Carmelite wisdom to encourage & inspire
Blessed Elia of St. Clement, whose memory is observed today by Italian Discalced Carmelites, has been called "useless," but the depth of her spiritual insight is vast. In this quote, she senses the "vastness" of her soul.
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On 9 May 1906 St. Elizabeth wrote to her friend and guide, Canon Angles, with this message: “being immersed in the Trinity that was already my Heaven here below, fills my soul with immense joy.”
Reading time: 1 minute, 123 words
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Describing his method of prayer to a spiritual director, Brother Lawrence explains that he came to a point of acceptance after years of prayer filled with anxiety: “I found myself changed all at once.”
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St. John of the Cross echoes the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas at several points in his writings. In discussing revelation in Book II of the Ascent of Mount Carmel, John adheres closely to Thomistic teaching in the Summa Theologiae.
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Quote of the day, 30 November: St Teresa finished writing The Interior Castle on the eve of St Andrew's Day in 1577. She asked her readers to “consider our soul to be like a castle made entirely out of a diamond or of very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms.”
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St. Elizabeth defines her title, “Praise of Glory” as “a soul that gazes on God;” she also uses terms like reflector, bottomless abyss, and crystal. St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians provides the original context.
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“I have found my heaven on earth,” Elizabeth explains, “because Heaven is God, and God is in my soul.” St. Paul explains that Christ, who descended to earth, ascended “far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.”
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Saint Teresa uses a variety of images to describe the soul; one of the most famous is the castle, where Christ dwells within us. Our task is to care for our souls so that we may radiate Christ to others.
"We have the very wisdom and the very beauty and the very fortitude of God in shadow, because the soul here cannot comprehend God perfectly," writes St. John of the Cross. In this excerpt from the Living Flame of Love, he describes how we enjoy God's glory in the shadow of his glory.
St. Edith Stein the catechist teaches us today that "God the Creator is present in each thing and sustains it in existence [...] God dwells in this manner in every human soul, also." The soul, Edith says, "is in his power." As St. Edith said after she read St. Teresa's autobiography, "This is truth." Jesus tells, "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Today we recall Blessed Maria Candida of the Eucharist, whose Optional Memorial is celebrated in Italy. In the Office of Readings we find this excerpt: "What mystery of love is this intimacy with our Beloved! I reflect on this, sometimes with emotion, and give praise to Him Who is Love!"
If you desire to possess profound peace in your soul... surrender your whole will to God so that it may thus be united with him
During this Lent, so divine in Carmel, my soul will be especially united to yours. I am asking God to show you the sweetness of His presence...
From the beginning of the Interior Castle, St. Teresa of Avila explains what it would mean for this "beautiful castle... to fall into mortal sin; there's no darker darkness nor anything more obscure and black...."
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.
A soul depends on grace in proportion to its desire for greater perfection. God's help is necessary at every moment because, without it, the soul can do nothing.
When all things are forgotten, nothing disturbs the peace or stirs the appetites. As the saying goes: What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't want.
The soul here addresses its Bridegroom with deep love, esteeming him and thanking him... what overflows in it is its being tenderly and delicately inspired with love.
At the foot of the cross, seeing its savior drink the bitter chalice to the very dregs, solely out of love for her, seeing him immolate himself for her sins, the soul dissolves with love for him
How truly wonderful you are, O Word of God, in the Holy Spirit; you cause him to infuse the soul with you
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Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices. ~ St. Teresa of Avila
Monasterio de las Batuecas Carmelitas Descalzos
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