Saturday of Our Lady

Our Lady
Comforter of the Afflicted

From the life of St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes:


Following your suggestion, Rev. Father, I meditate on Saturdays upon the Virgin Mary's virtues. Our Lord told me to meditate on her purity, and then I heard a voice teaching me and explaining my Mother's purity.  I don't know what it was, but I didn't recognize the voice and asked Our Lord if it were He speaking. But He told me that it was His Mother. Then the Most Holy Virgin told me that she would reveal to me her motherly Heart, so that I could read in it how far her purity extended; so that, by imitating this virtue, I'd be able to achieve complete union with God.  After telling me all this, she told me everything I must strive to do in order to be pure and belong to God completely.
1.  That I should turn away every thought that was not of God, so that in this way I can continually live in His presence. That I should avoid every affection for creatures, so that they'll never disturb me.
2.  That I am to have no other desire but to belong more and more to God each day...
3.  That I am to be pure in my deeds: to abstain from everything that might stain me in the slightest, and do only what is pleasing to God, who seeks my sanctification...




Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Carmelite Quote

St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes:
We live for Jesus alone. And just as the angels in heaven incessantly sing His praises, so does a Carmelite echo those praises here on earth, whether near to the tabernacle where God who is Love lives imprisoned, or in the intimate depths of her soul's heaven, where faith tells her God dwells. Our vocation's objective is love, the greatest thing a human heart can possess. This love is a bonfire where the soul is consumed and made one with her God.

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Three Words of Wisdom

Yesterday, Today, Forever

...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
(Hebrews 7:8)

How many times have you been disappointed by a friend, neighbor, co-worker or spouse?  Yes, human nature with our weaknesses and faults is one sure thing we can bet on.  If we put our trust in people instead of the Lord, we will almost always be disappointed.

Let us look to Jesus Christ to be our strength, our consolation, and our joy!  He never disappoints us if we place our trust and hope in him.  He promised to remain with us until the end of time...then when this earthly life is over he promises to be with us forever.  As Catholics, we can say we have the best of both worlds.  We have Christ present with us in the Holy Eucharist and are able to receive him daily if we so choose, and if we remain faithful we will abide with him forever in the company of the Saints and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

If we get down or depressed because we do not seem to make any spiritual progress, if we get depressed because we commit the same sins, let us look to Jesus whose mercy is always available.  His forgiveness is always available.  He doesn't cast anyone aside.  He is long-suffering and patient with his broken people.

As Catholics, as Secular Carmelites, let us pray that we may be merciful, long-suffering and patient with the weaknesses and faults of others.  For then, God will not be disappointed in us.

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Saturday of Our Lady

When Pope Paul VI wished to explain how the Church closely associated with her Lord, invokes Christ and through him worships the eternal Father he looked to Mary as the exemplar. He described her as "The Virgin who listens," "The Virgin who prays," "The Virgin who offers." He put listening first.


Hers was the attention of living faith. Because she had perfect faith she was the perfect listener. She had heard and made her own of every word the Lord had spoken to her: that she was full of grace  and that the Lord was with her, and that the fruit of her womb would be blessed.


Mary, seat of Wisdom, had so much wisdom to impart, yet it was God's plan that she should speak by her silence. Mary the listener spoke so few words, and her last word was that we should listen to her Son, and to bring to our listening her obedience, "Do whatever He tells you." (Jn. 2,5).


Prayer:
Immaculate Virgin, you graciously listened to the prayers of  Bernadette; you remained beside her with a mother's vigilance in all her sufferings. Bend down your ear to my poor pleadings and make me also attentive to your word.
From Pilgrims with Mary by John Moloney P.P.

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Psalms, Prayers and Proverbs

PENANCE!  PENANCE!   PENANCE!

Today's post from Proverbs comes from a friend of Spirit Singing.  This is a passage that describes the evil behavior of a wicked heart that the Lord hates.  We only have to pick up a newspaper or listen to the news to see these qualities of an evil heart displayed throughout our society.  Let us pray for light and for the conversion of sinners as Our Lady requests.

Provers 6:16-19

There are six things the Lord hates,
yes, seven are an abomination to him;
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood;
A heart that plots wicked schemes,
feet that run swiftly to evil,
The false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers.

For Christians who are called to follow Christ and seek purity of heart, these evil qualities, even in their most subtle form should be rooted out in us.  Let us pray for the light of the Holy Spirit who reveals these things to us in prayer.  St. Teresa teaches us that this self-knowledge is painful, but it is necessary for our spiritual growth, so that one day, with pure hearts we may cry out with St. John the Baptist, "There is the Lamb of God."  For only the pure of heart can see God.  Let us pray for each other.

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

HAPPY FEAST DAY OF ST. TERESA OF JESUS (AVILA)

LET US CELEBRATE WITH JOY!!

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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From St. Teresa of Avila:

Since these dwelling places now are closer to where the King is, their beauty is great. There are things to see and understand so delicate that the intellect is incapable of finding words to explain them, although something might turn out to be well put and not at all obscure to the unexperienced; and anyone who has experience, especially when there is a lot of it, will understand very well.

It will seem that to reach these dwelling places one will have had to live in the others a long while. Although it is usual that a person will have to have stayed in those already spoken about, there is no certain rule, as you will have often heard. For the Lord gives when He desires, as He desires, and to whom He desires. Since these blessings belong Him, He does no injustice to anyone.
Interior Castle, Chap. 1, No. 2

READ THE INTERIOR CASTLE ONLINE

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Byzantine Carmelite Nuns

Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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