Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me (St John 17:25) 

I want to be able to say to you, O my God: "I have glorified you on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. I have manifested your name to those whom you have given me... Father, I will that where I am these also whom you have given me may be with me, and that the world may know that you have loved them as you have loved me" (John 17:4). Yes, Lord, this is what I would like to repeat after you before flying into your arms. Perhaps this is boldness? No, for a long time you permitted me to be bold with You. You have said to me as the father of the prodigal son said to his older son: "Everything that is mine is yours" (Luke 15:31). Your words, O Jesus, are mine, then, and I can make use of them to draw upon the souls united to me the favors of the heavenly Father... Your love has gone before me, and it has grown with me, and now it is an abyss whose depths I cannot fathom. Love attracts love, and, my Jesus, my love leaps toward yours; it would like to fill the abyss which attracts it, but alas! it is not even like a drop of dew lost in the ocean! For me to love you as you love me, I would have to borrow your own love, and then only would I be at rest. O my Jesus, it is perhaps an illusion but it seems to me that you cannot fill a soul with more love than the love with which You have filled mine; it is for this reason that I dare to ask you to love those whom you have given me with the love with which you loved me. One day, in heaven if I discover you love them more than me, I shall rejoice at this, recognizing that these souls merit your love much more than I do; but here on earth, I cannot conceive a greater immensity of love than the one which it has pleased you to give me freely, without any merit on my part. (St Therese, Story of the Soul) 

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Second Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy)

Duccio 'Locked Doors'

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked....Jesus came and stood among them and said. "Peace be with you". A week later his disciples were again in the house.(....) Jesus came and stood among them. (St John 20:19-26)

This is joyous day (Sunday) which passes by all too quickly, has a tinge of sadness.....One must start life over again the next day - work, study. My heart feels as if it is  in exile on earth....I yearn for eternal rest in heaven, when Sundays never end , in my Father's house (St Therese. The Story of a Soul).

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Easter Saturday

Gustave Dore Bible Illustrations

He appeared to the eleven...and upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation". (St Mark 16: 14-15)

God needs no person to do His divine work. But He does allow a talented gardener to raise exotic and delicate plants by giving him the necessary knowledge but keeping the secret of their creation for himself. In the same way, Jesus wants to be helped in his divine gardening of souls (The Story of a Soul) 

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Easter Friday

Tintoretto 'Christ at the sea of Galilea'

"Cast the net in the right side of the boat, and you will find some". So Simon Peter went aboard, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them (St John 21:6, 11)

In spite of my humbleness, I would like to enlighten other souls as did the Prophets and the Doctors of the Church. My vocation is to be an apostle...I want to travel the earth and preach in your name and lift up your glorious cross to the unfaithful. However, my Beloved, I will not be satisfied to do just one such mission. At the same time, I would like to proclaim your Gospel to all corners of the earth, even to the most secluded places (St Therese, The Story of a Soul).

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Easter Thursday

Eugene Delacroix 'The Supper at Emmaus'

"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled". Then he opened their minds to undestand the scriptures (St Luke 24:44-45)

Beloved Sister, how happy we are to understand the intimate secrets of our Divine Spouse! If you would write down all you know of them, we would have some beautiful pages to read. However, you prefer to keep "the secrets of the King" deep within your heart (St Therese, The Story of a Soul).

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Easter Wednesday

Jan Wildens 'Christ and His Disciples on the Road to Emmaus'

Were not our heart burning within us while He was talking to us on the road, while He was opening the scriptures to us? That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem (St Luke 24:32-33).

For a long time, I fed my soul with the knowledge of "pure flour" that I found in a book called Imitation. This was the only book I was comfortable with because I had not as yet found the hidden treasures in the Gospel.....When I was fourteen, given my interest in knowledge, the Lord found it necessary to combine that "pure flour" with plenty of "oil and honey" (St Therese 'The Story of a Soul')

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Easter Tuesday

Hans Holbein 'Noli Me Tangere'

'Do not hold on to me...But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God' (St John 20:17)

At times, we are so uncomfortable within ourselves we must quickly reach out. Our Lord doesn't force us to stay within ourselves; oftentimes, he allows us this discomfort so we can reach out. To resolve this, I reach out to Jesus and Mary by throwing myself into acts of charity (St Therese, Advice and Memories, p99)

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Easter Monday

So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, 'Greetings' (St Matthew 28:8-9)

During the Passion of Our Lord, the women showed more courage than the apostles.(...).Undoubtedly, this is why He allowed contempt to be their lot in life on earth, because He chose it for Himself....It will be shown, in heaven, that His thoughts were not those of humankind, because the last will be the first (The Story of a Soul).

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Holy Thursday

Francesco Fontebasso - Last Supper

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end (St John 13:1)

At the Last Supper. when Jesus knew his disciples' hearts burned with devoted love after he had just given himself to them through the unfathomable mystery of the Eucharist, this gentle Saviour gave them a new commandment, ....Love one another just as I have loved you (St Therese, The Story of a Soul).

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Wednesday of Holy Week

Nicolas Poussin, Last Supper

My time is near...The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him (St Matthew 26:18-24)

After having prepared me to appear before You, if only this martyr could make me finally die so that my soul could leap into the eternal embrace of your merciful love. My Beloved, with each heartbeat, I want to infinitely renew this offering, until such a time when shadows fade and I will be able to tell you again of my love, face to face, eternally! (St Therese, Prayer 6)

after 'Through the Year with St Therese'

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Tuesday of Holy Week

Simone Vouet 'The Last Supper'

Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him. If God has been glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself (St John 13:31-32).

To you, time has no meaning. A single day is like a thousand years. In a single moment, you could prepare me to appear before you....In order to live within an act of perfect love, I offer myself in sacrifice to your merciful love, begging you to consume me endlessly, letting my soul overflow with the waves of your infinite tenderness. In this way I become a martyr for your Divine Love (St Therese, Prayer 6)

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Monday of Holy Week

Dieric Bouts the Elder

Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard , anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The home was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (St John 12:3)

Lord, at the twilight of this life, I will appear to you with empty hands because I do not ask you  to keep count of my good deeds. All of our laws are flawed in your eyes. I would like, then, to cloak myself with your law, and from your love, receive you for all eternity. I want no other crown than you (St Therese, Prayer 6)

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The Way of the Cross with Carmelite Saints - St John of the Cross

I. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
They all concurred in the verdict guilty, with its sentence of death (Mark 14:64).

Take neither great nor little notice of who is with you or against you, and try always please God. Ask Him that His Will be done in you. Love Him immensly, as He deserves to be loved. (The sayings of light and love, no 155, p. 96)

...Have a great love for those who contradict and fail to love you, for in this way love is begotten in a heart that has no love. God so acts with us....(The Letters, no 33 p.764)

When something distasteful or unpleasant comes your way, remember Christ crucified and be silent (Letters no 20 p.756).

II. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS
Jesus was led away....carrying the cross by Himself (John 19:16-17)

He who seeks not the cross of Christ seeks not the glory of Christ (Sayings no 102)

....It behoves us not to go without the cross, just s our Beloved did not go without it, even to the death of love...(Letters no 11).

Oh! If I could but now fully understand how a soul cannot reach the thicket and wisdom of the riches of God, which are of many kinds, without entering the thicket of many kinds of suffering, finding in this her delight and consolation; and how a soul with an authentic desire for divine wisdom, wants suffering first in order to enter this wisdom by the thicket of the cross (The Spiritual Canticle stanza 36).

III. JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
I was hard pressed and was falling (Psalm 118:13)

On this narrow road there is room only for self-denial (as our Saviour asserts) and the cross. The cross is a supporting staff and greatly lightens and eases the journey (Ascent Bk II, ch 7).

....Not only are temporal goods and bodily delights contradictory to the path leading to God, but so also are spiritual consolations, if possessed or sought with attachment, an obstacle to the way of the cross of Christ, the Bridgeroom. (Canticle, Stanza 3 no 5)


IV. JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER
Simeon said to Mary His mother...you yourself shall be pierced with a sword (Luke 2:34-35)

Sometimes, however, and at certain periods, God allows [the soul] to feel things and suffer from them that she might gain more merit and grow in the fervor of love, or for other reasons, as He did with the Virgin Mother, St Paul and others. (Canticle, Stanza 3)


V. SIMEON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS
They pressed [Simeon] into service to carry the Cross (Mark 15:21)

Our Lord proclaimed through St Matthew: My yoke is sweet and my burden light [Mt 11:30], the burden being the cross. If individuals resolutely submit to the carrying of the cross, if they decidedly want to find and endure trial in all things for God, they will discover in all of them great relief and sweetness. (Ascent II ch 7)

