Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices. ~ St. Teresa of Avila
Oh, my planet, I am so in love with you. And you seem to love me back. We are an item. Daily, you swerve, slow-dancing with the sun, seducing me with new angles of interpretation so that my peonies manifest themselves in color swatches, shades shifting from apricot to blood. And my lawn, licking up necessary light, grows, greens into a small hay field to swoon in. Even the promiscuous dandelions reflect the generosity of light.
Your seasons’ musical compositions, themes and variations—apogee, perigee, the lengthening of days, then nights. Your planetary rhythms—the same every year, and every year unique.
Waking, early morning ‘s heavy shadows shorten and blanch, and then there’s noon, and then again, a lengthening to dusk until, complete with stars, dark wraps me in fleece. By nightfall in the companion dark, my desire gives away to dreaming, the way lovers ease into sleep after passion is spent.
Waiting is purification, is patience quelling desire, is God’s time permeating human haste.
The crystal droplet gathers at the curled leaf’s tip but does not fall. The mighty wave bounds in but does not break.
The heart’s new season pauses on the threshold of the walled, inviolate garden, the spring of living waters at its center.
We wait till that authoritative voice cries once more, “Come forth! Begin to bud and bloom! Toss in the breezes of my ardent love! Be all renewed and filled with light! Waiting is over— the hour of fulfillment come!”
Beloved, this is our new season. Together let us go to meet it.
I just got back from the Canadian Conference on Evangelization & Catechesis – He thirsts for you! in Ottawa from April 4th to 6th. It was a time of great fellowship among many friends from the different Dioceses in Canada. We all had the blessing to listen to great keynote speakers like Dr. Josephine Lombardi, presenting ‘At the well: The encounter that transforms’; Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI, presenting ‘From the well to the world’; and Most Rev. William McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary, presenting ‘Returning to the well: Ongoing transformation’. We also enjoyed the beautiful presentation of my dear friend and sister in Carmel Elisa Lollino, OCDS. She did her one-woman play ‘He thirsts for you’.
We also had the wonderful opportunity to attend a variety of educational and inspirational workshops. They helped us to expand our minds and hearts in the Christian faith so we can share it with others.
In the ‘Letter of Welcome’ of the Most Rev. Lionel Gendron, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, he stated: “Inspired by the Gospel of John 4: 5-42 the phrase He thirsts for you speaks of God’s desire that we experience deeply his love for us. Saint Teresa of Calcutta, in one of her letters, asks a very important question of the members of the Missionaries of Charity:
Why does Jesus say “I Thirst”? What does it mean? Something so hard to explain in words—if you remember anything from Mother’s letter, remember this—“I thirst” is something much deeper than Jesus saying “I love you.” Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you—you can’t begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him. (Mother Teresa, Letter to Her Spiritual Family, March 25, 1993)
It is this thirst that the Samaritan woman experiences in her encounter with Jesus at the well. It is this thirst which propels her to go and enthusiastically tell others about what she has learned from Him. It is this thirst that makes her a missionary disciple.
Like the Samaritan woman, we too are called and empowered to become ever more missionary disciples who, having encountered Christ, are filled with the Spirit and sent to spread the Good News. We are sent forth to share with our brothers and sisters that, by the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have been saved, we are loved deeply and in a transforming way for God.”
Art source unknown
Woman
Walking in the searing sunlight. Glare stinging my eyes with sudden tears. Behind the fortress walls of surrounding houses They surely watch.
I can barely raise one foot after another. Dust chokes my dry mouth. This pot, my burden Unfilled, like a dead weight on my body.
I walk this daily walk of torment. I walk Alone. It has been for such a long time now. Must it always be so?
The Well
Today I met him such a man as I have longed to meet for all my life. Today I met him, I will never be the same again.
Today I talked to him such a man as I have longed to talk to all my life. A man who talked with me as if he had known me all my life.
Today he looked at me. He smiled at me as none else has ever done before. He knew my sin and yet he took my cup.
Joy unquenchable fills me, Messiah. I will speak his words throughout the land. I will never be the same. Because today I met Him.
❤
Early light, before sun, and I hear an unknown bird singing his morning syllables— pitiful, pitiful, pitiful—in a voice too plaintive to be believed.
Birds speak their native language— music with feathers. We pick up clues, but translation depends on our willingness to hear, and listen.
Maybe I’ve let last night’s bad dream misinterpret his message. Maybe he’s telling me this new day is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
~ A poem by Luci Shaw
❤
“The birds are the saints, who fly to heaven on the wings of contemplation, who are so removed from the world that they have no business on earth. They do not labour, but by contemplation alone they already live in heaven.”
