aeternus

I came across this poem written for the Canonization of St. Therese of Lisieux on May 17, 1925. It was written by Sister Marie Dolores Walta, S.P., in Alhambra, California.

As I was walking at dusk to chapel last night with my little daughter, we were marveling at all of the beautiful trees which have come into bloom for early spring. The magnolias, forsythia, red buds, dogwoods - all of them were alive in the final glow of the day. We talked about Therese and how every child of God is like a little flower, unique and beautiful. We prayed evening prayer and she was then so peaceful later when I put her to bed. This little girl was a glow with happiness and spent the night dreaming of flowers. It struck me then when I came across this poem this morning…

Let fall your petals, Little Flower,

Upon our earth today

And hid within their tender folds

Your own sweet “little way”.

For we would live for Him alone

As you were won’t to do.

“To love Him as He’s ne’er been loved” -

Behold our longing, too.

The little flow’rs of sacrifice

You gathered ‘long the way

Still blossom on the roadside now

For us to call each day.

Oh, help us pluck these precious flowers

With you sweet child-like grace

And let them take their flight with yours

To kiss His holy Face.

Oh, Little Therese, come scatter flowers

All o’er the world today

And call a host of “little souls”

To join your “little way”.

In an address of Pope John Paul II to Pilgrims in Rome for the proclamation of St. Therese as a Doctor of the Universal church on Monday, 20 October 1997, the Holy Father said:

For our time Thérèse is a powerful and accessible witness of an experience of faith in God, the faithful and merciful God, who is just by his very Love. She lived deeply her membership in the Church, the Body of Christ. I think that young people really find in her an inspiration to guide them in the faith and in ecclesial life, at a time when their way can be crossed by trials and doubts. Thérèse experienced all kinds of trials, but it was granted to her to remain faithful and trusting; she bears witness to that fact. She supports her brothers and sisters on all the paths of the world.

I pray and entrust my children to our Lord of Divine Mercy, but also, and most especially to the gentle guidence and protection of dear little Therese. Change our culture and teach all young children about her purity and her strength and humbleness.

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Oh, I am so glad it actually dawned on me before the day was completely through that today is ALSO the birthday of St. Teresa of Avila. She was born Marcy 28, 1515 in Avila, Spain. Her baptismal name is Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada and she came from a very devout family. In her earliest years she was fascinated with stories of knights and chivalry which her mother told to her as a child. No doubt this contributed to her liking of a soul to be like a castle.

Here is some good advice from Teresa:

have a listen

St. Teresa of Avila - Way of Perfection 26.9

“What you can do as a help in this matter of prayer is to try and carry about an image or painting of this Lord that is to your liking, not so as to carry it about on your heart and never look at it but so as to speak often with Him; for He will inspire you with what to say. Since you speak with other persons, why must words fail you more when you speak with God?”

Time 1:45

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

La Madre, forgive me for not remembering you early this morning! Feliz cumpleaños!!

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Thank you to Richard Salbrato for sending me this message to remind us all about our Carmelite Sister and Fatima seer, Lucia.

On March 28th, the Covent of Coimbra, Portugal will be celebrating the one hundred years anniversary of Sister Lúcia’s birthday. Lucia lived in this Convent from 1948 and died there in 2005. It was her home for almost 58 years. From her cell in this convent Lucia wrote several books on Our Lady and her memories of the apparitions and the other children including the apparitions of the angels. Already miracle cures have taken place through her intercession and her beatification and canonization has been on fast track along with that of her friend, Pope John Paul II.

Sister Lucy of Fatima died in this convent on February 13, 2005 after 97 years of life. Mother Celina was at her bedside. Just before her death, Lucia looked up to heaven and spoke her last words,

“For the Holy Father! … Our Lady, Our Lady, Holy Angels, Heart of Jesus, Heart of Jesus! We are going, we are going.”

“Where?” asked Mother Celina

“To Heaven…”

“With whom?” asked Mother Celina

“With Our Lord … Our Lady … and the little Shepherds.”

And she breathed her last. According to those present, Our Lord, Our Lady, Angels, Jacinta and Francisco came to take her to Heaven.

