A Solitary Bird

2011-12-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

This blog is moving over to wordpress. I hope you will continue to want to follow asolitarybird

http://asolitarybird.wordpress.com/

An Ancient Prayer for Advent

2011-11-29T06:07:00.001-07:00

Hail and Blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Blessed Mother. Amen

an ancient prayer traditionally prayed daily from St. Andrew's feast, November 30th, until Christmas

Assimilation

2011-11-13T07:14:00.009-07:00

“After arriving at the ninth step in this life the soul departs from the body. Since these souls -few that there be- are already extremely purged through love, they do not enter purgatory” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,5)

This secret ladder, love, assimilated the soul so that it had become like God. It has reached the last step and now has “clear vision at the top of the ladder, where God rests.”

Though few ascend to these heights through the gift of contemplation, we should all desire it. We are all called to this contemplation, to this love. Therefore, let’s remember that, “by means of this secret love the soul departs from itself and all things and ascends to God. For love is like a fire that always rises upward.” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,5)

Burning Gently

2011-11-12T07:08:00.006-07:00

photo by Darren Hester
http://www.darrenhester.com/

“The ninth step of love causes the soul to burn gently.” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,4) Filled with the Holy Spirit, these souls burn gently and interiorly with love. The soul has reached perfect union; that is, union that is possible while in this life. The good these soul enjoy are numerous and could never be fully explained. This step is “succeeded by the tenth and final step, which is no longer of this life.”

Holding On

2011-11-11T07:02:00.006-07:00

At the heights of the eighth step, now so near the top, the soul does not want to let God go. The soul has found God, the one it loves; it has reached union, though this union is not yet perfect - “it does not do so continuously”. (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,3) This union lasts “only for short periods of time”

- until the next step on the ladder......

Audacity

2011-11-10T06:46:00.006-07:00

God gives souls on this seventh step an “ardent boldness”. Ask these souls to pray for you, for these souls “obtain from God what they ask of Him”. (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,2)

While on this step the soul must “always conserve humility” remembering that although given a free hand and boldness from God, these same steps are used to descend.

Hope

2011-11-09T06:24:00.004-07:00

With nothing but hope, the soul on this sixth step runs swiftly towards God. The charity of these souls increases and is purer. It’s capacity to love has been enlarged by the many touches it has received from God. “And it runs without fainting by reason of its hope. The love that has invigorated it makes it fly swiftly.” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 20,1) ...to the seventh step.

Impatient Longings

2011-11-08T06:16:00.004-07:00

The fifth step “imparts an impatient desire and longing for God”. (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 19,5) It is almost a painful death for the soul on this step. It so longs for and desires God that any delay tires it and annoys it. It experiences a great hunger and feeds this hunger with love for only love satisfies it.

Suffering

2011-11-07T06:11:00.007-07:00

Because of this love for God, souls on this fourth step of the ladder pursue Him “in the spirit of suffering for His sake”. (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 19,4) They do this because love makes “all burdensome and heavy things nearly nothing”.

They have their body under control and take little account of it. They want to give to God and are willing to set aside their own interests. This love for God is so intense; therefore, he will frequently visit the soul with spiritual delights, ennobling them to endure the suffering they experience. The soul is interiorly detached from everything and does not stop to rest in these delights.

Solicitude

2011-11-06T06:47:00.007-07:00

The third step. The soul on this step in its ascent to God on this ladder of love thinks that what it does for God amounts to very little. These souls are pained and in sorrow about the little they do for him. They do not believe they are useful or that their lives are of any value. They truly believe themselves worse than others. There is no“vainglory, presumption, or condemning others.” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 19,3)

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Seeking His Face

2011-11-05T06:37:00.011-06:00

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902).
Jesus Looking through a Lattice

The second step consists in the searching. The soul searches for God unceasingly and passes by all that is not Him. All thoughts are about God, all its conversations are about God. “When eating, sleeping, keeping vigil, or doing anything else, it centers all its care on the Beloved.” (Dark Nigh Bk II, chapter 19,2)

Ten Steps

2011-11-04T06:19:00.004-06:00

“It is only love that unites and joins the soul to God” (Dark Nigh Bk II, chapter 18,5)

The first step is the beginning of contemplation when the soul does not find any “satisfaction, support or consolation or resting place in anything” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 19,1)

It is on this first step that the soul has lost its appetites for all things and has now changed from its previous way of life. The soul has turned its back on sin and now only wants God and God alone, for only God can satisfy it.

Ladder of Love

2011-11-03T06:03:00.010-06:00

In darkness, and secure

by the secret ladder

Union with God through love is described by St. John of the Cross as a secret ladder. The secret is that this love is an interior wisdom that is simple and enters the intellect without the aid of sensory information or the imagination. There are no forms or ideas to speak of and the experience is so ineffable that it is indescribable. St. John of the Cross says that, “this mystical wisdom occasionally so engulfs souls in its secret abyss that they have the keen awareness of being brought into a place far removed from every creature.” (Dark Night Bk II, chapter 17,6)

He also describes this wisdom as a ladder which become the steps one uses to ascend and descend. These communications from God produce two things within the soul- exaltation and humiliation in which it comes to knowledge of God and of self.

This ladder of contemplation is prefigured, according to St. John, in the ladder Jacob saw in his sleep and “by which the angels were ascending and descending from God to human beings and from human beings to God, while God leaned on the top [Gen. 28: 12-13]. The divine Scriptures say that all this happened at night, while Jacob was sleeping, to disclose how secret is the way and ascent to God and how it differs from human knowledge.” (Dark Nigh Bk II, chapter 18,4)

The reason for calling this secret contemplation a “ladder” is that it is a “science of love” - “an infused knowledge that both illumines and enamors the soul, elevating it step by step to God, its Creator. For is is only love that unites and joins the soul to God.” (Dark Nigh Bk II, chapter 18,5) This describes the state of perfection, which consist in love - “love of God and contempt of self”. It is God who is at the end of the ladder and it is in him that the ladder rests. (Dark Nigh Bk II, chapter 18,4)

The Work of God

2011-10-03T05:15:00.007-06:00

Whether we are praying the Divine Office - the Opus Dei - or working in the kitchen among the “pots and pans”, we should regard our work, all work no matter how humble, as the work of God.

It is really the intention that is most important and what truly matters in any kind of work. To tend towards God before the act of doing the work and to give it to God, to abandon all to Him. Thus making our work an act of the will, an act of love.

God sees the intention.

“Well, come now, my daughters, don’t be sad when obedience draws you to involvement in exterior matters. Know that if it is in the kitchen, the Lord walks among the pots and pans helping you both interiorly and exteriorly.” (St. Teresa, The Book of Her Foundations, Chap. 5)

Manual Labor - a way to holiness

2011-09-30T03:05:00.000-06:00

“You must give yourselves to work of some kind, so that the devil may always find you busy; no idleness on your part must give him a chance to pierce the defences of your souls.” (Rule of St. Albert)

Manual labor is strongly encouraged by the Rule of St. Albert. “You must...” strong words for this precept. “No idleness on your part must give him a chance to pierce the defences of your souls.” Here we have the motivation for this point in the Rule. For when we are unoccupied we are left open to the influences of the devil who comes to knock. The imagination and memory are his favorite playgrounds, if he can gain an entrance. Left alone with our thoughts, images and memories are created which will trouble us and stir up temptations.

It’s not that thinking is a bad thing. To think is a good thing. However, lest bad thoughts creep in, our thoughts must be general ones and should have God as their object. Consequently, when left to dream, living in the imagination can be dangerous! Thought is a dynamic force. It is the beginning of action; therefore, it can lead to sin, even serious sin!

