I'm No Little Flower

Ok, Leonie, you twisted my arm lol--(see last post comments)- here is my St. Teresa story.

I came into the Church ten years ago in a small, friendly parish in Ohio. My background was Protestant and Bible Christian.

I went through RCIA, with the most sweet and gentle group of people. But, I wanted my questions answered!
" What do you have to do be be saved?"
" Where is _____fill in the blank____ in the Bible? "
"What is all this about Mary?"

And so forth. You know, the basics....but I had trouble getting answers.

This was my 3rd time in RCIA, I had dropped out the other 2 times in other states.

Now, I am not saying I was obnoxius or aggressive, I just wanted to learn- facts were nice, too.. and I was on a search. Plus, I love reserach, reading and that is probably why God put Scott Hahn in my path at this time, and I consider him my honorary RCIA sponsor. He had gone through his own search for answers and helped lay out the road for me to find mine.

Anyway, it was dicey for me, (whether to convert) up until the night before Easter Vigil. Also, being a small parish, the RCIA group was not quite organized enough, and at Easter Vigil (which I did show up for), they were moving us here and there and then my sweet elderly sponsor, Helen, said to me-

"Oh, Cindy, you need to pick a saint."

"What?" I said.

"A saint- before you go into confession."

"What?" I said, "I have to go into confession?"

"Well, yes, and you have to go, um, right now. Fr. Tony is waiting."

I loved those sweet people and they were so kind to me, but I was not ready for confession at all, and had no saint chosen.

But, Fr. Tony is about the kindest priest you can imagine and he walked me through a general confession. I know it counted, but I did it again a while later when I had prepared and rememembered more of my checkered past.

Now, to St. Teresa.

Helen and I are standing there, she asking me to choose a saint. At this point I was not even sure I believed what the Church taught about saints (mostly because I had not fully *understood* the teaching...)-- so how could I pick one. I couldn't even think of one. Sad, I know.

"Well," sweet diminutive Helen said, glancing at her watch and then the alter, "How about St. Teresa?"

"Oh, I have heard of her! The Little Flower" I said. That was about all I knew, was her handle.






"OH NO!" Helen waved and smiled gently, but I saw a bit of horror in her eyes, and the smile didn't leave.

"The Little Flower is my patron saint and yes, is named Teresa, but I was thinking of another for you. How St. Teresa of Avilla?"

She explained very nicely to me that bascially St. Teresa of Avilla wrote a ton (so I could go read it all, since Helen knew I loved to read) and was a well, "strong" personality. I could tell Helen thought Teresa of A and I might get along really, really well.

I still have to laugh. Helen was a true Little Flower. Sweet and humble. I am no Little Flower and really can relate to St. Teresa of Avilla and have enjoyed reading her writings. Very deep, still working on them.

One of my favorite quotes is when Teresa is eating a feast with fellow religious. They are serving pheasant, which I gathered was a real treat. She was basically pigging out.

A monk nearby commented about propriety, self-restrait and the like. It is reported that Teresa replied-

"When you pray, pray. When you pheasant, pheasant!"

lol
But, I hope the Little Flower is praying for me, too.

So, there is the story. :)