St. John of the Cross-Sayings of Light and Love

Saying #64

"See that you are not suddenly saddened by the adversities of this world, for you do not know the good they bring, being ordained in the judgments of God for the everlasting joy of the elect."

As Christians, we cannot let Satan and the evil events of this world steal our joy! We know the way that leads to God...the way is taking up our cross and following Jesus Christ. As Secular Carmelites we are called to follow the Crucified and Risen Christ. We know that he has won the victory for us.

Let us look to Our Lady, Queen of Peace, who said, " In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph." Let us take refuge in the sacraments. Let us take refuge in Our Lady's motherly heart and remain in the peace and joy of being children of God.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

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Stained Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Secular Carmelite Rule

The liturgical life, as a perennial participation in the Paschal Mystery, nourishes the Secular Carmelite in his daily pledge to follow Christ crucified and risen toward an ever more perfect union with God, by making the pains and joys of this life an offering of praise and glory to God.
His liturgical life will express itself chiefly in the Eucharistic sacrifice and in the recitation of the Church's Divine Office. He will, as far as possible, recite Morning and Evening Prayer from the Breviary; if possible he will recite Night Prayer before retiring. (Article 5-The Secular Carmelite Rule)

Many beginners in Carmel, and also those who have a desire to pray the Liturgy of the Hours get discouraged in the beginning because they think the Divine Office is too complicated to understand. There are many helps to this problem if the person will persevere. The Liturgy of the Hours comes in four volumes and also has a one volume version called "Christian Prayer." They both have guides available that shows the pages one should be on for each day of the year.
There are also links to online Liturgy of the Hours, such as Universalis and ebreviary.com. I have also recently discovered Divine Office. com. For all those who are new to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, please visit this wonderful site that has audio for the daily prayers. You can listen and pray with the text that is provided, too.

Divine Office

Our Rule calls us to this universal prayer of the Church each day. It's good to get in a regular habit of praying it at the same time each day so that we become faithful to it, because this is part of our obligation as Secular Carmelites.
We can look at the beginning of the Article from our Rule which states that we have a daily pledge to follow Christ. This daily pledge includes our daily responsibilities and obligations such as praying the Office, being faithful to mental prayer, attending mass when possible, and so on.
The Rule also states that the Liturgical life helps to make the joys and pains of this life and offering of praise and glory to God. We know that Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity desired to be a "Praise of his glory." We know, too, that she had the same obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours that we have. May she obtain for us a great desire to express our worship by praying faithfully the Office each day.
In our local community we can help those who are struggling with learning the Office. And this should be part of the formation of new people.
The praying of the Office is a beautiful way of expressing our love and trust in God through the praying of the Psalms. We can get in the frame of mind and prepare ourselves for Morning Prayer from the Office by rising from bed and beginning the opening prayer: "O God, come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help me." As Secular Carmelites we could also add, ...Lord make haste to help me pray the Office, make haste to help me to meet you in mental prayer, make haste to help me make my way to the Eucharist...

Let us pray for each other--each day in the Liturgy of the Hours.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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Tabernacle of the Week

St. Joan of Arc Church

Canton, Ohio

A Holy Hour Prayer

by Fr. Benedict Groeschel

O Lord, thank you for this hour of Eucharistic devotion. It comes as a time of peace, recollection and healing. How privileged I am to spend this time with You. It makes me feel like the apostles and disciples who were able to speak to You along the road, perhaps sitting under a tree in the evening. What am I to say to You? You know everything about me. You know all my needs, all my failings and even my good intentions. In this time I adore You as the infinite and Holy One of God. You and the Father are one and you have promised that we will be one in You. I give You thanks for all the blessings of my life which I so seldom think of. I thank You for life itself, material and spiritual.

