Carmelite wisdom to encourage & inspire
St Raphael Kalinowski’s years of hard labor in Siberia became a great grace that prepared him for life as a Carmelite: he knew that life’s biggest and most difficult problems are resolved on one’s knees.
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In one memorable passage from the Ascent of Mount Carmel, St. John of the Cross explains how the Gospel passage concerning the narrow gate or narrow door is an excellent illustration of the Ascent of Mount Carmel: "Indeed the gate is very narrow, more so than you think."
After 42 years with the Discalced Carmelites in Paris, Brother Lawrence wrote to a nun: "We must never stop working, since in the spiritual life, not to advance is to go backward."
For the birthday of a novice, Sr. Martha of Jesus, St. Thérèse wrote a poem on 16 July 1894. It reads, in part: "Close to you, O my loving Mother! I've found rest for my heart..."
Life is so short! What happiness it is to think of that, to tell ourselves that tomorrow we shall be in Heaven, near Jesus Who loved us enough to die for us, near Mary who loved us...
Brother Lawrence says that the practice of the presence of God is "the essence of the spiritual life, and it seems to me that by practicing it properly you become spiritual in no time."
St. Raphael of St. Joseph provides an answer to the question, "How does one become perfect and holy?"
St. Teresa concludes that when we sell out to God's will, we become his slaves, just as he became a slave through obedience for our sake; so she says that it matters not how much time we spend praying or working — obedience is key.
True union with God, St. Teresa says, is union of our wills with His. She states that lack of obedience is an indicator of the presence of self-will and self-love. "Make your will one with God's. This is the union that I desire and would want for all of you."
St. Teresa speaks plainly today: in order to acquire the treasure of perfect conformity to God's will "there is no better way than to dig and toil in order to excavate from this mine of obedience."
St. Teresa proposes obedience as the solution to the "interior battle" between our self-will and God's will for us: "it means making Him Lord over the free will He has given us."
Having stated previously that "there is no path that leads more quickly to the highest perfection than obedience," today St. Teresa intends to explain why, in her opinion, obedience "is the quickest or best means for reaching this most happy state."
St. Teresa drives to the heart of her teaching on prayer, obedience, and perfection: "there is no path that leads more quickly to the highest perfection than obedience."
St. Teresa reflects on the example of the layman she met and how "the fulfillment of the duties of obedience and charity" led to an amazing "improvement in spiritual things". Her conclusion is that "the Lord walks among the pots and pans" to help us.
If the ship of our soul is still beaten by the winds or the storm, we must wake the Lord who is resting there, and he will immediately calm the sea
Saint Teresa of Avila clearly describes the necessity of the spiritual life
Carmelite spirituality is not contemplative and apostolic. It is apostolic because it is contemplative
Did the Blessed Virgin lead a complicated life?
Contemplation is a precious gift of God.
I do my work in simple faith before God, humbly and lovingly
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Antonio Mas Arrondo
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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