Blessed Elizabeth Archives

BTP2 – El Cielo en la Fe Día 1 Oración 2 por Santa Isabel de la Trinidad – Comenzando a orar con el Dr. Anthony Lilles – Podcast Corazones Discernientes

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Episodio 2 – El Cielo en la Fe Día 1 Oración 2 por Santa Isabel de la Trinidad – Comenzando a orar con el Dr. Anthony Lilles – Podcast Corazones Discernientes

Este episodio con el Dr. Anthony Lillis y Kris McGregor se centra en las reflexiones espirituales de Santa Isabel de la Trinidad, concretamente en su retiro “El Cielo en la Fe” y su aplicación a la vida de oración. El debate se centra en la integración de la vida cotidiana con la oración constante, inspirada en la segunda oración del primer día del retiro. Esta oración, profundamente arraigada en los escritos de Santa Isabel, hace hincapié en la llamada a «permanecer en mí» expresada por Jesús, abogando por una morada perpetua y habitual en la presencia de Dios.

Las reflexiones de Santa Isabel, exploradas por la Dra. Lillis, subrayan la importancia de incorporar temas de meditación a lo largo del día, una práctica que se alinea con los ejercicios espirituales desarrollados por San Ignacio de Loyola. Este método de reflexión, que incluye oraciones matutinas y vespertinas seguidas de meditación, tiene como objetivo fomentar una comunión más profunda con el amor transformador de Cristo. Los escritos de Isabel sirven de guía para que su hermana y otros creyentes interioricen las enseñanzas divinas y las apliquen a sus vidas, cultivando así una conciencia continua de la presencia de Dios.

El Dr. Lillis desarrolla la profunda comprensión de Isabel del “Permanecer” en Dios, que no se limita a momentos fugaces, sino que se extiende a un estado permanente y habitual de estar con Dios en todos los aspectos de la vida. Este enfoque tiene sus raíces en las experiencias personales de Isabel de la presencia divina y su contemplación de las Escrituras, en particular su meditación sobre la simple pero profunda línea de las Escrituras, “permanece en mí”. Las enseñanzas de Elizabeth abogan por una vida en la que cada acción y relación esté impregnada de la conciencia de Dios, animando a los creyentes a mantener la alegría en Su presencia en medio de los desafíos cotidianos.

La conversación también profundiza en los fundamentos teológicos de las ideas de Isabel, destacando la inhabitación de la Trinidad y el viaje transformador que supone reconocer la propia miseria y la nada ante la misericordia de Dios. Los escritos de Isabel revelan un camino hacia la transformación espiritual a través de la aceptación de nuestras debilidades y fracasos, donde los encuentros con la misericordia de Dios conducen a una vida de amor y gracia.

Día 2 – Segunda oración

3. “Permaneced en Mí». Es la Palabra de Dios quien da esta orden, expresa este deseo. Permaneced en Mí, no unos instantes, unas horas que deben pasar, sino «permaneced…” permanentemente, habitualmente, Permaneced en Mí, orad en Mí, adorad en Mí, amad en Mí, sufrid en Mí, trabajad y actuad en Mí. Permanece en Mí para que puedas encontrarte con cualquiera o con cualquier cosa; penetra aún más en estas profundidades. Esta es verdaderamente la «soledad a la que Dios quiere atraer el alma para hablarle», como cantaba el profeta.

4. Para comprender este dicho tan misterioso, no debemos, por así decirlo, detenernos en la superficie, sino adentrarnos cada vez más en el Ser divino por medio del recogimiento. “Sigo mi camino”, exclamó San Pablo; así debemos descender cada día por esta senda del Abismo que es Dios; deslicémonos por esta pendiente en confianza totalmente amorosa.”Abismo llama a abismo”.Es allí, en lo más profundo, donde se produce el impacto divino, donde el abismo de nuestra nada se encuentra con el Abismo de la misericordia, con la inmensidad del todo de Dios.Allí encontraremos la fuerza para morir a nosotros mismos y, perdiendo todo vestigio del yo, seremos transformados en amor. . . . “¡Bienaventurados los que mueren en el Señor!

