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| Photo: R. Massaro |
St. Teresa teaches her nuns and we as Secular Carmelites that there are three virtues that help us to attain perfect charity: love for our neighbor, detachment from all created things, and humility. During this season of Advent, when the entire Church is on retreat waiting for the coming of the Lord, perhaps we can meditate on these three virtues in our life.
Along with these three virtues that St. Teresa teaches are the foundations of a genuine prayer life, she also states in the Way of Perfection that there are three helpers to this life of prayer: fasting, discipline, silence.
As secular Carmelites we are called to lead a penitential life on behalf of the church. And, although the season of Advent is a time of anticipation, indeed, a time of joyful anticipation of the coming of the Christ Child, it is also a time to prepare our hearts for what God wishes to accomplish in us: namely make us holy as he is holy.
Let us examine our conscience and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas we can say "yes" to God in a deeper way. Do we need a deeper commitment to daily prayer? Do we need a deeper commitment to mortification? If we truly desire holiness and to become intimate friends with Jesus Christ, we must listen to our Holy Mother, St. Teresa of Jesus, who tells us clearly that prayer and self-indulgence do not go together.
From Article 8 of the Rule:
...With this object, the Secular Carmelites will first of all seek to intensify their personal union with God, and to bear witness to Christ by their life of prayer.
Let us pray for each other, that we be faithful to Christ by being faithful to the promises we have made as secular Carmelites.
Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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