It must be recalled that everything in the Carmelite Rule is directed towards contemplation. A soul that is contemplative truly loves God and gives God more glory than any other soul. The devil knows this and will make every effort to hinder a contemplative soul. He accomplishes this best by trying to trouble the soul by overburdening it and causing it disquiet within it.

The devil is so clever. He will do whatever he can to accomplish this disturbance within a soul even pushing it to idleness or to a work that overburdens it - excess or defect. Either way he will gain.

“In this respect you have both the teaching and the example of Saint Paul the Apostle, into whose mouth Christ put his own words. God made him preacher and teacher of faith and truth to the nations: with him as your leader you cannot go astray. We lived among you, he said, labouring and weary, toiling night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you; not because we had no power to do otherwise but so as to give you, in our own selves, as an example you might imitate. For the charge we gave you when we were with you was this: that whoever is not willing to work should not be allowed to eat either. For we have heard that there are certain restless idlers among you. We charge people of this kind, and implore them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they earn their own bread by silent toil. This is the way of holiness and goodness: see that you follow it.”(Rule of St. Albert)

Angels: Ascending and Descending

2011-09-29T16:40:00.000-06:00

Angels Ascending and Descending

Excellent post from Dr. Lillies at Beginning to Pray.

Christ’s death on the Cross

2011-09-14T09:10:00.000-06:00

Moses and the Brazen Serpent by Anthony Van Dyck

“And by it he accomplished the most marvelous work of his whole life, surpassing all the works and deeds and miracles that he had ever performed on earth or in heaven. That is, be brought about the reconciliation and union of the human race with God through grace.” (Ascent of Mount Carmel Bk II, chap 7, 11)

On the Nativity of Mary

2011-09-08T06:59:00.004-06:00

Entrust this to Mary

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T14:51:00.000-06:00

Silence is Beautiful

2011-09-02T06:28:00.001-06:00

Silence is the longest precept in the Rule. For Carmelites this precept of silence is seen as a means for recollection, not as penance. It is a privative, though a happy one because it is what makes possible our union with God.

Prayer - Silence - Solitude

These three things go together and complement each other.

By being silent one is able to stay away the evils that come about in our abuse of words. What do we have to talk about? What is it that we communicate when we speak? Ideas?

No. Actually, most of what we communicate are images and impressions - mostly foolishness and nonsense. But God gave us the gift of speech to communicate ideas. In reality the more we speak the more our interior recollection is clouded. Words which do not express ideas will only manifest matter. Matter just makes dust! While on the contrary, silence makes for recollection.

For St. John of the Cross to be silent is to be seen in terms of contemplation.

“The Father spoke one Word, which was his Son, and this Word he speaks always in eternal silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul," (Sayings of Light and Love #100)

Silence is difficult and poorly observed. This we can all agree. It costs.

Observe silence. During the day let’s wrap ourselves in silence:

speak little think little

The Rule of St. Albert

Judging Others

2011-09-01T11:32:00.000-06:00

A great post and reminder!

http://carmelitemom.blogspot.com/2011/09/judge-not.html

Memory and St. John of the Cross

2011-08-19T06:47:00.002-06:00

In the Ascent of Mount Carmel, St. John of the Cross prepares advancing souls for the gift of God. In his treatise on memory, found in the third book of the Ascent, he teaches that there must be a void in order to make a place for God. This void is often referred to as “nakedness of spirit”.

“In each of these books readers must keep in mind the intention we have in writing. Failure to do so will give rise to many doubts about what they read. They may already have them concerning the instructions given for the intellect, or they may experience them on reading what we say about the memory and the will."

"Observing how we annihilate the faculties in their operations, it will perhaps seem that we are tearing down rather than building up the way of spiritual exercise. This would be true if our doctrine here were destined merely for beginners who need to prepare themselves by means of these discursive apprehensions."

"But we are imparting instructions here for advancing in contemplation to union with God.”

Souls advancing along the way in prayer toward union need to keep in mind that God operates the union. There is only one way to allow Him to do it, that is, to make the void which forces the powers, in this case, the memory, to deny its natural operation. Once there is a void in the memory a place can be given to God and to the supernatural infusion.

St. John instructs souls in a method they will need to apply to the memory in order to leave it empty. It is done by changing its habits. Firstly, its habits are changed by putting a bound to its limits- constraining its power. All this is so that it can be elevated above itself, elevated above all distinct knowledge and above all it possesses in order to place it in Hope.

“To begin with natural knowledge in the memory, I include under this heading all that can be formed from the objects of the five corporeal senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch), and everything like this sensory knowledge that the memory can evoke and fashion, It must strip and empty itself of all this knowledge and these forms and strive to lose the imaginative apprehensions of them. It should do this in such a way that no knowledge or trace of them remains in it; rather it should be bare and clear, as though nothing passed through it, forgetful of all and suspended.” (Ascent of Mount Carmel Book 3, chapter 2)

Keep in mind that for St. John of the Cross the memory is a repository of forms that were received through the fives senses. The soul takes this sensory information, along with the work of the imagination, and is able to synthesize these forms into more and various ways to produce still other forms with which the soul is not directly familiar. Given then the nature of this faculty and its ability to synthesize new material to present to the intellect and will, it is imperative that all principles involved in the negation that St. John proposes need to be applied before union can take place. The reason is clear for this negation. God is Spirit and is contrary to nature. For the soul to be transformed, the memory, as well as the intellect and will, must be stripped of its own natural activity in order to enter into union with God.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-08-15T07:11:00.000-06:00

Gratitude Journal....

Horses grazing in green pastures (#518)

Quiet time at church to pray and meditate (#519)

Licorice tea (#520)

Irish dancing, Irish music, Irish festivals (#521)

Warm sun on skin (#522)

Sharing a Pepsi with my grandson (#523)

Purple sundresses (#524)

Black-eyed Susans in vases (#525)

A full moon at dawn (#526)

Creamy homemade yogurt (#527)

Lively dinner conversations (#528)

Advertencia amorosa

2011-08-11T05:39:00.000-06:00

~ simple regard ~

Contact with God, this is what is meant by prayer. From prayer we draw strength and supernatural energy so that we may not fall into sin. We pray in order to raise ourselves above all to Beauty, Goodness, Truth and Love of God.

The most important thing is that prayer is, above everything else, an act of love. While at prayer we give God loving attention.

Contemplation, which characterizes Carmelite prayer, is different from methods. Methods are distinct, particular and material. Pure contemplation, however, is a general knowledge- purely intellectual. Therefore, it is obscure and confused. In contemplation the soul rises above itself. It passes by all images and all distinct and particular ideas. In this way it attains God and is even lost in Him.

Carmelites apply the principle of the Ascent of Mount Carmel to prayer. They pass by all imagination, because contemplation is not the work of the imagination. They pass by all distinct knowledge and, therefore, all method.

What faithfully characterizes Carmelite prayer is to be disposed and attentive to following the breath of the Holy Spirit and to approach prayer with a simple regard - advertencia amorosa.

Loving attention.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T05:36:00.001-06:00

St. Teresa Benedicta, Jewish convert and martyr, celebrated August 9 :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2011-08-09T06:27:00.003-06:00

St. Teresa Benedicta, Jewish convert and martyr, celebrated August 9 :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Denver, Colo., Aug 7, 2011 / 08:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On August 9 the Catholic Church remembers St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as St. Edith Stein. St. Teresa converted from Judaism to Catholicism in the course of her work as a philosopher, and later entered the Carmelite Order. She died in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1942.

