Poem "To a Carmelite Postulant"

 I found this poem as I'm preparing my lessons for the upcoming school year.  🥰

To a Carmelite Postulant

Michael Earls, S. J.

Oh, the banks of May are fair, 

Charm of sound sight,
Breath of heaven fills the air, 

To the world’s delight.

Far more wondrous is a bower, 

Fairer than the May, 

Love-of-God it wears in flower, 

Blooming night and day.

Love-of-God within the heart

 Multicolored grows,
Now a lily’s counterpart, 

Now the blood-red rose.

Come the sun or chilling rain, 

Come the drought or dew, 

Crocus health or violet pain, 

Love-of-God is true.

Hard may be the mountain-side, 

Soft the valley sod,
Yet will fragrance sure abide 

With the Love-of-God.

Where the grace of Heaven leads, 

There it makes a home,
Hills a hundred and the meads 

Will its pathway roam.

Carmel by the western sea 

Holds your blessed bower: 

Love-of-God eternally 

Keep your heart a-flower.

Should you date while discerning?

{I've had this post in my drafts for some time but I figured it wouldn't hurt to share it now.}

Can you imagine dating two guys at once? I don't think so.  So why would someone date a guy while pursuing a relationship with Jesus?

This is a subject I explored in the early days of my vocation discernment.  Should a young person, girl or guy, date while discerning?  Some people have different opinions on this subject but the answer is really simple.  No, you shouldn't date while discerning a vocation to the religious life.  To see why one shouldn't date while discerning, let's examine the purposes or ends of discernment and dating.

What is the purpose of discernment?

Now, discernment comes from the Latin word "discernere" which means "to separate."   So in the discernment of our vocations, we try to step aside (separate) from distractions and our own desires in order to find God's will.  We try to figure out or see what our calling from God is.  If you think God might be calling you to the religious life, you discern more deeply that possibility.  A vocation to the priesthood or religious life is a special calling from God to a special relationship with Him.

Photo credit: I'm Mary Katherine Photography

What is the purpose of dating?

When you court or date someone (especially in the Christian world) you are trying to find the person you are going to marry and be with for the rest of your life.  Dating isn't just a fun outing with a friend.  It's a time set aside between two people so that they can get to know each other better and discern God's plan for their lives.

So really, dating and discernment are very similar processes.  Ultimately, you're trying to figure out where you're called to spend the rest of your life.  The difference is with whom!

Some people will tell you that you need to date someone first before discerning a religious vocation.  Go have that experience to see if you want it.  But if you feel God is calling you to be His bride, why go around with other guys?  Being Christ's bride is a wonderful and great calling, therefore, if we feel drawn towards that, we should discern that first.  (The same goes for guys.  To serve Christ and His Church as one of His apostles in the Holy Priesthood is a privileged calling.  If you feel the call to this vocation, you should, therefore, discern it with your whole being.)

We are taught to give everyone and everything our best.  Therefore, why wouldn't we give Our Lord our best effort?  Discern your vocation without reserve or other obligations.  If you would try to pursue a relationship with Our Lord and a guy at the same time, things would get confusing very quickly.  Our human emotions and attractions to physical attachment can blur our vision.

You may think to yourself, "I still like guys.  I would love to be married and have kids.  Does this mean I'm not called to the religious life?"  Not necessarily!  We're all human and as humans, God has designed us for marriage ("male and female He created them.")  Marriage is a good thing and a natural desire.  A vocation to the religious life, however, is not natural.  It is supernatural.  When Christ calls someone to the religious life, to complete and total union with Him, He is calling them to rise above their natural passions and enter into a supernatural relationship.  To give up everything and follow Him.  He is calling them to a great sacrifice.  That's exactly what this vocation is.  A sacrifice of self.  So don't be worried or distressed if your imagination strays with thoughts of romanticism but calmly and patiently refocus your mind on discerning God's will and not your daydreams.

It is natural for us as humans to desire marriage but to desire a life of sacrifice with Christ is a desire placed on your heart by God.  Don't ignore it.  Listen and follow it.  God may just be calling you to a life of divine love, union with Him, and more spiritual children than you can count!  Whatever you do, whether dating or discerning a religious vocation, seek God's perfect and holy will.  As long as we strive to do His will, we can't go wrong.