The Convent in Coimbra will have a Mass and Celebration in honor of her birthday on March 28th and hopes that her friends come and honor Lucia and Our Lady of Fatima on that day. But there is an even more important event that I would like to talk about. Hopefully on May 13, 2007 the Convent of Coimbra will open up a Museum adjoining the convent. It will have a reproduction of her cell, her personal belongings and many other objects that belonged to her. (see the image to the right which shows the Carmelite sisters ready in action at the start of the foundations of this project)

It is sad for me to say this but since the death of Lucia the convent that took care of her for almost 60 years is being forgotten by those who love Our Lady of Fatima. This is a very poor convent and they may not be able to finish this Museum by May 13th as they hope. I know that the amount of money needed to finish this Museum is not that much but they simply do not have the money and it is not coming forth at this time. Normally, Carmelite Convents do not accept unsolicited donations from outsiders but this is an exceptional case because it is to honor Our Lady of Fatima and not directly for the Convent.

Re-educate yourself on the apparitions of Fatima (see below) and then give up something for Our Lady of Fatima. Give up a pilgrimage to some shrine, give up a pleasure trip for some fun, give up a dinner out with your friends, give up a day on the golf course or even a new pare of shoes, and then send that money to help these poor nuns who are trying to spread devotion to Our Lady of Fatima and show their love for the loving nun they lost two years ago. Please, please, my friends and friends of Our Lady of Fatima, use the money saved by giving up some fun, and send it to the Convent of Coimbra so they can build a shrine for us to visit in the future.

Richard Salbato

The Convent of Coimbra, Portugal, Needs Your Help

A request for help was sent to Richard Salbato from Mother Celina, Superior of the Convent in Coimbra, Portugal. For those of you who do not know Mr. Salbato, let me just mention a few things. Rick was the courier for Lucia and was trusted by both Sr. Lucia and the Mother Superior to deliver her private writings to her spiritual director. Rick was called to the convent many times when the nuns needed help or advice. Richard Salbato is also the man who set up the meeting between Sr. Lucia and Mel Gibson, who gave Sr. Lucia a copy of the Passion of the
Christ.

Please Send donations to:

Madre Maria Celina
CARMELO Santa Teresa
Rua Santa Teresa
p3000-359 Coimbra
Portugal
phone 00351239717844

Fatima Reconsidered

Lucia’s Last Words

Visit the Carmelo de Santa Teresa in Coimbra

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Sacred Heart of Jesús
19th century
Oil on canvas
17 1/2” h x 13 1/2” w
Gift of La Tienda

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying.

Amen

O gentle Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on them.

Be not severe in Your judgements, but let some drops of Your Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames.

And, Merciful Savior, send Your angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light and peace.

Amen

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Project Title “angelus” Image Title “Angelus Domini nuntievit Mariae” Artist: Lisa Johnston

read more about this image and the symbolism contained within it at aeternus.com:

Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the Annunciation today calling us to contemplate this mystery of God’s love for man. He says, “contemplate this aspect of the Mystery - the divine wellspring flows through a privileged channel: the Virgin Mary.”

When we meditate on this beautiful mystery we see how our great God recognizes the beauty of Mary’s lowliness, her humbleness, her poor spirit and her purity of heart. He has established her on this Earth without stain or sin and she has co-operated with this grace fully and so the Angel greets her, “Hail Mary full of Grace”. The Lord has been, is and will be with her as they live in a union of grace and love. Mary, all the while, never abandoning her spirit of poverty and humbleness, takes perfect care of this grace and allows it to bond us to her Son, our Lord and Savior.

Pope St. Leo the Great, in the middle of the 5th century, in a homily on the nativity said: “The royal virgin of the line of David is chosen who, since she was to be made pregnant with the Sacred Offspring, first conceived the divine and human Child in her mind, before doing so in her body. And so that she would not be struck with unusual emotions, in ignorance of the heavenly plan, she learned what was to be done in her by the Holy Spirit from the conversation with the angel.” Pope Leo XIII (Parta humano generi, Sept 8, 1901)

In today’s Office of Readings, there is another writing by Pope Leo the great.  This time it is specifically zoning in on the Annunciation. He says this about the mystery of man’s reconciliation with God through the cooperation of the Virgin Mary:

Lowliness is assured by majesty, weakness by power, mortality by eternity. To pay the debt of our sinful state, a nature that was incapable of suffering was joined to one that could suffer. Thus, in keeping with the healing that we needed, one and the same mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, was able to die in one nature, and unable to die in the other.

