Abbey-Roads2

Emulating religious models.

Carmelites always greet visitors at the turn with the exclamation, “Praised be Jesus Christ!” - the reply should be, “Now and forever!”  It’s a beautiful custom, other religious orders have similar greetings signifying the presence of God.  Yesterday, when Mother Marie called me, she didn’t use the normal conventual greeting, she simply said, “Hello, Terry, this is…”  However, if I were to call the monastery, the nuns will answer the phone, “Carmelite monastery, praised be Jesus Christ!”  Whenever I answer my phone I usually say, “This is Terry” - a business habit I haven’t gotten over.  (With caller ID I can also answer more obnoxiously if I’m in the mood.)  However, I like it when the nuns use the Carmelite greeting, but I don’t mind when they don’t either.

When my friend David and I first became ’close’ to the Carmelites - we began to greet people similarly.  In the first place - we had been genuinely impressed with how faith-based the greeting is, and how it could be a sort of witness to outsiders.  There was also an element of spiritual pride in it - we were letting people know we were ‘in the know’ spiritually, and pretty darn close to those holy Carmelites.  In the end, I think we thought it rather pretentious on our part to answer the phone and greet people that way.  So instead - we would only do it for fun, mimicking the tone of voice that characterized the nuns - it was fun to do with the seminarians.  (I can still do it.  LOL!)

Impersonations.

It happens with visitors to monasteries all of the time.  In Church, I often could recognize recent visitors to New Melleray by the fact that they would bow rather than genuflect when reverencing the Blessed Sacrament, or make a simple sign of the cross at the Gospel rather than the 3 little ones we all make.  It isn’t a bad thing, but it can be a way to “singularize” oneself - to use a monastic expression. 

However, some people can be kind of ostentatious about stuff like that - although I’m sure their intentions are good.  Frequently, families with children in orders such as Carmel adopt the same conventual customs in their daily lives.  It is amazing how much more spiritual and devout families of cloistered religious become just because their child has entered a fervent community.  It is often a beautiful witness to the vocation itself, and no doubt genuine.  (Although I wonder what their less religious friends and relatives think when they answer the phone, “Praised be Jesus Christ!”)

Your ’holier than thou’ is showing.

I remember years ago, thanking a holy lay-brother who had done a favor for me with the Carmelite, “God reward you!” - That is often what the nuns say whenever they are thanking someone.  The lay-brother knew I was thanking him, and I’m sure he knew I was trying to sound ‘holy’, yet without batting an eye he smiled and looked up to heaven and replied, “He already has!”  I was kind of embarrassed because I felt my reply was rather pretentious, yet Br. George seemed to take no notice or offense, and by his answer demonstrated something much more authentic.

There is such a big difference between sounding holy or religious - using pious platitudes and expressions - than there is in actually being holy.  Normally, I think it is better just to use ordinary expressions of politeness and leave conventual customs to the religious.

God reward you!

Duh!  Joined with contraception, that was part of the plan of Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood.  It’s called ‘eugenics’.  This news comes as a surprise?

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, August 24, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Dr. Alveda King, the niece of legendary human rights campaigner, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., told a meeting of Priests for Life, that the killing of a quarter of the black population of the US has not been from the lynch mobs of her childhood days, but from abortionists, “who plant their killing centres in minority neighbourhoods and prey upon women who think they have no hope.

“The great irony,” she said, “is that abortion has done what the Klan only dreamed of.” - LifeSiteNews

And yet today, Margaret Sanger is considered an American hero.  Go figure.

[Photo credit: Truth About Margaret Sanger Blog.]
 

+ Mother Paula of the Eucharist, OCD +

Today, the feast of the Transverberation of St. Teresa, another holy Carmelite nun died.  This morning at 3AM, my little Mother Paula of the Eucharist died with the community assembled around her bed. Mother had suffered for a long time, and due to severe osteoporosis, her bones would easily break when she was moved.  Mother had been in the infirmary of the monastery for several years.  She had been an exemplary Carmelite for six decades, from 1947 until now.  In fact, she was one of the foundresses of the Carmel of Our Lady of Divine Providence at Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

When I entered monastic life, I had asked the prioress if I could have one of the nuns to be my spiritual sister, to which she agreed - after much prayer.  (Carmelites don’t do that too frequently.)  Mother Paula consented to be my spiritual sister and remained so after I left monastic life.  I am fortunate to have her very good counsel in several of her letters, although our communications were relatively rare.  Mother was the model of prudence and discretion; at the turn our conversations were short, as on the phone, and her letters were infrequent and concise - which is as it should be for a Carmelite.

