You must build a little cell within your soul as I do. Remember that God is there and enter it from time to time; when you feel nervous or you’re unhappy, quickly seek refuge there and tell the Master all about it.
Ah, if you got to know Him a little, prayer wouldn’t bore you anymore; to me it seems to be rest, relaxation. We come quite simply to the One we love, stay close to Him like a little child in the arms of its mother, and we let our heart go.
You used to love sitting very close to me and telling me your secrets; that is just how you must go [to] Him; if only you knew how well He understands…. You wouldn’t suffer any more if you understood that.
It is the secret of life in Carmel: the life of a Carmelite is a communion with God from morning to evening, and from evening to morning. If He did not fill our cells and our cloisters, ah! How empty they would be! But through everything, [we] see Him, for we bear Him within us, and our life is an anticipated Heaven.
I ask God to teach you all these secrets, and I am keeping you in my little cell; for your part, keep me in yours, and that way we will never be parted.
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity
Letter 123 to Françoise de Sourdon Thursday, 19 June 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
O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself, I surrender myself to You as Your prey
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of self-control
St. Paul speaks
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely that I may be established in You as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing trouble my peace or make me leave You, O my Unchanging One, but may each minute carry me further into the depths of Your Mystery. Give peace to my soul; make it Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling, and Your resting place. May I never leave You there alone but be wholly present, my faith wholly vigilant, wholly adoring, and wholly surrendered to Your creative Action.
O my beloved Christ, crucified by love, I wish to be a bride for Your Heart; I wish to cover You with glory; I wish to love You… even unto death! But I feel my weakness, and I ask You to “clothe me with Yourself,” to identify my soul with all the movements of Your Soul, to overwhelm me, to possess me, to substitute Yourself for me that my life may be but a radiance of Your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Restorer, as Savior. O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance.
O consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, “come upon me,” and create in my soul a kind of incarnation of the Word: that I may be another humanity for Him in which He can renew His whole Mystery. And You, O Father, bend lovingly over Your poor little creature; “cover her with Your shadow,” seeing in her only the “Beloved in whom You are well pleased.”
O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself, I surrender myself to You as Your prey. Bury Yourself in me that I may bury myself in You until I depart to contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your greatness.
Meditation
St. Elizabeth’s biographer, Fr. Conrad de Meester, OCD, writes that her self-control during the last two years before she entered the Carmel of Dijon was quite evident and permitted the depth and richness of her heart to become visible to others around her. Even in her famous prayer to the Holy Trinity, that sense of self-mastery shines through as she writes these self-effacing lines: “to forget myself entirely… as still and as peaceful… may nothing trouble my peace… wholly present… wholly surrendered.” Like a radiology technician who instructs a patient, “don’t breathe, don’t move”, it seems as if St. Elizabeth is choosing not to breathe, not to move, but rather to remain transfixed as she gazes on her beloved Star.
And what about us? We may recognize that we need to grow in self-control, but have no clue where or how to begin. Why not begin with our prayer lives, our spiritual habits? If we can devote 5 minutes daily to devotion, scripture, meditation, even to silence, that 5 minutes of self-discipline can enable us to grow in self-mastery in other areas of our lives, as well. Is it worth a try? If we answer, “yes,” then St. Elizabeth probably would say this novena was worth the effort.
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elizabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
References to Fr. Conrad de Meester’s biography of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity are drawn from Rien Moins Que Dieu: Sainte Élisabeth de la Trinité (Presses de la Renaissance, Paris, 2017)
Oh, mis Tres, mi Todo, mi Bienaventuranza, Soledad infinita, Inmensidad donde me pierdo
San Pablo nos habla
Te encargo que guardes este mandato sin mancha ni reproche hasta la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, la cual Dios a su debido tiempo hará que se cumpla.