He who is true God was therefore born in the complete and perfect nature of a true man, whole in his own nature, whole in ours. By our nature we mean what the Creator had fashioned in us from the beginning, and took to himself in order to restore it.

For in the Saviour there was no trace of what the deceiver introduced and man, being misled, allowed to enter. It does not follow that because he submitted to sharing in our human weakness he therefore shared in our sins.

He took the nature of a servant without stain of sin, enlarging our humanity without diminishing his divinity. He emptied himself; though invisible he made himself visible, though Creator and Lord of all things he chose to be one of us mortal men. Yet this was the condescension of compassion, not the loss of omnipotence. So he who in the nature of God had created man, became in the nature of a servant, man himself.

Thus the Son of God enters this lowly world. He comes down from the throne of heaven, yet does not separate himself from the Father’s glory. He is born in a new condition, by a new birth. He was born in a new condition, for, invisible in his own nature, he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. Lord of the universe, he hid his infinite glory and took the nature of a servant. Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death.

He who is true God is also true man. There is no falsehood in this unity as long as the lowliness of man and the pre-eminence of God coexist in mutual relationship.

As God does not change by his condescension, so man is not swallowed up by being exalted. Each nature exercises its own activity, in communion with the other. The Word does what is proper to the Word, the flesh fulfils what is proper to the flesh.

One nature is resplendent with miracles, the other falls victim to injuries. As the Word does not lose equality with the Father’s glory, so the flesh does not leave behind the nature of our race.

One and the same person – this must be said over and over again – is truly the Son of God and truly the son of man. He is God in virtue of the fact that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is man in virtue of the fact that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

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I have been on spring break with my children and was not posting this past week… We had a nice visit to a historic town in Southern Indiana — Praise God for SPRING!!!

“A Carmelite is a soul who has gazed on the Crucified, who has seen Him offering Himself to His Father as a Victim for souls and, recollecting herself in this great vision of the charity of Christ, has understood the passionate love of His soul, and has wanted to give herself as He did! … And on the mountain of Carmel, in silence, in solitude, in prayer that never ends, for it continues through everything, the Carmelite already lives as if in Heaven: “by God alone.” He dwells within her soul; more than that, the two of them are but one. So she hungers for silence that she may always listen, penetrate ever deeper into His Infinite Being. She is identified with Him who she loves, she finds Him everywhere, she sees Him shinning through all things! Is this not Heaven on earth!

Don’t ever leave Him, do everything beneath His divine gaze, and remain wholly joyful in His peace and love, making those around you happy!”

 Letter 133 to Germain de Gemeaux, August 7, 1902 , Elizabeth of the Trinity – Carmelite, I Have Found God, Complete Works Volume II Letters from Carmel Translated by Anne Englund Nash .ICS Publications 1995 Edition realized, presented, annotated by Conrad De Meester, Carmelite. Copyright by Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites, Inc. 1995 (page 61)

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“Every step of our life ought to tend to bring us closer toGod

And

to bring our neighbor a little bit of happiness”

-St. Raphael Kalinowski, OCD

(1835-1907)

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In His infinite wisdom, Jesus understands that the human heart needs encouragement, and His graces await, in abundance, those who will steal apart and, beneath the soft glow of the sanctuary lamp, tell Him that path to perfection becomes difficult for the moment. Jesus walked the Way of the Cross to Calvary; He can be tenderly sympathetic with those who have given up all to follow Him.

When instituting the Holy Eucharist, Christ was not content merely to give Himself to us as the food of the soul. His love went further. he would abide with us, would honor our churches and chapel with is perpetual visible presence, though hidden under the species of bread. His object in so remaining with us is to strengthen our faith, to increase our love for Him to help us in our daily tasks and trials. He is our ever-present and approachable Friend to whom we can go in the hour of need and be sure that He will listen to us.