Mother Paula is the holy Carmelite I often quote from a letter she wrote to me, “A saint is a sinner who keeps trying.”

It is difficult to feel anything but compunction, along with a very peaceful, quiet joy at the news of my Sister’s death.  I thank God for her beautiful life. 

[When Mother Marie called to tell me that Mother had died, I was a bit confused and humbled, so I  can only say I think she told me that Mother's visitation is from 6:30 to 8PM Monday, and her funeral Mass is at 9AM on Tuesday morning.]

Don Marco and Elena beat me to it, but today is the memorial of the death of Bl. Mary of Jesus Crucified, the Carmelite ecstatic.  Her spiritual life reads like a mystical Disneyland in comparison with the recent revelations of the interior life of  Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, yet the differences illustrate the many facets of Christian mysticism, as well as the individual’s mission and participation in the mystery of Christ.

Today is also the feast of the Transverberation of the Heart of St. Teresa of Avila.  It commemorates the event when the Angel pierced her heart with a flaming arrow, thus increasing the fire of divine love in her heart.  There is no other such feast in the Church’s calendar save that of the Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi.

Today is also the 30th wedding anniversary of my Bruderhoff brother and sister, David and Stephanie.  I wish them every grace and blessing and much love.  

Then who can be saved? 

The Gospel is rather sobering today.  The disciples ask, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”  He answers, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, I tell you, many will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”  Then he goes on to describe - maybe many of us; the ones who in the end are locked out, those of us who imagine that we are always in his company, eating and drinking with him at Mass, listening to him in the preaching and teaching we hear throughout our lives, attending to him  in our prayers, and spreading his teaching through our advocacy groups, peace demonstrations, even our websites, etc., and so on… and so on.

Now days, when anyone dies and has a Catholic funeral, the deceased are always talked about as being finally at rest, in heaven with the Lord.  As if everyone is automatically saved and goes straight to heaven.  In the same way, some priests oppose the correct English translation in the words of consecration, which currently is recited thus, “…It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.”  In the Latin, the prayer says, “for many” instead of “for all”.   Nevertheless, bishops and liturgists have big arguments over this point - as if all people are saved.  Though our Lord offers salvation to all, not everyone accepts it.

Many of us, self included, can at times become rather smug about our salvation - especially when we have the measuring lines of orthodoxy.  Likewise, peace and justice activists, as well as  ’dissenters’ are just as convinced of the nobility of their cause and good intentions.  Nevertheless, I keep thinking of John of the Cross in his passionate admonition: “O, if souls only knew the denial the Lord wishes of them!”

I guess all any of us can do is keep on trying and trust in the Lord’s mercy… 

Not giving what is holy to dogs.

The recent news of the Legion of Christ’s lawsuit against ReGain network made me aware of how we as Catholics need to be more discerning when it comes to spiritual matters.  “Wise as serpents, guiless as doves.”  While reading about Mother Teresa’s ‘pure’ spirit of prayer - its nothingness - I felt somewhat convicted as regards my own spiritual gluttony and attachment to spiritual delights, insights, as well as personal devotions and satisfactions.  Considering my imperfection, my reflections led me to consider various aspects of the spiritual life; that is, the ease by which one may be deceived, along with the great need one has for discernment, as well as good catechetical and spiritual instruction.

Just as our Lord cautions us not to cast our ‘pearls before swine’, or to ‘give what is holy to dogs’,  sometimes we ourselves in our desire to advance in the spiritual life, act like dogs who lick up every scrap of  food that falls in our path.  In other words, as in the case of those people who tune in to every would-be mystic and charismatic-holy-man or visionary; in their fervor, these people sometimes indiscriminately ‘eat up’ every spiritual morsel they receive.

Direct line to God.

For years now, especially since the events at Medjugorje began, there have been increasing numbers of locutionists throughout the world relating messages from heaven.  Sometimes it seems as if every neighborhood parish has one.  Many of the followers of these people claim the veracity of these messages lies in the similarities to what other visionaries claim to have received and announced.  Oftentimes the revelations are vague encouragements to deeper prayer and fasting.  At other times they are comprised of generalizations concerning the crises of faith and the breakdown of morals, warning of the just punishments the world deserves.  However, most of this stuff can usually be discerned through natural knowledge - if one is so inclined.  In some cases, locutions can simply be unconscious restatements of things learned through mystical writings one either read or heard about in one’s past.

