aeternus

I found the MOST beautiful prayer in an old little booklet called A Treasury of Prayers IV. It was printed a long time ago judging by the decay of the paper. It was published by the Leaflet Missal Company in St. Paul, Minn. I think whoever wrote this prayer must have been a great contemplative!

Behold me, my beloved Jesus, weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings, I cast myself at Your feet, that You may renew my strength and my courage, while I rest here in Your Presence. Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart, for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me; only Your love can help me bear my cross; only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight. O Divine King, Jesus, whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted, I wish to live in You; suffer and die in You. During my life be to me my model and my support; At the hour of my death, be my hope and my refuge.

Amen

As we are at the first Friday of this Lenten Season, here is a nice reflection on abstinence or “fasting” from the Epistle of Barnabas. For those who do not know, Barnabas, is a Christian who joined the other apostles in their work after Pentecost, by most Church Fathers. This epistle is probably written between the years of 50-59 A.D. This quotation comes from chapter three and talks about why the old fasting customs and offerings of the Jewish nation are not the sacrifices that God desires. I LOVE how Barnabas says that if we can truly fast that “the glory of God shall encompass thee” WOW!

Here is the quotation:

“He says then to them again concerning these things, “Why do ye fast to Me as on this day, saith the Lord, that your voice should be heard with a cry? I have not chosen this fast, saith the Lord, that a man should humble his soul. Nor, though ye bend your neck like a ring, and put upon you sackcloth and ashes, will ye call it an acceptable fast.” To us He saith, “Behold, this is the fast that I have chosen, saith the Lord, not that a man should humble his soul, but that he should loose every band of iniquity, untie the fastenings of harsh agreements, restore to liberty them that are bruised, tear in pieces every unjust engagement, feed the hungry with thy bread, clothe the naked when thou seest him, bring the homeless into thy house, not despise the humble if thou behold him, and not [turn away] from the members of thine own family. Then shall thy dawn break forth, and thy healing shall quickly spring up, and righteousness shall go forth before thee, and the glory of God shall encompass thee; and then thou shalt call, and God shall hear thee; whilst thou art yet speaking, He shall say, Behold, I am with thee; if thou take away from thee the chain [binding others], and the stretching forth of the hands [to sweat falsely], and words of murmuring, and give cheerfully thy bread to the hungry, and show compassion to the soul that has been humbled.” To this end, therefore, brethren, He is long-suffering, foreseeing how the people whom He has prepared shall with guilelessness believe in His Beloved. For He revealed all these things to us beforehand, that we should not rush forward as rash acceptors of their laws.”

Carmelite Family to celebrate 800 years of its way of life

Carmelites in Britain will be marking the 800th anniversary of their way of life with celebrations in the northern English city of York on Saturday 5th May 2007. The Carmelite Family, an ancient religious institution of the Roman Catholic Church, originated on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land in the early thirteenth

century when the Latin Patriarch (Roman Catholic bishop) of Jerusalem, Saint Albert, provided a group of hermits with a way of life, later to become a mendicant Rule.

Carmelites came to Britain in 1242, and to York within a decade. Today the Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite Orders have communities of friars, nuns, active sisters, solitaries and lay people across the nation and the wider world. Carmelites such as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Thérèse of Lisieux and Titus Brandsma have contributed significantly to the spirituality of the Church.

To mark the 8th centenary of receiving their way of life an estimated 1,500 Carmelites and their friends will gather in York Minster, by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter, for a celebration of the Eucharist at 11am. The Celebrant will be the successor of Saint Albert as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah. Participants are invited to bring a packed lunch with them to share food and fellowship after the liturgy.

Following lunch, at 3.30pm, the Patriarch will take part in a Justice and Peace Forum addressing the plight of Christians in modern-day Israel-Palestine. The topic will be introduced by Anthony O’Mahoney of Heythrop College, the specialist Philosophy and Theology College of the University of London. The Forum will be chaired by Pat Gaffney, Secretary General of Pax Christi, the international peace organisation of the Roman Catholic Church. The Forum, supported by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough and others, will take place in the Fountains Learning Centre of York St. John University on Lord Mayor’s Walk, five minutes from the Minster by foot.