He is always ready to receive us with tender kindness. We can expose our hearts to Him. There is no on e who does not feel at times an almost irresistible urge to confide in some prudent friend and to allow pent-up emotions to break forth in the hope that an understanding sympathy will lighten the pressure on the weary and discouraged soul. Christ knows this urge of our human nature. He will be the prudent Friend to whom we can go without fear that our confidences will be revealed to others and with the certainty that He will console us.

God is with us in the Blessed Sacrament, for Christ is God and Man. Our Saviour, through hidden under the sacramental species, has the same intrinsic glory that greets the Angels, and Blessed in Heaven. He is God - Omnipotent, infinitely good, just and merciful. He yearns for our love. He expects gratitude from us; He has reason to expect it. He would comfort us, and yet we are often slow in seeking that comfort. If we but realized His infinite Goodness, we would spend every free moment of life before the tabernacle in gratitude for His love. should always go humble, confidently, trustingly to Him.

Our visits to the Blessed Sacrament can be made manifestations of fervent love for Christ. There are many sins committed against Him by a pleasure-loving world. We can make reparation for these sins. The spiritual Communions that are pleasing to Him and fruitful with graces for us, are most acceptable to the Divine Heart if offered in a spirit of reparation.

from: Spritual Reflections for Sisters

Rev. Charles J. Mullaly, S.J.

Apostleship of Prayer

New York 1937

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We can see how Jesus shows us detachment throughout all of His earthly life. From the early days of obeying His mother and father and later by giving up His cozy home and instead gallivanting all around the Holy Land never knowing when He would find time to eat or sleep. He did not focus on His own comfort, but rather comforted all whom He met, healing them in heart, mind and body.

The ultimate example of His detachment came when He himself let not the temptation to win the whole world by his Eternal Powers, but instead by being “detached” from the stigmata of the cross, allowed himself to transform the world through this redemptive act of suffering. Truly, this is astounding. For Jesus to let go of His human ambitions and to humble Himself to the will of the Father, Jesus shows us the ultimate sacrifice of love.

When we think of the gospel message this way, it is not so hard to understand St. John of the Cross and all of his talk about detachment from earthly matters in search for the “nothing” which is true freedom.

Fr. Thomas Dubay says in his book Fire With In:

“St. John of the Cross, who has sounded so deeply this teaching of Jesus, sadly remarks how few people understand it: “I think it is possible to affirm that the more necessary the doctrine the less it is practiced by spiritual persons… They are of the opinion that any kind of withdrawal from the world or reformation of life suffices… They think a denial of self in worldly matters is sufficient without an annihilation and purification of spiritual possessions. They flee from dryness, distaste and sufferings as from death and thus “become spiritually speaking, enemies of the cross of Christ”. They do not understand, and surely do not embrace, “the extent of the denial Our Lord wishes of us, a denial that “must be similar to a complete temporal, natural, and spiritual death. Rather, they think that the road to God consists mainly in a multiplicity of methods and experiences, and so they go about in circles making little or no progress. Preferring delight and east, they avoid a death patterned on that of Christ, and so they leave aside Him Who is “our model and light”. John is much impressed by Jesus’ life of sacrifice and His dying abandoned on the Cross, a self denial by which “He “accomplished the most marvelous work of His whole life, surpassing all the worlds and deeds and miracles that He had ever performed on earth or in heaven.” The saint concludes from this widespread lack of understanding of detachment and denial that “from my observations Christ is to a great extent unknown by those who consider themselves His friends.” Many people do not understand St. John of the Cross simply because they do not understand the Gospel itself.

We must teach ourselves to control our stubborn will and stubborn attachments which take us away from the Lord. If it is a small or large attachment, let us use this Lenten season to purge ourselves of these faults. Maybe start your purgation by picking a small one. Surely the Lord will fill us with His grace and help us to see the way to amend our imperfection in His Name.

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I am reading Fire Within by Fr. Thomas Dubay and found this quote today. It may seem rather obvious but it is quite poignant too. He is speaking about St. John of the Cross and the dangers of attachment. He explains how St. John’s definition of attachment is “Seeking things for themselves rather than as means leading to God”. Attachments, consequently may contain sinful ramifications. Therefore anything which is an “impediments to prayer or awareness of God” or anything that is an “affront to God”, or which “dries up joy” or “diminishes the person” may be considered an attachment.