Isabel de la Trinidad. The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity, vol. 1 (featuring a General Introduction and Major Spiritual Writings) (Obra completa de Isabel de la Trinidad) (pp. 94-95).
ICS Publications. Edición Kindle.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Encuentro personal con la presencia de Dios: Reflexiona sobre tus propias experiencias de la presencia de Dios en tu vida.
¿Recuerdas momentos en los que te hayas sentido particularmente cerca de Dios, semejantes a las experiencias de Santa Isabel? ¿Cómo influyen esos momentos en tu deseo de “permanecer en Él” continuamente?
Integración de la oración en la vida cotidiana: Santa Isabel subraya la importancia de permanecer habitualmente en la presencia de Dios, no sólo durante los momentos formales de oración, sino a lo largo de todo el día.
Reflexiona sobre los retos y las oportunidades que se te presentan a la hora de integrar la oración y la conciencia de Dios en tus actividades cotidianas. ¿Cómo puedes hacer que cada acción y relación sea un reflejo de tu comunión orante con Dios?
Encontrar a Dios en la debilidad y la miseria: El podcast analiza el concepto de encontrar la misericordia de Dios en medio del reconocimiento de nuestra propia miseria y debilidad.
Reflexiona sobre cómo el reconocimiento de tus debilidades y fracasos puede ser un camino para experimentar más profundamente la misericordia y el amor de Dios. ¿Cómo cambia esta perspectiva tu forma de entender el crecimiento y la transformación espirituales?
Práctica del recogimiento: Santa Isabel habla del recogimiento como un volver el corazón y la mente a Dios.
Reflexiona sobre la práctica del recogimiento en tu propia vida espiritual. ¿Qué pasos prácticos puedes dar para cultivar esta disciplina, asegurándote de que tu conciencia de Dios impregna todo lo que haces?
Vivir una vida transformada por el amor: El objetivo último de las reflexiones de Santa Isabel es ser transformados en amor por la gracia de Dios.
Reflexiona sobre lo que significa para ti ser “transformado en amor”. ¿Cómo puedes vivir más plenamente esta transformación en tus relaciones, decisiones y acciones?

Nos gustaría dar las gracias a Miriam Gutiérrez por proporcionar “la voz” de Santa Isabel para esta serie.

Para ver otros episodios de la serie, visite la página Corazones Perspicaces del Dr. Anthony Lilles.

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D., ha servido a la Iglesia y ayudado en la formación del clero y los seminaristas desde 1994. Antes de llegar a San Patricio, trabajó en seminarios y casas de formación de la archidiócesis de Denver y la archidiócesis de Los Ángeles. Hijo de un granjero californiano, casado y con hijos adultos jóvenes, es licenciado en Teología por la Universidad Franciscana de Steubenville y posee tanto la licencia eclesiástica como el doctorado en Teología Espiritual por la Universidad Pontificia Santo Tomás de Aquino de Roma (el Angelicum). Experto en los escritos de Santa Isabel de la Trinidad y de los Doctores Carmelitas de la Iglesia, es cofundador del Instituto de Formación Espiritual de Ávila y del Programa de Alta Vocación para vocaciones sacerdotales. También fundó el Centro Juan Pablo II para la Cultura Contemplativa, que organiza simposios, retiros y conferencias. Además de sus publicaciones, tiene un blog en www.beginningtopray.com .

BTP1 El Cielo en la Fe Día 1 Oración 1 por Santa Isabel de la Trinidad – Comenzando a orar con el Dr. Anthony Lilles – Podcast Corazones Discernientes

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Episodio 1 – El Cielo en la Fe Día 1 Oración 1 por Santa Isabel de la Trinidad – Comenzando a orar con el Dr. Anthony Lilles – Podcast Corazones Discernientes

El primer episodio del podcast, presentado por Kris McGregor con el Dr. Anthony Lilles, profundiza en el retiro El cielo en la fe de Santa Isabel de la Trinidad. El Dr. Lilles, experto en espiritualidad carmelita, destaca la importancia de Santa Isabel de la Trinidad, una mística carmelita de Dijon, que hizo hincapié en la oración profunda y en un encuentro transformador con Cristo accesible a todos los católicos. El retiro de Santa Isabel, destinado a su hermana, es una guía para fomentar una relación profunda y personal con Dios a través de la oración, que consiste en reflexiones diarias para la contemplación.

San Juan Pablo II, notablemente influido por Isabel, ejemplifica su amplio impacto, mostrando su papel en la profundización de la vida espiritual de muchos, incluida la suya propia. A pesar de su limitado acceso a la Biblia completa, las reflexiones de Isabel demuestran un profundo compromiso con las Escrituras, semejante a la Lectio Divina, mostrando su profunda comprensión e integración de las Escrituras en sus reflexiones sobre la oración y la comunión con Dios.

