Quote of the day, 31 March: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

At the foot of your Cross, Beloved…
Jesus, my crucified Love
I just told you again to take
My heart without ever giving it back to me.

Heavenly Spouse, divine Savior,
Ah, I renounce all happiness,
Every union on this earth
To belong to you completely.

I want to be yours without exception
In order to love you more,
And to give your love back to you.

I give myself to you forever.
O my Spouse, my Supreme Good,
Only you know how much I love you.

Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity

Poem 69, “Good Friday 1899”
31 March 1899

Father Conrad De Meester, O.C.D. shares some interesting background concerning this poem in his critical edition of the Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity (Editions du Cerf, 6th ed. 1996). There was a marriage proposal from “a superb party”, which Madame Catez had just mentioned to Elizabeth—despite the fact that Madame Catez gave her consent to Elizabeth only five days earlier so that she might enter Carmel. In the poem, Elizabeth “repeats” the fact that she belongs only to Jesus.

de la Trinité, E 1996, Oeuvres complètes / édition critique réalisée par le P. Conrad de Meester, carme, Les Editions du Cerf, Paris.

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