Edith Stein was born on October 12, 1891 – a date that coincided with her family's celebration of Yom Kippur, the Jewish “day of atonement.” Edith's father died when she was just two years old, and she gave up the practice of her Jewish faith as an adolescent.

As a young woman with profound intellectual gifts, Edith gravitated toward the study of philosophy and became a pupil of the renowned professor Edmund Husserl in 1913. Through her studies, the non-religious Edith met several Christians whose intellectual and spiritual lives she admired.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-08-08T06:59:00.000-06:00

Gratitude Journal
....in gratitude for God's many gifts. Joining in with the community over @ a holy experience.

# 421. little girls on carousels

# 422. ice cream cones dripping creamy sweet

# 423. lunch with my husband

# 424. fresh snap peas hanging in the garden

# 425. the mysteries of the kingdom

# 426. the smell of petunias in the late evening hours

# 427. children setting the dinner table

# 428. rainbows arching over mountaintops

# 429. breezes blowing sheer curtains through open windows

# 430. untangling Irish dance shoelaces

# 431. tears at the cemetery, grieve and grieving, God's healing

# 432. squirrels scattering up trees

# 433. organizing and labeling

# 434. morning fatigue and a nap

# 435. butterflies

# 436. combing tangles out of granddaughter's hair and memories of another little blonde-haired girl

# 437. wild roses

ZENIT - A Prophet's Depression, an Apostle's Grief, a Disciple's Fear

2011-08-03T12:02:00.000-06:00

ZENIT - A Prophet's Depression, an Apostle's Grief, a Disciple's Fear

Chapter 19 of the First Book of Kings presents us with the aftermath of Elijah's brilliant victory in the contest with Jezebel and the priests of Baal atop Mount Carmel.

Just when Elijah should have been triumphant, he receives a message telling him of Jezebel's murderous intentions, and he is "afraid" (3). The spectacularly exemplary servant of God is now in a rut -- believing that all of his efforts were in vain! In Chapter 18, Elijah was at the height of success; in Chapter 19 he is in the depths of despair. In Chapter 18 he is on the mountain peak of victory; in Chapter 19 he is in the valley of defeat. In Chapter 18 he is elated; in Chapter 19 he is completely deflated.

Mountaintop experiences

Elijah and the Double Portion

2011-07-20T07:06:00.001-06:00

“When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. . . Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here; the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan." "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live," Elisha replied, "I will not leave you." And so the two went on together. Fifty of the guild prophets followed, and when the two stopped at the Jordan, stood facing them at a distance. Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water, which divided, and both crossed over on dry ground.When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit." (2 Kings, 2)

What is this double portion Elisha asked for from this holy prophet? Some say the the ‘double spirit’ of Elijah is prayer and mortification. These certainly are the cardinal virtues of a Carmelite. Others say it is prayer and preaching. After all what is a prophet without words? Many say it is the spirit of zeal -

"Zelo zelatus sum pro Domino Deo exercituum" (I am on fire with zeal for the Lord God of hosts [I Kg 19:10]) - a reflection of his passion.

In the New Testament recall that John the Baptist was to come in the spirit of Elijah. Obviously, this means that Elijah had received the Holy Spirit in an exceptionally strong manner. Elijah is for Carmelites a special Father whom God had given the Holy Spirit with particular strength. This prophet possessed the spirit of unique holiness and left a double portion of it to Elisha.

A double share of his spirit, that is -the Holy Spirit- twice as much!

The Holy Spirit brings with Him gifts- precious, beautiful gifts. Chief among these gifts stands the Gift of Wisdom. Elijah had this gift and he was a great contemplative for it is by this gift that one contemplates. Whenever Elijah’s contact with the world exhausted him or whenever he was persecuted, he would flee to the mountain, into solitude, in order to enter into contact with God. Then by contemplation he would be renewed in strength. - This is a great lesson for all Carmelites.

Torches

2011-07-19T05:06:00.004-06:00

Mount Carmel was a solitary mountain where the prophet Elijah lived a retired and solitary life. There on Mount Carmel he lived in the continual presence of God, truly recollected, and contemplating divine things. Carmelites look to the prophet Elijah for their identity.

If the world ought to be renewed, as indeed it ought to be, it is through Carmel. We, as Carmelites, ought to be as torches - scripture says so...

“And Elias the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch.” (Ecclesiasticus 48:1, Douay-Rheims Translation)

This is as carmelite as it can be!

The torch is the image of the Carmelite life. In the Carmelite crest the arm holding the flaming torch represents light and love. As the torch illuminates the night, so too, we as Carmelites are to illuminate the darkness.

The love and light of God ought to be in our souls.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-07-18T06:26:00.002-06:00

Gratitude journal....joining Ann and community over at A Holy Experience

#381 ~ beautiful Mass of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

#382 ~ chanted Marian hymns sung a capella in a beautiful church

#383 ~ mosquitoes and mosquito bites

#384 ~ marsh marigolds and magenta shooting stars

#385 ~ a high mountain lake

#386 ~ the rushing of water flowing swiftly over rocks in a creek

#387 ~ mountain heather

#389 ~ a faithful priest serving in the missions

#340 ~ determination to reach full potential...

. . . despite obstacles

Mary and the Brown Scapular

2011-07-15T21:45:00.000-06:00

Mary is the first disciple of Jesus. Not only is she the first disciple, she is the model disciple. Perhaps this is why the hermits on Mount Carmel were so fond of Mary and is why they named their first chapel after her. The Brown Scapular is the habit of the Carmelite Order and is a symbol of Mary’s protection. It is also a reminder for those who wear it to strive to live in allegiance to Jesus Christ. Mary gave the Scapular to the Order as a sign of her motherly protection. This gift came with a promise that if you remain faithful to the Carmelite vocation until death, then you will be given the grace of final perseverance. The Scriptures support this idea, “Remain faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10).

Those of us who wear the Scapular have made a commitment - to follow Christ like Mary. Mary shows us the way to follow Him and teaches us many things. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us:

~ to be open to God and whatever He wants in our lives

~ to listen to His Word through the Sacred Scriptures believing what they contain and putting them into practice

~ to pray always and at all times aware of His presence

~ to be attentive to the needs of others.

[The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Catechesis and Ritual]

Post-postmodern Defense of Christianity

2011-07-09T05:53:00.002-06:00

The Christian lives a life that tends toward God. Actually, it is more of a flight towards God and it is a movement that is above all interior. This is contrary to life as viewed by the post-postmodern world. Today, life is viewed as an end in itself; however, for the Christian life is not an end in itself, it is a means. For the Christian life is to love.

When we think of love we think of the heart. St. Teresa of Avila wrote of the heart as having a capacity of willing and choosing. If we want to have a better Christian understanding of the relationship between the heart and love then the post-postmodern world needs to understand that for the Christian “God is love”. Yet, Christians understand that their hearts are poor...poverty of spirit is what they call this. Their capacity is small. Christians desire above all to have this capacity expanded and filled. This desire then is for God. This poverty of spirit is because one cannot desire God in a supernatural manner unless God gives this desire and communicates it through humility.

Therefore, the Christian expands this life, this capacity to love, through prayer. Prayer - contact with God. And what do Christians ask of God?

-for the gift of Himself

-for His grace

-for the gift of the Kingdom

The life of a Christian is and ought to be a continual prayer. Surely, then one can see that this is interior. But, all prayer attracts or leads to an act of love (at least it ought to).

There is another condition that is in effect for the Christian: that is suffering, the cross. Why? Because in order to have the Christian life in you, you have to renounce your natural life. The Christian renounces natural life by turning away from selfish joys and from seeing life as an end in itself. Then the Christian is able to turn towards that end which is the true goal - God. This renouncement is a death...mortification.