Some souls obtain sensible or spiritual sweetness from God because they are incapable of eating the stronger and more solid food for trials of the cross of His Son. He would desire them to take the cross more than any other thing (Ibid Book II ch 12)

VI. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
There was in Him no stately bearing to make us look at Him (Is 53:2)

When there is union of love, the image of the Beloved is so sketched in the will, and drawn so intimately and vividly, that it is true to say that the Beloved lives in the lover and the lover in the Beloved....Everything can be called a sketch of love in comparison with that perfect image, the transformation in glory. Yet the attainment of such a sketch of transformation in this life is a great blessing, for with this transformation the Beloved is very pleased. Desiring the bride to put Him as a sketch in her soul, He said in the Song of Songs: Put Me as a seal upon your heart...[Sg 8:6](Canticle, stanza 12)

To the soul that is more advanced in love, more conformed to the divine Will, God communicates Himself more. A person who has reached complete conformity and likeness of will has attained total supernatural union and transformation in God. (Ascent Bk II ch 5).


VII JESUS FALLS FOR THE SECOND TIME
My strength has failed through affliction (Psalm 31:11)

Since you walk in these darknesses and voids of spiritual poverty, you think that everyone and everything is failing you. It is no wonder that in this it also seems God is failing you. But nothing is failing you..... Those who desire nothing else than God walk not in darkness, however poor and dark they are in their own sight. And those who walk not presumptously, nor according to their own satisfactions, whether from God or from creatures, nor do their own will in anything, have nothing to stumble over....(Letters no 19).


VIII. JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
Do not weep for Me. Weep for yourself and for your children (Luke 23:28)

...Christ is little known by those who consider themselves His friends. For we see them going about seeking in Him their own consolations and satisfactions, loving themselves very much, but not loving Him very much by seeking His bitter trials and deaths. (Ascent Bk II ch 7)

IX. JESUS FALLS A THIRD TIME
I looked about, but there was no one to help...no one to lend support (Is. 63:5)

If you do not fear falling alone, do you presume that you will rise up alone? Consider how much more can be accomplished by two together than by one alone. (Sayings no 9)


X. JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HS GARMENTS
They divided His clothes among them (Mt 27:35)

...The soul that is naked of desires and whines, God will clothe with His purity, pleasures, and will. (Ibid, no 98)

Wishing to strip them in fact of this old self and clothe them with the new, which is created according to God...as the Apostle says [Col 3:9-10; Eph 4:22-24; Rom 12:2], God divests the faculties, affections, and senses, both spiritual and sensory, interior and exterior. He leaves the intellect in darkness, the will in aridity, the memory in emptiness, and the affections in supreme afflictions, bitterness and anguish by depriving the soul of the feeling and satisfaction it previously obtained from spiritual blessings. For this privation is one of the conditions required that the spiritual form, which is the union of love, may be introduced into the spirit and united with it. (The dark Night Bk II Ch 3)

XI. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
They have pierced my hands and feet (Psalm 22:17)

Crucified inwardly and outwordly with Christ, you will live in this life with fullness and satisfaction of soul, and possess your soul in patience [Luke 21:19] (Sayings no 87)

Let Christ crucified be enough for you, and with Him suffer and take your rest, and hence annihilate yourself in all inward and outward things. (Ibid no 20)

XII. JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many...he surrendered himself to death (Is 53:11-12)

...He brought about the reconciliation and union of the human race with God through grace. The Lord achieved this....at the moment in which He was most annihilated in all things: in His reputation before people...; in His human nature, by dying; and in spiritual help and consolation from His Father, for He was forsaken....The journey, then, does not consist in consolations, delights, and spiritual feelings, but in the living death of the cross, sensory and spiritual, exterior and interior. (Ascent Bk II ch 7)

True love receives all things that come from the Beloved - prosperity, adversity, even chastisement - with the same eveness of soul, since they are His Will....Death cannot be bitter to the soul than loves, for in it she finds all the sweetness and delight of love....She thinks of death as her friend and bridegroom, and at the thought of it she rejoices as she would over the thought of her betrothal and marriage, and she long for that day and that hour of her death...(Canticle, Stanza 11).