~ Saint Anthony of Padua
“My sweet little sisters, birds of the sky, you are bound to heaven, to God, your Creator. In every beat of your wings and every note of your songs, praise Him.” ~ Saint Francis of Assisi
Today it’s Earth Hour around the world at 8:30p.m. (local time) and on the side of the world where I live, Canada, it finished two hours ago. We honour our beloved planet Earth with an annual one-hour event meant to spread awareness about sustainability. This should be practiced all year round focusing on long-term changes that everyone can make to do their part for our planet that is in so much need. Together we can make a difference! Let us care for our beautiful and beloved planet each and every day ❤
Aquarel van Uli Viereck
O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honour and all blessing.
Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation and especially for our Brother Sun, who brings us the day and the light; he is strong and shines magnificently. O Lord, we think of you when we look at him.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon, and for the stars which you have set shining and lovely in the heavens.
Be praised, my Lord, for our Brothers Wind and Air and every kind of weather by which you, Lord, uphold life in all your creatures.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water, who is very useful to us, and humble and precious and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire, through whom you give us light in the darkness: he is bright and lively and strong.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us, bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colours.
Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you; and for those who bear sickness and weakness in peace and patience – you will grant them a crown.
Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death, whom we must all face. I praise and bless you, Lord, and I give thanks to you, and I will serve you in all humility.
~ A poem by Saint Francis of Assisi
“My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth’s loveliness.”
~ Michelangelo Buonarroti
Santa Teresa crowned by Christ, art by Gerrit Van Honthorst (1614-1615)
Yours I am, born yours to be, what’s your will to make of me?
Sovereign Majesty, decreeing
wisdom timeless, ever whole;
kindness pleasing to my soul;
God, most high, all good, one being,
this vile creature you are seeing,
who sings to you lovingly: what’s your will to make of me?
Yours, for me you did create,
Yours, since me you did succor,
Yours, since me you did endure,
Yours, you called me to my fate,
Yours, for me you did long wait,
Yours, I chose not lost to be. What’s your will to make of me?
What, then, is your will, good Lord,
that this servant vile should do?
What work can you give unto
this poor slave in sin abhorred?
Look at me, sweet Love adored,
sweet Love, here for you to see, What’s your will to make of me?
See my heart here for inspection,
I place it within your hand,
with my body, life, soul and
my deep feelings and affection,
sweetest Bridegroom and redemption,
myself offering yours to be, What’s your will to make of me?
Give me death, or let me live,
give health or infirmity,
shame or honor give to me,
war or peace to me now give,
weakness, strength superlative,
to all these I will agree, What’s your will to make of me?
Give me wealth or poverty,
give relief or troubled spell,
give me sorrow or give glee,
give me heaven or give me hell,
sweet life or sun without veil,
I surrender totally. What’s your will to make of me?
If you wish to, give me prayer,
if not, give me dryness too,
if abundant worship fair,
if not barrenness will do,
Sovereign Majesty, in you
I find all my peace to be. What’s your will to make of me?
Give me wisdom’s deep insight,
or for love, just ignorance,
give me years of abundance,
or of hunger, famine’s blight,
give me dark or clear daylight,
move me here or there freely. What’s your will to make of me?
If you wish that I should rest,
I, for love, want to rest to savor;
if your will is that I labor,
death from work is my request.
Say where, how, when, manifest;
say, sweet Love, now say clearly. What’s your will to make of me?
Give me Tabor or Calvary,
desert or land fruitfully fine,
be as Job in misery,
of John, on your breast recline;
let me be a fruitful vine
or bare, as your will may be. What’s your will to make of me?
Be I Joseph placed in chains,
Egypt’s governor of renown,
or as David suffering pains,
or now David bearing crown,
be I Jonah nearly drowned,
or from waters now set free, what’s your will to make of me?
Being silent, moved to speak,
bearing fruit or barren woe,
my wound to me law does show,
Gospel mild does joy bespeak;
mournful or enjoyment’s peak,
in me now lives You only, what’s your will to make of me?
Yours I am, born yours to be, what’s your will to make of me?
~ A poem by Saint Teresa of Ávila
Today is Saint Teresa’s Birthday! I’m sharing a few photos I took of my visit to Ávila, Spain in July 2017
Church and Convent of St. Teresa of Jesus in Avila, Spain is the place where St. Teresa was born. July 2017 (My photo)
Main Altar of the Church and Convent of St. Teresa of Jesus in Avila, Spain (photo taken by me before Mass on July 16th, 2017 Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel)Chapel of Saint Teresa ~ Casa Natal de Santa Teresa (photo taken by me)
Room in which St. Teresa of Jesus was born (photo taken by me)
Small garden where St. Teresa prayed (photo taken by me)
Happy Birthday Holy Mother St. Teresa! ❤ Pray for all your Carmelite family and the whole world!