The moment one enters the Christian life - one enters into opposition with those who do not live it. The world does not understand them.

One final note is that Christians hold fast to the Church for this is a place that also expands this life. Christ gave the Church power; power to administer sacraments and to guide past obstacles to eternal life. Without the Church there is no truth, no sacraments, and no sure direction for the Christian.

Wisdom and Silence

2011-07-07T22:07:00.000-06:00

Wisdom...

...prevents

...awaits at the door

...presents herself along the way

...precedes

...guides

Never leave her presence

Observe all her movements

Know her voice and her silence!

When she speaks not, it is especially then that she spoke.

Yoke of Obedience

2011-07-03T09:34:00.000-06:00

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Mt 11: 28-30)

Jesus is truly the living way. He is asking us to become His disciples, to accept His doctrines. For He truly is meek and humble and accordingly does not wish to impose burdens which we cannot bear ourselves. His yoke is easy and it is not a heavy burden.

Jesus took on the yoke of obedience. He was obedient to the Father, to the Father’s will. This yoke of obedience He bore unto death.

Obedience before all. As Seculars we “promise to tend toward evangelical perfection in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience”. We make this promise not as an end in itself but as a means; therefore, we too should be keeping in mind the end- which is perfection. Obedience is most important in the light of perfection.

When we are under obedience we are not free to do what we wish. We are to set aside our preferences, our tastes, our desires and even those things that repulse us and to consider just one thing - God wills it.

When someone has been legitimately elected as the superior or as the one in authority over us, from the fact that this person accepts, God communicates in an invisible manner His authority to this person. When we obey this person we must keep in mind that it is God who is the end of our obedience and not this person. Therefore, when the superior commands it, it is God who commands.

St. John of the Cross in his Precautions offers some particularly important advice in the matter of obedience in his second counsel against the devil:

“Let the second precaution be that you always look on the superior as though on God, no matter who he happens to be, for he takes God's place. And note that the devil, humility's enemy, is a great and crafty meddler in this area. Much profit and gain come from considering the superior in this light, but serious loss and harm lie in not doing so. Watch, therefore, with singular care that you not dwell on your superior's character, mode of behavior, ability, or any other methods of procedure, for you will so harm yourself as to change your obedience from divine to human, being motivated only by the visible traits of the superior, and not by the invisible God whom you serve through him.

Your obedience is vain and all the more fruitless in the measure that you allow the superior's unpleasant character to annoy you or his good and pleasing manners to make you happy. For I tell you that by inducing religious to consider these modes of conduct, the devil has ruined a vast number of them in their journey toward perfection. Their acts of obedience are worth little in God's sight, since they allow these considerations to interfere with obedience.”

Whenever we regard the person who is commanding or judge this person’s acts, or whenever we are looking at the human elements (qualities and defects) we do not have the qualities of obedience.

On a final note, those who are in positions of authority over others ought to show the way. That is, they should only teach. St. Blanc of St. Bonnet says “to govern is to teach others to govern themselves”. The example of obedience Jesus Christ gave us is one always worth pondering.

Offer God a Holy Heart

2011-06-25T10:10:00.001-06:00

Excite in yourself the desire to attain this gift - the gift of contemplation. How? By offering to God a holy heart, one free from all actual stain of sin.

The greatest obstacles to contemplation is not disposing yourself for it. When we remain dissipated and attached we block the reception of this most sublime gift. St. John of the Cross in his work The Dark Night speaking of this desire for contemplation says, “For God does not bring to contemplation all those who purposely exercise themselves in the way of the spirit, nor even half. Why? He best knows.” (Book I, Chap 9) In a commentary on The Rule of Carmel by Jerome of the Mother of God, OCD he says that the saying “He best knows” is a Spanish saying which means: the whole world knows it. Because precisely one does not do what one ought- then it is clear as day!

We often fail to dispose ourselves for contemplation either because we give in to too much activity or because we do not produce enough acts of love.

St. Teresa in The Way of Perfection chapter 17 says, “I don't say that we shouldn’t try; on the contrary, we should try everything. What I am saying is that this is not a matter of your choosing but of the Lord’s....Be sure that if you do what lies in your power, preparing yourselves for contemplation with the perfection mentioned, and that if He doesn’t give it to you (and I believe He will give if detachment and humility are truly present), He will save this gift for you so as to grant it to you all at once in heaven.”

May all our efforts cooperate with the grace God gives in each moment to prepare a heart, pure and receptive, to receive so great a gift.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-15T06:03:00.000-06:00

Multitudes on Monday

2011-06-06T16:01:00.000-06:00

In gratitude......along with those over at A Holy Experience

#250 ~ first sunburns

#251 ~ silly children making faces and laughing

#252 ~ the glimpse f a butterfly fluttering by

#253 ~ early Spring wildflowers: buttercups, wild strawberry, Glacier lilies, shooting stars

#254 ~ the sound of the wind blowing high up in the tree tops of the forest

#255 ~ pancakes for breakfast

#256 ~ watching my husband gracefully casting his fly-rod

#257 ~ grandkids sleeping over

#258 ~ the medical technology that is keeping my diabetic granddaughter healthy and alive

#259 ~ long afternoon out in the countryside, quiet and alone

#260 ~ electric clothes dryers

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and St. John of the Cross

2011-06-06T07:57:00.000-06:00

Fortitude

To overcome obstacles to our salvation, the Gift of Fortitude gives courage and strengthens the heart to bear all things, especially to bear the Cross. This gift gives the soul strength and support in performing all its duties moving it to undertake even difficult things without hesitation. This gift is the gift of martyrdom which allows the endurance of tribulations without complaining, even if these last a lifetime. Trouble and adversity never overcome the soul who possess this Gift of the Holy Spirit.

#95~ The Sayings of Light and Love

“Bear fortitude in your heart against all things that move you to that which is not God, and be a friend of the Passion of Christ.”

St. John of the Cross eloquently touches on this point again in The Spiritual Canticle:

You considered

that one hair fluttering at my neck;

“The neck, where the hair of love was fluttering, signifies fortitude. This hair of love weaves the virtues together, that is to say, loves with fortitude. In order to preserve the virtues it is not enough that love be alone; it must also be strong so that no contrary vice on any side of the garland of virtue may be able to break it.” (Stanza 31,4)

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and St. John of the Cross

2011-06-05T07:51:00.000-06:00

Counsel

This gift, Counsel, is given so that the Christian soul may choose what is most pleasing to God and arrive in heaven. The Gift of Counsel enables the soul to make right judgments and has to do with supernatural prudence. This gift guides us in all our ways inclining the heart to the good and turning it away from evil, all this leading our souls to that final goal - eternal life.

In St. John of the Cross’ Sayings of Light and Love # 44, he counsels souls to:

“Be attentive to your reason in order to do what it tells you concerning the way to God. It will be more valuable before your God than all the works you perform without this attentiveness and all the spiritual delights you seek.”

and in #45:

“Blessed are they who, setting aside their own pleasure and inclination, consider things according to reason and justice before doing them.”

There are few things that this saint says the will can rejoice in, but one is “moral goods...for they bring along with them peace, tranquility, a right and ordered use of reason, and actions resulting from mature deliberation. Humanly speaking, a person cannot have any nobler possession in this life.” (Ascent of Mount Carmel Book 3: 27, 2)

Rejoice indeed, since these will lead to the attainment of the final goal of life. Eternity.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and St. John of the Cross

2011-06-04T06:51:00.002-06:00

Understanding

The Gift of Understanding enlightens the mind with the light of God’s truth. This gift from the Holy Spirit enables the soul to grasp the meaning of truths, particularly truths of religion. Faith helps us to know these truths, but it is the Gift of Understanding that helps us to learn and appreciate them. Through a deeper understanding of the mysteries of salvation we are better able to merit our eternal reward. This gift inspires the testimony of a lively faith where we begin to walk worthily with God in all things and are more pleasing to Him.

