Dear Madame, through everything, let us constantly live in communion with this Incarnate Word, with Jesus who dwells in us and who wishes to tell us the whole Mystery.
On the eve of His Passion, He said to His Father in speaking of those who were His own: “The words which you gave me, I have given to them; the brightness that I had in you before the world began, I have given to them” (Cf. Jn 17:8, 22-24).
He is always living, always at work in our souls; let us allow ourselves to be formed by Him; may He be the Soul of our soul, the Life of our life, so that we may say with Saint Paul: “For me, to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21).
Dear Madame, He does not want any sadness in your soul about what was not done solely for Him. He is the Savior, His mission is to pardon; and Father [Vallée] told us during his retreat [7-15 October]: “There is only one impulse in the Heart of Christ: to wipe out sin and to lead the soul to God.”
I am praying fervently for you, for I feel that the Master loves you so much, and I ask Him to take you, to draw you more and more to Himself so that through everything you will enjoy His presence. May your soul be another Bethany where Jesus may come to rest [Cf. Jn 12:1-8], and where you serve Him the banquet of love.
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity
Letter 145 to Madame Angles (excerpt)
9 November 1902
Elizabeth of the Trinity, S 2003, The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 2: Letters from Carmel, translated from the French by Nash, A, ICS Publications, Washington DC.
Featured image: Father Lawrence Lew, O.P. captures this image of the anointing at Bethany in the beautiful stained glass window from Grace Episcopal Church in New York City. (Some rights reserved)
Carmelite Quotes 
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