Al único y bendito Soberano,
Rey de reyes y Señor de señores,
al único inmortal,
que vive en luz inaccesible,
a quien nadie ha visto ni puede ver,
a él sea el honor y el poder eternamente. Amén.
(2 Tim 6,14-16)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Oh, mis Tres, mi Todo, mi Bienaventuranza, Soledad infinita, Inmensidad donde me pierdo, me entrego a Vos como una presa. Encerraos en mí para que yo me encierre en Vos, en espera de ir a contemplar en vuestra luz el abismo de vuestras grandezas.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
Quite gently, with patience and God’s help, we get there in the end
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of gentleness
St. Paul speaks
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
Be at peace. I don’t believe you’re crazy yet, just nervous and overexcited, and when you’re like that, you make others suffer too. Ah, if I could teach you the secret of happiness as God has taught it to me. You say I don’t have any worries or sufferings; it’s true that I’m very happy, but if you only knew that a person can be just as happy even when she is crossed. We must always keep our eyes on God. In the beginning it’s necessary to make an effort when we’re just boiling inside, but quite gently, with patience and God’s help, we get there in the end. (Letter 123 to Françoise de Sourdon, 19 June 1902)
Meditation
During the diocesan investigation process into Saint Elizabeth’s holiness, her sisters in the Carmel of Dijon consistently mentioned Elizabeth’s douceur, her spirit of gentleness. This is a quality that we have seen in her correspondence, such as today’s letter to young Françoise. When Elizabeth tells her friend ‘Framboise’ “I don’t believe you’re crazy yet, just nervous and overexcited”, there is a calm, gentle, maternal voice that seems to resound. Isn’t the fruit of gentleness seen not only in how we treat others but also in how we treat ourselves? How can we take Elizabeth’s advice and put it into practice today?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elizabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
David Bohnsack, mccj / Facebook (Used by permission)
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
Y vos, oh Padre, inclinaos hacia vuestra pobre pequeña criatura
San Pablo nos habla
Rogamos que ustedes sean fortalecidos con todo poder según la potencia de Su gloria, para obtener toda perseverancia y paciencia, con gozo dando gracias al Padre que nos ha capacitado para compartir la herencia de los santos en la Luz. Porque Él nos libró del dominio[m] de las tinieblas y nos trasladó al reino de Su Hijo amado, en quien tenemos redención: el perdón de los pecados. (Col 1,11-14)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Y vos, oh Padre, inclinaos hacia vuestra pobre pequeña criatura, ‘cubridla con vuestra sombra’, no veáis en ella más que al ‘Amado en el que habéis puesto todas vuestras complacencias’.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
David Bohnsack, mccj / Facebook (Used by permission)
Para conocer más sobre Santa Isabel de la Trinidad haga clic aquí
I need also, Father, to ask for your prayer, that I may be wholly faithful
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of faithfulness
St. Paul speaks
We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. Those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that the Son would be the first among many believers. And so those whom God set apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them. (Romans 15:13-14)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
I really think that next year I will celebrate your feast with Saint Dominic in “the inheritance of the saints in light”; this year, I am recollecting myself once again in the heaven of my soul to celebrate a very private feast day with you, and I need to tell you that; I need also, Father, to ask for your prayer, that I may be wholly faithful, wholly attentive, and may ascend my Calvary as a bride of the Crucified. “Those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Divine Son.” (Letter 304 to Père Vallée, 2 August 1906)
Meditation
With all that we know of Saint Elizabeth by now—the testimonies to her holiness—is it any wonder that three months before her death she is begging a priest to pray for her faithfulness? She surely senses that there is a steep, uphill climb ahead of her when she writes about her ascent of “Calvary as a bride of the Crucified.” Our own crosses and our own Calvaries may not be so extreme as hers, but isn’t our need for prayer to grow in the fruit of faithfulness just as essential? Where are some specific points in our spiritual lives where we need to grow in faithfulness to God?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elizabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
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
Oh, Fuego consumidor, Espíritu de amor, ‘venid sobre mí’
San Pablo nos habla