I ask Your forgiveness and healing for all my short-comings and sins; all the times that unthinkingly I have failed You and fallen short of the grace You gave me. I place before You confidently everyone I care about, every concern that I have, every need of my life. I promise to trust You no matter what happens to me. You will bring good out of even the worst of it. I do not ask You to change what is to be. Rather, in whatever there is to be let me find You will, Your holiness and Your opportunity for me to grow. I will try to say, "I know that You are with me."

Finally, I redirect my life, my desire, my hopes, to you, not only for myself but for everyone about me and for the whole world.

May Your kingdom come, may your Holy Spirit be with us. Send Him constantly to us as You promised You would at the Last Supper.

As I look at this mysterious sign, the white host, my eyes tell me nothing of who is there, but faith affirms in my heart that You, my Lord and God are there. I thank You for this precious gift of faith.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

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Sunday in the Year for Priests

John Mary Vianney was now seventeen...The future? Already John Mary Vianney had only one ambition: to be a priest. But he was tormented by the clear awareness of his ignorance and by the prospect of having to learn Latin.

He spoke of all these things to his mother.

"If I were a priest," he said, " I would want to win many souls!" Marie Vianney wept for joy at the thought of it. And when Aunt Margaret Humbert was let into the secret, she too approved highly of John Mary's noble goal.

(From the Remarkable Cure of Ars by Michel de Saint Pierre)

St. John Vianney's Prayer to his guardian angel:

Good evening, my guardian angel. I thank you for keeping watch over me throughout the day. While I sleep, please offer to God every one of my heartbeats.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

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Saturday of Our Lady

Prayer of St. John Berchmans

Holy Mary, Mother of God and Virgin, I choose thee this day for my queen, patron, and advocate, and firmly resolve and purpose never to abandon thee, never to say or do anything against thee, nor to permit that anything be done by others to dishonor thee. Receive me, then, I implore thee, as thy perpetual servant, assist me in all my actions, and do not abandon me at the hour of my death. Amen.



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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Spiritual Life Dictionary

Today's Term: Spiritual Betrothal

1. Also called spiritual espousal, it is a symbolic term for an elevated degree of union that takes place in the illuminative way. In it there is a fluctuating between the feeling of God's nearness, the sweetness of his communication, and the experience both of his absence and of other painful trials of purification by which the sensory part is gradually accommodated to the spirit. The coming to completion of the espousal brought about by Christ through the cross and baptism.

2. Sometimes used to refer to a full union of love, like the spiritual marriage.

(From the Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, translated byKieran Kavanugh, OCD)


According to St. Teresa in her Interior Castle, the spiritual betrothal and marriage take place in the seventh mansion. This is a high degree of love and union between the soul and the Holy Trinity. When reading about these mansions we should not get caught up in wondering what mansion we are in. We need to ask God to purify our intentions and give us a great desire to serve him in charity in our brothers and sisters with whom we meet each day.
Let us pray to our Lady, spouse of the Holy Spirit, that she may obtain for us the holy union with God we desire.



Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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Carmelite Solemnity-St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of the Church

Happy Feast Day to all Discalced Carmelites!

It must be carefully noted--and I say this because I know it by experience--that the soul which begins to walk resolutely in this way of mental prayer and can persuade itself to set little store by consolations and tenderness in devotion, and neither to be elated when the Lord gives them nor disconsolate when He withholds them, has already travelled a great part of its journey. However often it may stumble, it need not fear a relapse, for its building has been begun on a firm foundation. Yes, love for God does not consist in shedding tears, in enjoying those consolations and that tenderness which for the most part we desire and in which we find comfort, but in serving Him with righteousness, fortitude of soul and humility. the other seems to me to be a receiving rather than giving anything.

(the Life, Chap. 11)

Fr. Jordan Aumann on St. Teresa's Grade's of Prayer

More on the Nine Grades of Prayer

Read St. Teresa's Interior Castle online

St. Teresa's Way of Perfection-read it online

The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)

Information on the vocation to the Secular Order of Carmel

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

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