For instance, in the approved apparitions of Akita, the message sounds strangely similar to the spurious “secret” of LaSalette, foretelling a grave disruption within the Church, “bishop against bishop, cardinal against cardinal” and so on.  I’m not saying that proves or disproves anything, but I am suggesting that natural knowledge can influence and enter into supposed supernatural locutions.  (Since the apparitions of Akita are approved, a person may piously believe the events to be authentic.  Having said that, the Church does not require the faithful to believe in private revelations or visions.)

Listen to the Church.

A famous locutionist Fr. Gobbi, claimed to have experienced numerous communications from the Virgin, and a whole movement of followers was almost immediately created.  I believe the Vatican said (officially or not officially, I’m not sure) that the locutions were derived from his own personal meditations.  That is not to say they were not necessarily inspired however.  When the intellect is recollected, guided  and united with the truth, the Holy Spirit who is truth, corresponds with these discursive thoughts and lights.  St John tells us, “This is one of the Holy Spirit’s methods of teaching.”    (John of the Cross covers this subject in the Ascent, Book II, Chapter 29.)

Locally. 

Not a few so-called mystics hold weekly prayer meetings and relate what the Blessed Virgin or some saint has told them, similar to the repetitive apparitions at Medjugorje.  For instance, as regards a case in my area, the local Bishop has forbidden these meetings to take place on Church property.  Elsewhere, local Bishops have declared that various seers’  messages in their diocese are not supernatural.  This ought to be a sign for all to be cautious in attributing great importance to these people, places and events.

Oftentimes devotees of these revelations claim that they experience an increase in fervor and devotion, and some renewal of faith, therefore, as they insist, the deception of the evil spirit cannot be at work.  I believe in some sense they have already been deceived, since they fail in the first measure through a lack of humility, and the obedience they owe to their Bishop.  It seems to me that in this they subtly open themselves to the original sin of Lucifer, who refused to obey God.  (Even a local Ordinary, albeit in good faith, can be mistaken in declaring an apparition to be false; nevertheless, the faithful are bound to obey his directives.)

Deception

As for the recipients of some of these private revelations, they can easily be decieved, either through their own natural intellect, or the suggestions of the devil.  In turn, their spiritual director can unintentionally be deceived by the seer as well.  (I know of a couple of cases wherein the spiritual director was convinced the person in their charge was possessed, and it turned out not to be the case.  This can happen in the reverse as well.)  Simply because a well known priest happens to be a seer’s confessor or director, I do not think this is an infallible guarantee the messages are supernatural, especially if the priest is already predisposed to accept such experiences as authentic.

Hearing voices.

The trouble with locutions, just as with visions, consolations and other spiritual favors, is that one can easily be deceived in them.  The devil can easily stick in his two cents, as it were, and the end result is confusion at best, while in some instances of a public nature, a cult or parallel church may begin to form.  (Which is why yesterday I was so edified by the spiritual life of Bl. Mother Teresa.  Just as St. Therese, her spiritual life was a life of pure faith, exercised in charity.  Therese of Lisieux used to say, “I prefer not to see.”  And she may have well said “or hear”.  Her greatest spiritual  insights often came when she was engaged in manual labor and the exercises of charity, which in community are often monotonous and tediously annoying.  But I digress.)

The other thing we often forget is that our natural intellect plays a major role in our prayer life as well - depending upon our education, formal or informal, it can play too great a part at times.   We all carry on an interior conversation with ourselves in the way we process our thoughts.  Likewise, natural deduction and intuition  plays a role in our ability to assess situations, and process information.  Again, the Holy Spirit teaches and influences us in through these means.  Just as He does in our imagination.  When Joan of Arc was told her visions were her imagination, she said ”Of course!”  Meaning that this was the faculty God used to transmit His messages to her.

Vanity and spiritual pride.

However, sometimes certain persons can get to be ”too spiritual” - to use a John of the Cross phrase.  They read a lot, pray a lot - virtually eat and sleep religion - and can become convinced that everything they imagine or think about is inspired by God, when in fact it may simply be the exercise of one’s natural faculties actively engaged in discursive prayer.  (Which again, does not preclude the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.)  Nevertheless, in some individuals who may have an inordinate desire for mystical gifts, signs, or wonders, which includes a desire for a direct line to God - that is, to hear messages and the like, this disposition can bring about a sort of morbid attachment or fascination to the supernatural.  Which opens a person to deception and spiritual pride. 

