Meditations from Carmel

Mother Isabel of the Sacred Heart “My desires are infinite. . . I have often made them known: firstly, the salvation of souls, of all the souls now on earth and of those which will exist until the end of the world; then that divine love may reign in every soul; that those consecrated to God, especially priests, may reach the height of sanctity to which their vocation calls them; to obtain baptism for infants; that Purgatory may free its captives and may be closed for ever by souls being taught how to fly straight to heaven on leaving this world; that physical and bodily pain may be consoled, soothed, and to a great extent abolished. Yet these desires, like Saint Teresa’s become very grievous when I reflect that Jesus Himself could not obtain the salvation of all souls, nor make Himself loved by all, nor save them all from the tortures of Purgatory or from Limbo. I am troubled by the profound mystery of God s will being frustrated in His wishes by the contrary designs of His creatures, and I pray: “Father, since this is so, I entreat Thee to grant as far as possible the longings of the Heart of Jesus, for all His desires are mine,” and this brings me peace. This was, for a long time, my only way of hearing Mass. When the sacred Host was up raised after the words of Consecration, I used to say: “Father, behold Thy beloved Son in “Whom Thou has set all Thy pleasure; hear Him!” This “Hear Him!” which expressed all my longings, meant: “Grant all He asks; realize all His desires!” – Mother Isabel of the Sacred Heart TIME: 5:30 MOTHER ISABEL OF THE SACRED HEART CARMELITE NUN OF LISIEUX. 1882-1914 ”I am the lowly herald of the “LITTLE QUEEN. With an introduction by Dom Benedict Weld-Blundell, O.S.B. THE KINGSCOTE PRESS, 3 DYER S BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, LONDON, E.G. 1916 Authorised translation from the French.

Short meditations for your soul from the mystical writings of the great saints of Carmel. These prayerful inspirations come directly from the treasury of writings of the great Carmelite Saints including: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Teresa of the Andes, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, St. Teresa Benedicta and many more! We hope these short reflections will inspire you to take up the practice of prayer in your life! The OCDS Carmelite Community at the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Louis have produced these meditations and are updated regularly with new inspirations.

Short meditations for your soul from the mystical writings of the great saints of Carmel. These prayerful inspirations come directly from the treasury of writings of the great Carmelite Saints including: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Teresa of the Andes, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, St. Teresa Benedicta and many more! We hope these short reflections will inspire you to take up the practice of prayer in your life! The OCDS Carmelite Community at the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Louis have produced these meditations and are updated regularly with new inspirations.

There was nothing in the Virgin’s soul that belonged to the Virgin– no word, no thought, no image, no intent. She was a pure, transparent pool reflecting God, only God. She held His burnished day; she held His night of planet-glow or shade inscrutable. God was her sky and she who mirrored Him became His firmament. When I so much as turn my thoughts toward her my spirit is enisled in her repose. And when I gaze into her selfless depths an anguish in me grows to hold such blueness and to hold such fire. I pray to hollow out my earth and be filled with these waters of transparency. I think that one could die of this desire, seeing oneself dry earth or stubborn sod. Oh, to become a pure pool like the Virgin, water that lost the semblances of water and was a sky like God. – Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit (Jessica Powers)

Beautifying my soul with His teachings… St. Teresa of the Andes Letter # 141 to Amelia Montt Martinez October, 1919 “May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your soul. There are only a few more days left before my taking the habit. And the days seem so long while I wait to be clothes with it. I am the happiest person with my vocation and never tire of thanking God for having brought me to this little corner of heaven. I live for God alone. My soul concern is to know Him that I may love Him more. I have begun the life of heaven here on earth, a life invented and thought of by God through all eternity; a life of love alone and of ceaseless praise. If you could see but for an instant what’s in the soul of this Carmelite postulant, you’d understand the happiness of living always near the tabernacle. Alone with Him in His aloneness, I am there at the chapel grates or in my humble cell. There is nothing between Him and His creature now. I hear His divine voice always. I gaze on always and contemplate His infinite beauty. I feel always the beating of my God’s Heart, begging me for love because He knows that love contains everything; sacrifice and souls. Sister dear, without doubt, as Jesus Himself said to Magdalene, He has chosen for me “the best part.” A Carmelite is to be concerned with her God alone. She’s to live no longer on earth, but in God. She is to move and to work and to breathe far from people, far from earthly things. We are to remember the world but only in order to pray for it and for people but without letting ourselves be influenced by them, without breathing in their impure atmosphere. Jesus has imprisoned me here to unite Himself with me, nothing disturbing this gaze, this vision of this adorable Face of His which one day I shall possess in its fullness there in heaven. I often imagine that I am like a queen; for while others serve the King in the apostolate of action, I, like a queen, am by His side, listening to Him, contemplating Him, praying together with Him, and joining Him in His own suffering. He exchanged His own feelings with my own by divinizing them. He surrounds me with His divine light, beautifying my soul with His teachings.” Letters of St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes Discalced Carmelite. Translated by Michael D. Grifin, O.C.D Teresian Charism Press Holy Hill 1525 Carmel Road Hubertus, WI 53033. All Rights are Reserved to the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Washington Province. Copyrighted 1994.

