Good Greed

Learning to desire God’s glory and goodness

LUKE 10:17-24

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

                One of the greatest saints by heavenly standards was someone extremely small and insignificant by earthly standards.  I’m talking about today’s feast of St. Therese of Lisieux.  Now, what made her so great in God’s eyes was a kind of “good greed.”  She had a voracious appetite for spiritual things; that’s all she wanted and she wanted all of it.

                The early signs of a spiritual giant were sprouting in Therese even as a little child.  One day, while sitting in her mother’s lap, Therese suddenly exclaimed: “Poor darling, Mamma, I do wish you were dead.”  Her mother scolded her for that, but Therese explained quickly: “It’s only because then you will go to Heaven; you told me you have to die to go there!”  She also wished her father would die when her love got the better of her.  On another occasion, an older friend came to visit carrying a basket of dolls and accessories.  She said to Therese and her sister: “Here, my dears, choose what you want.”  Therese’s sister took a ball of silk braid.  But Therese announced, “I choose everything!” and she carried off the basket, dolls and all.  St. Therese added: “I think this trait of my childhood characterizes the whole of my life,” that is, she had "good greed;" she was greedy for God and his grace, heaven and holiness.

                In the gospel today, Jesus wants to cultivate this same good greed in his disciples.  Jesus gives the 72 disciples (not just the 12 apostles) power over evil spirits, and they cast out demons left and right.  But Jesus says: “Do not rejoice because spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  In other words, don’t seek earthly popularity and praise -- everybody loves an exorcist! -- but be greedy for heavenly glory.  You see, when it comes to spiritual stuff, you should say like St. Therese: “I choose everything.”

                May I suggest a few ways you, too, can foster this “good greed”?  First, try to come to Mass one more time each week, and not only on Sunday.  I’m always edified by the 75 to 100 people who come to daily Mass here at Immaculate  Conception.  You are like St. Therese and greedy for God’s grace.  Second, pray the rosary daily.  We all need a mother’s tender touch in our lives, and I feel Mother Mary’s love every time the rosary beads slide silently through my fingers.  And third, support your church or a favorite charity with a financial gift.  In the past few years we’ve received six-figure donations as part of someone’s estate.  Now, the funny thing is these benefactors did not live in a big house or drive a fancy car: no one knew they were rich.  They lived simply, they saved their money, and when they died, they left it to the church.  No one noticed them when they lived on earth, like St. Therese, but in heaven they enjoy the glory of God.  That’s good greed.

                St. Therese of Lisieux died at the young age of 24 after suffering pulmonary tuberculosis, in a Carmelite convent, in relative obscurity: she was a nobody.  But today, there are over 2,500 churches named for her world-wide (including my home parish in Little Rock), she has been declared a “Doctor of the Church,” and her autobiography, called The Story of a Soul, has sold millions of copies (I bought one of them!), and it has been translated into every major language.  120 years after her death, St. Therese is great in heaven and on earth.  Like she said: “I choose everything.”

                Praised be Jesus Christ!