Según la gracia que Dios me ha dado, yo, como maestro constructor, eché los cimientos, y otro construye sobre ellos. Pero cada uno tenga cuidado de cómo construye, porque nadie puede poner un fundamento diferente del que ya está puesto, que es Jesucristo. Si alguien construye sobre este fundamento, ya sea con oro, plata y piedras preciosas, o con madera, heno y paja, su obra se mostrará tal cual es, pues el día del juicio la dejará al descubierto. El fuego la dará a conocer, y pondrá a prueba la calidad del trabajo de cada uno. Si lo que alguien ha construido permanece, recibirá su recompensa, pero, si su obra es consumida por las llamas, él sufrirá pérdida. Será salvo, pero como quien pasa por el fuego. (1 Cor 3,10-15)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Oh, Fuego consumidor, Espíritu de amor, ‘venid sobre mí’ para que se haga en mi alma como una encarnación del Verbo: que yo sea para Él una humanidad complementaria en la que renueve todo su Misterio. ”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
If you could see through the grilles the goodness lavished on me
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of goodness
St. Paul speaks
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. I myself am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. (Romans 15:13-14)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
If you knew how well cared for I am in my dear Carmel, what a Mother I have unceasingly near me… She is a true mama for her little patient. You would have tears in your eyes if you could see through the grilles the goodness lavished on me by this heart whom God has made so motherly. (Letter 326 to Madame Farrat, around 18 October 1906)
Meditation
“It takes one to know one,” we often say. This holds true for St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and the many times that she wrote about the goodness of her community during her illness. In her letters to her own mother, Elizabeth repeatedly reassured her mother of the exquisite charity of her prioress: “our good Mother takes such good care of me.” That is just an example of Elizabeth’s own goodness, wherein she continually praises the goodness in those around her. Being filled with goodness is a fruit of our growing relationship with God, who, as Jesus told the rich young man, is the ultimate in goodness: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mk 10:18).
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elizabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
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
Vivan como hijos de luz (el fruto de la luz consiste en toda bondad, justicia y verdad) y comprueben lo que agrada al Señor. No tengan nada que ver con las obras infructuosas de la oscuridad, sino más bien denúncienlas, porque da vergüenza aun mencionar lo que los desobedientes hacen en secreto. Pero todo lo que la luz pone al descubierto se hace visible, porque la luz es lo que hace que todo sea visible. Por eso se dice:
«Despiértate, tú que duermes, levántate de entre los muertos, y te alumbrará Cristo». (Ef 5,8-14)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Luego, a través de todas las noches, de todos los vacíos, de todas las impotencias, quiero fijaros siempre y permanecer bajo vuestra gran luz. Oh, mi Astro amado, fascinadme para que no pueda ya salir de vuestra irradiación.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
Although I possess nothing, I nevertheless appoint as my sole heir…
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of kindness
St. Paul speaks
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
I the undersigned declare that although I possess nothing, since I have previously disposed of everything that belonged to me, I nevertheless appoint as my sole heir Madame la comtesse Georges de Sourdon, resident of Dijon. Elizabeth Catez 30 October 1906 (Letter 338 to Madame de Sourdon, 30 October 1906)
Meditation
St. Elizabeth’s biographer, the Discalced Carmelite scholar Fr. Conrad De Meester, O.C.D., notes that “what at first glance looks like an official will, in reality, constitutes a true message of friendship… an astounding gesture of kindness and even of gaiety in this totally exhausted young woman, who is going to collapse that every evening and die ten days later.” Elizabeth doesn’t write about kindness; she simply was kindness personified. If God, who is Love, dwells within us, then kindness dwells within us and overflows to those around us. Shouldn’t that be the model for our lives?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elisabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
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
Oh, Verbo eterno, Palabra de mi Dios, quiero pasar mi vida escuchándoos
San Pablo nos habla
Nosotros, por nuestra parte, no cesamos de dar gracias a Dios, porque cuando recibieron la Palabra que les predicamos, ustedes la aceptaron no como palabra humana, sino como lo que es realmente, como Palabra de Dios, que actúa en ustedes, los que creen.
