Photo: R. Massaro (c)2013 Spirit Singing
Shrine at Our Lady of Consolation Carey, Ohio

St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face

Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Feast Day: October 1

How little known is the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus! It is true that to enjoy that treasure we must humble ourselves, must confess our nothingness...and here is where many a soul draws back.

It is possible to remain little even in the most responsible position, and besides is it not written that at the last day 'The Lord will arise and save the meek and lowly ones of the earth'? He does not say 'to judge' but 'to save'!

You do wrong to find fault, and to try to make everyone see things from your point of view. We desire to be as little children. Now, little children do not know what is best. Everything is right in their eyes. Let us imitate them.

When we keep little we recognise our own nothingness and expect everything from the goodness of God, exactly as a little child expects everything from its father. Nothing worries us, not even the amassing of spiritual riches.

Again, being as a little child with God means that we do not attribute to ourselves the virtues we may possess, in the belief that we are capable of something. It implies, on the contrary, our recognition of the fact that God places the treasure of virtue in the hand of his little child for him to use as he needs it, though all the while it is God's treasure.

Finally, to keep little means not to lose courage at the sight of our faults. Little children often tumble, but they are too small to suffer grievous injury.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

THE EXTRA MILE

Photo:R.Massaro(c)2013SpiritSinging

In our busy lives, going the extra mile for family,friends, parish or community may take a heroic effort on our part.  When pressed into service for only one mile, do we immediately balk and make excuses?  Or do we take some time to pray about a particular request? Some requests take no thought at all, such as responding to an emergency when a friend, relative, or neighbor is sick or in trouble.

Do we respond to these requests by thinking, "o.k. I'll do it and get it over with?"  Our Lord tells us that we should be ready to respond in service by giving our all. If we are pressed into service for one mile, we should be ready to be of service for 2 miles.

Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.  (Mattew 5:41)  In this passage, he goes on to say, Give to the man who begs from you...

Usually, we think of beggars as someone who asks for money. People who ask for something from us are beggars-of-sorts. They are asking for time and assistance.  What about the spiritual gifts people beg from us? Gifts such as mercy and forgiveness. People beg for our prayers when they are desperate.  Let us not leave them empty-handed.  Let us give what the Lord has given to us.  

The saints show us that going the extra mile leads to union with God.  They stayed on the path. They did not take shortcuts. One saint in particular, St. Peter, was ready to give all, although he had nothing. The biblical story of the the Cure of the Cripple is a good example. The crippled man was looking for alms from St. Peter, but Peter responds, I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you! (Acts 3:6)  The man walked away with much more than he had asked for.  Let us live our lives in this same way.  Let us give all, so that the Lord may work through us in these situations of Christian service. Let us be a blessing to others. 

Let us travel the extra mile in prayer. This prepares us for service and gives us strength to serve, even when we don't feel like it. 

Let us pray for each other, that we be given the grace to go the "extra mile" in our spiritual life.  This heart stands ready and at attention ready to be of service to God and our neighbor.  Let us not only ask the Lord to be with us on this journey, let us beg him to stay with us! Let us ask him to walk with us for one mile, knowing that he will go the extra mile with us...leading us to life with him, forever.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

CARMELITE QUOTE

CARMELITE MONASTERY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION HAVRE, FRANCE

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

CARMELITE QUOTE

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

THE THIRD PRECAUTION

Photo: R. Massaro(c)2013SpiritSinging
Carmelite Monastery Cleveland, Ohio

The third precaution is that the interior person should never set eyes on the pleasant feelings found in the spiritual exercises, becoming attached to them and carrying out these practices only for the sake of this satisfaction. Nor should such a person run from the bitterness that may be found in them, but rather seek the arduous and distasteful and embrace it. By this practice, sensuality is held in check; without this practice you will never lose self-love or gain the love of God.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell

Photo credit: Jeremy Rusnock

Photo used with permission from her website

I am reading an awesome book that I would like to share with readers of Spirit Singing. Please check out the introduction to this book on YouTube.  If you would like to learn more about Colleen Carroll Campbell, please visit her website:

http://colleen-campbell.com/

Order the book at Amazon

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds