The Fruits of the Holy Spirit- Sixth Hymn of Virtue: Gentleness

Photo: R. Massaro (c) 2017 Spirit Singing- Poor Clare Monastery North Canton, Ohio

Because you are God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

(Please enjoy this post from the archives)

People are given to complimenting each other's clothing, hair and external accessories. That is the way of the world. As Christians, we are striving to weave beautiful and holy garments with the fabric of virtue provided by the Holy Spirit.

St. Paul tells us to clothe ourselves in virtue. This holy attire should be evident for all to see, but as St. Teresa of Avila tells us, people who possess true humility and virtue usually are unaware that they possess these spiritual gifts. The saints spend their entire lives constantly striving to achieve virtue, totally unaware that the virtues they possess is what attracts others to them.

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017 Spirit Singing  Walsh University Chapel Canton, Ohio

I recently saw a statue of Our Lady and the Infant Jesus. The statue is a representation of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I have only seen icons of Our Lady under this title, never a statue. And it is truly a beautiful statue that is displayed in the chapel of Walsh University in Canton, Ohio. I bring up this point because of Our Lady's garment on this statue. Icons are typically full of symbolism. The gold in the background of icons represents the glorious light of heaven. If you look closely, you will see the gold shining through Our Lady's garment in the photo of this statue. This light symbolizes what Christ said to the apostles and to us, “Let your light shine before men.” Not that they will say how wonderful we are but for others to give glory and praise to God.

The Gospel reading this past Saturday was about Our Lord's Transfiguration. We heard in that Gospel that his clothes became radiant as light. This manifestation was a glimpse of his glory that the apostles were blessed to witness. Jesus, a living icon, displayed his glory amidst the brilliant light of heaven! And then the voice of the Father: "This is my beloved Son, listen to him."

Reflecting on this statement, I can't help to see the similarity between the Father's command and what Our Lady said at the wedding feast at Cana. She stated to the servant, "Do whatever he tells you." In other words, listen to Him. I'm confident she said this with great gentleness and charity.

As Christians, we can ask ourselves, have I displayed the holy attire of gentleness in my dealings with family, friends and co-workers? Or, am I harsh and demanding? St. Therese tells us she (through the Holy Spirit) perfected her physical manner to become gentle in her voice and in the way she looked at others. She desired that her whole being reflect the love that was in her heart.

As Carmelites, we know that we must strive for this holy gem of virtue. Why is gentleness so important? Because the holy garment of gentleness has the light of mercy shining through it! If we, as sinners, want to be treated gently and mercifully by Our Lord, we must treat others in this same manner.

I believe these virtues are angelic qualities we must long for and possess before we are fit for the kingdom of heaven. We know that St. Paul even names one rank of angels as Virtues.

I meditate on the gentleness exhibited by the Archangel Gabriel when he addressed the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation: “Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God.” Wouldn't those be lovely words to hear at our judgment? Let us pray that when the Lord summons us home, Our Lady will be by our side defending us poor sinners before the throne of God. And may we hear those gentle words that were spoken to Our Lady, “Do not fear, little one, you have found favor with God.”

Hail Mary, Gentle Woman, pray for us!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Fifth Hymn of Virtue: Kindness

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017SpiritSinging

 “The Lord's kindness is everlasting

 to those that fear him.” (Psalm 103)

Continuing this series on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, let's take a closer look at the fruit or virtue of kindness.

We might first ask the question, “What is kindness?” When reflecting on this virtue, it seems to get lost somewhere between gentleness and patience, two distinct fruits of the Spirit. According to the definition in the dictionary, kindness describes a person who exhibits love, affection, and a gentle nature. In our spiritual life dictionary, we agree with this definition but also want to take it to a higher level, a level of the Spirit. Kindness is a holy attribute of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Recently, I watched a repeat of EWTN Live with Mother Angelica. Toward the end of the program, there was a caller who seemed to make an impression on Mother Angelica. Although the caller was troubled by something, her voice was gentle and peaceful. Mother Angelica remarked on this, saying something to the effect, “Be very grateful for your gift of gentleness, my dear. Many people work very hard for what seems to come very naturally for you.” We could take her statement and insert any one of the gifts or fruits of the Spirit-we could say, "be very grateful for the gift of patience, be very grateful for the gift of kindness, because many spiritual people desire these gifts." And it is sad to say, but many people never receive these gifts in this life. Why? Attraction to worldly desires and pleasures are stronger than a desire for prayer and self-denial that bring about virtue in the soul.

In St. Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle, she teaches us that the soul in the second mansion is not content with staying there and not because they want to advance. They do not want to advance because they are still attracted to the world and to sin.

This stage pertains to those who have already begun to practice prayer and have understood how important it is not to stay in the first dwelling places. But they still don't have the determination to remain in this second stage without turning back, for they don't avoid the occasions of sin. 
Interior Castle, II:1

If a person dies in this state, he must be purified in the holy fire of Purgatory. Once God purifies his heart, he receives all the gifts of the Holy Spirit in their full glory, and the soul is prepared for the beatific vision. 

When speaking of spiritual gifts that we do possess, we must be very careful that we do not take credit for any virtue or gift that God has bestowed upon us. We could boast and say we obtained such and such a gift by our own efforts at prayer. We must be careful not to steal the Lord's glory. If we must boast, we must boast in the Lord (I Cor 1:31). Remember, God chooses the weak to shame the strong. We must remain humble in the sight of the Lord.

If we know a person who is kind, they will most likely be gentle and patient and loving as well. The fruits of the Holy Spirit could be likened to inseparable friends. When you see one, you see the other!

Photo: R. Massaro (C)2017 SpiritSinging Upper Basilica Lourdes, France

The meeting between Our Lady of Lourdes and Bernadette has always impressed me. Bernadette was lowly in the eyes of the world. She was poor and uneducated. Yet, Our Lady appeared to her and showed her great kindness, saying to her:  “Would you do me the favor of coming here for fifteen days?” Bernadette said that no one in her life had ever spoken to her with such great kindness. 

May we imitate the beautiful kindness of Our Lady when we deal with others. May we be especially kind to those who are looked at unfavorably by our society. May we offer them the sweet fruit of the Spirit and share with them what the Lord has given to us: His love, mercy, and kindness!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit- Fourth Hymn of Virtue: Generosity

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017Spirit Singing-St. Genevieve Church Calmoutier, Ohio

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Fourth Hymn

of Virtue: Generosity

Continuing this series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit I would like to talk about Generosity in light of Fr. Emmanuel Sullivan's work entitled Mary and the Holy Spirit in the Writings of John of the Cross.

Fr. Sullivan writes that the early Carmelites gathered together for a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ. Allegiance to Jesus Christ was, and is the main point of the Rule written by St. Albert of Jerusalem. This is the Rule that is still followed today by the religious family of our Order. We know from our Carmelite history that the early hermits of Mt. Carmel were dedicated to Our Lady.

Each of us has a story to tell of how we came to enter the family of Carmel. But we must remember that it was the Lord who inspired in us the grace to answer this call. From the Vatican Document, Lumen Gentium 44,2.

Thus the religious vocation is given only to those whom God has especially marked out, but the gift, which they have received, becomes the common heritage of the People of God.

We must be generous in answering this special call to Carmel, not only for our own personal holiness but for the entire Body of Christ and the world. We must never lose sight of the fact that our humble prayer, no matter how weak or imperfect, has merit in the sight of Our Lord.

Many people, even Secular Carmelites, believe it or not, are under the impression that Secular members are simply "wannabees" of the Order. This is simply a perverted notion of our vocation. Our Rule states:

The Secular Order forms an integral part of the Carmelite family; its members are therefore sons and daughters of the Order, and share in fraternal communion, though in a state of life essentially different from that of the religious, its same vocation of holiness and its mission in the Church. Article 1

St. Therese certainly appreciated her vocation of prayer within the Order. Although she was cloistered, this did not deter her from her desire to spread the Gospel to all parts of the world. She knew that her Carmelite vocation of prayer was the life-blood of the Church and that her prayer helped priests and missionaries and the entire Body of Christ. She is the poster child for the hymn of the Carmelites: "I have been zealous for the Lord, God of Hosts!" Most of us would agree, that she is one of the most generous souls we have come to know and love.

Since we are discussing the fruit of "generosity," let's look to Our Lady, our spiritual model, that we as Carmelites are called to imitate. We know that she gave her whole being to God with her Fiat. She held nothing back from the will of God for her life. We see her union with God in her glorious generosity of body and spirit. She imitated God the Father who gave his only Son for us-his most generous gift of salvation and redemption for all mankind. Jesus opens the gates of paradise for us. Who can fathom his gift of generosity, with his gift of eternal life for us in his kingdom, with Mary, and all the saints? Who can fathom His gift of generosity in remaining with us in the Blessed Sacrament? Who can fathom Our Lady's gift of generosity in giving Jesus, our Savior, to all mankind?


Our Carmelite vocation is the gateway to spiritual marriage with the Holy Trinity. Prayer and the reception of the sacraments are the key to the mystical life. The Carmelite life, the Christian life is not a boring life. It is a great adventure of discovering "deep caverns" of the mystery of God, as St. John of the Cross describes.

Fr. Sullivan also writes that Mary belongs to each member of Carmel.

As Carmelites, we have placed the desire to fulfill our promises in her hands. We have asked her to lead us up the summit of Mt. Carmel to Christian perfection and holiness.

Our promise/vow formula:I,___________of the ____________,desiring to follow the Crucified and Risen Christ in the Secular Order of Carmel, renew my profession/vow, and I promise to tend toward evangelical counsels of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, and of the Beatitudes, according to the Rule of life of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites.

I confidently entrust my promise/vow to the Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Carmel.

We may not be able to understand in this life how it is possible for her to care deeply about each of us individually, but we can get some idea of this mystery by knowing that God has enlarged her heart, because she is "full of grace." She is Mother of the Church. She is Mother of each individual member of the Body of Christ!

There is room in her heart for you!

Photo: R. Massaro (C)2017 Spirit Singing Regina Health Center Richfield, Ohio

In our family of Carmel, our priests, brothers, and religious sisters place themselves under the authority of the Abbot, or the Mother Superior. How much more should we place ourselves under the authority of our Blessed Lady? How do we do this? I think it takes childlike simplicity.

Scripture tells us to call on God as "Abba" or "Daddy." Then, why should we not cry out "Mama" to Our Blessed Mother? She will fly to us as a concerned, loving mother if we desire to increase in holiness.

Our Lord tells us, "By their fruits, you shall know them." Let us ask ourselves: 

Am I bearing fruit as a Carmelite? 

Am I a generous Carmelite?

A sign of an authentic prayer life is total generosity with God. Let us ask ourselves:

*Am I generous with the time I give to God in mental prayer?

*Do I offer my time and talents to my Carmelite community?

*Am I generous in praying for others, or are my needs the focus of my prayer?

*Am I content with doing the minimum that the Order requires?

*Do I give Jesus, through Mary, all that I am, and all that I possess, or do I hold back a selfish, particular attachment to the world?

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful with the spiritually sweet fruit of generosity. May we make a generous return to the Lord for all he has done for us!

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Second Hymn of Virtue: Peace

Photo: R. Massaro (c)2017SpiritSinging St. Rita Church Solon, Ohio

On the evening of that first day of the week, even though the disciples had locked the doors of the place where they were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood before them. "Peace be with you," he said. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. At the sight of the Lord the disciples rejoiced. "Peace be with you," he said again.
John 20:19-21

St. John goes on to say that Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit to the disciples and gave them the power to forgive sins. They were given the gift of the Holy Spirit to impart forgiveness, mercy, and peace to the soul in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

We could say that true peace of soul is the capstone of the spiritual life. It is only found at the summit of Mt. Carmel after much labor and co-operation on our part with the Holy Spirit. It is the true gift of peace that the world cannot give, and no man can take from us. It is the crowning virtue of the spiritual marriage.

In this state there are no more ecstasies or raptures, or at least very few; these have now disappeared almost completely in order to make room for such peace and quiet rest as are enjoyed by married persons who are sure of each other's love.
Fr. Tanquerey, The Spiritual Life #1470

In this high state of mystical contemplation in which the soul is completely at peace with the beloved-this state that is possessed by the blessed and the saints, inspire us to reach the heights of prayer, too. Listen to how Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. the noted mystical theologian explains this fruit of peace:

A contemplative soul not only possesses peace;it can communicate it to others. A contemplative soul does not allow itself to be troubled in its higher part by painful, unexpected events; it receives all from the hand of God...Wisdom bestows a radiant peace, leading us to love our enemies.

This certainly brings to mind St. John of the Cross who saw the hand of God in his brother Carmelites who were persecuting him during the reform. He described the persecution as coming from God, "who ordains all."

We can ask ourselves to what degree do we possess this treasured gift of peace? Is my peace disturbed at any mere annoyance or trial? Do world events and every day problems try to steal my peace of soul? Or, does nothing disturb my interior peace and communion with the Lord?


When the raging winds and the storms of our life do their best to frighten us and deter us from our path of total trust in God-we only need to turn to Jesus, who, with one word, can rebuke the anxiety in our minds and calm the troubled waters of our soul.

