The Sweetest Rose…
What is the most beautiful kind of flower? Is it the lily, the daisy, the daffodil? Many would say it’s the rose. Which kind are you?
Growing up, it is easy to compare ourselves to others. Is he smarter than me? Is she prettier than me? Is my house not as nice as my friends’? Unfortunately, for many, this tendency does not go away as we get older. But, with a little help from the saints, we can overcome this habit of comparing ourselves to others -- God does not compare us to others, so why should we?
Autumn is a great time to reflect on how we change as we get older. We can think back to just a year or two ago and realize how much we’ve grown. Perhaps there are moments that we look back on with a feeling of cringe. That’s ok! There is no ‘rewind’ button to the movie of our lives. As Mother Teresa says, “Do not let the past disturb you; just leave everything in the Sacred Heart and begin again with joy.”
This season of autumn is the right time to reflect on our ever-changing selves. As we watch the trees shed their leaves, we can think about our own transformation. Am I where I want to be? Am I growing into the person I hope to become? Do I even know where I want to be a few years from now? If you don’t have the answers to these questions, that’s quite alright. Rest easy knowing that you are where God wants you to be, and you are who He wants you to be. We are on His time -- not our own.
If you’re ever feeling like a weed among roses, you are not alone, but you are still needed. When God decided that He needed the galaxies and the moons and rivers and mountains, He also decided that one day He would need you too.
Let us look to St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as The Little Flower:
“I understood how all the flowers God created are beautiful - how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away from the perfume of the violet or the simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty...”
So what is the most kind of beautiful flower? You are.
Sean Cintron
Sean serves in youth ministry and IT at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn. Sean was born and raised in Brooklyn. After high school, he served in the Army as a Paratrooper for six years and is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He then attended Fordham University, where he studied philosophy and theology.
Sean has a strong dedication to serving overseas missions and bringing the presence of Christ to those who do not know Him. He has spent much of his adult life evangelizing in Cambodia (and even adopted a dog there!) and Central America. He speaks often at retreats and other events, wishing to inspire our young people to respond to the call of holiness and sainthood. In his free time, he enjoys fishkeeping, road trips, and watching the Yankees.
