Understanding is that Gift of the Holy Spirit which enables us to comprehend the mysteries and doctrines of our faith.
"I offer you praise, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children." (Luke 10:21)
Take your pick of any Carmelite Saint, or any saint for that matter, and these words of Our Lord ring true again and again throughout history.
St. Therese was one of the little ones to whom our Lord revealed hidden mysteries of his Love. We fittingly call St. Therese the "Little Flower." Her great humility caused the Holy Trinity to reveal to her that kingdom where Jesus says you must become like little children in order to enter. We know that her way is one of simplicity, trust, and spiritual childhood, where the little one relies on the Father to teach him everything.
The Gift of Understanding overshadows the simple person; He is given light so as to understand great mysteries of our faith, such as the Incarnation or the Most Holy Trinity.
St. Teresa of Avila speaks of this in her writings when she says she was given light and understood in an instant a particular mystery of our faith. These touches of the Holy Spirit and the understanding given would be hard to put into words. They are given to the soul who is intensely in love with God. Great secrets are shared between these lovers.
St. Teresa describes a soul in the sixth mansion of her Interior Castle:
"When the Lord so wills, it may happen that the soul will be at prayer, and in possession of all its senses, and then there will suddenly come to it a suspension in which the Lord communicates most secret things to it. Such a vision is highly profitable because, although it passes in a moment, it remains engraved upon the soul."
Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity wrote about the humble, simple soul receiving wisdom and knowledge of God. She writes, "The humble can never rank God high enough nor themselves low enough. But here is the wonder: their weakness turns into wisdom...Whoever possess humility has no need of many words to be instructed; God tells him more things than he can learn; such was the case with the Lord's disciples." (Heaven in Faith)
As lay Carmelites, we know that St. John of the Cross teaches us that we should not seek out these divine touches or consolations. Our Lord gives them to the humble and childlike soul who seeks to love him for himself alone and not for his favors.
St. John of the Cross writes in his Spiritual Canticle, "Who can describe in writing the understanding he gives to loving souls in whom he dwells? And who can express with words the experience he imparts to them? Certainly, no one can! Not even they who receive these communications."
Let us pray to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, that she obtain for us from the Holy Spirit true understanding of our souls. May the Spirit show us our weaknesses and ugly faults so that with His grace we may overcome them. May he help us root out all pride and arrogance, which is far removed from the pure heart of a child of God.
Let us cry out with Our Lady, "He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name!
Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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