Peace is the fruit of authentic contemplative prayer. Let's keep in mind that any virtuous act is a fruit of the Spirit. If our acts are pure they will produce good fruit in which we find spiritual sweetness. This sweetness is the consolation of the Holy Spirit from whom these fruits emanate. St. John of the Cross explains the effects of true acts of virtue:

Any act of virtue produces and fosters in the soul mildness, peace, comfort, light, purity, and strength, just as an inordinate appetite brings about torment, fatigue, weariness, blindness, and weakness. Through the practice of one virtue all the virtues grow, and similarly, through an increase of one vice, all the vices and their effects grow.
St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mt. Carmel, Chap. 12, #5.


The Fruits of the Spirit blossom forth from the branches of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Peace is the glorious fruit displayed on the sturdy branch of Wisdom.

Blest too are the peacemakers; they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9.

The Beatitudes are the perfection of the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These blessed and delectable Fruits of the Spirit are of such lofty sweetness and purity that they give us a foretaste of heaven.

As Carmelites, we promise to live according to the Beatitudes. When we love and show mercy as Christ does, the Holy Spirit invites us to partake of this delectable fruit that is enjoyed by the Communion of Saints.

Come to the Feast!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie,  OCDS

Spiritual Direction with St. John of the Cross

In the inner wine cellar

I drank of my Beloved, and, when I went abroad

through all this valley

I no longer knew anything,

and lost the herd which I was following.

In this poem of St. John of the Cross, The Spiritual Canticle, he begins to explain what takes place in the depth of this union with the soul and the Bridegroom. He tells us:

This wine cellar is the last and most intimate degree of love in which the soul can be placed in this life...and we can assert that there are seven of these degrees or wine cellars of love. They are all possessed when the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are possessed perfectly according to the soul's capacity for receiving them.
The Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 26, No. 3

In our Carmelite tradition, we have many saints who teach us that heaven begins now. Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity is a holy Carmelite who speaks about this in her writing.  As Secular Carmelites, we must make the effort now to be holy, so that when the Lord comes unexpectedly he will find us ready for the Kingdom. 

In your circle of friends, family, and co-workers, do you know anyone who possesses a gift of the Spirit in its fullness, in its perfection? Do you know someone who is perfectly patient? Do you know someone who has perfect peace, gentleness, and kindness? Do you know someone who is perfectly loving and charitable, despite being persecuted? If you do, then you know a saint!  These are how the blessed in heaven live and move and have their being in union with God. 

When people come to our community who are interested in Carmelite spirituality, I tell them, yes, it is a way of life, but more importantly, we are striving for a state of being, a state of holiness. We want to begin the process of spiritual purification now, because we want to see God immediately when we die. As St. Therese teaches, if we love perfectly in this life, we do not have to go to purgatory.  This desire does not stem from a fear of purgatory, but flows from a heart that is completely in love with God and is waiting and longing to see him face-to-face.

Let us pray for the souls in purgatory, who long to see God face-to-face. They need our prayers so that they can be filled with all the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Once they enter the final depth of the "wine cellar" they will be in a glorious state of being, one of holiness, ready to experience the beatific vision and experience the union with God they so long for.

Let us pray for our world and for the conversion of sinners. One only has to read the news to see that God is not loved in the world, that many do not revere him or fear him. Our world needs the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray that he renews the face of the Earth!

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, let the might of your love be more and more felt in the hearts of men. Let your light shine more and more on souls that are wandering in the darkness far away from God. Turn them to the light-giving Heart of Jesus and to the healing stream of His Precious Blood. Strengthen souls that love you. Perfect in them your Seven Gifts and your Twelve Fruits, and so make them your temples here that you may be adored in them forever. Amen.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

SPIRITUAL LIFE DICTIONARY

TODAY'S TERM: HEROIC VIRTUE

Photo: R. Massaro, St. Henry Church Nashville, Tennessee

Our Lady: Full of Grace and model of virtue

In a previous post, I touched on the subject of heroic virtue. Many Catholics believe that a person is canonized because of mystical gifts or supernatural phenomena.  However, this is not the case. A person is canonized because they led a heroic Christian life and possessed all of the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit. We know that it takes a very long time for someone to be raised to the Altar and be recognized as a Saint in the Church. It takes a long time because the Church investigates the person's life, their writings, their verbal statements, etc. If witnesses are still living, they are interviewed to help determine if the person led a holy and virtuous life. And, as I stated in a previous post, the Church does not canonize a person because they possessed one virtue, they must possess all of the virtues. 