Admission to both events is free. No one will be turned away from the liturgy without a ticket but seating at the Forum is very limited and on a first-come first-served basis. To facilitate planning and guarantee seating those wishing to attend either or both events are asked to obtain tickets in advance from:
Mr. Johan Bergström-Allen
Carmelite Projects & Publications Office
More House, Heslington, York, YO10 5DX, U.K.

? 01904 411521
E-mail: projects@carmelites.org.uk

“Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love; and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Fire and ice cannot be joined; Either the fire dies or the ice melts. But by Your mercy O God, You can make up for all that is lacking.

 

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls, who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three hour agony on the Cross: Let them too glorify the abyss of Your mercy…”

Excerpt from:

The Divine Mercy in my Soul.

The Diary Sister M. Faustina Kowalska (NOTEBOOK III )

Here is some great news for admirers of Sr. Lucia….

Pope could exempt Sister Lucia from five year waiting period, Cardinal Saraiva says

LISBON, February 20 (CNA) – The prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, said he thought it was a “very good” idea to request a waiver of the five year waiting period before the process of beatification of Sister Lucia could begin, but that this would be decided by Pope Benedict XVI.

In order to initiate the process of beatification, normally a period of five years must pass after the death of the candidate. However, the Pope has the ability to waive the requirement – as happened with the case of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Servant of God John Paul II.

“Sister Lucia certainly would deserve (the dispensation) because she was a great saint,” the Cardinal told the Portuguese agency Ecclesia, emphasizing that the decision would fall to Benedict XVI.

“I had much contact” with Sister Lucia, the Cardinal said, adding that he always had the impression that “she was living in another world.”

Bishop Albino Mamede Cleto of Coimbra said that during Cardinal Saraiva’s visit to Portugal the issue would probably be discussed, but also noted that the process for Beatification is not yet in his hands.

The beatification process, the bishop said, “will take many years.” However, he stated that the request for the dispensation could possibly be made “before the summer.”

Bishop Cleto said the promoter of the cause would be the Carmel of St. Teresa in Coimbra, and that therefore the necessary consultations must be made both with the Shrine of Fatima and the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference. “I suppose Benedict XVI will accept the request, but I don’t know what his answer will be,” he added.

The Virgin Mary appeared to Lucia along with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta in the early 1900’s. Lucia outlived her cousins by several years and eventually entered the Carmelites.

Both Francisco, who died in 1919, and Jacinta, who died in 1920, were declared “Blessed” by Pope John Paul II in 2000. Sister Lucia died in February of 2005

For more information on Sr. Lucia and Pope Benedict see this article from Spirit Daily.

St. Teresa of Avila is one of my most loved and cherished heroes!

Who could not love her determination, her strength, her tenacity, obedience and above all, her absolute love for Christ. I will devote a lot of space in this blog to quotations from her which are true treasures for those who seek to walk in the path she has forged for us who seek her “way of perfection” to Christ. Her contribution to leading souls to God’s heavenly kingdom are too many to count and they will continue on until the end of time!

Here is a little lesson for us when we are feeling we can not pray. It if from The Book of Her Life – Chap. 22.7

“This Lord of ours is the one through whom all blessings come to us. He will teach us these things. In beholding His life we find that He is the best example. What more do we desire than to have such a good friend at our side, who will not abandon us in our labors and tribulations, as friends in the world do? Blessed are they who truly love Him and always keep Him at their side! Let us consider the glorious St. Paul” it doesn’t seem that any other name fell from his lips that that of Jesus, as coming from on who kept the Lord close to his heart.”

The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Volume I Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD, and Otilio Rodriguez, OCD ICS Publications

Teresa is instructing us to practice this holy presence. To endeavor to keep the Lord, our friend, our companion and our savior with us always. In all situations to know He is with us and to act as if it is truly so! Also, let us notice, that throughout all her teaching of prayer, Teresa always refers to the Gospels and bible teachings. She never will stray from this obedience. Her writings only expound and explain to us the treasures we are to find in reading these holy words ourselves.

I’m not much for movies these days, but I can NOT wait to see this film!!! See the trailer here.