However, we must journey to God through mortification of the appetites. Our sight is not always fixed on God and is often attached to things, ideas, and concepts of an earthly nature that take us on a path far from God. St. John teaches that without this mortification there is no transformation in God and the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit will not bear fruit. Jesus also instructed us, his disciples, this way, “everyone of you who does not renounce all his possession cannot be my disciple" (Lk 14:33). St. John of the Cross affirms this statement: “for the doctrine the Son of Man came to teach is contempt for all things so we may receive the gift of God’s Spirit. As long as people fail to rid themselves of these possessions, they are incapable of receiving God’s Spirit in pure transformation.” (Ascent of Mount Carmel, Bk 1: 5, 2)

“If you purify your soul of attachments and desires, you will understand things spiritually. If you deny your appetite for them, you will enjoy their truth, understanding what is certain in them.” (Sayings of Light and Love # 49, St. John of the Cross)

The Gift of Understanding gives us clear vision.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit and St. John of the Cross

2011-06-03T10:19:00.000-06:00

Wisdom

The Gift of Wisdom enlightens the mind to the discernment and appreciation of divine things. As earthly joys lose their hold on the soul, the Cross begins to offer a sweetness that before was unrealized. The soul endowed with this gift now takes up its cross having found Christ’s words to hold true for it. -

“...for my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Matt 11:30)

The Gift of Wisdom enables the soul to desire and long for eternal things and to see that the things of this world are passing; therefore, this gift aides the soul in its journey here on earth to despise the goods of earth and to set its heart on God and heaven.

It is a most perfect gift, this Gift of Wisdom. It strengthens faith and hope, and perfects charity. Those endowed with this gift are motivated to the practice of virtue to a high degree.

Relating this gift to the gift of prayer, we must take into consideration that prayer doesn’t lead to wisdom, it leads to love. One of the Sayings of Light and Love written by St. John of the Cross touches on Wisdom...

“Wisdom enters through love, silence and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others.” (Sayings of Light and Love #109, St. John of the Cross)

This saying of St. John of the Cross is good advice, since wisdom enters through love and that is why we pray, because we love. Additionally, he advises that if silence doesn’t prevail then wisdom cannot enter in. The silence so necessary for prayer is that silence of the faculties: of the exterior senses and the interior ones. This silence is created in us by stopping, to the best of our ability, reasoning which processes all that comes through the senses or that is stored in our memory. It is through this process of reasoning that our prayer becomes occupied with all kinds of conclusions or judgments. Thus, occupying our time of prayer with the things of earth rather than of love, of God and heavenly things.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T05:07:00.000-06:00

A Contemplative Environment

2011-05-24T13:01:00.001-06:00

The conditions of contemplation consists in being trained in calm, peace and serenity. If one truly desires the contemplative life, that is, one that is calm, serene and peaceful, then the environment one finds oneself living in is of utmost importance. This environment should be one which permits the soul to be less occupied with material things. An environment that would be enveloped in silence where one could apply oneself in prayer and to wait. Wait, that is, in order to receive the gift of God: contemplation.

People, especially today, are always in a rush - doing nothing at all! There is hardly ever a time when someone isn’t talking. However, whoever speaks much will not attain spiritual silence or the silence so necessary for a spiritual life. Then there is the constant noise: chatter, idle conversations, television, radio, music, etc. not to mention the numerous distractions that plague the modern sojourner.

In 1 Kings 17:2-4 we encounter the journey of the prophet Elijah.

The LORD then said to Elijah:

"Leave here, go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.

You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there."

The Book of Kings contains the story of the prophet Elijah from whose spirit Carmelites get the germ of their Rule. The spiritual meaning of these verses summarizes the environment that contemplatives are striving for in their lives as they seek union with God.

“Leave here...” depart from the world.

“Go east...” turn toward God.

“Hide in the Wadi Cherith..." alone and in solitude.

"Drink of the stream..." equals “living water” not stagnant water- symbolizes divine, infused contemplation.

"Ravens to feed you..." represents holy reading.

Start today on your journey by creating an environment that will allow you time, solitude and the silence that is needed to have a deep and fulfilling prayer life.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-05-23T05:27:00.007-06:00

Joining with the community over at A Holy Experience.....
Gratitude for His many gifts....

..........# 184-193

~ the smell of a lawn being watered by the mist of a clicking, hissing sprinkler system

~ the sound of wind rushing over my ears

~ snap peas sprouting up through the dirt

~ listening to my granddaughter tell me that she can now ride a
2-wheel bike after her seventh bike ride of the day

~ going for a walk with my husband in the evening after supper

~ all the laughter and joy with my fellow Carmelites at our meeting today

~ eating ice cream with my family

~ God's presence at every moment

~ visiting and catching up with a neighbor

~ the honking of a lone Canada goose

Checkmate this Divine King

2011-05-20T11:34:00.000-06:00

It was humility that drew God down to knock on creation’s door, and it was humility that let Him in. The humble handmaid of the Lord was greeted by an angel and asked to be the Mother of God. St. Teresa of Avila writes of the humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary that was so necessary for the Incarnation. She sees the Incarnation as a chess match where Mary checkmates the King by her humility.

“The queen is the piece that can carry on the best battle in this game, and all the other pieces help. There’s no queen like humility for making the King surrender. Humility drew the King from heaven to the womb of the Virgin, and with it, by one hair, we will draw Him to our souls. And realize that the one who has more humility will be the one who possess Him more; and the one who has less will possess Him less. For I cannot understand how there could be humility without love or love without humility; nor are these two virtues possible without detachment from all creatures.”

(Way of Perfection, 16:2)

And who possess Him more than Mary who bore Him in her womb? God was to give her a truly great gift, one that would cause all generations to praise her. Mary’s humility shows that we are to accept the graces and gifts God gives to us and to others. We are not talking of false humility. Humility that is false fails to recognize the gifts as gifts. The truly humble recognize their nothingness and see all as God’s gifts. This we see in the Blessed Mother’s actions and in her beautiful canticle - the Magnificat.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T06:11:00.000-06:00

A Heart Like Mary's

2011-05-17T06:18:00.000-06:00

Mary’s life was one filled with joys, sorrows, virtues and love for God. The Scriptures tells us that she kept all these things in her heart.

What things?

The shepherds go to Bethlehem and find Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. They tell Mary and Joseph of the message they received from the angel. The infant’s parents are amazed at what they are being told.

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. (Lk 2: 19)

Then, after having looked for Jesus for three days, the parents of this child find him in the Temple. They do not understand when he asks them why they were looking for him since he must be in his Father’s house.

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. (Lk 2: 51)

The sayings and doings of Jesus were pondered in her heart. There in her heart she would ponder over them in order to live by them.

One of the features of the First Saturday's Devotion that was popularized after Our Lady appeared at Fatima is to keep Mary company for 15 minutes, meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary. This can be done by reading the Scriptures that are relevant to the mysteries or by a simple meditation.

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary comprises a devotion to her physical heart and to her interior life. We can imitate Mary and ponder all these things in our heart. Not only the things in the Scriptures but also all those ways that God is speaking to us each day and the things He is doing in our lives.

