Quote of the day, 13 January: Sr. Jeanne-Marie-Ange of the Child Jesus, O.C.D.

One day another Sister asked her, “Do you know how to go to heaven, fast?”

By loving in the here and now. Love in the present moment, love right now. How do you do it? By doing all your actions for God with supernatural intentions. Not by the multiplicity of acts of love, but by putting as much love as possible into everything you do…

Sr. Jeanne-Marie-Ange of the Child Jesus, O.C.D.

From her biography (2017)

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Marie-Joseph-Louise Garcin-Vigne was born in Tulette in the Drôme on January 13, 1895, into a deeply Christian family which gave several of its members either to the priesthood or religious life. She received a solid Christian education that suited her lively and ardent nature.

“What merit is there in being a ready-made saint? It is good to have to struggle” she said, without being discouraged. She was sensitive and affectionate, full of simplicity, a mirror of innocence. Her favorite virtue was purity. She hungered for a purity that was ever more exquisite and attractive.

Marie-Joseph knew the Carmelites at the time of exile in Manissy [during the First World War]. She arrived at Mount Carmel just after the return of the Sisters, on 14 August 1919, at the age of 24. She kept the name Marie-Ange of the Child Jesus, which she had already received at the time of her admission to the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, and soon added to it that of Jeanne, as a testimony to her ardent devotion to our Holy Father John of the Cross.

In Carmel, she gained a better understanding that her only ideal would be to “live Christ”. Her life’s program consisted in asking Him in every circumstance what He would do so that she could do it as well. She wanted to be the Providence of the poor, the sister of the unfortunate, close to all forms of misery, to be everyone’s guardian angel, and the guiding star for lost sheep.

Her crucified Spouse fully accepted the sacrifice she had made of her whole person. Shortly after she received the habit, she was called to follow Christ to Calvary. She was in rather delicate health and contracted several very painful illnesses. On the other hand, her soul was jubilant, welcoming, joyful, always ready to laugh at her miseries and to forget herself for others. The community didn’t know if they should be saddened by her pain or rejoice at the brilliance of her virtues.

She demonstrated a tender devotion to the Child Jesus whose name she had taken.

During her illness, the sisters kept a few of her sayings, of which we see an example above.

She returned to the Father accompanied by the whole community on 24 October 1921 at the age of 26.

In her personal belongings was found a prayer written in her own hand on the back of a picture representing the “Ecce Homo”:

“To suffer if your Divine Majesty finds me worthy, my God. To suffer! My God, beloved Father, with my Christ, I place my soul in your hands whenever you please. Fiat! But have mercy. Do not look at my misery, see only Jesus and make all his merits mine for your glory alone.”

Carmélites Déchausées 2017, Près de la Source, Monastère Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel, Haifa.

Translation from the French text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.