La primera reflexión de Elizabeth se centra en el deseo de Jesús de que estemos en comunión con Él y con el Padre, destacando el aspecto personal y relacional de la oración. Elizabeth explica que experimentar el cielo, o vivir en comunión con Dios, no se limita al más allá, sino que comienza en el presente a través de la fe y la oración. Insiste en la llamada universal a la santidad, afirmando que todos los cristianos, independientemente de las circunstancias de su vida, están invitados a compartir esta comunión con Dios, que se alcanza dando prioridad a la oración en sus vidas.

Este episodio sienta las bases de una serie que promete explorar las profundidades de la espiritualidad carmelita y las profundas ideas de Santa Isabel de la Trinidad sobre la oración, la comunión con Dios y la búsqueda de la santidad en la vida cotidiana.

Día 1 – Primera oración

1. “Padre, quiero que donde yo estoy estén también conmigo los que Tú me has dado, para que contemplen mi gloria que Tú me has dado, porque Tú me has amado desde antes de la creación del mundo». 1 Tal es el último deseo de Cristo, su oración suprema antes de volver a su Padre. Quiere que donde Él está nosotros estemos también, no sólo por la eternidad, sino ya en el tiempo, que es eternidad comenzada y aún en curso. Es importante, pues, saber dónde debemos vivir con Él para realizar su sueño divino. «El lugar donde está escondido el Hijo de Dios es el seno del Padre, o la Esencia divina, invisible a todo ojo mortal, inalcanzable para todo intelecto humano»,2 como dijo Isaías: «Verdaderamente Tú eres un Dios oculto». 3 Y, sin embargo, su voluntad es que estemos establecidos en Él, que vivamos donde Él vive, en la unidad del amor; que seamos, por así decirlo, su propia sombra. 4

2. Por el bautismo, dice San Pablo, hemos sido unidos a Jesucristo. 5 Y además: «Dios nos sentó juntos en el cielo en Cristo Jesús, para mostrar en los siglos venideros las riquezas de su gracia». 6 Y más adelante: «Ya no sois huéspedes ni forasteros, sino que pertenecéis a la Ciudad de los santos y a la Casa de Dios». 7 La Trinidad: ésta es nuestra morada, nuestro «hogar», la casa del Padre que nunca debemos abandonar. El Maestro dijo un día: «El esclavo no permanece en la casa para siempre, pero el hijo 8 permanece allí para siempre» (San Juan). 9

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

¿De qué manera la forma en que Santa Isabel de la Trinidad entiende la oración desafía tu enfoque actual de la oración y de la relación con Dios?
Reflexiona sobre la idea de que el cielo no es sólo un estado futuro, sino una experiencia accesible en el presente a través de la fe y la oración. ¿Cómo cambia esta perspectiva tu visión de la vida cotidiana y de la práctica espiritual?
Santa Isabel subraya la importancia de las Escrituras para profundizar en nuestra relación con Dios, incluso sin tener pleno acceso a la Biblia. ¿Cómo puedes integrar más plenamente las Escrituras en tu vida de oración para fomentar una comunión más estrecha con Dios?
Teniendo en cuenta el deseo de Jesús de estar en comunión con nosotros, tal como lo destaca Santa Isabel, ¿cómo podrías responder más plenamente a este deseo en tu propia vida de fe y oración?
Las reflexiones de santa Isabel pretendían guiar a su hermana, una madre ocupada, en la profundización de su vida espiritual. ¿De qué manera habla esto de la posibilidad de una profunda profundidad espiritual en medio del ajetreo de tus responsabilidades diarias?

Nos gustaría dar las gracias a Miriam Gutiérrez por proporcionar “la voz” de Santa Isabel para esta serie.

Para ver otros episodios de la serie, visite la página Corazones Perspicaces del Dr. Anthony Lilles.

BTP1 Heaven In Faith Day 1 Prayer 1 by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray w/ Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 1 Beginning to Pray: “Heaven in Faith” Day 1 Prayer 1 – “Remain in Me”

The podcast episode one, hosted by Kris McGregor with Dr. Anthony Lilles, delves into “Heaven in Faith” retreat by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. Dr. Lilles, an expert on Carmelite spirituality, highlights the significance of St. Elizabeth Of The Trinity, a Carmelite mystic from Dijon, who emphasized deep prayer and a transforming encounter with Christ as accessible to all Catholics. St. Elizabeth’s retreat, intended for her sister, is a guide to fostering a profound, personal relationship with God through prayer, consisting of daily reflections for contemplation.