“This is a beautiful time, this last age, the age of the Holy Spirit. This is the long-awaited day of His reign in our souls through grace. He is crying to every soul that is walled: Open to Me, My spouse, My sister. And once inside, He is calling again: Come to Me here in this secret place. Oh, hear Him tonight crying all over the world a last summons of love to a dying race. Acres we are to be gathered for God: He would pour out His measureless morning upon divinized lands, bought by blood, to their Purchaser given. Oh, hear Him within you speaking this infinite love, moving like some divine and audible leaven, lifting the sky of the soul with expansions of light, shaping new heights and new depths, and, at your stir of assent, spreading the mountains with flame, filling the hollows with Heaven.” - Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit (Jessica Powers) The Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers Edited by Regina Siegfried and Robert Morneau. ICS Publications 2131 Lincoln Road, NE Washington, DC 20002-1199 Reprint of the most extensive anthology of this noted Carmelite poet, which she approved five weeks before her death. Includes introduction by Bishop Morneau.

“God sits on a chair of darkness in my soul. He is God alone, supreme in His majesty. I sit at His feet, a child in the dark beside Him; my joy is aware of His glance and my sorrow is tempted to rest on the thought that His face is turned from me He is clothed in the robes of His mercy, voluminous garments - not velvet or silk and affable to the touch, but fabric strong for a frantic hand to clutch. and I hold to it fast with the fingers of my will. Here is my cry of faith, my deep avowal to the Divinity that I am dust. Here is the loud profession of my trust. I need not go abroad to the hills of speech or the hinterlands of music for a crier to walk in my soul where all is still. I have this potent prayer through good or ill: here in the dark I clutch the garments of God.” – Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit The Selected Poetry of Jessica Powers Edited by Regina Siegfried and Robert Morneau. ICS Publications 2131 Lincoln Road, NE Washington, DC 20002-1199 Reprint of the most extensive anthology of this noted Carmelite poet, which she approved five weeks before her death. Includes introduction by Bishop Morneau.

It is the second to last night of this beautiful outdoor Novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and it has been an unusually refreshing July Night with cool temperatures in the high 60s! What a blessing for St. Louis!!! The Rev. Mark Chrismer Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart, Valley Park celebrated mass tonight and he was accompanied by the Filipino-American Friendship Choir and their lovely voices. You may Listen to Father's Homily Here. We invite you to Pray along to the Joyful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary and Benediction prayers here. The Rosary is traditionally led by one of our most wonderful Seminarians from Cardinal Glennon College Seminary. You will recognize the voice tonight as seminarian, Charlie Samson.

The rosary is a very powerful weapon in the fight against Satan said Monsignor Cronin's in his homily on The Blessed Virigin Mary Queen of Peace. He asked us to pray to God through the intercession of our Lady for three favors. First, for the Spirit of Love which binds us together to live as one family in peace. Two, to give us the gifts of Unity and Peace which Christ gave, and only Christ can give, through His death and resurrection. And thirdly, for tranquility. To be able to stand before the forces within and without and to be able to have peace knowing that we are not alone. Our Blessed Mother teaches us that one of the ways to be able to receive peace is through penance. Put simply, through self-denial. By giving ourselves in prayer and uniting ourselves to Christ on His cross. What wonder's can take place if all of us can more perfectly love the Lord, His church and its teaching and our Blessed Mother. What gifts we have as Catholics and how much we need to proclaim them! Monsignor's homily here. You can listen in and pray along to the Rosary and Benediction here.

