With all the confusion and complications in this world we can enter into contemplation with the last retreat given by Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. http://www.discerninghearts.com/cat...zabeth-of-the-trinity-with-dr-anthony-lilles/
Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity - another exemplar of living in the Divine Will. Blessed Elizabeth, pray for us!
Mystic, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, was canonized a saint today. Here is a saint we can learn from. French mystic nun Elizabeth Catez, known as Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity, died in 1906 at the age of 26 from a rare adrenal gland disorder for which there was then no cure.
I am delighted she was canonised, another great saint from Normandy. One thing she said has always stuck in my mind and I love to reflect on. She said refering to scripture that each of us not only has an Earthly name but a heavenly name which shall be revealed to us in heaven and which indicates who we realy are spiritually. Revelation 2:17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. God revealed to St Elizabeth her own hidden name from a piece of Scripture. Her own name is, 'In praise of His glory' Ephesians 1:12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. This reminds me os much of the North American native peoples who made such strenous efforts to uncover their, 'Real name'. In other words the anem which most suited their spirits. Such as 'Running bear' Sleeping foz and so on. It seems so beautiful. St Elizabeth pulled back the mysitcal curtain on our real names on this for me. I love this. Kinda a pity though , in all her pictures you never see her smile, even as a child. I wonder why?
Another Exemplar of the New and Divine holiness raised to Sainthood! On August 2, 1902, Elizabeth was asked, "What name would you like in Heaven?" "The Will of God." she replied. "What is your motto?" she was asked. "God in me and I in Him." she answered. "A Praise of Glory is a being who is ever in thanksgiving ... in the heaven of her soul the Praise of Glory already begins the office which will be hers in eternity ... ever singing, ever adoring. She has, so to speak, gone forth from herself and become absorbed in praise and love, in her passion for the Glory of her God." Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, pray for us!
I've decided to follow through on the retreat from the Discerning Hearts website. Though the framework of the retreat depends heavily on the commentary of Dr. Anthony Lilles, the Scriptural references that St. Elizabeth makes are true gems. Philippians 3: 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. The thought of sharing in Christ's sufferings is scary for me. One of the fears that surfaces in my dreams is that of experiencing an accident that renders me a quadriplegic, of being trapped in my body. But maybe I should begin with just my day-to-day struggles; embracing sufferings for the sake of the Gospel will lead me ever more deeply to know the mind and heart of Jesus! To know offers the opportunity to more fully love, and to love makes room for the Holy Spirit to work more fruitfully in my life. Praise God that we have the example of St. Elizabeth and others to encourage us on the way. Song of Songs 2:4 He brought me into the cellar of wine, he set in order charity in me. Yes, maybe to be intoxicated with the love of Christ requires me to suffer with Him? Perhaps His love is the only thing in which I'm allowed to overindulge! Mary, guide me through the next 28 days! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
Padraig, Remember, she died in 1906. People posing for pictures back then didn't really smile with a grin. Exposures took so long and you had to hold your position for a long time. It was nothing like the selfies of today! Safe in the Father's Arms!
Funny thing is, St. Elizabeth, as well as so many other mystics who spoke thus, is what we are called towards and all will be one day when we understand the mysteries of heaven, either here on earth or when we enter the beatific vision. Why then is so little attention given to these great saints and mystics who understood the solemnity of God better than all others? So little discussion, even on the MOG forum, on such beauty. Yet it seems the human nature is more at ease in discussions of politics within the Church and society. But it has always been that way. This is why Jesus taught us to pray for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. One day it will!! I long for this day when we can discuss the beauty of our faith with our family, neighbor and friends without being outshouted with sports, politics, gossip, TV, cell phones, Facebook etc... This is what saints like St. Elizabeth and many others speak of and this is what heaven will be like too.
We have so many magnificent saints, like St Elizabeth [who died in 1906] , but who were even then, enclosed in the Divine will of God, fully engaged in living Our Lord’s Prayer. She is certainly, a Saint for our times. St Elizabeth of the Trinity, Pray for us.
Day 2: It appears that St. Elizabeth views our souls in prayer as out-of-tune instruments, irritated by the distractions and wounds of our hearts. I wish I knew how to spell this word of great importance (pronounced "neshe' ve"); it embraces the reality of knowing and being centered on nothing but Jesus. For me this is difficult in prayer, but Paul expresses it beautifully in Philippians: 3:8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... Elizabeth says that learning to rest in this neshe' ve cultivates the grace to remain focused on Christ when tempted by irritations. I know I'm not there, for yesterday I raised my voice at Geralyn because what she said brought to the surface a wound in my heart and I latched onto the anger! But Elizabeth encourages us to persevere that we may become more recollected in prayer and experience it's fruits: neshe' ve. And John of the Cross states that entering into what St. Elizabeth would later describe as the "fortress of Holy Recollection" would heal the wounds of our souls. But certainly St. Elizabeth still had room to grow, for the commentator mentions that this last retreat given by her was conducted while struggling with the suffering of her fatal disease. Apparently she indicated to Mother Superior that she fought to resist the temptation to jump out the window to end the pain! May all of us learn to enter into "fortress of Holy Recollection" because Jesus promised her that He would guard it with holy jealousy! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
Day 3: I don't believe I'll keep commenting on everyday of the retreat. I don't have the depth of prayer experience that Padraig does, but I am grateful for the insights of St. Elizabeth, and the help of Dr. Lilles to expand on those insights. St. Elizabeth has a beautiful grasp of the Catholic understanding of Predestination which focuses on the plan of God: Eph 1:3-5a: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him 5 in love. God has predetermined in his plan that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. This heavenly plan begins here in our life on earth in the depths of our soul so that we might become the praise of His Glory. Using Isaiah in an allegorical sense, Elizabeth says this is the promise of God: Is 42:16 16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them. The key is to place ourselves before the Lord in a prayer of recollection so that God will work this transformation in us. Yes, in life we must train ourselves in virtue, but success is accomplished by means of a transformed soul through a simple gaze upon God in silence. This quote from St. Iranaeus was mentioned, "The life of man is the vision of God." 2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. St. Elizabeth says that in this vulnerability before the Lord the attributes of God are communicated to our souls! We are vulnerable because we must wait upon Him to accomplish it; it is not something we do. As Jesus transforms me, I can more and more live out His attributes in even the most simple tasks of daily life. Sounds easy. Jesus, I trust in You! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
Day 5 & Day 7: St Elizabeth continually refers to the Book of Revelation and similar parts of the Psalms because she loves to stress the analogy between the glory of God in Heaven and the glory of the indwelling Triune God in our souls (our personal heaven). She is convinced that for each one of us, heaven begins in our souls on earth to sanctify our daily actions, and continues to grow and magnify God in Heaven. The purpose of both the heaven here and the future Heaven is for us to be the praise of His Glory. Both are possible through the Lamb who was crucified, giving Himself up for us out of love. So to be the praise of His Glory here on earth, we must allow our souls to be "crucified" out of love for Him. Consider the great multitude in heaven: Rev 7:13-14 ... "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?" 14 ..."These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. As they, in the midst of tribulation, triumphed by being washed in the blood of the Lamb, so we can praise the Glory of God in the midst of earthly tribulations (both exterior and interior) through the blood of the Lamb. Similarly, Elizabeth attaches a mystical reference to the day and night mentioned in Psalm 19: Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; 4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. The day corresponds to our blessings, while the night relates to our crosses. Both declare the Glory of God. To come to embrace this truth without reservation requires the work of God in our souls. This also includes the grace of Holy Mass! Ps 116: 12 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord. She exhorts us join our blood (crosses) to the Blood of Christ being offered in the cup of salvation to the Father; then our crosses can truly give God praise. This points back to her love for St. Paul where he says in Philippians 3:10 ...[I want] to share in his sufferings by being conformed to his death. _____________________________________________ On the surface this literally scares me and boggles my mind. But then in another sense it rings true. Unless I embrace the crosses God permits as freely as I rejoice in His blessings, I cannot fully be the praise of His Glory. Both are encompassed in the Divine Will. This takes us back to post # 12: Elizabeth encourages us to persevere that we may become more recollected in prayer and experience it's fruits: neshe've. And John of the Cross states that entering into what St. Elizabeth would later describe as the "fortress of Holy Recollection" would heal the wounds of our souls. It is only as this healing takes place in our souls and we experience neshe've that the love of Jesus strengths us to embrace the Cross without reservation, and experience complete joy. Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
Day 8 & 9: Our father in faith is Abraham. God entered into a personal relationship with Abram and journeyed with him: Walk before me and be blameless (Gn 17:1) As children of the Father we walk on this same pathway of faith, to be not only in union with God, but also communion with one another. In the heavenly realm, the elders cast down their crowns in the midst of adoration: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" In our personal prayer this adoration, this ecstasy of love, draws us ever more deeply into a profound silence where we cast before the Lord all that is in us. Here my broken and wounded heart awaits the Word of God to come heal me. It is a pathway of faith, of trusting love. Jesus calls us to take up our cross, and Paul exhorts us to: Col 3:9b-10 Strip off the old man with his deeds and put on the new, one that is being renewed unto perfect knowledge, according to the image of his Creator! Or as John instructs: 1John 3: 2 Beloved, now we are the children of God; it has not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him just as he is. 3 And every one who has this hope in him makes himself holy, just as he also is holy. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity stresses that it is in this pathway of faith in prayer, that the obstacles that impede us from loving God and one another are stripped away. Even circumstances and obstacles in those we bear in our heart can be removed! I love that last point because she sees the gaze of silence as a type of intercessory prayer, also. The pattern: Jesus- relationship of faith in Him- prayer of adoration into silence- purifying work of Holy Spirit- fruit of a life of love lived for others. We thus become the praise of God's Glory! The heaven of our heart and the eternal Heaven are united! Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity stresses that it is in this pathway of faith in prayer, that the obstacles that impede us from loving God and one another are stripped away. Even circumstances and obstacles in those we bear in our heart can be removed! I love that last point because she sees the gaze of silence as a type of intercessory prayer, also. Another quick thought concerning the gaze of silence being a form of intercessory prayer: it is akin to my Consecration to Mary and entrusting to her all the people I love. Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
It is a pathway of faith, of trusting love. Very beautiful. Thank you Mario and Sam. When faith is stripped of its knowing and Love is stripped of its feeling they become a beautiful act of total dependence on God!
Day 10: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity says each of us must forfeit everything (detachment) for God's sake, so as to adore in the eternal now... Mt 5:48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Ps 45:10 Hear, O daughter, consider, and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house; 11 and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him; Elizabeth uses Ps 45 to paint the picture of a maiden leaving the familiar surroundings of family life to be wed to the king. She applies this to our seeking in Holy Recollection the solitude and love of the Father. She states that everything in us must be forfeited: desires, fears, joys, and sorrows (especially for loved ones). When these four are in the driver's seat during our daily lives, then we are like leaves in the wind, driven by our immediate circumstances, in search of peace and quiet. When we set aside these four distractions and enter into the solitude and eternal presence of the Father in interior recollection (adoration), then we bring forth into our daily lives God's love and peace. Love and peace will rule in the midst of circumstances. Here's the tough truth for me to grasp: loving others in the midst of tasks, rather than accomplishing my tasks, is the goal. As was pointed out in post #13: St. Elizabeth says that in this vulnerability before the Lord, the attributes of God are communicated to our souls! We are vulnerable because we must wait upon Him to accomplish it; it is not something we do. As Jesus transforms me, I can more and more live out His attributes in even the most simple tasks of daily life. Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