St. John Paul II, notably influenced by Elizabeth, exemplifies her wide-reaching impact, showcasing her role in deepening the spiritual lives of many, including his own. Despite limited access to the full Bible, Elizabeth’s reflections demonstrate a profound scriptural engagement, akin to Lectio Divina, showcasing her deep understanding and integration of scripture into her reflections on prayer and communion with God.

Central to Elizabeth’s first reflection is the depiction of Jesus’ desire for us to be in communion with Him and the Father, highlighting the personal, relational aspect of prayer. Elizabeth articulates that experiencing heaven, or living in communion with God, isn’t confined to the afterlife but begins in the present through faith and prayer. She stresses the universal call to holiness, asserting that all Christians, regardless of their life circumstances, are invited to share in this communion with God, achievable through prioritizing prayer in their lives.

This episode sets the stage for a series that promises to explore the depths of Carmelite spirituality and the profound insights of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity on prayer, communion with God, and the pursuit of holiness in everyday life.

Day 1 First Prayer

1. “Father, I will that where I am they also whom You have given Me may be with Me, in order that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, because You have loved Me before the creation of the world.” 1 Such is Christ’s last wish, His supreme prayer before returning to His Father. He wills that where He is we should be also, not only for eternity, but already in time, which is eternity begun and still in progress. It is important then to know where we must live with Him in order to realize His divine dream. “The place where the Son of God is hidden is the bosom of the Father, or the divine Essence, invisible to every mortal eye, unattainable by every human intellect,” 2 as Isaiah said: “Truly You are a hidden God.” 3 And yet His will is that we should be established in Him, that we should live where He lives, in the unity of love; that we should be, so to speak, His own shadow. 4

2. By baptism, says St. Paul, we have been united to Jesus Christ. 5 And again: “God seated us together in Heaven in Christ Jesus, that He might show in the ages to come the riches of His grace.” 6 And further on: “You are no longer guests or strangers, but you belong to the City of saints and the House of God.” 7 The Trinity— this is our dwelling, our “home,” the Father’s house that we must never leave. The Master said one day: “The slave does not remain with the household forever, but the son 8 remains there forever” (St. John). 9

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s understanding of prayer challenge your current approach to prayer and relationship with God?
Reflect on the idea that heaven is not just a future state but an experience accessible in the present through faith and prayer. How does this perspective shift your view of daily life and spiritual practice?
St. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of scripture in deepening our relationship with God, even without full access to the Bible. How can you more fully integrate scripture into your prayer life to foster a closer communion with God?
Considering Jesus’ desire for communion with us, as highlighted by St. Elizabeth, how might you respond more fully to this desire in your own life of faith and prayer?
St. Elizabeth’s reflections were intended to guide her sister, a busy mother, in deepening her spiritual life. How does this speak to the possibility of profound spiritual depth amidst the busyness of your daily responsibilities?

We would like to thank Miriam Gutierrez for providing “the voice” of St. Elizabeth for this series

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

Anthony Lilles, S.T.D., has served the Church and assisted in the formation of clergy and seminarians since 1994. Before coming to St. Patrick’s, he served at seminaries and houses of formation in the Archdiocese of Denver and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The son of a California farmer, married with young adult children, holds a B.A. in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville with both the ecclesiastical licentiate and doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum). An expert in the writings of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and the Carmelite Doctors of the Church, he co-founded the Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation and the High Calling Program for priestly vocations. He also founded the John Paul II Center for Contemplative Culture, which hosts symposiums, retreats, and conferences. In addition to his publications, he blogs at www.beginningtopray.com .

BTP2 Heaven In Faith: Day 1 Prayer 2 by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

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Episode 2 “Heaven in Faith” Day 1 Prayer 2 – “Abyss calls to Abyss”

This episode with Dr. Anthony Lillis and Kris McGregor focuses on the spiritual reflections of Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, specifically her “Heaven in Faith” retreat and its application to prayerful living. The discussion centers around the integration of daily life with constant prayer, inspired by the second prayer of the retreat’s first day. This prayer, deeply rooted in the writings of Saint Elizabeth, emphasizes the call to “remain in me” as expressed by Jesus, advocating for a perpetual, habitual dwelling in God’s presence.

Saint Elizabeth’s reflections, as explored by Dr. Lillis, stress the importance of incorporating themes for meditation throughout the day, a practice that aligns with the spiritual exercises developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola. This method of reflection, involving morning and evening prayers followed by meditation, is aimed at fostering a deeper communion with Christ’s transforming love. Elizabeth’s writings serve as a guide for her sister and other believers to internalize divine teachings and apply them to their lives, thereby cultivating a continuous awareness of God’s presence.