Fr. Dubay also says how anything which may be a “drain on our psychic energy” may also lead to sin. Let me quote:

We all readily understand that our physical energies are limited. Distance runners approach the state of collapse at the end of a twenty-six-mile marathon. Most of us do not easily grasp that our mental resources are also limited. This is why the individual who spills himself out in sense simulations, who is engulfed in the mass media, is never a person of deep prayer. Self-centered desires “sap the strength needed fro perseverance in the practice of virtue”, notes [St.] John, and “the more objects there are dividing an appetite the weaker becomes this appetite for each.” The saint multiplies examples to illustrate why this happens; hot water loses it heat if left uncovered… unwrapped aromatic spices eventually lost eh pungency of their scent… shoots burgeoning from a tree sap its strength and decrease it fruitfulness.”

I suppose we should evaluate this as we are such “overly stimulated”, “media deluged” and “workaholic” Americans!

If you would like to listen to Fr. Dubay talk, there are many podcasts located on the EWTN website.

Also, if you like this icon (I really like it) , you can visit Ann Torrini Painter Religious Works and Icons

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It is REALLY sad that a Bishop of the Catholic Church must educate the culture on so simple a topic, nevertheless, I suppose it must be done…

Jesus was no socialist, guru, or hippie, but rather the Son of God, says Venezuelan bishop

CARACAS, March 13 (CNA) - In an article published this week Bishop Mario Moronta of San Cristobal warned against misinterpreting the person of Jesus as “a Socialist,” a “guru,” or “hippie” and encouraged the faithful to constantly recall that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God.

“The person of Jesus, with his actions and teachings, has always inspired amazement and admiration in many, as well as questioning and even rejection in others,” the bishop wrote in an article for the diocesan newspaper.

“In modern times as well,” Bishop Moronta said, “the question about Jesus remains. The answer given is in accord with those who do the asking: Some have claimed he is an alien who has come from who knows what planet or galaxy in order to carry out a mission. Some have claimed he is a kind of ‘guru’ who, after his death in Israel, supposedly traveled to the Far East to achieve complete wisdom. Some claim he is a great teacher of wisdom. There is even no lack of those who would say he is a myth or an invention of the first Christians,” the bishop wrote.

“In our Latin American continent, there have always been attempts to answer the troubling question about Him,” he continued. “He has been identified as a ‘revolutionary,’ a ‘guerrilla,’ to the point that he has been depicted in paintings crucified on a cross of rifles. In our own national debate, he has been presented as a ‘Socialist.’”

“In every age,” Bishop Moronta said, “to not see Jesus in his true dimension produces in many a reaction against the Church, who is Mother and Teacher.”

“Therefore,” he recommended, “more than confronting those who do not understand the Church’s reasons, what we must do is show where the source of our answers is: in the Gospel, which is the Word of God,” where we find Peter’s profession of faith: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

“Here is the authentic answer to the question about Jesus. It is the recognition of his divine mission, of his divinity, of his final objective—the salvation of humanity,” the bishop stressed.

When somebody claims something about the person of Jesus,” Bishop Moronta added, “the attitude of believers in Christ must be that which is inspired by the Gospel: a profession of faith, made without hesitation and without fear, not to condemn another, but to invite him to understand what the true meaning of the existence of the person and work of Jesus the Lord is.”

“Therefore, neither a revolutionary, nor a Socialist, nor a hippie, nor a philosopher, nor a Gnostic deity, nor an alien, nor a ghost, nor a myth: Jesus is Lord, the Son of the living God, the Savior, the Word incarnate who has made the mystery and plan of God known to us, the Beginning and the End, the faithful witness, the same today, yesterday and forever,” Bishop Moronta emphasized.

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Today’s Second Reading from the Office of Readings is from Saint Peter Chrysologus and talks so well about integrating fasting and how to make it a virtue.  And, if we practice this virtue well, we may offer it as a very beautiful sacrifice to our Lord.

I thought I would share some of his words… pay attention to the last line…

“There are three things, my brethren, by which faith stands firm, devotion remains constant, and virtue endures. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other.

Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no on try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast, if you fast, show mercy, if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close you ear to others you open God’s ear to yourself.

When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, you asking is a mockery.