Photo credit: Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration

The Joy of Our Creator

Hello ladies,

I just came across this meditation on Facebook. It was originally posted in Spanish.  Facebook can make some goofy or interesting translations, but bear with it because this is so beautiful!! Trust in Divine Providence and take joy in your Creator.

In Us there is no unhappiness or pain, how could we give it to creatures? And if they feel unhappiness it's because they leave Divine Will and lock themselves in the small field of human will. Therefore, as they return to the Supreme Wanting they find joys, happiness, power, strength, light, beauty of their Creator, who doing them as their own things, feel in them a connatural divine substance, which comes to give joy and happiness In the same pain, that's why between the soul and We are always party, we have fun and delight together. Instead in human will there is no creative power, that by wanting to exercise virtues can create patience, humility, obedience, etc., here's why you feel tiredness, fatigue to practice virtues , because the divine strength that sustains them, the creative power that feeds them and gives them life; therefore you see inconstancy and easily pass from virtues to vices, from prayer to dissipation, from the Church to Fun, from patience to impatience, and all this mixture of goods and evils produces unhappiness in the creature. Instead, who makes my will reign itself, feels firmness in good, feels that all things bring him happiness, joy, much more than all things created by Us have the mark, the germ of joy And of the happiness of Him who created them, and were created by Us so that all bring happiness to man, each of the things created has the mandate of Us, to bring each happiness, the joy they possess to the creature, indeed, what joy and happiness does not carry the sunlight? What pleasure does the blue sky not bring to sight, a flowery meadow, a sea that mumbles? What taste does not bring to the palate a sweet and tasty fruit, a fresh water, and so many and so many other things? All things in his mute language say to man, 'We bring you happiness, the joy of our Creator'. But do you want to know in whom all things created find the echo of their joy and happiness? In those who find my will reigning and dominant, because the will that reigns full in them, and possesses the same God and who reigns in the soul, form the same, and overflow each other seas of joy, happiness and of happy so it's a real party. That's why my daughter, every time you merge into my will and tours all things created to seal in them your love for Me, your glory, your worship over each of the things I have created to make you happy, I feel renew joy, happiness, glory, as in the act when we put out all Creation; you cannot understand the party you make us when you see your little thing, that wanting to embrace everything in our will belongs to us in love, in glory for all the things created; it is so much our joy, that we put everything aside to enjoy the joy, the party you give us. That's why living in the Supreme Wanting is the greatest thing for us and for the soul, is the Creator's vent on the creature, who pouring over it gives it its form and participates all divine qualities, so that we We feel repeating for her our works, our joy, our happiness.

At the Cross Her Station Keeping

Two of my favorite hymns of Good Friday for your meditation:

O come and mourn with me awhile,

And tarry here the Cross beside;

O come, together let us mourn:

Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

Have we no tears to shed for Him,

While soldiers scoff and foes deride?

Ah! look how patiently He hangs:

Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

How fast His hands and feet are nailed;

His blessed tongue with thirst is tied;

His failing eyes are blind with blood:

Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

His Mother cannot reach His face;

She stands in helplessness beside;

Her heart is martyred with her Son's;

Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

Sev'n times He spoke, sev'n words of love,

And all three hours, His silence cried

For mercy on the souls of men:

Jesus, our Lord is crucified.

A broken heart, a fount of tears,

Ask and they will not be denied;

A broken heart love's cradle is;

Jesus, our Lord is crucified.

O love of God! O sin of man!

In this great act, your strength is tried;

And victory remains with love:

for Thou, Our Lord, art crucified!

Lord Jesus, think on me,

And purge away my sin.

From earth-born passions set me free,

And make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me,

With many a care oppressed;

Let me Thy loving servant be,

And taste Thy promised rest.

Lord Jesus, think on me,

Amid the battle's strife;

In all my pain and misery

Be Thou my health and life.

Lord Jesus, think on me,

Nor let me go astray;

Through darkness and perplexity,

Point Thou the heavenly way.