While discussing this subject, we should make it clear that we are not speaking of natural virtues, those good habits that are acquired through repetition. While this is good, we are speaking of infused virtue. Infused virtue, a gift of God's grace, makes supernatural acts possible, although not necessarily easy, that is why it is considered heroic. The saintly soul cooperates with God's gift and responds in charity when it is clearly not easy.

We could read the lives of the saints and recount each story of the unique gift of heroism particular to that saint. But for the moment, let's bring sanctity into the modern day world. For example, a person in the work place, who is known as a Christian, is ridiculed for their faith day after day after day. The person being ridiculed, in turn, responds in charity, day after day after day. The person ridiculed also does not lose his joy or peace over the mistreatment. This is an example of heroic virtue.

The late Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M. is a scholar on this subject. He states that there are five traits of heroic virtue. This is from his classic, The Fire Within:

We may indicate five traits that signal when a virtue is practiced to a heroic degree. The first is that one does what is to be done even in difficult or excruciating circumstances. We love truth heroically not simply when we accept Jesus' and the Church's teaching in ordinarily difficult or unpopular circumstances but even if we must undergo persecution or martyrdom rather than deny it...

The next three traits can be grouped together: one acts promptly,easily and joyously. The saint does not delay or procrastinate in reacting in a humble manner or in loving an annoying neighbor. The correct response comes readily and easily, as if by second nature, for it is part of the new creation produced by the indwelling Trinity. What needs to be done is done joyously as well, and for the same reason: one is living a new life...

The fifth trait of heroic virtue is habitual constancy. The preceding characteristics are found not simply on an isolated occasion when one may conceivably act with an apparent ease and joy (prompted possibly by pride or a vain defiance) but are customarily observed in whatever situation calls for the virtue in question. This is the kind of sanctity the Church looks for and requires in her canonization processes. It is a result of reaching the summit of union. 

Dubay, Thomas, S.M. The Fire Within. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1989. Print.

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) warns us that we should be constantly on guard that we do not give up prayer and thus lose virtue. Let us pray for each other, that the Holy Spirit give us a great desire for sanctity. 

St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,

That my thoughts may all be holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit,

That my works, too, may be holy.

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,

That I love but what is holy.

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,

To defend all that is holy.

Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,

That I always may be holy. Amen.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS

Photo: R. Massaro-Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

For those not familiar with Latin, today's three words are translated, "Come Holy Spirit."

When I first launched Spirit Singing, I wrote a series on the gifts of the Holy Spirit in light of Carmelite spirituality.  In the next few weeks, I'll be re-posting some of those early writings. I hope you are blessed by them. You can also click on the labels at the end of this post to access to them.

I have been thinking a lot about the gifts of the Holy Spirit lately. Pope Francis has declared this year, a "Year of Mercy." In light of this, I have been thinking about the souls in purgatory and trying to find ways to be merciful and to pray for the deceased in a special way. The Spiritual Works of Mercy state that we should "pray for the living and the dead." One day, while praying, I felt inspired to begin a "Novena for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit," and I would ask God to apply it to a particular soul and to all the souls in purgatory. I felt my inspiration was confirmed,when, a few days later, I found an old prayer pamphlet entitled, "Novena to the Holy Ghost." It received an Imprimatur in 1948. Please keep in mind that this is a general Novena to the Holy Spirit that has a plenary indulgence attached to it. In this post, I am only sharing that I am praying it as a private devotion for the souls in purgatory. 

NOVENA PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST

Why am I focusing on the gifts of the Holy Spirit for those in purgatory?  The Church teaches that canonized saints are those who lived a virtuous life.  In fact, the requirement is that they lived a heroically virtuous life, meaning, they possessed the theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) and the cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance). When the Church canonizes someone it means it recognizes the sanctity of the person. Therefore, the person must be filled with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. 

Years ago, I was privileged to attend a conference by the late Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M. He stated, "A saint must possess ALL the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You can't just have one or two and get into heaven." He explains heroic virtue in his classic work, The Fire Within:

To appreciate more fully the next facet of the contemplative culmination, we need to reflect on the meaning of heroic virtue. This term does not refer merely to the ordinary fidelity we commend when we say that another is a good and sincere person. Rather, we envision a degree of loving uprightness and moral excellence that, left to our own native resources, we find humanly impossible. It is the living of a Gospel virtue (faith, hope, charity, temperance, fortitude, patience, humility) in a manner surpassing human strength.
The Fire Within, Thomas Dubay, S.M. Ignatius Press, 1989.

So, I am on a spiritual mission to ask the intercession of the Holy Spirit to purify the holy souls in purgatory and to fill them (and us) with his gifts. We can ask the Church to join us in our effort: the Church Triumphant, includes the saints in heaven, the Church Suffering are the holy souls in purgatory, and the Church Militant are the faithful on earth. 