XIII. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
He [Joseph of Arimathea] came therefore and took away the body of Jesus (John 19:38)

However intimate may be a person's union with God, there will never be satisfaction and rest until God's glory appears [Ps 17:15]...(The Living Flame of Love stanza 1 no 27)

It is vital for individuals to make acts of love in this life so that being perfected in a short time they may not be detained long, either here on earth or in the next life, before seeing God. (Ibid stanza 1 no 34)


XIV JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
..they laid Jesus, because the sepulcher was nigh at hand (John 19:42).

If you desire to be perfect, sell your will, give it to the poor in spirit, come to Christ in meekness and humility, and follow Him to Calvary and the sepulcher. (Sayings no 165)

It is fitting that the soul be in this sepulcher of dark death in order that it attain the spiritual resurrection for which it hopes. (Dark Night Bk II ch 6).


Credits: text from 'The Way of the Cross with the Carmelite Saints' Compiled by Sr Joseph Marie, CHT Carmelite Hermit of the Trinity.

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Thoughts for Lent with St Therese

"Some there are who keep themselves in peace, and have peace also with others. And there are some that are neither at peace within themselves, nor suffer others to be in peace; they are troublesome to others, but always more troublesome to themselves" Imitation of Christ Book 2:3

"It is a mistake to want to convince our Sisters that they are in wrong, even if this is the case, for it is not our duty to correct them. Let us be angels of peace, not Justices of the Peace". St Therese Conseils and Souvenirs. 

"Rest on the Passion of Christ, and willingly dwell in His sacred wounds. For if thou fly devoutly to the wounds and precious stigmas of Jesus, thou shalt feel great comfort in tribulation; neither wilt thou much regard the being despised by men, but wilt easily bear up against detracting tongues. Suffer with Christ and for Christ, if thou desirest to reign with Christ. Imitation of Christ, Book 2:1

"My God, I thank Thee for all graces Thou hast bestowed on me, and in particular for having made me pass through the crucible suffering. With what joy I shall see Thee on the last day bearing the Cross as the emblem of royalty. As Thou hast made me a partaker of Thy holy Cross, grant that I may one day be like to Thee, and bear upon my glorified body the imprint of Thy sacred wounds. " St Therese 'Story of a Soul'   

"An internal man quickly recollects himself, because he never pours forth his whole self upon outward things. Exterior labour is no prejudice to him, nor any employment which for a time is necessary; but as things fall out, he so accommodates himself to them. As much as a man draws things to himself, so much is he hindered by them". Imitation Book 2:1

"You become too much absorbed in your work, and worry over it as though you bore the whole responsibility. Do you wonder what is going on at the present moment on other Carmels, and whether the nuns are busy or not? Do their labours prevent you from making your prayer? You must learn to dissociate yourself from your work in the same way,  giving the prescribed time to it, but maintaining detachment of heart". St Therese 'Conseils et Souvenirs' 

Nature is covetous, and more willing to take than to give, and loves to have things to herself. But grace is bountiful and open-hearted, avoids selfishness, is contented with little, and judges it more happy to give than to receive. Imitation Book 3:54

Our Lord teaches us to: Give to every one that asketh thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again (Luke 6:30). It is more pleasant to give of one's own free will than to be asked, although this is not very hard if the request is politely made. If, however, it is made in a tactless way, a soul that is not firmly established in charity will find a hundred and one pretext for refusing. If she does finally comply, it is only after having impressed upon the petitioner how inconsiderate she has been, and what a great favour she is doing her. In short, she spends more time in stating her case than she would in performing the thrilling service asked for. St Therese 'Story of a soul'

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Let the children come to me

Painting by Vogel Von Vogelstein

Then were little children presented to him, that he should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them.But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.And when he had imposed hands upon them, he departed from thence. (St Matthew 10:13)

You know, Mother, I have always wanted to be a saint. Alas! I have always noticed that when I compared myself to the saints, there is between them and me the same difference that exists between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and the obscure grain of sand trampled underfoot by passers-by. Instead of becoming discouraged, I said to myself: God cannot inspire unrealizable desires. I can, then, in spite of my littleness, aspire to holiness. It is impossible for me to grow up, and so I must bear with myself such as I am with all my imperfections. But I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short, and totally new. We are living now in an age of inventions, and we do not have to take the trouble of climbing stairs, for, in the homes of the rich, an elevator has replaced these very successfully. I wanted to find an elevator which would raise me to Jesus, for I am too small to climb the rough stairway of perfection. I searched, then, in the Scriptures for some sign of this elevator, the object of my desires, and I read these words coming from the mouth of Eternal Wisdom: "Whoever is a little one, let him come to me” (Prv 9:4). I felt I had found what I was looking for. But wanting to know, O my God, what you would do to the very little one who answered your call, I continued my search and this is what I discovered: “As one whom a mother caresses so will I comfort you; you shall be carried at the breasts and upon the knees they shall caress you" (Is 66,13). Ah! never did words more tender and more melodious come to give joy to my soul. The elevator which must raise me to heaven is your arms, O Jesus! And for this I had no need to grow up, but rather I had to remain little and become this more and more. O my God, You surpassed all my expectation. I want only to sing to Your mercies (Ps 89:2) (St Therese) 

