Seeing myself and others as souls

In her autobiography, I noticed how St. Therese referred to herself and others as souls:

It is to you, dear Mother, to you who are doubly my Mother, that I come to confide the story of my soul.

I feel that my mission is about to begin, my mission to make God loved as I love Him, to teach souls my little way.

This is the mystery of my vocation, my whole life, and especially the mystery of the privileges Jesus showered on my soul.

And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden.

St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of a Soul

It’s a good reminder to see myself not just as a person but also as a soul.

As an eternal soul, I can see beyond who I am right now and into who I can become. I can also see beyond my wounds, scars, failures, pains, and sins.

My materialism fades (although only for a while) when I see how fleeting this world is. Even for a brief moment, my desire for the temporary is replaced by a whole and blissful love for the eternal.

When I see others as souls, the hopeless are filled with hope as sinners are forgiven, prisoners are free, and the lame and the sick are strong in eternity.

When I see lost souls, I no longer see them as wicked, evil, or hopeless but as souls hungry and desperate for God. Who am I to get angry at, resent, say terrible things to, or do evil against these beautiful souls that belong to Him?

Hope fills my heart when I see myself and others as the beautiful souls we truly are. And I know this is how God sees us too.

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This post first appeared on carlocruz.org.