I unite myself with all the faithful on earth, with all the holy souls in purgatory, and with all the saints in heaven, as I pray this Novena to the Holy Spirit.  

A NOVENA PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS 
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your Apostles and Disciples, please grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of thy divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with You, and that I may overcome with courage, all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God, and may dread in any way to displease Him, mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of your true disciples and animate me in all things with your Spirit. Amen.

Let us pray:

O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant us by the same Holy Spirit to be truly wise and to ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit- Eighth Hymn of Virtue: Patience

Eighth Hymn of Virtue: Patience

It is my belief that a lack of patience is one of the most common stumbling blocks to spiritual people who wish to progress in holiness. It is a struggle to endure patiently what God sends us even for those not spiritually inclined. We are a fast-paced, instant gratification oriented society. It takes extra-ordinary grace to remain patient and loving in our family life, place of business, and in the market place.

Patience and peace go together and we know that peace of heart flows from a life of faithful prayer and meditation. If we are at peace we prepare ourselves for the moments God wishes to test us.

St. Therese is an example of someone who prepared herself to practice patience. She says:

At meditation I was for a long time always near a sister who never stopped fidgeting, with either her rosary or something else. Perhaps I was the only one who heard her, as my ears are very sharp, but I could not tell you how it irritated me. What I wanted to do was to turn and stare at her until she stopped her noise, but deep down I knew it was better to endure it patiently-first for the love of God and, secondly, so as not to upset her. So, I made no fuss, though sometimes I was soaked with sweat under the strain and my prayer was nothing but the prayer of suffering.

Story of a soul, Chapter 10

We can see in the life of the saints the same struggles that we have with attaining virtue. If bearing her suffering patiently caused St. Therese to sweat, who knows what I will have to suffer to remain patient and loving in my response to the world and my neighbor.

Fr. Tanquerey in the Spiritual Life teaches that the degrees of patience correspond to the three stages of the spiritual life:

The First Stage:

*At the beginning suffering is accepted as coming from God; without murmur, without resentment, in hope of heavenly rewards.

The Second Stage:

* Patience, in its second degree,makes us eager to embrace suffering, in union with Jesus Christ, and in order to make us more like that Divine Model.

The Third Stage:

*This leads to the third degree of patience, the desire and the love of suffering for the sake of God Whom one wishes to glorify, and for the sake of souls, for whose sanctification one wants to labor.

Spiritual Life-#1089, #1090, #1091

The Church teaches that one of the spiritual works of mercy is to bear sufferings patiently. Let us strive to be merciful to ourselves and to others by bearing the small things of life in patience. Why should we let these things disturb our peace of heart?

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) teaches us to not go looking for crosses. She teaches us that we should accept the cross that is presented to us each day. If we want to progress in holiness of life we must be found faithful in small things--be able to endure patiently the small irritations and annoyances of people and situations before the Lord will entrust us with a deeper union with him. Let us pray for each other.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Tenth Hymn of Virtue: Self-Control

Tenth Hymn of Virtue:

Self-Control (Continence)

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

In this action of the Holy Spirit he has perfected the gift of patience in us that we may possess the great fruit of self-control, sometimes referred to as continence.

This gift helps us to be in full control of our sensible appetites that are weak due to human nature. This gift of self-control is especially helpful for those suffering sexual temptations-sins against chastity. But it also comes into play in practical moments of every day life as well when we are trying to die to ourselves.

For example, think of the times God has given us the grace to refrain from making a critical remark about someone or some situation. Think of the many times he has helped us to control our anger when we would have liked to have vented our feelings.

What about controlling our desire for sleep, for food, etc.? These are all areas we can work on to be detached from the things of this world. We only need to look at the lives of the Saints, to see that they were not slaves to the body and its senses. Their lives are full of accounts of prolonged fasting, rising early for prayer, and great physical denial of all sorts.

The Saints possessed perfect spiritual self-control with the help of the Holy Spirit. They were fit for the Kingdom of God because of their pure hearts in which they decreased and the Lord Jesus increased. They loved with His love, and showed mercy with His mercy.

Let us pray for each other, that we not give in to every whim of the senses. Let us pray for the strength to be victorious for Christ in our temptations in this life. And if we fall, let us trust in His great mercy that He is always ready to forgive and help us to begin again living the life of virtue.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Ninth Hymn of Virtue: Modesty

The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.