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ST TERESA ON PRIDE, SUPERIORITY AND POINTS OF HONOUR

Observe carefully the stirrings of your heart in matters of superiority. Pray to be delivered from such thoughts as these: I am older. I deserve better. I have laboured more. I have more talent. Such thoughts are the plague and poison of the heart. Believe me, if there remain in you any allowed hankerings after the praises of men, though you may have spent many years in prayer, or rather in idle forms of prayer, you have made no progress, and never will, till your heart is crucified to the approval and the praise of men. If you feel in yourself any point of honour, any pride, any desire of eminence or pre-eminence, you must free yourself from that abominable bondage, and for that chain there is no hammer and file like humility and prayer. Among the rest of my great imperfections this was one. I had very little knowledge of my Breviary, or of that which was to be sung in the choir, and all the while I saw that some other novices could instruct me. But I was too proud to ask any questions. I was afraid that my great ignorance should be discovered. Shortly afterwards a good example was set before me, and then, when God had once opened my eyes to my sinful pride, I was content to ask information and the help even of little children. And yet,—and this surprised me, I lost no credit or honour thereby. Nay, it seemed to me that my Lord after that gave me better skill and a better memory. I could sing but very ill, and I was troubled at this, not because I failed in my worship of God, but because so many heard me, and thus I was disturbed on the mere point of honour and praise. I told them that I could not do what others did, and what was expected of me. At first I had some difficulty in this, but it soon became both natural and pleasant to me to tell the truth. By these nothings,—and they are really nothings, and I am sufficiently nothing when such things could put me to so much pain,—and by little and little His Divine Majesty vouchsafed to supply me with strength. I was never good at the choir, but I tried to do my part for it in folding up the mantles of the singers; and, methought, in that I was serving the angels of God who so well praised Him. I did that also by stealth, such was my pride, and my pride was hurt when they discovered what I did. O my Lord, who that ever reads this can fail to despise and abhor me? I beseech Thy Divine Majesty that I may soon be able to leave all such vanities as the praise and blame of men, and seek Thy praise only! And then add this, which is worth knowing. The devil will not dare to tempt one to pride or precedency who is truly humble because, being very crafty, he fears defeat. If you are truly humble, you will only grow in that grace by every temptation to pride or praise. For, immediately on the temptation, you will reflect on your whole past life and present character, and on the stupendous humility of Jesus Christ. And by these considerations your tempted soul will come off so victorious, that the enemy will think twice before he comes back, for fear of a broken head. (St Teresa 'An Appreciation')

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Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

May it please Thee, O Lord. to deliver me: for, poor wretch that I am, what can I do, and whither shall I go without Thee? How much the more difficult this is to me, so much the easier to Thee, is the change of the right hand of the Most High (Ps 76:2)

In spite of all the graces Heaven was showering upon me, I was far from deserving them. I had a great desire for virtue, but all that I did was full of imperfections. I was so sensitive that I was a very great trial to others; it was once and for all, and God worked this little miracle to make me grow up on a date I shall never forget: December 25, 1886. The newborn Child turned my darkness into light; having for my sake became small and weak, He made me strong and brave; He armed me with His own weapons, and after that I ran my course like a giant (Ps 18), going from victory to victory. The fountain of my tears was dried up, and very rarely flowed again. This is how I received the grace of conversion.....They still treated me at home like a baby, filling my shoes with presents and putting them by the fire-place on Christmas Eve. My father had always shared in my delight as I drew out each gift, but this year Our Lord wished to cure me of my childishness. As I went up to my room after midnight Mass, I heard my father say: "Therese is too big a girl for such nonsense ; I hope this will be the last year." The words cut me to the heart, and Celine, knowing my sensitiveness, begged me not to go down at once, as I would be sure to cry, but I was no longer the same, Jesus had changed my heart. I went down to the dining-room as though nothing had happened, and gaily pulled out the presents one by one, my father joining in the merriment. Celine thought that she was dreaming, but the fact remained that I had found once more the fortitude I had lost at the age of four and a half. On that blessed night the third period of my life opened, the most beautiful and full of graces. The work I had attempted for years, was done in an instant by Our Lord, who accepted my good will. Like the Apostles, I could say: Master, we have laboured all the night, and have taken nothing (Luke 5:5), but Our Lord did more for me than He did for them, for He cast the net Himself and drew me into a fisher of souls. Charity took possession of my soul and filled me with the spirit of self-forgetfulness, and from that time I was always happy. (St Therese, Story of a Soul)