As aspiring contemplatives we can also imitate Mary's love for God, she is a model for us of virtues: particularly humility, gratitude, obedience and adoration.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-05-16T06:35:00.008-06:00

In gratitude to God for all His gifts.......

- planting sets in the garden

- penciling out the garden plan on paper

- the smell of cheesecake baking in the oven

- speaking to all my children today

- windy days

- enjoying dinner and conversation with old friends

- children all dressed up in church in nice shirts and ties; in white dresses and veils all ready and eager to receive their First Communion

- crocuses blooming, yellow and purple

- the hum of the dishwasher working, washing dishes

- laughter with friends

- sorrowful tears healing my heart offering the pain for conversion

- a new hanging basket I designed and planted myself

- forever grateful for my daughter, Rachel

die ac nocte meditantes

2011-05-11T16:48:00.000-06:00

die ac nocte meditantes - Meditate Day and Night

“meditating on the Lord’s law day and night and keeping watch at his prayers”

This is the heart of the Carmelite Rule.

. . . to meditate on the law of the Lord

. . . watching in prayers

These two phrases are really synonymous. There is a bit of parallelism in them in the way they correspond to each other. Keeping in mind the end for which the Rule was written - that is, contemplation, what does it mean “to meditate” , and moreover, “day and night on the law of the Lord”?

The law, taken literally, would be the law of Moses: the Ten Commandments. A second look, especially in considering where these phrases were taken, will give a deeper meaning and understanding as to what is being asked.

The first phrase “to meditate on the law of the Lord” is taken from Psalm 119 which praises the law of God. The psalmist expresses admiration of the law and desires to observe, to meditate and to fulfill it.

To accomplish the law which is loved

With all my heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commands.~ Ps 119:10

To exert myself mentally on the law

Give me insight to observe your teaching, to keep it with all my heart. ~Ps 119: 34

To be occupied in keeping it

I will keep your teachings always, for all time and forever. ~ Ps 119: 44

To analyze it

I have examined my ways and turned my steps to your decrees. ~Ps 119: 59

To scrutinize it

Even at night I remember your name in observance of your teaching, LORD. ~ Ps 119: 55

and to see its moral value

May I be wholehearted toward your laws, that I may not be put to shame. ~ Ps 119: 80

To meditate on the law means to fulfill the law. How do we do this? By going to the Scriptures where the truth is found. The Scriptures make excellent matter for our prayer. Rather than going to other sources (words of men), St. Teresa of Jesus highly recommends the Word of God as a first choice for our reading (meditating). Frequent meditation on the Scriptures is a way to nourish the soul, to possess the truth and to live by it.

Now the second phrase “watching in prayers” will complete the first and will focus our attention on it -”to meditate on the law of the Lord”.

To always pray and to not lose heart (Lk 18:1-8) this was the Master’s command. St. Paul further exhorts us to “pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5:17). To pray and to watch - this is how we are to understand this precept of the Rule. Our Lord taught us how we are to pray- “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Mt 6:6). In silence and solitude we are to pray to our Father. Our Lord, Jesus, gives us the formula which begins with an act of love...

"Our Father in heaven...”

But the word “prayers” is in the plural, which for our Rule will be taken as vocal prayer, liturgical prayer, mental prayer, meditation and contemplation. Next, we need to consider “watching”, that would be continually. Obviously, this is not to mean a physical continuity. No one can be asked to do that not even in a convent. It would even be impossible to do so mentally, to try to do so would be mentally strenuous.

To Watch!

The emphasis should be to understand it as a moral continuity where one’s soul is occupied with God, recollected often. If one occupies itself with prayer faithful to the hours and times of prayer and seeks to be recollected, one will arrive at this continuity.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T05:39:00.002-06:00

The Contemplative Soul

2011-05-10T05:47:00.007-06:00

Our Lady is not mentioned in the Rule of St. Albert. The reason why is clear -

a Carmelite seeks to gaze upon and to love God,

to love God with mind and heart.

This is what Mary embodies - the contemplative soul.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-05-09T05:32:00.004-06:00

Expressions of gratitude...with those over at A Holy Experience..

97. the pitter-patter of rain drops on the window

98. an unexpected Mother's Day card from a caring person

99. working in the dirt, preparing the garden

100. the diverse colors of flowers in the nursery greenhouse

101. naps

102. clean floors

103. grandchildren proudly coloring in coloring books

104. for my children and grandchildren

Mother's Day Roses and Silence

2011-05-07T07:07:00.036-06:00

last year for mother’s day you gave me a bouquet of roses.

beautiful, red roses.

did I know then what I know now?

what you were saying to me with those petals.

I said you were just a bud

you were saying that you were a flower.

a red, ripe flower opening up and blossoming

to become a beautiful young woman.

and so you were.

just beginning to become a lady

young, fresh, fragrant - full of life,

of love.

this year you will give me silence.

my heart torn open and bleeding

- red like roses.

like a blade of grass you rose up and then

evening came and all withered.

withered are the hopes and dreams

of children and family

and a spouse.

I did not get to share these with you.

all turned upside-down, churned into chaos.

lost and broken

without any good-byes, I am sorry

forgive me, don’t cry.

I love you, don’t worry- are all unspoken

and how? and why?

I love you, too!

This is probably the most personal post I will ever publish on this blog.

As we approach Mothers Day, please remember and pray for all mothers who have lost a child.

Compassion

2011-05-05T22:47:00.000-06:00

“Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus...This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self.” (CCC #2715)

The contemplative ponders the mysteries of the life of Christ, gazing at him while he gazes back. “His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his truth and his compassion for all men.” (CCC #2715)

Our inherited frail human condition elicited the compassion of Christ towards us. Christ, the Divine Physician, was compassionate toward the sick which was evident by the many cures of every kind through his power. “His compassion towards all who suffer goes so far that he identifies himself with them: “I was sick and you visited me.” (CCC #1503)

Christ calls all, particularly the contemplative, to this compassion. There is, however, a difference that exists between feeling compassion and having the strength of will to be compassionate and to act compassionately when this action is called for.

The Blessed Mother, our model of a true disciple of Christ, acted with compassion when she left her home to stay with Elizabeth for three months. Renouncing herself, she fixed her gaze on his truth seeing in her neighbor, Jesus. And again, at the Crucifixion, we see her there with her Son. She, despite the painful difficulty, remained there with him as he suffered; unwilling was she to leave him to do so alone. At the foot of the cross Mary suffered with Jesus. To “suffer with” is the root meaning of compassion.

Our actions of compassion bring comfort to those afflicted and to Christ himself.

Taking Flight

2011-05-04T07:33:00.009-06:00

The deepest, most spiritual meaning of purity is to “be detached from all creatures, free of a fixation on oneself and on others.” (Edith Stein Collected Works: Woman, p. 203)

This purity is so necessary to attaining union with God. It is a matter of the heart. The heart must not be allowed to be captivated by creatures, no matter how fascinating they may be. The soul longing for union with God will live among creatures and be occupied with them with all charity, but will not allow the heart to become attached to them or seek gratification in them.

The most challenging part of this virtue is the detachment from ‘self’ which we carry around with us all the time and are never wholly free. This detachment requires us to renounce our preoccupation with ourselves: our way, our wants, our comfort, our rights -to name a few.

When we become attached to something it prohibits our ascent to God. It is the virtue of purity that will help us to take flight and reach God.

The Hidden Virtues

2011-05-03T19:30:00.008-06:00

...unnoticed

...in silence
...in retirement

This is how Mary gave Jesus to the world.

