"Remain in Me"

Continuation- Heaven In Faith

3. "Remain in Me." It is the Word of God who gives this order, expresses this wish. Remain in Me, not for a few moments, a few hours which must pass away, but "remain...." permanently, habitually, Remain in Me, pray in Me, adore in Me, love in Me, suffer in Me, work and act in Me. remain in Me so that you may be able to encounter anyone or anything; penetrate further still into these depths. This is truly the "solitude into which God wants to allure that soul that He may speak to it," as the prophet sang.

4. In order to understand this very mysterious saying, we must not, so to speak, stop at the surface, but enter ever deeper into the divine being through recollection. "I pursue my course," exclaimed St. Paul; so must we daily descend this pathway of the Abyss which is God; let us slide down this slope in wholly loving confidence. "Abyss calls to abyss." It is there in the very depths that the divine impact takes place, where the abyss of our nothingness encounters the Abyss of mercy, the immensity of the all of God. There we will find the strength to die to ourselves and, losing all vestige of self, we will be changed into love... "Blessed are those who die in the Lord!"

to be continued....

When She Was Among Us...

It is easy to imagine Elizabeth of the Trinity in these places graced by her presence. Contemplating the lives of Saints does wonder to our souls because it reminds us that they were human as you and I.

"A Carmelite in the World"

"Saint Teresa says that the soul is like a crystal in which the Divinity is reflected. I so love this comparison, and when I see the sun invade our cloisters with its rays, I think that God invades the soul that seeks only Him in the same way! Listen to what St. John of the Cross says: "O soul, most beautiful of creatures, who desire so ardently to know that place where your Beloved dwells in order to seek Him and unite yourself to Him; you yourself are the retreat where He takes refuge, the dwelling where He hides Himself." That is the whole life of Carmel; to live in Him, then, all sacrifices, all immolations become divine, for through everything the soul sees Him whom it loves and everything leads it to Him; it is a continual heart to heart exchange! You see that you can already be a Carmelite in your heart. Love silence and prayer for this is the essence of the life of Carmel. Ask the Queen of Carmel to teach you to adore Jesus in profound recollection."

Blessed Elizabeth to Germaine de Gemeaux
September 14, 1902

"All My Sisters!"

(First Row: Elizabeth as Postulant & Mother Germaine holding "Story of a Soul"-autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux)


Community life is a sharing of common goals in prayer, ministry and service. It is a visible pledge of our relationship with Christ, with each other and with the whole Church, the People of God. Community living is an expression of faith manifested in the pursuit of a call heard in the silence of a heart, a manifestation of hope in the promise of life and happiness in God, and the struggle of living the life of charity commissioned to us by Jesus amidst human imperfections and limitations. It is a visible sign of how God's grace can triumph over human frailties and accomplish the works of God - works of love, joy, charity- among the Sisters and God's people.
(carmelite sisters website)

Community living is one of the most challenging consequence of following Christ. It calls for self-forgetfulness, faith and humility to accept one's weaknesses and failures in the daily struggle to love others as Jesus loved them. It also calls us to learn to accept ourselves as others see us. For all it's difficulties and challenges, living with others can be a source of joy, strength and spiritual growth, a source of inspiration and edification, a place to journey together as sisters and family in the Lord.

"When the time approached for her to receive the religious habit, Mother Prioress said to her: "You still will have much to acquire, perhaps it will be postponed." Elizabeth answered: 'It is true, my Mother, that I am quite imperfect, but I believe that God wants to do me this favor. As for my sisters, how can they refuse me? They must love me for I love them so!"

Mother Germaine's testimony (Blessed Elizabeth's Prioress)

"I Have Nothing Else But Him"

On January 11, 1903, on the Feast of Epiphany, Sr. Elizabeth of the Trinity pronounced her Solemn Vows in the Chapter Room which was decorated with flowers. It was a private ceremony and so only her religious Community was present. She received her Profession Crucifix from Mother Prioress as a sign of her new status as the Spouse of the Crucified.

"Who could describe the joy of my soul when, on contemplating the crucifix which I received after my profession and which our Reverend Mother placed "as a seal on my heart," I could say to myself: "At last He is all mine and I am all His. I have nothing else but Him. He is my All!" And now, I have only one desire, to love Him, to love Him all the time, to be zealous for His honor as a true bride, to give Him joy, to make Him happy by preparing a dwelling and a refuge for Him in my soul, so that there He may forget, by the strength of my love, all the abominations of the wicked!"

Blessed Elizabeth
February 15, 1903 (letter 156)

" I Closed My Eyes... "

Abandonment- that is what surrenders us to God. I am quite young, but it seems to me that I have suffered much sometimes. Oh, then, when everything was dark, when the present was so painful and the future seemed even more gloomy to me, I closed my eyes and abandoned myself like a child in the arms of this Heavenly Father... We look at ourselves too much, we want to see and understand, we do not have enough confidence in Him who envelops us in His love. We must not stop before the cross and regard it in itself, but recollecting ourselves in the light of faith, we must rise higher and think that it is the instrument which is obeying divine Love. "One thing alone is necessary; Mary has chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her." This better part, which seems to be my privilege in my beloved solitude of Carmel, is offered by God to every baptized soul. He offers it to you... in the midst of your
cares and .. concerns. Believe that His whole desire is to lead you ever deeper into Himself. Surrender yourself and all your preoccupations to Him..."


Blessed Elizabeth
July 25, 1902 (letter 129)