St. Thérèse’s Insights on True Love – Jan 08 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jan 08, 2026, emphasizing charity as the core of a healthy spirituality, drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux to guide loving God and neighbor, even enemies, through choice and grace.

Father introduces a series on healthy spirituality, incorporating St. Thérèse of Lisieux, starting with charity from 1 Corinthians 14:1. He describes charity's targets: God as love's source and neighbor as the nearby person, per Matthew 22:39, where "neighbor" is "plesion" in Greek. Loving others echoes in God's heart, like in a mother's heart for her child. Quoting CCC 25, originating in the Catechism of Trent, Father stresses that doctrine directs to endless love, with all virtues springing from it. As the greatest virtue per 1 Corinthians 13:13, charity centers the two great commandments in Matthew 22:37-40. Loving God means keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3); loving neighbor means willing and doing good, a willful choice even for enemies. Charity starts in thoughts, leading to words and actions; pray for goodwill. Jesus guides in Luke 6:27-28 to do good, bless, and pray for haters, not retaliate (Luke 6:29), and treat others as yourself (Luke 6:31), seeing enemies as "another you." God desires this so others see Him in us, as He is kind to the ungrateful (Luke 6:35). St. Paul sketches charity in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as patient, kind, not jealous. Father likens charity to art: work within limits, learn from mistakes, aim to be great artists—God rewards harder acts of love the most. Referencing St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogue, acts for neighbors are prayer; they reveal our soul's state. Father prays the Rosary for kindness. St. Thérèse teaches pleasing Jesus by loving without self-examination, doing all with love in abandonment; charity disregards faults, is edified by small virtues. Growing charity shapes hearts like those of Jesus and Mary. Before death, Thérèse desired love above beatitude. At life's end, charity means dying in grace, bearing fruits such as joy and peace (Galatians 5:22-23). Beware false spiritualities fostering pride; without love, we gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2-3).

1 Corinthians 14:1 - Aim for love in pursuit - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/14?1
1 Corinthians 13:4-13 - Qualities of true charity - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/13?4
CCC 25 - Doctrine directs to love - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/prologue.htm#25
Matthew 22:37-40 - Two great commandments guide - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/22?37
1 John 5:3 - Love by keeping commands - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/5?3
Luke 6:27-35 - Love enemies with goodness - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?27

Ave Maria!

Mass: Thur post Epiphany or Jan 10 - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010826.cfm
1st: 1jo 4:19-5:4
Resp: psa 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17
Gsp: luk 4:14-22

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1325

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