Lord Jesus, think on me

When floods the tempest high;

When on doth rush the enemy,

O Savior, be Thou nigh!

Lord Jesus, think on me

That, when the flood is past,

I may the eternal brightness see

And share Thy joy at last.

Lord Jesus, think on me

That I may sing above

To Father, Spirit, and to Thee

The strains of perfect love. Amen.

Ad Jesu Per Mariam... Repost

Hello dear sisters!!

Today I begin my preparation to renew my Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary on August 15th, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary.  I made my consecration 2 years ago on that date and I'm very excited to read and pray in preparation again.  I thought I would re-share this post I wrote on Maidens for Mary in April of last year.  I hope you find it inspirational.  Have you completed the Consecration before?  If so, on what Marian feast?  If you haven't, I encourage you to join me during this period, or find another upcoming Marian feast to complete your Consecration on!

"The more we honor the Blessed Virgin, the more we honor Jesus Christ, because we honor Mary only that we may the more perfectly honor Jesus, since we go to her only as the way by which we are to find the end we are seeking, which is Jesus." 

~St. Louis De Montfort 

Trust in me, my daughter, that I am your mother.

The Total Consecration to Mary was written by St. Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716), a French Roman Catholic priest and confessor.  "The essence of this true devotion is the total offering of one's self and all one's goods both temporal (of this earth) and spiritual to Our Lady-in as much as the duties of one's state in life will allow-and then living as dependent upon her as a slave to a Queen." (Manual for Total Consecration to Mary pg. v)

(Here is a page with more info: https://www.saintbenedict.com/tradition/total-consecration)

Our goal as children of God is to be happy with Him forever in Heaven and this is brought about by a complete and perfect union with Christ and His will.  How better to achieve this than to imitate the only person on this earth who has ever attained this complete union of wills?  Mary was conceived without sin (we call this the Immaculate Conception) so that she could be a pure and sinless means to bring Jesus into the world.  We know this from the words of the Archangel Gabriel, "And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28) Since Mary is without sin, her will is in perfect union with God's.  Therefore, we want to imitate this most perfect example of union with God's will.  We ask Mary to help us attain this perfect union with Christ. 

"When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own." (John 19:26-27)

Christ gave us Mary as our mother when He gave her to the apostle St. John.  If Christ is our brother and wants what is best for us, than so too would His mother be our mother and want what her Son wants for us.

Also, this consecration directs us to offer all of our prayers, sufferings, and desires to Jesus, through Mary.  This concept is illustrated by Jesus' first public miracle, "And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (John 2:3-5)  Mary petitioned the needs of the bride and groom at Cana to Jesus and will do so for us as well.  As we see in this story, Jesus will refuse her nothing.  Therefore, we ask Mary to present our needs to her Son so that He will answer them.

There is a very beautiful and special book that illustrates why we go to Jesus through Mary. Take it to the Queen This original fable explores the events of Jesus' life, and demonstrates the role of the Virgin Mary as the benevolent agent of God's people. Reduced to desolation by a king and prince who feel they have been wronged, the residents of a once-favored village must seek help from the queen, a native of their devastated town.

Have you made your total consecration to Jesus through Mary yet?  If not, here are some things to get you started.

• Visit this link to learn more about the Total Consecration.
• Pick a date to complete your consecration on.  You can pick almost any Marian feast day and there are a ton!  I did mine on August 15th, the feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother.
• Find or order a copy of the Manual for Total Consecration.  You can also get this copy which includes St. Louis de Montfort's other book, True Devotion to Mary, which makes great supplemental reading anytime.
• Begin your total consecration reading and praying 33 days before the date of your consecration.
• Finally, don't worry if you miss a day or fall behind.  Prepare your heart and strive in all you do to imitate Our Blessed Mother in her virtues.

There are also some beautiful products for you to commemorate and help you remember your Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary.  You can find them here. 😊

Remember that Mary is your mother.  She loves you and wants what's best for you.  She will always keep you under her mantle of protection as long as you ask and place your trust completely in her more than capable hands.

"Am I not here who am your Mother?  Are you not under my shadow and protection?  Am I not your fountain of life?  Are you not in the folds of my mantle?  In the crossing of my arms?  Is there anything else you need?"

~Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego

If you have some extra reading time while you are making your consecration or after you have made it, I highly suggest that you read Mary Was Her Life: The Story of Sister Maria Teresa Quevedo.  It is an AMAZING account of the life of a young girl who lived her short life here on Earth entirely through Mary.  I made my consecration in August of 2017, but Ven. Maria Teresa really taught me how to live this consecration in every little aspect of my life.

I haven't perfected my consecration yet, but that's not the point.  Mary will help you.  Ask for the grace to grow in your trust and consecration.  You are all in my prayers.

Let us always go "Ad Jesu per Mariam,"  "To Jesus, through Mary."

In cordibus Jesu et Mariae,

Sarah

Reposted from Maidens for Mary

A New Carmelite Monastery {And a video!}

Source: Fairfield Carmelites

Hello friends!!

I am very happy to share with you two websites I found recently and the exciting news that a new Carmelite monastery is being established in Australia!!

The Carmelite Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is currently being established in the southern region of the Diocese of Wilcannia Forbes in NSW, Australia.

It will be a Papally enclosed Discalced Carmelite community in which the cloistered nuns live lives of solitude, prayer, and sacrifice in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and approved by their Diocesan Bishop, the Most Reverend Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE DD.

Full information about the new foundation is available on their website: carmeljmj.org.au

See the new monastery's Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CarmelJMJAus/?hc_location=ufi

Secondly, I wanted to share with you this absolutely beautiful video from the Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in Fairfield, PA.  It's incredible.  Enjoy!!

You can visit the Fairfield Carmel website at the following link: http://fairfieldcarmelites.org/

Please keep these beautiful nuns in your prayers.  God bless you and keep you!

The Crown of Thorns

From the St. Benedict Center: 

Traditionally, each Friday in Lent is dedicated in a special way to some aspect of the Passion. This first friday in Lent is dedicated to the Crown of Thorns.

Dear Lord, I am grieved when I consider Your sad condition when You wore the Crown of Thorns upon Your Holy Head.

I desire to withdraw the thorns by offering to the Eternal Father the merits of Your Wounds for the salvation of sinners. I wish to unite my actions to the merits of Your Most Holy Crown, so that they may gain many merits, as You have promised. Amen.

I was looking though Pinterest to find an image to go with this post and there are many deep and beautiful images of Our Dear Lord crowned with thorns.  But then, some are so very realistic and striking.  But what really inspired this blog post was a related pin.  Among all of the bloody, anguished pictures of Jesus suffering, was an image of the sweet, innocent, and pure Christ Child.  Words can't describe what contemplation brings to my mind, so I'd just like to share some of my favorite beautiful images side-by-side.

 He loves you so much that he was whipped and crowned, suffered and died for love of you.  Let us try to endure our comparatively small pains and trials with love in return.  I pray you all have a blessed Lent.  Let us contemplate the love and suffering of Our Good Jesus this holy season.

God bless you!

Today, I Choose...

I decided to cross post this from my other blog...

Today, I choose to be good. 

I choose to be kind.

I choose to love.

I choose to strive for Heaven.

Every day we must make this choice.

It is not an easy choice.

We may make mistakes.

We may fall into sin.

But each day, each hour, each moment, we must start anew and choose to follow Jesus.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." ~Matthew 16:24 DRB

This will not be easy.  It will not always be fun.  But this is what Our Lord has called us to do each and every day.  Let us start each and every day, especially in this new year, with our morning offering.  Let us make Jesus our first thought in the morning.  Remember, that today is a totally new day.  We can choose this day to start fresh and avoid sin.  

The Morning Offering

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of our Holy Father. Amen.

This doesn't mean we will be perfect each day we choose to be good.  It doesn't mean all of our day will be without sin or sorrow.  But this is just a way to help us strive for perfection.  We must make an active effort to follow Jesus.  If we make mistakes, we must turn to Him with a contrite heart, confess our sins, and start again.  Jesus will help us.  We are a fallen race and so are attracted towards sin.  But with the Grace of God, we can strive to rise above our human nature and strive to reach the divine.

Today, choose to follow Jesus!