It was just after the first reading from the Book of Kings where Elijah is upon Mt. Carmel looking for a sign across the ocean on this feast day of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel when the skies upon St. Louis started to change dramatically. As Elijah witnessed a little cloud like a man's hand is rising out of the sea, so did many of the clouds surrounding the Monastery look mysterious. Never fearful Our Lady's children were wrapped safely under her mantle and as the thunder sounded and the lightning flashed, never a drop of rain fell upon her feast day outdoor mass celebration. How awesome it was to have Father Daniel Chowning, OCD from the Discalced Carmelite Hermit Community in Hinton, West Virginia here for Our Lady's feast. He spoke in his homily about the beauty of Our Lady noting that wherever there is beauty there is God. "Mary is resplendent with Heavenly beauty because God dwelt within her and from her womb came Jesus Christ," he said. He then explained how when St. Bernadette saw the Blessed Virgin Mary on July 16, 1858 which was her last apparition, she said that Mary was more beautiful than ever. And, afterwards she said, "Once you see the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you want to die to see it again." Father reminds us that prayer, that intimate loving relationship with God who dwells within us and when we open ourselves up to that relationship we are transformed, we come to know that we are loved. And once we know we are loved by God, this creates beauty within us. It also allows us to see the beauty in other people and the beauty of the world around us. Intimate prayer with God allows God to imprint His beauty, and His goodness and His love in us. And, to bring out the beauty and the goodness and the love with which He has created in us. Because He created out of love and for love, woven into the very fibers of our being is an image of the Trinity, a God of love, a God of relationship. Father's homily was so wonderful and you can hear it here (along with some thunder-rumblings!) The Luminous Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary and Benediction service can be heard here. Happy Feast day!!!

“I want to describe how the Master has made me find joy in the cross. After my profession, folio wing the advice that had been given me, I hastened to the “bleeding Flower of Calvary ” and plucked it continually with the cross for its stem. This cross was the daily, perpetual mortification of our austere life: austere indeed for one who refuses nothing to the good God and who is perfectly faithful to the Rule and duty. I no longer sought for imaginary crosses and dreamt of them no more, and as I received each day the grace to bear my daily cross, I carried it cheerfully, finding by experience that the first step is the hardest, and that the generous acceptance of a light cross brings with it a deep peace which gives strength for greater and harder mortifications. Fasting tried me very much, I found it very hard to work in the morning on fast-days, as I was obliged to do for several years while I had sole charge of the refectory and swept and dusted it. The weight of the Breviary at Matins gave me a back-ache which was so increased by the weight of our mantle on feast days that as a rule, my prayer only consisted in offering to God my poor back, which occupied all my thoughts. When, later on, I was forbidden to perform the penance of the Rule in such matters as fasting, want of sleep, and other things, illness supplied their place. I was very glad, as, had it been left to me, I should have preferred, except in certain moments of temptation, to take no care of my health and to keep my Rule exactly.” MOTHER ISABEL OF THE SACRED HEART CARMELITE NUN OF LISIEUX. 1882-1914 ”I am the lowly herald of the “LITTLE QUEEN. With an introduction by Dom Benedict Weld-Blundell, O.S.B. THE KINGSCOTE PRESS, 3 DYER S BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, LONDON, E.G. 1916 Authorised translation from the French.

"Our Teresa preferred love to all the other divine attributes; to her, love was seen in all the rest of God s perfections. I feel sure that she meant by this, that Love, if I may venture to say so, is more than a divine attribute: Love is God Himself, since Saint John said "God is love". Therefore, if God and Love are one, it is not difficult to prove that we can expect nothing from God but gentleness, affection, mercy, devotion, kindness, and compassion; we may feel sure that we have naught to fear from His severity or His justice unless we commit the sin against the Holy Ghost which cannot be forgiven, and that sin is to despise and reject Love. The faithful children of God should never harbour a dread of divine chastisement and judgment, which are only meant for those who are His enemies. After all these beautiful thoughts, I am as weak and as miserable as possible; I lament about nothing and almost fall into despair about some trifle, which convinces me that the light comes from above and that if the Saviour abandoned me for an instant I should sink into vice and be lost eternally. When I feel on the edge of the abyss and dread lest I should become dizzy, I say the prayer of Blessed Margaret-Mary: "O loving Heart! I put all my trust in Thee for I fear all from my weakness, but I hope all from Thy mercy! and after this act of confidence I am completely reassured." MOTHER ISABEL OF THE SACRED HEART Carmelite Nun of Lisieux. 1882-1914 Book written from a circular letter sent to Carmelite convents on her death. Authorised translation from the French, with an introduction by Dom Benedict Weld-Blundell, O.S.B. THE KINGSCOTE PRESS, 3 DYER S BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, LONDON, E.G. 1916.