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St John of the Cross

Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you....I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (St John 17:25-26)

O flame of the Holy Spirit that so intimately and tenderly pierces the substance of my soul and cauterizes it with Your glorious ardor! Previously, my requests did not reach Your ears, when, in the anxieties and weariness of love in which my sense and my spirit suffered because of considerable weakness, impurity, and lack of strong love, I was praying that You loose me and bring me to Yourself, because my soul longed for you, and impatient love did not allow me to be so confirmed to the conditions of this life in which You desired me still to live. The previous impulses of love were not enough, because they did not have sufficient quality for the attainment of my desire; now I am so fortified in love that not only do my sense and spirit no longer faint in You, but my heart and my flesh, reinforced in You, rejoice in the living God (Ps 83:3), with great conformity between the sensory and spiritual parts. What You desire me to ask for, I ask for, and what You do not desire, I do not desire, nor can I, nor does it even enter my mind to desire it. My petitions are now more valuable and estimable in Your sight, since they come from You, and You move me to make them, and I make them in the delight and joy of the Holy Spirit, my judgment now issuing from Your countenance (Ps 16:2), that is, when You esteem and hear my prayer. Tear then the thin veil of this life and do not let old age cut it naturally, that from now on I may love You with plenitude and fullness my soul desires forever and ever. (The Living Flame of Love, 1:36)

Toledo by El Greco. The view similar to that St John might see from the window of his cell while imprisoned in the Carmelite Monastery, Toledo. The main picture of St John is by Zurbaran  

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Feast of Immaculate Conception of Our Lady

O Lord, teach me to do Thy will, teach me to converse worthily and humbly in Thy sight; for Thou art my wisdom, who knowest me in Truth, and didst know me before the world was made, and before I was born in the world. (Imitation Bk 3:3)

Our Lady's unique privilege was her Immaculate Conception and divine Motherhood, and yet Our Lord tells us that whosoever shall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother (Matt 12:15). it is well to speak of Mary's prerogatives but that is not enough, we must make her loved. If a sermon on her only calls forth "ohs"! and "ahs"! of admiration, it ends by being wearisome, and does not draw us to love and imitate her. (St Therese 'Novissima Verba')

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On the Love of God

They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. (Luke 21) 

O strong love of God! I really think nothing seems impossible to one who loves. O happy soul that has obtained this peace from its God! For it has become mistress over all the trials and perils of the world. If only it can serve its good Spouse and Lord, it fears none of them – and with good reason... Think of something which occurs to me now and which is applicable to those who are naturally pusillanimous and have little courage... Although in actual fact their soul has been raised up to this state, the weakness of their nature makes them afraid. We must be on the watch or this natural weakness will deprive us of a great crown. When you find yourselves as pusillanimous as this, my daughters, have recourse to faith and humility and do not fail to go forward with faith, for nothing is impossible to God (Lk 1,37). He has thus been able to give many holy saints the courage to endure all the cruel tortures which they had resolved to suffer for His sake! It is of this resolution and this free-will that the soul wishes to make Him Master, though He has no need of our efforts. Indeed, His Majesty is pleased that His works should shine forth in those who are weak, since in these there is more scope for His power and for the fulfilment of His desire to grant us favours... Pay no heed to the arguments adduced by your mind and your own weakness: this weakness will only grow if you begin to imagine what will and what will not happen...This is no time to think about your sins: leave them alone; humility is out of place now, it comes at the wrong time... Be assured that the Lord never forsakes those who love him and risk everything for his sake. (St Teresa of Jesus, ‘Conception of the Love of God’)

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