Carmelite wisdom to encourage & inspire
This week, let’s take time to meditate on chapters 22 and 23 of Luke's gospel. Fr. Denis-Marie Ghesquières, OCD writes, "the evangelist chose the events of the Passion to bear witness not so much to the cruelty of men as to the goodness of Jesus towards these same people. They all are the object of his mercy: the women, the executioners, the thieves crucified with him, and even the leaders of the people."
Commenting on the Gospel story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, Fr. Denis-Marie Ghesquières, OCD writes, "Jesus challenges each one of the onlookers to search his heart and, faced with the woman's sin, to question himself! A new path can open up by setting out from the truth about oneself in the presence of Jesus..."
One may kneel down and make a plea with words from book or breviary... But some day, hidden by His will, if this meek child is waiting still, God will take out His mercy-key and open up felicity, where saltiest tears are given right to seas where sapphire marries light
Brother Lawrence reasons with a woman in spiritual direction: "You would consider it rude to leave a friend who is visiting you by himself; then why abandon God and leave him alone? Do not forget him..."
He wants to be my peace so that nothing can distract me or draw me out of “the invincible fortress of holy recollection.” It is there that He will give me “access to the Father” and will keep me as still and as peaceful in His presence as if my soul were already in eternity.
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."
My beloved Antoinette, I leave you my faith in the presence of God, of the God who is all Love dwelling in our souls.
One thing alone is certain: that God is and that his hand holds us in being.
We do not always have to be in church to be with God. We can make of our hearts an oratory where we can withdraw from time to time
Stay with me, with me, Jesus sweet, Your presence makes all things good for me.
God seemed so present to me that I thought of St. Peter's words: You are Christ, Son of the living God.
We can remain in God’s presence, however busy we are, however we feel
They must take care that their minds do not wander or return to creatures
This practice of the presence of God is the holiest, the surest, the easiest, and the most efficacious form of prayer
My brother died the Sunday after the feast of St. John
If we obey the pope, we obey the Lord Jesus, according to his own words addressed to Peter and the other apostles
The “Spirit of truth” whispers Jesus’ words to our hearts
Prayer is a cry of the heart, but above all it’s an act of trust in God
God is a good Father who neither punishes nor abandons us
How can we express the nearness of the Holy God?
Carmelite Quotes 
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