Mother Isabel of the Sacred Heart - Giddy Depths “For some days, I have under gone a singular trial during which my will, calm and at peace, has witnessed a violent onslaught delivered against my soul by the demon of pride. It reminded me of the war between the good and bad angels: an accursed voice exclaimed within my heart I would rather possess nothing than possess all from God: rather would I be annihilated than receive beatitude and eternal glory as an alms- given out of compassion. I clung by my will close to Him I loved, anxiously awaiting the end of the battle without feeling the blows, resisting without effort; indeed I even smiled at the furious attack, anticipating that it was the fore-runner of great graces, in which hope I was not mistaken. In a short time I found myself united to God in a way new to me and the words of our Lord to Saint Teresa when He raised her to the spiritual nuptials perpetually reocurred to me: “Show zeal for My honour like a true bride.” A zeal for souls and a longing to spend myself for my divine Bridegroom consumed my heart. During prayer on the evening of the third day I entered the interior of my soul, and seemed to descend into the giddy depths of an abyss where I had the impression of being surrounded by limitless space. Then I felt the presence of the Blessed Trinity, realizing my own nothingness, which I understood better than ever before, and the knowledge was very sweet. The divine Immensity in which I was plunged and which filled me had the same sweetness. My joy at seeing my own nothingness equaled my indignation at it during those three days. This grace gradually grew weaker, but lasted for a long while. For many months I never opened a book during prayer; it was enough for me to descent into the abyss. My soul resembled a tiny shell floating peaceful and solitary upon a shoreless ocean. What a joy it was! Now I often say to myself; “let me descend!” but the scene is changed: I can not longer find the deep abyss nor the infinite space around me – “The good God has come to the surface.” TIME: 7:00 Mother Isabel of the Sacred Heart, Carmelite Nun of Lisiuex 1882-1914 “I am the lowly herald of the LITTLE QUEEN” With an introduction by Dom Benedict Weld-Blundell, O.S.B. THE KINGSCOTE PRESS, 3 DYER S BUILDINGS, HOLBORN, LONDON, E.G. 1916. Authorised translation from the French

Preparation for the Feast of Christmas Pious Reflections and Affections I How we are to attract Jesus to our souls. “Purity is so pleasing to God that His Divine Son, having resolved to become man by the operation of the Holy Ghost, wished to be born of a Virgin Mother. We all know with what an abundance of graces and with what extraordinary purity God was pleased to adorn the body and soul of Mary, in order to make of her a dwelling worthy of the Word who was to become flesh in her chaste womb. Hence, if we wish to induce the Incarnate God to be born spiritually in our souls, the proper way to do this is to secure purity of conscience for ourselves by banishing from our hearts even the smallest faults and cultivating in them all the virtues. Therefore we should be careful, during these holy days, to mortify our senses by a perfect exterior modesty, in order to obtain interior recollection and also to induce the Divine Child to be bon in our hearts. For this purpose we must take care that our souls be not disturbed by any passion, since at the birth of Jesus peace was proclaimed. In two words, the Incarnate Word is born in the soul which cultivates piety and produces virtues.” Blessed Mary of the Angels was born in Turin, Italy, in 1661, she died, after spending her whole life there, in 1717. In 1675 she entered the Discalced Carmelite Convent of St Christina, and several times filled the offices of Prioress and Novice Mistress. She underwent continual spiritual trials, but was constant in her ardent love of God. She was outstandingly faithful to prayer and particularly devoted to St Joseph, in whose honour a convent was founded through her good offices at Moncalieri." Blesssed Mary of the Angels Discalced Carmelite (1661-1717) A Biography. Rev. G.O’Neill, S.J., M.A. R&T Washbourne, LTD. 1,2 & 4 Paternoster Row, London 1909

Short meditations for your soul from the mystical writings of the great saints of Carmel. These prayerful inspirations come directly from the treasury of writings of the great Carmelite Saints including: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Teresa of the Andes, Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, St. Teresa Benedicta and many more! We hope these short reflections will inspire you to take up the practice of prayer in your life! The OCDS Carmelite Community at the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Louis have produced these meditations and are updated regularly with new inspirations.