COMING SOON. FOR PLAYDATES CLICK HERE

Synopsis

Nestled deep in the postcard-perfect French Alps, the Grande Chartreuse is considered one of the world’s most ascetic monasteries. In 1984, German filmmaker Philip Gröning wrote to the Carthusian order for permission to make a documentary about them. They said they would get back to him. Sixteen years later, they were ready. Gröning, sans crew or artificial lighting, lived in the monks’ quarters for six months—filming their daily prayers, tasks, rituals and rare outdoor excursions. This transcendent, closely observed film seeks to embody a monastery, rather than simply depict one—it has no score, no voiceover and no archival footage. What remains is stunningly elemental: time, space and light. One of the most mesmerizing and poetic chronicles of spirituality ever created, INTO GREAT SILENCE dissolves the border between screen and audience with a total immersion into the hush of monastic life. More meditation than documentary, it’s a rare, transformative theatrical experience for all.

For more information about Carthusian monks, viewers may also be interested in Nancy Klein Maguire’s book An Infinity of Little Hours.

From the Tractates on the first letter of John by Saint Augustine, bishop

(Tract. 4: PL 35,2008-2009)

“Our heart longs for God”

    We have been promised that we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. By these words, the tongue has done its best; now we must apply the meditation of the heart. Although they are the word of St. John, what are they in comparison with the divine reality? And how can we, so greatly inferior to John in merit, add anything of our own? Yet we have received, as John has told us, an anointing by the Holy One which teaches us inwardly more than our tongue can speak. Let us turn to this source of knowledge, and because at present you cannot see, make it your business to desire the divine vision.

The entire life of a good Christian is in fact an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for, but the very act of derieing prepares you, so that when he comes you may see and be utterly satisfied.

Suppose you are going to fill some holder or container and you know you will be given a large amount. Then you set about stretching your sack or wineskin or whatever it is. Why? Because you know the quantity you will have to put in it and your eyes tell you there is not enough room. By stretching it, therefore you increase the capacity of the sack, and this is how God deals with us. Simply by making us wait he increases our desire, which in turn enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us.

So, my bretheren, let us continue to desire, for we shall be filled. Take note of Saint Paul stretching as it were his ability to receive what is to come: Not that I have already obtained this, he said, or am made perfect. Brethren, I do not consider that I have already obtained it. We might ask him, “If you have not yet obtained it, what are you doing in this life?” This one thing I do, answers Paul, forgetting what lies behind, and stretching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the prize to which I am called in this lie above. Not only did Paul say he stretched forward, but he also declared that he pressed on toward a chosen goal. He realized in fact that he was till short of receiving what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.

Such is our Christian life. By desiring heaven we exercise the powers of our soul. Now this exercise will be effective only to the extent that we free ourselves from desires leading to infatuation with this world. Let me return to the example I have alredy used, of filling an empty container. God means to fill each of you with what is good; so cast our what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of it contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleansed even if you have to work hard and scour it. It must be made fit for the new think, whatever it may be.

We may go on speaking figuratively of honey, gold or wine – but whatever we say we cannot express the reality we are to receive. The name of that reality is God. But who will claim that in the one syllable we utter the full expanse of our heart’s desire? Therefore, whatever we say is necessarily less than the full truth. We must extend ourselves toward the measure of Christ so that when he comes, he may fill with his presence. Then we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

I rise up with God,
may He rise up with me,
may his arm be round me,
waking, sleeping and working. Amen.

“Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you alone; and there is only one glory, which is eternal. If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing…”

St. Teresa of Jesus

In the morning, at the first hint of light, a mist lies upon the damp cold ground. Bless the Lord my soul, Lord God how great you are! Today may I take time to acknowledge the greatness of God who made ALL from the grass to the heavens. In His greatness he created creatures of pure spirit and He created creatures of body and spirit. Praise His goodness and mercy! As I look to the sky and the rising dawn, let me lift my soul to Him who has given me a new day and another chance to love Him more and more.

You are everything, and I am so small and needful.

Here are a few choice lines from Psalm 45 to use as Lectio Divina.

Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.

Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea.

Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth

Be still and see that I am God

When you boil it all down, all seems very simple.

God has made us all for a reason. He has a master plan, and somehow, someway, each of us fits into it.

Our job here on the Earth is to know God, to serve God and to Love God with our whole heart, whole mind and whole soul.

