Carmelite Quote

Photo: R. Massaro-St. Luke Church Danville, Ohio

All of us who wear this holy Carmelite habit are called to prayer and contemplation. this is what we were founded for. We are descended from those holy fathers of ours on Mount Carmel, those who went in search of that treasure-the priceless pearl we are talking about--in such solitude and with such contempt for the world.


We must remember those holy fathers of ours who have gone before us, the hermits whose lives we are trying to imitate. We must remember our real founders, those holy fathers whose descendants we are. It was by way of poverty and humility, we know, that they came to the enjoyment of God...


For love of our Lord I beg them to remember how quickly everything comes to an end and what a favor the Lord has done in bringing us to this Order...We must have the holy audacity to aspire, with God's help, to be like them. The struggle will not last long, but the outcome will be eternal.

PRAYER OF ST. TERESA
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion
is to look out to the earth,
yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good
and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.






Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
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Spiritual Direction with St. John of the Cross

Speaking of locutions and how souls can be deceived:

...Yet some intellects are so lively and subtle that, while recollected in meditation, they reason naturally and easily about some concepts, and form locutions and statements very vividly, and think these are indeed from God. But that notion is false, for an intellect somewhat freed from the operation of the senses has the capacity to do this and even more with its own natural light and without any other supernatural help. Such an occurrence is frequent. And many are deluded by it into thinking that theirs is the enjoyment of a high degree of prayer and communication from God; consequently they either write the words down themselves or have others do so. But it comes about that the experience amounts to nothing, nothing substantial in the line of virtue comes from it, and it serves for no more than to induce vainglory.

These people should learn to give importance to nothing other than sincere effort, the establishment of their wills in humble love, and suffering in imitation of the life and modifications of the Son of God. This is the road to the attainment of every spiritual good, and not that other of profuse interior discourse.

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

...Crosses are the most precious gifts God can give His creatures; and the creature's acceptance of them is the most pleasing sacrifice it can offer its Creator.


If the crosses He intends for you are heavy, that means He has great plans for your sanctification. Do you want to prevent those divine plans being fulfilled?

Your disturbance and fears will not take the crosses from you, whatever you do; you must carry them. What, then, is the wiser thing for you to do?


It is to submit, my child, to all that God bids you do. You must say: The Lord is master; Let Him do with me as He thinks best (Lk 1,38).

Then you will see God moved by your submission; faithful to His promises, He will make lighter than you thought possible the crosses which from a distance seem so heavy...
Imitation of Mary Bk II Chap. 8 No.






Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
______________________

TABERNACLES

Cathedral Parish of Saint Columba

Youngstown, Ohio

The Most Reverend George V. Murray, S.J.

Bishop of Youngstown



St. Columba Cathedral - Free Slideshow Maker


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
_____________________

CARMELITE SAINT OF THE DAY

Bl. Kuriakos Elias Chavara, priest

Learn more about this Carmelite Saint

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds
_____________________

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ST. THERESE

JANUARY 2

Far from resembling those heroic souls who from their childhood use fast and scourge and chain to discipline the flesh. I made my mortifications consist simply in checking my self-will, keeping back an impatient answer, rendering a small service in a quiet way, and a hundred other similar things.

I have a longing for those heart-wounds, those pin-pricks which inflict so much pain. I know of no ecstasy to which I do not prefer sacrifice. There I find happiness, and there alone. The slender reed has no fear of being broken, for it is planted beside the waters of Love. When, therefore, it bends before the gale, it gathers strength in the refreshing stream, and longs for yet another storm to pass and sway its head. My very weakness makes me strong. No harm can come to me, since in whatever happens I see only the tender hand of Jesus...Besides, no suffering is too big a price to pay for the glorious palm.

I endeavored to practice little hidden acts of virtue, such as folding the mantles which the Sisters had forgotten and being on the altar to render them help. I had also a great attraction towards penance, although I was not allowed to satisfy the desire. Indeed the only mortification I was permitted was the overcoming of my self-love, which did me far more good than any bodily penance could have done.

Bl. Louis and Zelie Martin the holy parents of

St. Therese

The Martins' Beatification at Lisieux



  

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

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Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

(Photo: R. Massaro-Icon-Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church Akron, Ohio)

The Theotokos: God-Bearer

AKATHIST HYMN TO OUR LADY

Visit the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Agatha, Ontario

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

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