Quote of the day, 26 August: St. Edith Stein

During that time of unusual demonstrations of grace and of the most severe tests, Teresa also received a visible sensory image of the glowing love that pierced her heart.

“I saw beside me at my left side an angel in a physical form…. Because of his flaming face, he seemed to belong to that lofty choir made up only of fire and love…. I saw a long golden dart in his hands the end of which glowed like fire. From time to time the angel pierced my heart with it. When he pulled it out again, I was entirely inflamed with love for God” (The Book of Her Life, Ch. 29, no. 13).

Saint Edith Stein

Love For Love: The life and works of St. Teresa of Jesus

Stein, E. 2014, The Hidden Life: hagiographic essays, meditations, spiritual texts, translated from the German by Stein, W, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: This detailed image of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s renowned marble sculpture of Saint Teresa in ecstasy comes from the files of our Discalced Carmelite friars. The Discalced Carmelites are the guardians of the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria (St. Mary of Victory), where the Cornaro Chapel shelters this precious artwork. You can learn more about Bernini’s masterpiece at our liturgy for the feast day of the Transverberation of the Heart of St. Teresa of Jesus Our Mother.