Ninth Hymn of Virtue: Modesty

Continuing the series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit we come to the ninth gift: Modesty. When discussing modesty, the first image that comes to mind is one dressing modestly. Again, we must take a deeper look into this gift of grace.

In this particular gift, the Spirit imparts to the soul a gift that allows the person to be modest in external actions, and of course, this would flow into the physical aspect of the person to include modest dress.

Reading the lives of the Saints, we learn that they were humble people who did not want to draw attention to themselves. They lived the Gospel message of ...”Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see...”(Matthew 6:1). We have to be careful how we conduct ourselves in church. Do we perform religious actions that would draw attention to ourselves and steal the glory and worship due to Our Lord at Mass?

We also have to be careful not to judge people who do draw attention to themselves in church. Only God knows their heart and the purity of their intention. As St. Pio of Pietrelcina used to say when people kept coming to him, “I don't want my reward now!” This was a reflection of the gospel passage where Jesus spoke of the Pharisees who perform these acts so that they will be noticed. “...they are already repaid...” (Matthew 6:2).

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) and St. John of the Cross were mortified when they were found in ecstasy by their sisters and brothers. In their teaching on prayer, they exhort us to follow the Lord's command of “When you pray, go to your room, close your door..."(Matthew 6:6).

St. Bernadette is another example of modesty and humility. Learning of the plans people were making to keep her body in Lourdes after her death-she was firmly against it. She said she did not want to take away from Our Lady's presence there and gave instruction to have her body remain in the convent cemetery. Today, one can view her beautifully incorrupt body in the monastery chapel in Nevers, France.

We can ask ourselves :

*Are we modest in our speech or do we brag and draw attention to ourself and our achievements.

*Are we modest in dress, or do we dress suggestively, or otherwise, to get the attention of others.

*Are we modest in our external actions, especially in church? Or do we perform great religious gestures to get the attention of others?

*When given a compliment, do we accept it humbly knowing that all gifts come from God and give him the credit? Or do we discuss how hard we worked to achieve a certain goal?

Let us imitate the Saints in their spiritual modesty. The Saints who went to great lengths to divert attention from themselves even when their holiness of life caused others to flock to them.

Let us ask Our Lady of Sorrows, who stood humbly, in silence, at the foot of the cross, to help us be humble and modest in our actions and dress and to give all honor and glory to God.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds 

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Seventh Hymn of Virtue: Faithfulness

The Seventh Hymn of Virtue:

FAITHFULNESS

Faithfulness or fidelity is the perfect virtue of Justice. This fruit gives us the grace to give to everyone what is due him. For instance, the unborn have the right to life. It is our duty to protect that life. If we are married, our spouse is due fidelity and mutual respect on our part.

As secular Carmelites we are expected to be faithful to our promises. Students are expected to give their teachers the proper attention and respect. These are just a few examples of faithfulness.

To be faithful requires humility and docility of spirit. At times we may not "feel" like giving someone their due, but we must die to ourselves and our ego and let go of always having to have our own way.

Let us think for a moment of how God is faithful to us (keep in mind He owes us nothing). For he is faithful in so many ways!

We could talk forever about God's great mercy. I think another definition of faithfulness would be steadfast love and to me steadfast love is nothing short of mercy.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his mercy endures forever!

(Psalm 118)

What a glorious statement: God's mercy endures forever! This gives the sinner great hope and consolation that even though our sins be scarlet, they can be white as snow through the mercy and forgiveness of our Father.

Think of the faithfulness of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Sometimes we get confused thinking that God is like us--thankfully he is not. We know from scripture and from our personal experience with God through the Sacraments that he is slow to anger, abounding in kindness, full of gentleness and compassion. These are attributes of the Father that we see in the portrait of Our Lord as painted in the Sermon on the Mount.

I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.

Think of Jesus' faithfulness in his remaining with us in the Holy Eucharist and in all the Sacraments of the Church.

The Holy Spirit gives us the grace of faithfulness to help each other. It is an act of charity to give others their due. If someone has a legitimate right to something, we have a serious obligation to try and fulfill it. Let's also keep in mind that the fruits of the Spirit are acts of virtue. For it to be a holy act, it must be selfless and pure. Let us pray for each other, that the Holy Spirit create in us clean and pure hearts for service to God and our neighbor.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-First Hymn of Virtue: Joy

First Hymn of Virtue: JOY

There is a beautiful hymn that I'm sure is familiar to most of you: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

The title of this hymn seems to sum up the one truth that our soul is longing and yearning for true joy that can only be found in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Of course, the world will tell us differently. The world spreads the illusion that we will find joy in created things and glorifying our self. But for those of us who try to live the life of prayer, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the illusions of the world. The authentic life of prayer inspires us to perform acts of charity, to somehow, in some way, with our whole being, express our love for God and neighbor.