Let this be the pattern for all men when they practice mercy: show mercy to others in the same way, with the same generosity, with the same promptness, as you want others to show mercy to you.

Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor…

Offer your soul to God, make him an oblation of your fasting, so that your soul may be a pure offering, a holy sacrifice, a living victim, remaining your own and at the same time made over to God.”

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Here is a wonderful Blog entry from “A Pilgrim in the Wilds” about God’s Merciful Love…

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Though yesterday was the official feast day (in the traditional liturgical calendar — the General Roman Calendar hosts his day as January for St. Thomas Aquinas, I thought I would post a passage from his “Preface for Lent”. It was included in the beautiful liturgy last evening at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis which was celebrated by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign King Priest.It was a mass celebrated in the traditional Latin form and so this passage was actually chanted in Latin, I will give you the English version…

“It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: Who by this bodily fast does curb our vices, lift our minds, strength and rewards bestow through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations worship, Powers stand in awe. The heavens and the hosts of heaven with blessed Seraphim unite, exult, and celebrate. and we entreat that Thous wouldst bid our voices also to be heard with theirs, singing with lowly praise:”

I think this a most beautiful meditation. It is almost overwhelming to envision such a sight. I am glad to have the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas, to paint us a picture of this heavenly site. I also find it most encouraging that God welcomes our own voices to lift up to this place in heaven and be heard in His glorious presence!

May the holy prayer of St. Thomas, They Confessor and Doctor, fail us not, O Lord: may it render our offerings acceptable, and ever obtain for us Thy pardon. Through Our Lord .. world without end. Amen.

Oh yeah, and how many angels is it that can fit on the head of a pin?

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I guess this passage from one whom I love really spoke to me today and I thought I would share it on this blog. It is a passage from God the Joy of My Life a biography of St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes. It is in its Third Printing from Teresian Charism Press and was translated by Fr. Michael D. Griffin, O.C.D.

Sunday, October 24, 1915

Today, ever since I got up, I feel very sad. It seems that suddenly my heart is breaking. Jesus told me that He wants me to suffer with joy. This cots me so, but it is sufficient that he asks this, so that I’ll try to do it. Suffering pleases me for two reasons: first, because Jesus always preferred suffering, from His birth till His death on the cross. It must be something very great because He, the all-powerful One, seeks suffering in all things. Second, it pleases me because in the crucible of suffering souls are formed. And because Jesus sends this gift that was so pleasing to Him to the souls He loves most.

He told me that He joyfully ascended Calvary and laid His head on the cross for the salvation of humankind. “Is it possible that you are the one searching for Me and that you want to be like Me? Then, come with Me and take up the cross with love and joy.”

I also found written in a copybook something entitled: “My Mirror.” My mirror must be Mary. given that I’m her daughter, I must resemble her and thus I must resemble Jesus. I must love only Jesus. Hence my heart must hold the seal of God’s love. My eyes mus be fixed on Jesus Crucified. My ears must constantly attend to the voice of the Divine Crucified One.

My tounge must tell Him my love. My feet must walk to Calvary. Consequently my pace must be slo and devout. My hands must embrace the Crucified, which is to say that the divine image must be impressed on my heart.

I also found a letter that I wrote one night when I could suffer no more:

Dear Mother, Mother I almost idolize: I write you to unburden my heart that is being torn apart by pain. I do not wish, Mother of my soul, that you join its pieces but that my heart distill a little blood. The pain is choking me, my Mother. I’m suffering, but I’m happy suffering. I’ve taken the Cross from my Jesus. He is resting. What greater happiness could I have?

I’m alone, my Mother. I suffer… and I can do no more. I only ask that you heal the sick. You know who they are. You, Mother, can do this if you wish. My Mother, show that you are my Mother. Listen to the cry of my sinful but repentant soul, that suffers and consumes the chalice of pain to the dregs; but that does not matter. It gives me pain, but I love Jesus alone. I wish Him to be the Master of my heart. Tell Him that I love Him and that I adore Him. Tell Him that I want to suffer, that I want to die of love and suffering, that the world doesn’t interest me, just He alone. Yes, Mother. I’m alone. I united myself to your solitude. Console me, nourish me, counsel me, be my companion and bless me.

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