Abbey-Roads2

The degrees of humility according to St. Anselm:

I. To acknowledge ourselves contemptible.

II. To grieve on account of this.

III. To admit that we are so.

IV. To desire our neighbor to believe it.

V. Patiently to endure people’s saying it.

VI. Willingly to be treated as a person worthy of contempt.

VII. To love to be treated in this fashion. - Taken from “The Three Ages of the Interior Life.”

(And yet I tell people to mind their own business when correcting me!  I have a long way to go before attaining humility.)

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Sabeth

I’m reading Blessed Elizabeth as well.  One of the troubles I have reading sainted Carmelite nun’s writings is that they are sometimes so ‘romantic.’  (Some people say ‘flowery.’  They are ‘girls’ though, so what do I expect?  By the time I get to Teresa of the Andes, I’ve had it however.)

Anyway, I like Elizabeth in her essential writings.  Sometimes quotes from her are just enough.  Here are some:

After confession one day:

“I see myself as though all reddened with the Blood of our Lord.”  (I had the same thought the other day at 3PM when praying the Divine Mercy prayers, I imagined myself covered in the Blood of Jesus, and it was warm.)

In a reference to her being conscientious in her duties, it is recorded she said this:

“You see how that Sister has worn out her habit in a short time?  She does not take care of it: that is not good; would you please tell our Mother this so that she will be told to take better care of it?”  (That statement is one reason I’m unfit for religious life, I would have told her, “Why don’t you mind your own business?”  There is nothing edifying in this comment at all.  When I was with a group of Franciscan friars in Italy, a French novice commented to me as I was going in for the night office, “It would be better if you tucked your shirt in.”  I replied, “It would be better if you minded your own business.”  See - I don’t do well in community.)

On suicide:

“I suffered so much last night that I was tempted to throw myself out the window; but I said to myself: that is not how a Carmelite ought to suffer.”

“My Mother, are you tranquil, leaving me alone like this?  I am suffering so much that I now understand suicide.  but do not worry; God is there, and He is watching over me.”

Like Therese, she also suffered spiritual darkness:

“Oh, my Mother, it is like believing that there is no God!”

Then again:

“If souls but knew how to wait for God.”  (Now that is the gem of the day.)

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Spencer Tunick’s work (photos of naked people in public squares) also reminds me of the photos the Nazi’s took of the extermination of Jews, and others, during WWII.  There is no connection - his work just reminded me of this.

Last night, I viewed the tail end of a program on PBS concerning the Inquisition - how Conversos in Spain were burned at the stake for continuing to adhere to Jewish customs.

And yet, the hate continues - and self- assured people seek to justify themselves.

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“Nobody will be lost unknowingly.” Our Lord’s words to Teresa of Avila.  She was undergoing fears as to whether or not she was in the state of grace.  (I’ve been told that we can’t really know for sure, we can hope, but we can’t really know for sure…Teresa must have been told this as well.)

Jesus said, “Daughter, light is very different from darkness.  I am faithful.  Nobody will be lost unknowingly.”

But listen to this!

Last week I discussed the graces of contemplative prayer, in this same passage from Teresa’s writings, taken from Magnificat, Our Lord explains the nature of union:

“Don’t think. daughter, that union lies in being very close to me.  For those, too, who offend me are close, although they may not want to be.”  (Did ya get that?)

“Neither does it consist in favors and consolations in prayer, even though these may reach a very sublime degree.  Though these favors may come from me, they are often a means for winning souls that are not in a state of grace.”  - Teresa of Avila

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