This month is dedicated to Mary. Our devotion to her should consist in imitation of her life and virtues. For Carmelites, she is our teacher and model of the interior life, which is our apostolate. Not to discount or underestimate the exterior apostolate, the interior apostolate consists of prayer, love and sacrifice. The fruitfulness of all exterior activity rests on this interior apostolate.

According to Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D, Mary’s apostolate “was a quiet one, free from ostentation; it was accomplished in the most humble, hidden and silent way.” (Divine Intimacy #184)

Mary shared in the whole life of Jesus, her Son: the daily life of a family, performing household duties, living with difficulties, making sacrifices, enduring trying situations, even sharing in His Passion. In all these ways she shared in the redemptive work of Jesus. His work of redemption still continues and, like Mary, we can share in that work.

During those times when we feel the pressure of the urgency of our works and become tempted to make these exterior activities the net worth of our apostolate, let’s turn to Mary who shows us how to love, pray and make hidden sacrifices - known only to God and are of infinite value - redemptive value.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-05-02T05:45:00.001-06:00

Counting a thousand gifts with Ann over at A Holy Experience.....

64. a multitude of white fluffy clouds stretching across the sky for miles

65. two small children walking together holding hands and singing

66. freshly tilled earth

67. reading books with the grandchildren

68. crepes filled with yogurt, fruit and nutella

69. long phone conversation with a holy priest friend

70. God's infinite Mercy

71. the gift of life

72. a hug from a beautiful friend

73. snow covered mountain tops

74. cold breeze chilling fingers

75. little children at church

76. tears of sorrow, healing pain of loss

77. the peace that only the presence of Christ can bring

Walking and Talking

2011-04-27T13:33:00.000-06:00

From Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours during Ordinary Time the closing prayer for Week IV on Monday evenings reads:

Stay with us, Lord Jesus,

for evening draws near,

and be our companion on our way

to set our hearts on fire with new hope.

Help us to recognize your presence among us

in the Scriptures we read,

and in the breaking of bread,

for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

As his disciples were walking and talking along the way, Jesus comes up to them (though they were unable to recognize him) and he asks:

“What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?”

(Lk 24: 17)

Why they were talking about Jesus! Should this not be our conversation with each other as we walk together along the Way? Shouldn’t we be able to help each other to recognize him?

This can only be done if we get to know him through the Scriptures which will cause “our hearts to burn within us” sparked with the flame of faith. Then, after getting to know him in the Scriptures, we can see him with the eyes of faith in the breaking of the bread, the Eucharistic bread.

The Word and Eucharist are our sustenance - food for the journey. May his words be on our lips and burn within our hearts as we walk and talk with each other, and may we see him and recognize him in each other when our eyes are opened at the breaking of the bread - all with Jesus as our companion on our way.

Weeping Outside the Tomb

2011-04-26T20:50:00.000-06:00

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.” (Jn 20 : 11)

“I wouldn’t consider it safe for a soul, however favored by God, to forget that at one time it saw itself in a miserable state. Although recalling this misery is a painful thing, doing so is helpful...” “No relief is afforded this suffering by the thought that our Lord has already pardoned and forgotten the sins. Rather, it adds to the suffering to see so much goodness and realize that favors are granted to one who deserves nothing but hell." (St. Teresa of Jesus, I.C. VI: 7, 4)

Such is the martyrdom of Mary Magdalene. She who had received so many favors and had come to know the greatness of God, sits by the tomb remembering her misery. Her love for God was deep; indeed, she was sick with love, a love that cannot hide itself. “And such is the inebriation and courage of love: Knowing that her Beloved was shut up in the tomb by a huge sealed rock and surrounded by guards so the disciples could not steal his body, she did not permit this to keep her from going out with ointments before daybreak to anoint him.” (St. John of the Cross, Dark Night II: 13, 6)

As she turns around she sees Jesus standing before her, though she did not recognize Him. He asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” (Jn 20: 15) This is where her ardent love shows forth. She loved Him so much that she thought she would go and take Jesus away, regardless of any obstacles, if only the gardener would tell her where He is hidden.

“Such are the traits of these longings of love that the soul experiences...It anxiously and forcibly goes out in search of its God.” (Dark Night II: 13, 8) St. John of the Cross calls this unceasing searching for God the second step on the mystical ladder of divine love. (Dark Night II: 19, 2) Notice how this love is manifested in the Magdalene, she...”did not even pay attention to the angels at the sepulcher." (Jn 20: 14 and Dark Night II:19, 2)

May our own hearts act similarly to Mary Magdalene’s and with ardent love let us go out in search for Him in the garden, Him who died for our sins and raised us out of our misery, blessing us with so much goodness and grace.

Multitudes on Monday

2011-04-25T10:18:00.000-06:00

Joining with those at A Holy Experience...counting a thousand gifts....

24. Warm sunny day with a light cool breeze

25. Chocolate on a little girl's face

26. The smell of hyacinths

27. The glow of light from the flame of a candle

28. Laughter

29. Large, feast day meals

30. My faith, my family, my friends

31. The Resurrection of Christ

Why is this night different from all other nights?

2011-04-23T07:29:00.017-06:00

The Exultet

is a hymn in praise of the paschal candle sung by the deacon, in the liturgy of Holy Saturday. This hymn beautifully explains why this night is different from all other nights.

http://moleski.net/exultet/index.htm

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,
standing with me in this holy light,
join me in asking God for mercy,

that he may give his unworthy minister
grace to sing his Easter praises.

Deacon: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Deacon: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Deacon: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is truly right
that with full hearts and minds and voices
we should praise the unseen God, the all-powerful Father,
and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam's sin to our eternal Father!

This is our passover feast,
when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night
when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slavery
and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night
when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!

This is the night
when Christians everywhere,
washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night
when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?
Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

Most blessed of all nights,
chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!

Of this night scripture says:
"The night will be as clear as day:
it will become my light, my joy."

The power of this holy night dispels all evil,
washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace,
and humbles earthly pride.

Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth
and man is reconciled with God!

Therefore, heavenly Father,
in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn offering.

Accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.

(For it is fed by the melting wax,
which the mother bee brought forth
to make this precious candle.)

Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of this night!

May the Morning Star which never sets
find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star,
who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Last Words of Christ

2011-04-17T20:44:00.000-06:00

The Last Words of Christ spoken during His passion on the cross are seven sayings that form part of a Christian meditation that is often used during Lent, Holy Week and Good Friday.

Traditionally, they are meditated on in the following order:

1. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
2. "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
3. "Woman, behold your son: behold your mother." (John 19:26-27)
4. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)
5. "I thirst." (John 19:28)
6. "It is finished." (John 19:30)
7. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46).

We belong to Mary

2010-05-18T18:29:00.001-06:00

We belong to Mary

A nice post from Louange de sa gloire.

Pentecost Novena

2010-05-14T09:47:00.001-06:00

Pray a Pentecost Novena with St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

http://www.wf-f.org/0601ESteinPentecost.html

Mary's Immaculate Heart

2010-05-13T06:29:00.001-06:00

Today is the anniversary of the visions of the Blessed Mother at Fatima. We are all familiar with these and the three shepherd children. However, let us not forget the main point of Our Lady’s messages and pray the Rosary everyday, wear the Brown Scapular and to remember that no matter what happens…and it seems like things are happening in spite of it all… that the most important thing that Mary said was that “In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” Her Immaculate Heart is a heart of love, filled with love for God and neighbor; let this be the same sentiments of our hearts. Mary is our example of the interior life, and the heart is the center of this interior life, which is all about love. It is love that really matters.