(1 Tes 2,13)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Oh, Verbo eterno, Palabra de mi Dios, quiero pasar mi vida escuchándoos, quiero hacerme toda dócil a fin de aprenderlo todo de Vos.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
Cada fibra de su ser
sera invadida
con la luz del amanecer,
solo hay que cerrar
los ojos, dormir y soñar…
y que ese sueño recorra
cada una de las fibras….
Y despertar.
Os pido que me “revistáis de Vos mismo”, que identifiquéis mi alma con todos los movimientos de vuestra alma
San Pablo nos habla
Ya que ustedes han resucitado con Cristo, busquen los bienes del cielo donde Cristo está sentado a la derecha de Dios. Tengan el pensamiento puesto en las cosas celestiales y no en las de la tierra. Porque ustedes están muertos, y su vida está desde ahora oculta con Cristo en Dios. Ustedes se despojaron del hombre viejo y de sus obras y se revistieron del hombre nuevo, aquel que avanza hacia el conocimiento perfecto, renovándose constantemente según la imagen de su Creador. (Col 3,1-3.9-10)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Os pido que me ‘revistáis de Vos mismo’, que identifiquéis mi alma con todos los movimientos de vuestra alma, que me sumerjáis, que me invadáis, que me reemplacéis, para que mi vida no sea más que una irradiación de vuestra Vida. Venid a mí como Adorador, como Reparador y como Salvador.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
So, when you feel as if you are about to lose your patience… let go
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of patience
St. Paul speaks
God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in his love. (Ephesians 3:16-17)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
If you knew how I prayed for you on your fifteenth birthday! I offered Holy Communion for that intention, then I gave you to the Holy Trinity, and it seemed to me that this gift was even more true, more complete than it was last year. Yes, my little sister, you belong entirely to “Them,” you are God’s thing. Oh! Really surrender yourself to Him, to His Love!… Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus says that “one is consumed by Love to the extent that one is surrendered to Love.” Since we aspire to be victims of His Charity like our holy Mother Teresa, we must let ourselves be rooted in the Charity of Christ, as Saint Paul says in today’s beautiful epistle. And how? By always living, through all things, with Him who dwells within us and who is Charity. He so thirsts to associate us with all that He is, to transform us into Himself. My little sister, let us awaken our faith, let us recall that He is there, within, and that he wants us to be very faithful, So, when you feel as if you are about to lose your patience or say something against charity, bring yourself back to Him, let go of this natural inclination in order to please Him. (Letter 179 to Germaine de Gemeaux, 20 September 1903)
Meditation
Faced with the difficult challenge of overcoming a grave character defect, a wise man once realized that surrendering his problems and his entire self to God who is Love might enable him to find the strength in his weakness to “let go and let God.” Years before this concept and phrase became popular, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity—and St. Thérèse of Lisieux before her—counsels a teenager to adopt the “let go and let God” way of life. Surrender. Love. Faith. It seems that the trick to growing more patient is: (1) pray for the willingness to become more patient; (2) ask the Holy Spirit to show us when we are losing patience; (3) when the Holy Spirit reminds us, to consciously “let go” at that moment by immediately turning to God. A simple prayer should suffice, such as, “I can’t do it, but you can, so please help me.” St. Elizabeth says this should work for the inclination to speak unkind and hurtful words, too—in person, face-to-face, of course—but should we work on our speech in social media, too? Can and should we turn to God dwelling within to help us to overcome the natural inclination to “say something against charity” whenever we’re online?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elisabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
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
He wants to be my peace so that nothing can distract me or draw me out of “the invincible fortress of holy recollection.”