We know God by being with Him. How? We know him through interior silence and in prayer.

We serve God by doing His will. What is His will for us? Hmmm…guess we’ll have to ask that one in our prayer.

We Love God by learning His will for us. When we think we are learning His will, it is then with great determination and practice of virtue, loving Him by uniting our own stubborn and egocentric human wills with His most perfect Divine Will. Of course, this will suppose that in the Lord’s great mercy, He will send all the graces suffienct enough for us to accomplish this!

When you boil it down, it does seem rather straight forward. Doesn’t it? Why then does it seem so VERY difficult to achieve!?!

When we are trying to concentrate our efforts to remain with our Lord throughout our days, it can seem that our attention span is equal to that of a gnat! But remember, gnats swarm with determined effort and that is what we must do too!

One helpful way I have found is to use the Jesus Prayer. It kinda works like when you get a song or melody stuck in your head and you just keep singing it over and over to yourself. But with the Jesus Prayer, we are not singing some commercial jingle, we are praying.

There are many different prayers in this tradition and the words themselves can be altered to suit your devotion. The one I pray is:

Lord Jesus Christ

King of Heaven and Earth

Have mercy on me

a sinner

You say this prayer with your breath (though you do not actually have to speak the words) , and practice repeating it as a holy incantation. The mixture of breathing, prayer and uniting of your heart in prayer can have quite a profound effect upon you and can help with quieting yourself for meditation. It is calming and centering and if practiced with love and devotion, can really change your prayer life.

For those who may wish to get a little “Latin” in their life (I like to do that) you might concentrate your efforts on that too. Here is a good translation:

Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei, miserere mei, peccatoris.

Today’s first mass reading was from Isaiah chapter 6 in which an angel from God’s heavenly throne purify’s Isaiah by touching his lips with a burning piece of coal. Isaiah is then ready to go out and proclaim the Word of the Lord as his messenger. Let us re-read this short passage and focus on the beautiful scene that Isaiah is witnessing:

In the year that King Uzzi’ah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

We should remember that every time we are at mass and are able to receive not the burning coal from the throne of God like Isaiah, but instead we are so BLESSED to receive the actual body and blood of our Lord and Savior! Isaiah was purified by this grace of God, and we too are purified through the great and wondrous gift of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is that food which gives us strength to carry our own crosses every day. The eucharist indeed gives us the might and muscle to fill our souls so that we may continue on our journey of earthly life. Through all our daily trials and tribulations it fills our soul so that we can be united with the one who redeemed us and gives us life eternal!

Oh how unworthy are we yet blessed indeed are we to receive such a gift!

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Wednesday’s General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI gave a great little talk about the saints. As I have been thinking so much of perfecting virtue while on our earthly journeys, I found his words quite consoling. He said:

“Hence, also among saints there are oppositions, discords and controversies And this is very consoling for me, as we see that the saints have not ‘fallen from heaven,’” the Holy Father said.

“They are men like us, with complicated problems. Holiness does not consist in not making mistakes or never sinning,” Benedict XVI continued. “Holiness grows with the capacity for conversion, repentance, willingness to begin again, and above all with the capacity for reconciliation and forgiveness.

When I meet failure in my attempts to reach perfection, when I am unnable to put into practice those virtues which I am trying to train myself with what do I do? Do I take this failure and let it well up inside of me and cause myself distress and anger at my inabilities, or do I shake it off, dust myself off and try again? If we are to reach our goal, then a determined effort must be combined with a positive attitude!

Remember St. Teresa’s famous bookmark quote which she wrote to herself and stuck inside her breviary:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things pass away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

You must love the Spanish too:

Dejado nada trastornarte;
Dejado nada asustarte;
Todo está cambiando;
El dios solamente es invariable.
La paciencia logra la meta.
Quién tiene el dios no carece nada:
El dios solamente llena todas nuestras necesidades.

So, our imperfections WILL pass away, maybe not today, but eventually! God in his great mercy will do this for us, and the more we practice, the more graces he will send our way to help us reach our goal. Today, let us practice the virtue of patience, with EVERYone we meet, and with OURSELVES!

Praise be Jesus Christ,

Now and Forever!