St. Therese of Lisieux (also known as the “Little Flower”) discovered that true holiness is obtained not in rejecting our imperfections but rather in owning our responsibility to them. Imperfections and limitations are not obstacles to spiritual growth, but rather opportunities to rely on God’s grace and mercy. St. Therese embraced her littleness and dependence on God, rather than striving for heroic feats of perfection that were never her’s to obtain.
“Instead of becoming discouraged, I said to myself: God cannot inspire unrealizable desires. I can, then, in spite of my littleness, aspire to holiness. It is impossible for me to grow up, and so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections.” – St. Therese of Lisieux
This captures beautifully the heart of the contemplative to aspire to holiness knowing that it is entirely dependent on God to do the shaping in our surrender. Here are a few key values that contemplative Christians have aspired to for centuries.
- Solitude, Stillness & Silence (the “3 S’s”) – Honing the ability to set all things aside to focus on the active, abiding presence of God already at work within us.
- Awareness – The ability to deeply reflect on the state of one’s own soul in relation to the presence of Christ in their life and to respond faithfully.
- Surrender – Living a life of continuous consent to Jesus Christ as Lord in their thoughts, words and deeds.
- Attention – Knowing what to pay attention to (and what not to) for the purpose of living expectant and ready to respond to God in the midst of everyday life.
- Gratitude – Practicing thankfulness regularly so that it becomes a natural response to the circumstances of life.
- Generosity – An openness of spirit that freely shares the blessings we have received from God and through others.
- Compassion – Tapping into the living waters of Christ within so that they spill over into grace and mercy for the world around us.