Are You Zealous for the Lord God of Hosts?

Solemnity of St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin, doctor of the Church

No this is not a typo. For OCDS Carmelites, today is a solemnity and for O.Carm's it is a feast. One of these years I am going to celebrate this feast at at a Carmelite monastery or a parish with St. Teresa as it's patron saint. Due to running late this morning, I was able to attend a mass where the priest did celebrate the memorial and he gave an excellent homily.

Father reminded us that St. Teresa experienced a spiritual dryness of almost 20 years where she prayed, but did not feel anything. Yes, "feeling" is often over-rated, but there is an emotional component to our faith that God often graces us with. God knows what we can bear and there are many of us (me) who may not be able to perservere if not for the consolations God gifts to us. St. Teresa perservered and trusted in God.

The Carmelite motto is based on the words of the Old Testament prophet Elijah, "With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of Hosts". Have you been, can you be zealous for God? The past month or two I have been reflecting a bit on the fact that I am part of the Church Militant and as such, I need to make certain I am in the fight. Not in a confrontational "I am right and you are wrong and must listen" but in prayer and testifying to the Truth through my words and work. As St. Francis of Assisi is supposed to have said, "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words. I need to ask myself each day, am I being zealous?