THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

(Photo: R. Massaro)

Today's Three words are from today's Psalm Response:
THE LORD LOVES

This is one of my favorite psalms, for it possesses many "three words of wisdom" concerning our God. Here is the full passage:

The LORD God keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.

The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations.
(Psalm 146)

This beautiful psalm sings the praises and virtues and wisdom of our God. The Lord gives... The Lord protects... The Lord raises...

This psalm sings the praises of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, if we look deeply into this passage. Jesus fed the hungry, gave sight to the blind, set free those who were in bondage to sin, proclaimed the kingdom to the poor. Yes, we can go on and on singing the praises of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, as Secular Carmelites, we are called to live a life of Beatitude. Jesus proclaimed on the mountain top what should not remain hidden in our hearts and deeds. We are to be people who mirror the attributes of Jesus. We are to be people filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We are to be people whose hearts overflow with mercy and love for those we love and for those whom we do not love as we should.

The Lord indeed loves us. He sent his only Son to protect us, to raise us up, to feed us, to give us sight, to redeem us. During this Advent season let us pray for each other, that we remain faithful to our baptismal calling by being people filled with the Spirit of God's mercy, love and forgiveness.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
___________________

CARMELITE SAINT OF THE DAY

ST. MARIA MARAVILLA OF JESUS

December 11. St. Maria Maravillas of Jesus, OCD, Virgin. 1891-1974, Spain. Memorial, Common of Virgins. She was born at

Madrid. She entered the El Escorial Carmel, Madrid on 12th October 1919. In 1924 she was inspired to found a Carmel at Cerro de los Angeles, alongside the monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. From this foundation followed nine others in Spain and one in India. She always gave first place to prayer and self-sacrifice. She had a true, passionate zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Even while living a life of poverty in the cloister she helped those who were in need, initiating apostolic, social and charitable works. In a particular way she helped those of her own order, priests, and other religious congregations. She died in the monastery of La Aldehuela, Madrid, on 11th December 1974. She was canonized May 4, 2003.


Prayer. Lord God, who drew St. Maria Maravillas of Jesus into the secrets of the heart of your Son, grant through her intercession and example, that we may work together for the salvation of souls, experiencing the delights of your love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
(From the Carmelite Proper)

From the Vatican-Read more about this Saint

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

____________________



CARMELITE QUOTE

St. John of the Cross
Feast Day: December 14

It must be understood that if a person experiences some elevated spsiritual communication or feeling or knowledge, it should not be thought that the experiences are similiar to the clear and essential vision or possession of God, or that the communication, no matter how remarkable it is, signifies a more notable possession of God  or union with him. It should be know too that if all these sensible and spiritual communications are

wanting  and individuals live in dryness, darkness, and dereliction, they must not thereby think that God is any more absent than in the former case. People, actually, cannot have certain knowledge from the one state that they are in God's grace or from the other than they are not. As the Wise Man says, We do not know if we are worthy of love or abhorrence before God (Eccl. 9:1).
(Spiritual  Canticle, Stanza 1, No. 4)

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
____________________

Feast of Saint Juan Diego

Our Lady of Guadalupe: an ancient title of Mary, given to her shrine on Tepeyac Hill, about three miles northeast of Mexico City, after her appearance there in 1531 to Juan Diego. At that time she asked that a church be built on the spot. For proof of her presence, which the Bishop requested, she had Juan pick roses which bloomed miraculously in mid-winter. After arranging them in his mantle, she imprinted her portrait on the inside of the coarse cloak, which is still preserved in the Shrine of Guadalupe. Pope Benedict XIV named Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of America and made her Feast, December 12, a holy day of obligation in Mexico.

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City

The Symbolism of the Image of Our Lady of Gudadalupe

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

__________________

STAINED GLASS SCAPULARS-Reflections on the Secular Carmelite Rule

Photo: R. Massaro

St. Teresa teaches her nuns and we as Secular Carmelites that there are three virtues that help us to attain perfect charity: love for our neighbor, detachment from all created things, and humility. During this season of Advent, when the entire Church is on retreat waiting for the coming of the Lord, perhaps we can meditate on these three virtues in our life.

Along with these three virtues that St. Teresa teaches are the foundations of a genuine prayer life, she also states in the Way of Perfection that there are three helpers to this life of prayer: fasting, discipline, silence.

As secular Carmelites we are called to lead a penitential life on behalf of the church. And, although the season of Advent is a time of anticipation, indeed, a time of joyful anticipation of the coming of the Christ Child, it is also a time to prepare our hearts for what God wishes to accomplish in us: namely make us holy as he is holy.

Let us examine our conscience and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas we can say "yes" to God in a deeper way. Do we need a deeper commitment to daily prayer? Do we need a deeper commitment to mortification?  If we truly desire holiness and to become intimate friends with Jesus Christ, we must listen to our Holy Mother, St. Teresa of Jesus, who tells us clearly that prayer and self-indulgence do not go together.

From Article 8 of the Rule:
...With this object, the Secular Carmelites will first of all seek to intensify their personal union with God, and to bear witness to Christ by their life of prayer.

Let us pray for each other, that we be faithful to Christ by being faithful to the promises we have made as secular Carmelites.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
___________________

TABERNACLE OF THE WEEK

ST. MARY OF THE FALLS

OLMSTED FALLS, OHIO

PARISH WEBSITE

Pastor: Fr. Wally Hyclak

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

___________________

CARMELITE QUOTE

St. Therese of the Child Jesus:

I desire no longer either suffering or death, and still I love them both;it is love alone that attracts me...abandonment alone guides me. I have no other compass! I can no longer ask for anything with fervor except the accomplishment of God's will in my soul without any created being able to set obstacles in the way. I can speak these words of St John of the Cross:''After I have known it/LOVE works in me/That whether things go well or badly/Love turns all to one sweetness/Transforming the soul  into itself."


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
____________________