Frequently, these seers or mystics are called upon for spiritual counsel, or to pray over individuals, as if  just because they are supposed to be the recipients of supernatural locutions or visions, they are somehow holier because of it.  In the case of those mystics who have been recognized as saints after death, it must be understood the Church never canonizes anyone for the mystical gifts they experienced in life.  Holiness is always judged upon the practice of heroic virtue and the person’s conformity to God’s will in charity.  Mystical gifts and graces are not guarantees of holiness.

What is important?

This whole chapter in The Ascent of Mt. Carmel (Bk II: 29) is a helpful  one to read, but I’ll highlight a couple passages I think are significant to my point.  St. John writes:

“I greatly fear what is happening in these times of ours:  If any soul whatever after a bit of meditation has in its recollection one of these locutions, it will immediately baptize all as coming from God and with such a supposition say, “God told me,” “God answered me.”  Yet this is not so, but, as we pointed out, these persons themselves are more often the origin of their locution.” - S. John, Bk II; 29, 4

“People should learn to give importance to nothing other than sincere effort, the establishment of their wills in humble love, and suffering in imitation of the life and mortifications of the Son of God…” - 29, 9

Directing our will toward God; “we should carry out His law and holy counsels perfectly - for such is the wisdom of the saints - content with knowing the mysteries and truths in simplicity and verity with which the Church proposes them.  An attitude of this kind is sufficient for a vigorous enkindling of the will; hence we do not have to pry into profundities and curiosities in which danger is seldom lacking.  St. Paul in regard to this conduct states: ‘One ought not to have more knowledge than befits him’. [Rom. 12:3]“ - 29, 12.

So, be wise as serpents and simple as doves.  Blessed Mother Teresa excelled in this too. 

St. Barnabas, August 24.

A warning to Christians:

“Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves; be therefore prudent as the serpents, and guileless as the doves.” - Mathew 10:16 

Blogging will be light for a while here.  I’m taking some days of recollection. 

Crucified with Christ. 

Crucified with Christ. 

Gerald has a post on Closed Cafeteria  with excerpts  from a Time magazine article concerning a new book comprised of Mother’s letters to her spiritual directors.  The book is titled, “Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light“.  I have heard of these letters before - after the process for her beatification was well underway.

In fact, a friend working in Rome with the Missionaries of Charity, involved in the postulation research, sent me copies of some of the documents related to the process.  (I don’t know if this was permitted.)  When I first read the reports concerning the night of faith Blessed Teresa lived through, I was shocked, as were the nuns of her order.  No one, save her confessors and spiritual directors ever imagined her interior suffering.  Like her namesake, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Mother lived in complete aridity and spiritual abandonment - yet no one knew.

I believe St. Jane Frances De Chantal may also have experienced a similarly extensive night of the spirit, as did St. Vincent de Paul; however no one, save for Blessed Mother Teresa seems to have lived through these torments for as long as St. Paul of the Cross - 45 years! Garrigou-Lagrange refers to these nights as reparatory.  Hence the heroic charity of Blessed Mother Teresa - actively exercised in the apostolate - is so much the more magnified by the extraordinary fact that she lived in complete spiritual desolation - as if without faith.  It is as if her entire life was experientially  ”crucified with Christ”.  No wonder she understood so clearly the, “I thirst” Jesus uttered in darkest agony upon the cross!

This annihilation commenced when she set out to work in the streets of Calcutta, and lasted the duration of her life, save for a 5 week respite.  Here is a prayer she recited:

Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love — and now become as the most hated one — the one — You have thrown away as unwanted — unloved. I call, I cling, I want — and there is no One to answer — no One on Whom I can cling — no, No One. — Alone … Where is my Faith — even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness — My God — how painful is this unknown pain — I have no Faith — I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart — & make me suffer untold agony.

So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them — because of the blasphemy — If there be God — please forgive me — When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven — there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. — I am told God loves me — and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart?
— addressed to Jesus, at the suggestion of a confessor, undated.

I’m so ashamed of my own faithless, self-indulgent, vain-glorious, selfish life.  So ashamed.  I’ll be off-line for awhile.

I believe Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta must be the greatest saint of modern times.

Holy Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.