Purity

2010-05-10T06:42:00.010-06:00

Contemplation is a simple, loving gaze on God and divine things. Mary, who was influenced by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is our model of contemplative prayer. "My eyes are ever upon the LORD" (Psalm 25). This describes Mary and her purity. Mary's purity was of heart, mind and intention. Souls aspiring to contemplation should strive for this kind of purity in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

A pure heart that is detached from all that can lead to sin or trouble the soul.

A pure mind that puts to death curiosity, which only troubles and distracts the soul, scattering its attention in all different directions.

Purity of intentions that have only one aim in mind, to please God.

The fruit of this purity is a great mastery over self and opens the way to constantly thinking of God, conversing with Him, performing all actions with Him in mind and desiring only to please Him. Then, like Mary, His presence is always in mind and the soul is constantly turned toward Him.

Modesty

2010-05-07T10:55:00.000-06:00

The virtue that "moderates and regulates all our actions, both interior and exterior, according to our vocation. St. Paul recommends this virtue to all Christians: "Let your modesty be know to all men" (Phil 4: 5). (Divine Intimacy, # 89, by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD)

The Blessed Mother teaches us how we should live. We should live a life modeled after her conduct which was a life of mortification where the senses were kept in check and her soul was always sober and alert. Her conduct was imbued with modesty: in her countenance, the way she walked, her manners, gestures and even her speech. "Be modest in every action or conversation" St. Teresa of Jesus would instruct her daughters.

Modesty of our senses will aid recollection and help us to live an interior life of intimacy with God using our senses to His glory. The senses will need to be regulated and guarded, particularly to curiosity, if the soul is to remain recollected with God. Many images and impressions come to us which are not pure or wholly directed to God; therefore, since all these enter by means of the senses, custody of the senses will be necessary. Due to our fallen nature our senses tend to sensible pleasures and will have to be regulated and mastered.

Handmaiden

2010-05-06T09:36:00.002-06:00

Mary's humble dependence on God and His will is reflected beautifully in her reply, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord." (Lk 1: 38) This interior attitude of Mary's is equal to that of Jesus: "Behold, I come to do your will." (Heb 10:9) This deep interior disposition was constant throughout the Blessed Virgin's life. Her life was one of docility which is expressed in this attitude of "handmaiden". We too can make this our attitude of being easily led by God when we accept all that He permits in our lives. God wills the inconveniences, poverty (spiritual and material), privations, separations, persecutions, insults, and hardships as grace. Let us, like Mary, humbly depend on God for everything.

Humility of the Blessed Mother

2010-05-05T06:01:00.010-06:00

The higher God elevated her, the lowlier she became because of her humility. “The Angel called her “full of grace” and Mary “was troubled” ”(Lk 1: 28-29) Because of Mary’s humility, she disliked praise. Her desire was that only God should be praised. “The more she understood the grandeur of the mystery, the immensity of the divine gift, the more she humbled herself, submerging herself in her nothingness. Her attitude was the same when Elizabeth greeted her, “Blessed are thou among women”. (Lk 1:42) (cf. Divine Intimacy #176)

Our Blessed Mother models for us the effects that graces and divine favors should generate in us – an increase in humility and a consciousness of our nothingness.

The Month of Mary

2010-05-04T05:51:00.001-06:00

St. Therese in her Last Conversations pointed out that the Blessed Mother is someone to imitate. “She is spoken of as unapproachable, whereas she should be represented as imitable.” Of course, the Virgin has been graced with special privileges: Mother of God, perpetual virginity, conceived without sin; but she is a model for us to try to be like. That is, imitable in the concrete picture of her earthy life: to imitate her virtues.

May is the month of Mary. During this month while meditating on her virtues, she will show us the secret of her interior life. She is our model in this respect, the model and norm of our own interior life.

To Jesus Living in Mary

2010-05-02T19:32:00.000-06:00

O Jesus, living in Mary,

come and live in Thy servants.

in the spirit of Thy holiness,

in the fullness of Thy power,

in the perfection of Thy ways,

in the truth of Thy virtues,

in the fellowship of Thy mysteries,

rule Thou over every adverse power

in Thy spirit, for the glory of the Father.

Amen.

This efficacious prayer sums up living the interior life. If a soul desires to live a holy life and to profit from the means of sanctification offered by the Church, then it must draw into the interior dispositions of Jesus. What better way to do this than to do it with, through and in Mary, the most perfect living image of Christ.

The object of this prayer is the interior life, a life that is a participation in the life of Jesus.

"Because Jesus is the source of all holiness, we ask Him to live and to act in us, in order that He may communicate to us His Own sanctity: In the spirit of thy holiness."

"Since we are unable to acquire such an exalted sanctity through our own efforts, we beg Him to come to us in the fullness of his power."

"Since holiness cannot be attained without the imitation of Our Divine Model, we beg Him to make us walk in the perfection of His ways, that is to say, to make us able to imitate His conduct, His exterior and interior actions, in all their perfection."

"In the truth of thy virtues. The virtues we ask for are real virtues...What Jesus comes to bring us therefore are interior virtues, crucifying virtues: humility, poverty, mortificaton, perfect chastity of mind, heart and body; and unifying virtues; the spirit of faith, of confidence and of love."

"Jesus practices all these virtues especially in His mysteries, and on this account we pray Him to make us partake in the grace of His mysteries: in the fellowship of thy mysteries....

---the Incarnation, which invites us to put off all self-love in order to consecrate ourselves entirely to the Father in union with Jesus.

---the Crucifixion, Death and Burial which express so many degrees of the total immolation of self by which we crucify our disordered nature and seek to put off and bury our evil inclinations

---the Resurrection and the Ascension, which are the symbols of a perfect detachment from creatures and of the altogether heavenly life which we desire to lead in order to reach heaven."

"We can not assuredly attain such perfection unless Jesus comes to vanquish our powerful enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil: to rule over every adverse power."

"Lastly, in order to obtain this grace more readily, we proclaim the with Him we have but one end in view, to procure the glory of the Father under that action of the Holy Ghost: by the spirit unto the glory of the Father."

(The Spiritual Life by Rev. Adolphe Tanquerey, S.S., D.D.. Tan Publishers)

Sacrifice

2010-04-30T09:39:00.001-06:00

"Unite me to Yourself, O good Jesus, draw me into Your sacrifice, so that I may be sacrificed with You and by You. Since the victim must be sacrificed, slaughtered, and consumed by fire, make me die to myself, that is, to my vices and passions, to all that is displeasing to You." (St. John Eudes)

Joy vs. Sadness

2010-04-21T22:19:00.001-06:00

It is difficult for people to be joyful. Life isn’t easy. We are often weighed down with problems. Yet we were made for joy!

The opposite of joy is sadness. My last post was titled “sadness” and I receive more visits to my blog that day than on any other since I began to blog. So today I am hoping to raise awareness to this fact: that God is the God of joy and wants His children to be happy.

We have a soul and this is what is in us that tunes us to the inner life of the joyfulness of God. It is our soul that enables us to enjoy God in prayer. Did anyone ever teach you that you were to enjoy God in prayer? Enjoying God in prayer- seems like the concept should be self evident, but for some reason it isn’t. The little known secret of discovering enjoyment in prayer is that God is present to us; He is the God of love and joy. If we truly believe and understand this then prayer will not be just a duty, but a joy!

Do you think of prayer as drudgery or perhaps as something altogether boring? True joyfulness, that joyfulness that is seen in the saints, comes from being rooted in and nourished by a deep prayer life. This is the grace-filled secret to joyfulness.

“To live always joyfully. God is infinite joy”

“When one loves, everything is joy. The cross doesn’t weigh down. Martyrdom isn’t felt. One lives more in heaven than on earth.” (St. Teresa of the Andes)