Carmelite wisdom to encourage & inspire
After the healing of St. Thérèse on 13 May, her sister Pauline wrote to Thérèse to offer words of gratitude, compassion, and encouragement. "What a joy to see you well! How good the Blessed Virgin really is!"
In her autobiographical manuscripts, St. Thérèse describes her healing on this date at age 10: "All of a sudden the Blessed Virgin appeared beautiful to me... then all of my pains faded away..."
On the evening of that unforgettable "first day of the week," the day of the Lord's resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples, full of mercy. He didn't reproach them; he didn't accuse or reject them. Instead, he offered them his peace.
Throughout the weeks of Lent, Saint Luke and the Carmelite saints will introduce us to the mystery of Divine Mercy in preparation for the great Easter feast. In Week Two, St. John of the Cross invites us to move from despair to joy and to rely on God’s mercy.
St. Edith Stein made some enduring friendships as a teacher at St. Magdalena's School in Speyer. To one Sister she writes: "I know there is no one in St. Magdalena who more truly shared my joys and sorrows than you. Only do not think of the sorrow as too great and the joys too meager."
Joseph de Beaufort learned in his first conversation with Brother Lawrence that "we must nourish our souls with an exalted idea of God, and thereby we will draw great joy from being with him."
Oh, how sweet your presence will be to me, you who are the supreme good!... I will not rest until I rejoice in your arms.
In an excerpt from the new English biography of Blessed Titus Brandsma, he talks about the great joy he experiences when he wears his Carmelite habit "because it is the symbol of Mary’s protection."
When we pray, the heavens always open above us like an embrace, the Spirit descends like a breath of life and fire into our hearts.
For the one who possesses Jesus possesses all; He is the treasure of treasures. In Him alone we find our joy and not in the creature.
I wish I were a painter so I could make you a sketch of the scene that surrounds me [...] the moonlight is flooding our cell through the frosted window panes, it's ravishing [...] All is calm and silent, and that makes me think of the night when the little Jesus was given to us.
It is not God's will that a soul be disturbed by anything or suffer trials...
When the interval of waitingFor His birth its course had run,Straight from out His bridal chamberCame the Bridegroom, God the Son. Once on earth, with arms extendedHe embrac'd His heavenly Bride,And the gracious Mother laid HimIn the manger, at her side. All around that helpless babyAnimals were standing by;Men sang songs of glad rejoicing;Angels join'd their songs... Continue Reading →
For Teresa of the Andes, "God is infinite joy. This is the new hymn of Christian love that rises spontaneously from the soul of this young Chilean girl."
When one loves, everything is joy. The cross doesn't weigh down.
Jesus told me that He wants me to suffer with joy. This costs me so, but it is sufficient that He asks this, so that I'll try to do it.
"Aren't you ready to suffer whatever the Good Lord wills? I know you do..."
I come to tell you as if it were coming from Him not to be afraid of sacrifice, of struggle, but rather to rejoice in it
With your celestial aid, in peace I await the other life
Don’t think that when I’m in Heaven I’ll make your life easy
Carmelite Quotes 
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