CARMELITE QUOTE

From St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila):

Those who practice recollection, when they are in prayer, nearly always have their eyes closed; and it is an excellent custom for many reasons, because it is doing oneself violence in order to turn one's eyes from the things of the earth. However, it is only in the beginning that it costs; in fact, when one has acquired the habit thereof, it rather requires violence to open the eyes than to close them.

Read the Interior Castle online

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

Mary's Divine Motherhood

Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son,as "the mother of my Lord." In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God."
Catechism No. 495

The Sisters of the Visitation
Visitation Monastery Toledo, Ohio
click here





Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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CATECHISM QUOTE

Catechism #599

Jesus' violent death was not the result of chance in an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances, but is part of the mystery of God's plan, as St. peter explains to the Jews of Jerusalem in his first sermon on Pentecost: "This Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God." This Biblical language does not mean that those who handed him over were merely passive players in a scenario written in advance by God.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION WITH ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

Photo: R. Massaro

"WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?"

This phrase became popular a few years ago and ended up on t-shirts, mugs, bracelets, and other novelty items.   However, if we take a deeper look at this simple question as did St. John of the Cross, we will find much needed wisdom and spiritual insight into the mystery of  becoming "Christlike."

From the Ascent of Mount Carmel:

First, have habitual desire to imitate Christ in all your deeds by bringing your life in conformity with his. You must then study his life in order to know how to imitate him and behave in all events as he would.

Wow! A few sentences and St. John of the Cross has gotten to the heart of the matter: If we want to be Christlike, we must study the life of Jesus and imitate him in all things. We might respond, "easier said than done," because of our fallen human nature. But, I would argue the point that we can achieve our goal of becoming saints if we have the desire and we cooperate with God's grace.

One of our beloved Carmelite saints, St. Therese, was known to love the Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis, and she also loved the Gospels. In fact, we can see in her writings many references to sacred scripture. We can observe the life of any saint and see that they were imitators of Christ.  How did they imitate him? Well, we know that charity above all is the highest gift and a true test of one living the spiritual life.  If we are easily irritated and put out by performing works of charity, our prayer cannot be authentic.

We can always look for the fruits of the Spirit to see if we are on the right track, we can discern if we exhibit Christlike traits. Traits such as gentleness and kindness, and of course patience.  Are we slow to anger and quick to forgive? Do we show mercy as mercy has been shown to us?

St. John of the Cross keeps us on track in the spiritual life by reminding us that we must study the life of Our Savior. Let us turn again and again to the Gospels, that his word and life and spirit penetrate the depths of our heart, that he fills us and forms us into His image. Then we can truly be a living witness of His kingdom.

What would Jesus do? What would Jesus have us do? Let us keep this in mind as we go about our daily activities.

Let us echo the words of St. Paul, Be imitators of God as his dear children. Follow the way of love, even as Christ loved you.
(Ephesians 5:1)

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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TABERNACLE OF THE WEEK

ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC CHURCH

AKRON, OHIO

PASTOR: REV. JAMES RAGNONI

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

October - The Month of the Rosary

The Rosary Confraternity

U.S. Lourdes Pilgrimage Office

Peace be with you!

Rosemrie, ocds

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THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

 PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.'
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18: 1-8)

In today's Gospel, Jesus tells us to pray always without becoming weary.  Perpetual prayer is hard for most of us to comprehend, but Christians are called to this vocation by virtue of our baptismal call to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

We, as Secular Carmelites, have been given a great gift in our call to contemplative prayer. Although we live in the world, our faithfulness to mental prayer each day helps us to pray while we work in the world.

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) teaches us that the Lord will give us this gift of being able to be recollected while we go about our daily activities. She wrote about the union of Martha and Mary-the spiritual union of the active and contemplative life.

Praying always without becoming weary does not mean we must burden ourselves with numerous prayers throughout the day. The lifting of our mind and heart to God is true prayer of the heart and the real definition of prayer. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection teaches us this method in the Practice of the Presence of God.

Let us pray for each other that the Holy Spirit prompt us to raise our minds and hearts to God and the things of Heaven throughout the day. But let us also remember that if we think of Him it was He who first thought of us!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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