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of peace
St. Paul speaks
For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Eph 2:14-18)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
Here I am in the presence “of a mystery hidden from ages and generations,” the mystery “which is Christ”: “your hope of glory,” says St. Paul! And he adds that “the understanding of this mystery” was given to him. So it is from the great Apostle that I am going to learn how I may possess this knowledge which, in his expression, “surpasses all other knowledge: the knowledge of the love of Christ Jesus.”
First of all he tells me that He is “my peace,” that it is “through Him that I have access to the Father,” for it has pleased this “father of lights” that “in Him all fullness should dwell, and that through Him He should reconcile to Himself all things, whether on the earth or in the heavens, making peace through the Blood of His Cross….
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. It is by the Blood of His Cross that He will make peace in my little heaven, so that it may truly be the repose of the Three. (Last Retreat, Twelfth Day)
Meditation
Just imagine more than two weeks on retreat! From 14-31 August 1906, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity spends each day in prayer as if it is her “novitiate for Heaven.” Those days are not totally peaceful, though—there are doctors and infirmarians coming and going, trips to the monastery terrace to enjoy the good weather, another aged nun in the infirmary with her, and a visit with her mother in the parlor. So the peace that Elizabeth seeks is definitely the peace of which St. Paul writes: it surpasses all other knowledge. It is a peace rooted in the knowledge of Christ’s love. He is our peace! So even without two weeks on retreat, how can we seek him and know his love?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elisabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
of the Trinity, E 2014, The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 1: General Introduction Major Spiritual Writings, translated from the French by Kane, A, ICS Publications, Washington DC
Oh Cristo mío amado, crucificado por amor, quisiera ser una esposa para vuestro Corazón
San Pablo nos habla
En esto me regocijo, sí, y me regocijaré. Porque sé que esto resultará en mi liberación mediante vuestras oraciones y la suministración del Espíritu de Jesucristo, conforme a mi anhelo y esperanza de que en nada seré avergonzado, sino que con toda confianza, aun ahora, como siempre, Cristo será exaltado en mi cuerpo, ya sea por vida o por muerte. Pues para mí, el vivir es Cristo y el morir es ganancia. Pero si el vivir en la carne, esto significa para mí una labor fructífera, entonces, no sé cuál escoger, pues de ambos lados me siento apremiado, teniendo el deseo de partir y estar con Cristo, pues eso es mucho mejor. (Fil 1,18-23)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Oh Cristo mío amado, crucificado por amor, quisiera ser una esposa para vuestro Corazón, quisiera cubriros de gloria, quisiera amaros… hasta morir de amor. Pero siento mi impotencia…”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
Pacificad mi alma, haced de ella vuestro cielo, vuestra morada amada y el lugar de vuestro reposo
San Pablo nos habla
Que la paz de Cristo reine en vuestros corazones, a la cual en verdadfuisteis llamados en un solo cuerpo; y sed agradecidos. Que la palabra de Cristo habite en abundancia en vosotros, con toda sabiduría enseñándoos y amonestándoos unos a otros con salmos, himnos y canciones espirituales, cantando a Dios con acción de gracias en vuestros corazones. (Col 3,15-16)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Pacificad mi alma, haced de ella vuestro cielo, vuestra morada amada y el lugar de vuestro reposo. Que no os deje allí jamás solo, sino que esté allí toda entera, toda despierta en mi fe, toda en adoración, toda entregada a vuestra acción creadora.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
What delightful peace we experience when we place our joy in suffering!
Intention
For an increase in the fruit of joy
St. Paul speaks
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. (Colossians 1:24-26)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
It seems to me that the happy ones of this world are those who have enough contempt and forgetfulness of self to choose the Cross as their lot! What delightful peace we experience when we place our joy in suffering!
