CARMELITE QUOTE

ST. TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS

(EDITH STEIN)

FEAST DAY: AUGUST 9

Photo: R. Massaro (C)2013SpiritSinging
St. Charles Borromeo Parma, Ohio

Today I stood with you beneath the Cross,

And felt more clearly than I ever did

That you became our Mother only there.

Even an earthly mother faithfully

Seeks to fulfill the last will of her son.

But you became the handmaid of the Lord;

The life and being of the God made Man

Was perfectly inscribed in your own life.

So you could take your own into your heart,

And with the lifeblood of your bitter pains

You purchased life anew for every soul.

You know us all, our wounds, our imperfections;

But you know also the celestial radiance

Which your  Son's love would shed on us in Heaven.

Thus carefully you guide our faltering footsteps,

No price too high for you to lead us to our goal.

But those whom you have chosen for companions

To stand with you round the eternal throne,

They here must stand with you beneath the Cross,

And with the lifeblood of their bitter pains

Must purchase heavenly glory for those souls

Whom God's own Son entrusted to their care.

(by St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross-dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary)

CARMELITE AUTHORS SERIES-EDITH STEIN

(VIDEO PRESENTATION)

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Lecture on Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

 by Fr. Daniel Chowning, O.C.D.

http://frontrow.bc.edu/program/chowning/

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

IT'S NOT COMPLICATED

There is a popular series of commercials for a phone company in which the theme is "It's not complicated."  As Secular Carmelites, we can keep this phrase in mind when discussing the spiritual life and the progress of the soul in prayer.  Although there are volumes upon volumes of books written about this very subject of prayer, (even our Carmelite Doctors of the Church have given us lengthy writings), it is the simple description of prayer from St. Therese of Lisieux, the "Little Flower," and our Holy Mother, St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila), that I would like to share:

Catechism of the Catholic Church (2558):
For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.                        St. Therese of the Child Jesus



The life of St. Therese was not complicated. She lived a simple life in the monastery. She remained faithful to the daily schedule that included simple household tasks of washing, cleaning, cooking, praying, and sleeping. The same things we as Christians do each day.  St. Therese is considered one of the "Greatest Saints of Modern Times" because she cooperated with God's grace to turn these ordinary tasks into extraordinary acts of love for God and neighbor.

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) has given us a very simple description of prayer. In fact, this is the description of mystical prayer, or contemplation:




Prayer is a conversation with the One whom we know loves us.                                             St. Teresa of Jesus





In the writings of St. Teresa, especially in the Interior Castle, she describes the soul that progresses to union with God in the Seventh Mansion: the Spiritual Marriage.  She tells us that in these higher mansions, our prayer becomes more simple. If one has previously experienced visions, locutions, raptures, etc. these mystical favors usually cease.  The soul has reached that lofty stage of simple prayer, where one enjoys the peace and abiding presence of God dwelling in his soul.  

Beginners on the road of prayer like to make things complicated for themselves.  They like to write in journals, find numerous spiritual directors, and not pleased or satisfied with one, they roam around looking for another.  They analyze every spiritual movement and experience and dwell on it.  This type of behavior is a far-cry from the humble soul who is sincerely discerning God's action in their soul.  The truly humble soul seeks a wise spiritual director and remains faithful to his direction, even if they receive instruction which is not pleasing to them.  These souls abandon themselves to God in a trustful and childlike manner: a simple soul.

If our prayer is not becoming more simple, there is a problem.  If we are too attached to our novenas and our favorite prayer book, we may experience anxiety when the Lord begins to lead us  from meditation to contemplation.  These things are not needed when the Lord desires our full attention in the gift of contemplation.  In fact, one sign that the Lord is leading the soul from meditation to contemplation is a distaste for using a prayer book, even Lectio Divina may become painful. The soul finds it difficult to use the intellect and the imagination and no longer finds satisfaction in the way it prayed before.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit make us humble and simple before him.  It's not complicated. All it takes is a simple act of the will to abandon ourselves to his merciful love.