Why do we refer to the fruits as virtues?

The fruits are any virtuous deeds in which one delights.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Let's listen to Fr. Tanquerey in his work The Spiritual Life describe this holy process of performing virtuous deeds:

When a soul corresponds faithfully to the actual graces which set in motion the virtues and the gifts, it performs acts of virtue, at first imperfectly and with difficulty, then more perfectly and with greater relish, so that the heart is filled with holy joy.

Mary's hymn of joy: The Magnificat.

True joy, that we participate in with the Holy Spirit, flows from the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Someday, when you think of it and you are praying before a crucifix, pray the Magnificat. If you are a brave soul, sing the Magnificat. It's a glorious song of salvation joy! We can picture Mary at the foot of the Cross, her whole being stilled by sorrow and grief, yet her Magnificat was not a one-time event. Her hymn is sung throughout time and eternity because of her yes and because of Our Lord's yes to the Father to accept the Cross. We find perfect joy when we are in union with the Will of the Father. As Christians, our joy stems from our hope in Jesus Christ, who has opened the gates of holiness to each of us who accept him and strive to do his will.

A Carmelite who experienced true interior joy of soul was St.Teresa of the Andes. Her individual charism was "God is my joy!"

I am the happiest person on earth. I desire nothing more because my entire being has been seized by God who is Love. It is a joy that communicates itself, that offers itself, that communicates joy. Oh, if for just one instant, you could feel yourself filled with the happiness I feel! (Letters, n. 96)

We can read what depth of Joy wrought by the Holy Spirit she experienced. A joy so deep that it overflowed into her "feelings" (senses).

St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes experienced this joy that stemmed from her desire to live always at the heights of Calvary. She said she must remain there "every moment of my crucified life" (Letters, n. 89).

The Church's Hymn of Joy: The Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

We are singing the first stanza, if you will, in the Church's hymn of joy: the birth of our Lord.

Our Lady's fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of her womb, the holy Christ Child is the Father's precious gift to mankind. May we echo the Church's hymn of joy this Christmas season as we welcome the Christ child into our heart.

We know that pure joy is not a feeling. It is a state of being. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that keeps on giving. For if it is an authentic gift in us, it will be contagious and spread like a holy fire among those we come in contact with. Let us pray that we give the Holy Spirit full reign to sing a hymn of joy in our soul.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-11th Hymn of Virtue: Charity

"...Over all these put on Love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect." Colossians 3:14

In this article, I will be using the symbolism of a holy garment of love that Christians should wear.

In preparing for the feast of Pentecost, I have been thinking about how the Holy Spirit helps us to be faithful to our Secular Carmelite promises of chastity, poverty, and obedience. We know that if we are in the state of grace that the Holy Spirit is living and working in us and providing us with the gifts and fruits of the spirit to respond with love to the situations in our every day life.
The Gifts of the Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord.
The Fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity,gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity
In St. Paul's letter to the Colossians he is in effect telling us to put on a holy overcoat of Love. This glorious garment will be seen by all and "They will know we are Christians by our Love."

However, we must remember that underneath this holy coat are still the beautiful garments of the gifts and fruits of the Spirit that we have put on, when we put on Christ.

According to St. Teresa, the truly humble person will not know that he wearing such a beautiful and saintly garment. He will notice other people wearing the garment and secretly pray to God that he may possess this garment, too. If we possess this garment of Love, we will be seen as the one who wears a garment like Jesus wore.

Bl. Teresa of Calcutta was known for saying, "There are not two loves, or three loves, only one Love. And God is love."

Bl. Teresa was a person poor and humble in the eyes of the world. She wore a lowly habit of the consecrated religious, but even for those who are walking in darkness they could see that she was clothed in the holy habit of God's Love.

As Carmelites, we put on a holy habit-the Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. We normally wear it, not for others to see but next to our heart where true love of God and neighbor is born, and lived out in response to our baptismal promises.

We make our promises near the altar, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, with the Saints as witnesses and we entrust our promises to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Our Lady, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit will help us to keep our baptismal garment pure and our holy cloak of Love unstained as well.

Let us be open to the Holy Spirit, especially on this holy day, that He will clothe us with the robe of salvation, His Spirit living and working in us. May others truly be witnesses of our holy life and echo that famous hymn: "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love."

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS