s because love is like a flame in a large furnace that penetrates, that embraces, and engulfs everything – nothing can resist it. It’s because love is the rule of his life – such a love, such a life. The one who loves Jesus Christ in a sovereign way, he is the one who will follow him faithfully unto death, like the beloved disciple St John.” (Saint Peter Julian Eymard, RA 16,2)

Almost thirty years later, my mentor’s words still live within me. They remind me of St. Therese of Lisieux’s spirituality, to do little things with great love. That seed he planted has grown branches and has borne fruit. Simple words spoken with love changed the direction I was aiming for.

Who [indeed] is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1John 5:5)

Do our lives testify that we believe that Jesus is the Son of God?

Let us pray:

Lord, send forth your Spirit to transform us into a testimony of your love. Amen.