“In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the passion of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the Church” (Col. 1:24). The apostle finds his happiness in this! The thought pursues me and I confess that I experience a profound inner joy in thinking that God has chosen to associate me in the passion of His Christ. This way of Calvary I climb each day seems to me more like the path of Beatitude! (The Greatness of Our Vocation, 6-7)
Meditation
St. Elizabeth’s penned these lines to her young friend Françoise de Sourdon around the 9th of September, 1906. It is a testament to her Carmelite ascetic spirit, knowing that, as St. John of the Cross taught, “in suffering, strength is given to the soul by God” (Dark Night II, 16:9). St. Elizabeth of the Trinity makes this 12-page letter—she called it a “journal”—a precious piece of spiritual direction for a nineteen-year-old aspiring to holiness. If this is St. Elizabeth’s advice to a young adult Catholic, what can we learn from her words of wisdom? Is joy in suffering a thing of the past?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elisabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
From the Facebook album ‘Portraits of Chad’ by Comboni Missionary Father David Bohnsack, mccj (Used by permission)
of the Trinity, E 2014, The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity volume 1: General Introduction Major Spiritual Writings, translated from the French by Kane, A, ICS Publications, Washington DC
Oh, Dios mío, Trinidad a quien adoro, ayudadme a olvidarme enteramente
San Pablo nos habla
El amor es comprensivo y servicial; el amor nada sabe de envidias, de jactancias, ni de orgullos. No es grosero, no es egoísta, no pierde los estribos, no es rencoroso.
(1 Cor 13,4-5)
La Elevación de Santa Isabel
“Oh, Dios mío, Trinidad a quien adoro, ayudadme a olvidarme enteramente para establecerme en Vos, inmóvil y apacible, como si ya mi alma estuviera en la eternidad. Que nada pueda turbar mi paz, ni hacerme salir de Vos, oh mi Inmutable, sino que cada minuto me haga penetrar más en la profundidad de vuestro misterio.”
Oración Final
¡Oh! Santa Isabel,
en tu gran amor a Dios,
estabas siempre tan próxima
de las necesidades de tus amigos.
Ahora, ya que estás en el Cielo
delante de la faz del Señor,
intercede cerca de El
en favor de las intenciones que te recomendamos.
Formular aquí su deseo
Enséñanos, en la fe y en el amor,
a vivir con la Santísima Trinidad,
en lo más profundo de nuestro corazón.
Enséñanos, como tú,
a irradiar el amor de Dios a los hombres,
en nuestra vida de cada día,
para ser una alabanza de su Gloria.
Rezar lentamente: Padre Nuestro…
y tres veces Gloria al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo…
I beg you, oh, mark everything with the seal of love! It alone endures.
Intention
For an increase in the gift of Love
St. Paul speaks
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 1:1-2)
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity speaks
“Oh! how empty is all that has not been done for God and with God! I beg you, oh, mark everything with the seal of love! It alone endures.” (Letter 333 to Madame de Bobet, end of October 1906)
Meditation
At the end of October 1906, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity already was seeing things with an eternal viewpoint. In her letter to her friend Antoinette de Bobet she remarked, “in the light of eternity, the soul sees things as they really are.” How can we benefit from St. Elizabeth’s heavenly view and apply her advice to our lives? How can I place a seal or a stamp of love on everything I do or say?
NOVENA PRAYER
O Saint Elisabeth!
In your great love of God,
You were always so close
to your friends’ needs.
Now, in Heaven,
Face to face with the Lord,
Do intervene near Him
for the needs we recommend to you.
(Make your request)
Teach us how to abide,
in Love and Faith,
with the Holy Trinity
in the utmost of our heart.
Teach us how to radiate God’s Love
amongst men, in our everyday life
just as you did yourself,
so that we may be a praise of God’s glory.
Our Father… (pray slowly, contemplating the meaning of the prayer)
Glory be… (three times, in praise of the indwelling Trinity)
United States Postal Service 8c LOVE Stamp issued in 1973, designed by Robert Indiana | pfunk42 / Wikimedia Commons
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
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