"...For St.Therese there are no barriers before God. At whatever stage of the spiritual life the soul may be, whether still struggling against sin or advancing in the practice of virtue, there is but one thing to do: "to surrender oneself more and more like a child to God's affectionate embrace" by repentance, confidence and love. To love without any thought for self, such is the wonderful simplicity of St. Therese. The soul which treads her "little way" has no other task than to seek that most precious simplicity of a little child, who has no other understanding than to love his Heavenly Father. "
St. Therese Doctor of the Little Way ( Waite Park, MN:Park Press,1997), 9



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

MASS ETIQUETTE

STAINED-GLASS SCAPULARS

Reflections on the Rule of the 

Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites

Photo:R.Massaro(C)2013SpiritSinging
St. Anthony Church Akron, Ohio

From the Rule:

#24

The value of the sacramental and liturgical life in the Secular Order leads its members to take part in the celebration of the Eucharist, in as far as possible. They will try to recite Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer of the Hours in union with the Church spread throughout the world. When it is possible they will also recite Night Prayer. Their participation in the sacrament of Reconciliation and the other sacraments of the Church will assist the process of their conversion.

Photo:R.Massaro(c)2013SpiritSinging
Lourdes, France

Resources on the Liturgy from the United States Conference of
 Catholic Bishops

PRAYING WITH BODY, MIND, AND VOICE

CELEBRATING THE LORD'S DAY

LITURGY AND LIFE

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity is well-known for her writings on the indwelling of the Holy Trinity in our soul.  She describes the soul as a "living tabernacle."  For her, heaven begins now, because we can enter this holy dwelling place whenever we please.   Rosemarie, ocds

BLESSED ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY

Blessed the ears of the soul alert enough, recollected enough to hear this voice of the Word of God; blessed also the eyes of this soul which in the light of a deep and living faith can witness the "coming" of the Master into His intimate sanctuary. But what then is this coming? It is an unceasing generation, an enduring hymn of praise...He is continually coming, always for the first time as if He had never come; for His coming, independent of time, consists in an eternal "now," and an eternal desire eternally renews the joys of the coming. The capacity of the soul, enlarged by the coming of the Master, seems to go out of itself in order to pass through the walls into the immensity of Him who comes; and a phenomenon occurs: God, who is in our depths receives God coming to us, and God contemplates God! God in whom beatitude consists.

From Heaven in Faith, Fifth Day, First Prayer

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

Stained Glass Flowers-Little Accounts of the Miraculous

CARMELITE SAINTS OF THE DAY:

The Carmelite Martyrs of Compiegne:
Sign from Heaven

In 1794 sixteen Carmelite nuns were led to the scaffold during the French Revolution and there met their deaths of holy martyrdom. One of the martyrs, Sr. Anne Pelleras had a brother who experienced the following incident:


Later that evening the brother of one of the martyrs, Sr. Anne Pelleras, a notary, returned home. As he entered the dark hall he noticed a light shining on the wall, a light that followed him up the stairway. As he entered the room where his wife awaited him she asked what was the light that surrounded him. He turned round to see a bright globe that faded gradually. The next day, when he heard of the execution of his sister, he realized that she had been permitted to give this sign of her entry into glory.
From the Carmel Clarion, Volume XX, No. 2


Blog of the New York Opera Society about the The Dialogues of the Carmelites



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

CARMELITE SAINT OF THE DAY

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

HAPPY FEAST DAY TO ALL CARMELITES!

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

CARMELITE PROPER (scroll down to July 16 for Liturgy of Hours)

ANCIENT HYMN TO OUR LADY: FLOS CARMELI

FLOWER of Carmel, Tall vine blossom laden; Splendor of heaven, Childbearing yet maiden. None equals thee.

Mother so tender, Who no man didst know, On Carmel's children Thy favors bestow. Star of the Sea.

Strong stem of Jesse, Who bore one bright flower, Be ever near us And guard us each hour, who serve thee here.

Purest of lilies, That flowers among thorns, Bring help to the true heart That in weakness turns and trusts in thee.

Strongest of armor, We trust in thy might: Under thy mantle, Hard press'd in the fight, we call to thee.

Our way uncertain, Surrounded by foes, Unfailing counsel You give to those who turn to thee.

O gentle Mother Who in Carmel reigns, Share with your servants That gladness you gained and now enjoy.

Hail, Gate of Heaven, With glory now crowned, Bring us to safety Where thy Son is found, true joy to see. Amen.

(Alleluia.)

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds