The Joys and Challenges of a Solitary Life

[Therese]

We must remain dead to the world and the world must remain dead to us.  God must be our all.  We must do each and everything for God and nothing for ourselves, loving Him, honoring and glorifying Him, with each and every thought, word, deed, and desire we have.  We must conquer self-love once and for all and wholly eliminate it in ourselves.

[whiterockdove]

Here is part of "Alma buscarte has en mi"   which is a lovely poem by St Theresa of Avila
Check back, I will post the rest of it tonight or tomorrow.


Soul, you must seek yourself in me
And in yourself must seek for me.

Such is the power of love's impress
Oh soul to engrave you upon my heart,
That any craftsman must confess
He could never have the same success
No matter how superlative his art.

It was by love that you were made
Lovely and beautiful to be;
So if by chance, you should have strayed,
Upon my heart you are portrayed.
Soul you must seek yourself in me.

In her " Interior Castle" this poem refers to
When Jesus was praying for his apostles,
  "That they might be made one with The Father and with Himself."

Nice words to contemplate 

[Shin]

How beautiful to contemplate!

Thank you whiterockdove!

[Therese]

"And in yourself must seek for me."  Why must people look for God everywhere else but within themselves, where the Holy Ghost is indwelling?  Why should I complain if I can not be in a chapel person?  I need only to do God's Will and remain in a state of grace, that's all.

[whiterockdove]

Therese, you long to be in the presence of our Lord, I will pray that someday you will be able to
Sit with Him as much as you like.   It just may happen so don't give up praying, Therese!

I think that's nice that you want to be in the chapel.  When we go to Kansas City for doctor appointments,
There is always one lady in particular in the adoration chapel.  i have never spoken to her, but I'm always so glad
To be there with her; the both of us spending time with The Lord.  There is an independent living apartment complex
Attached to the cathedral. She may live there and if she does, she us certainly blessed to be within walking distance of
The Tabernacle.

[whiterockdove]

Here is the rest of "Alma, buscarte has en mi" by St. Theresa of Avila.

I apologize for the interruption; typing with one finger on my little browsers makes me cross-eyed after not too long.

For well I know that you will see
Yourself engraved upon my breast-
An image vividly impressed-
Then you will rejoice to be
So safely lodged, so highly blest.

And if by chance, you do not know,
Where to go in quest of me,
Do not go far my face to see,
Searching everywhere, high and low,
But in yourself must seek for me.

For, soul, in you I am confined,
You are my dwelling and my home;
And if one day I chance to find
Fast-closed the portals of your mind
I ask for entrance when I come.

Oh, do not seek me far away,
For, if you would attain to me
You only need my name to say
And I'll be there without delay.
Look in yourself to seek for me.

[Therese]

Dear Whiterockdove,

This lovely poem confirms that I need only look inside myself to find our Lord and to be with Him.  And if I say but His name He is with me--I needn't be in a chapel to be with our Lord, for His Spirit dwells within me.  What I need is simply to remain in a state of grace, to love God within my soul and to do what pleases Him.  Thank you so much for posting this beautiful poem!

Yours in Jesus and Mary,
Therese

[whiterockdove]

Your welcome! I will still pray for you and I think Jesus is very happy
That you want so badly to be always adoring him! 
   They say St. Therese, The Little Flower  would kick and scream as a little child when she had to leave The Adoration Chapel!

 

[Therese]

Your welcome! I will still pray for you and I think Jesus is very happy
That you want so badly to be always adoring him! 
   They say St. Therese, The Little Flower  would kick and scream as a little child when she had to leave The Adoration Chapel!

 

Thank you for your prayers, Whiterockdove.  I never heard that about little Therese.  But I understand how people can really hate to leave chapels where God dwells.  When it is time for me to leave chapel I must remember that our Lord dwells within me spiritually, and that I take Him with me wherever I go; then leaving won't be so bad.  God bless you!

[Shin]

'He who bears God in his heart, carries his paradise with him everywhere.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

[Therese]

You only need my name to say
And I'll be there without delay.
Look in yourself to seek for me.

Yes!

[whiterockdove]

The Eremitic Life

 920 Without always professing the three evangelical counsels publicly,
hermits "devote their life to the praise of God and salvation of the world
through a stricter separation from the world, the silence of solitude
and assiduous prayer." 460

-The Catechism of The Catholic Church

[whiterockdove]

The Eremitic Life  ( cont.)

921. They manifest to everyone the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church, that is,
personal intimacy with Christ. Hidden from the eyes of men, the life of the hermit is
a silent preaching of The Lord, to whom he has surrendered his life, simply because
he is everything to him. Here is a particular call to find in the desert, in the thick of spiritual
battle, the glory of the Crucified One.

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church

[Shin]

I would like to find an anchorite rule if ever I could, now that would be a very interesting book.

[whiterockdove]

Yes, it would!  I am reading about an interesting variation of hermits called poustiniks.
They were common in Russia years ago and as with anchorites, a town considered itself very blessed to have a resident poustinik.
The unique thing about this vocation was that they were to be available for any number of services in the community doing odd jobs.
I wonder how they had time to pray!  Anyhow, just starting to read on this topic.

[Therese]

Yes, it would!  I am reading about an interesting variation of hermits called poustiniks.
They were common in Russia years ago and as with anchorites, a town considered itself very blessed to have a resident poustinik.
The unique thing about this vocation was that they were to be available for any number of services in the community doing odd jobs.
I wonder how they had time to pray!  Anyhow, just starting to read on this topic.

Hermits pray as they work, making ejaculations and saying vocal prayers in their hearts, singing psalms and hymns, keeping recollected in God, practicing His presence, etc..  They do not separate work from prayer and neither should we, for we can always pray ejaculations and have our heart fixed on God and set on pleasing Him no matter what we are doing, which is a prayer in itself.  Even when we are doing something like hard bookkeeping, which takes all our concentration, we can mix in some ejaculations in our work and do our work for the greater glory of God.  God bless you.