Dr. Lillis elaborates on Elizabeth’s profound understanding of “remaining” in God, which is not limited to fleeting moments but extends to a permanent, habitual state of being with God in all aspects of life. This approach is rooted in Elizabeth’s personal experiences of divine presence and her contemplation of scripture, particularly her meditation on the simple yet profound line from scripture, “remain in me.” Elizabeth’s teachings advocate for a life where every action and relationship is infused with an awareness of God, encouraging believers to maintain joy in His presence amidst daily challenges.

The conversation also delves into the theological foundation of Elizabeth’s insights, highlighting the indwelling of the Trinity and the transformative journey of acknowledging one’s misery and nothingness before God’s mercy. Elizabeth’s writings reveal a path to spiritual transformation through the embrace of our weaknesses and failures, where encounters with God’s mercy lead to a life of love and grace.

Throughout the podcast, the connection between Saint Elizabeth’s excerpts and the discussion is deliberately woven to illustrate her significant contribution to understanding prayer and spiritual life. Her emphasis on recollection, or the discipline of turning one’s heart and mind back to God, emerges as a central theme. Elizabeth’s reflections on descending the “pathway of the abyss,” where one’s nothingness meets God’s mercy, underscore the potential for spiritual growth and transformation through the practice of remaining in Jesus. This practice not only fosters a contemplative and unceasing prayer life but also exemplifies how every aspect of daily life can become an expression of prayer, leading to a profound union with God.

Day 2 Second Prayer

3. “Remain in Me.” It is the Word of God who gives this order, expresses this wish. Remain in Me, not for a few moments, a few hours which must pass away, but “remain . . .” permanently, habitually, Remain in Me, pray in Me, adore in Me, love in Me, suffer in Me, work and act in Me. Remain in Me so that you may be able to encounter anyone or anything; penetrate further still into these depths. This is truly the “solitude into which God wants to allure the soul that He may speak to it,” as the prophet sang.

4. In order to understand this very mysterious saying, we must not, so to speak, stop at the surface, but enter ever deeper into the divine Being through recollection. “I pursue my course,” exclaimed St. Paul; so must we descend daily this pathway of the Abyss which is God; let us slide down this slope in wholly loving confidence. “Abyss calls to abyss.” It is there in the very depths that the divine impact takes place, where the abyss of our nothingness encounters the Abyss of mercy, the immensity of the allof God. There we will find the strength to die to ourselves and, losing all vestige of self, we will be changed into love. . . . “Blessed are those who die in the Lord”!

Elizabeth of the Trinity. The Complete Works of Elizabeth of the Trinity, vol. 1 (featuring a General Introduction and Major Spiritual Writings) (Elizabeth of the Trinity Complete Work) (pp. 94-95). ICS Publications. Kindle Edition.

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

Personal Encounter with God’s Presence: Reflect on your own experiences of God’s presence in your life. Can you recall moments where you felt particularly close to God, similar to Saint Elizabeth’s experiences? How do these moments influence your desire to “remain in Him” continuously?
Integration of Prayer into Daily Life: Saint Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of habitually remaining in God’s presence, not just during formal prayer times but throughout the day. Reflect on the challenges and opportunities you face in integrating prayer and awareness of God into your daily activities. How can you make every action and relationship a reflection of your prayerful communion with God?
Encountering God in Weakness and Misery: The podcast discusses the concept of encountering God’s mercy in the midst of recognizing our own misery and weakness. Reflect on how acknowledging your weaknesses and failures can be a pathway to experiencing God’s mercy and love more deeply. How does this perspective change your understanding of spiritual growth and transformation?
Practice of Recollection: Saint Elizabeth speaks about recollection as turning our hearts and minds back to God. Reflect on the practice of recollection in your own spiritual life. What practical steps can you take to cultivate this discipline, ensuring that your awareness of God permeates everything you do?
Living a Life Transformed by Love: The ultimate goal of Saint Elizabeth’s reflections is to be transformed into love through the grace of God. Reflect on what it means to you to be “changed into love.” How can you more fully live out this transformation in your relationships, decisions, and actions?

We would like to thank Miriam Gutierrez for providing “the voice” of St. Elizabeth for this series

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

BTP1 – Heaven In Faith: Day 1 Prayer 1 by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray w/ Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:11 — 19.5MB) | Embed

Episode 1 Beginning to Pray: “Heaven in Faith” Day 1 Prayer 1 – “Remain in Me”

Day 1 First Prayer

1. “Father, I will that where I am they also whom You have given Me may be with Me, in order that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, because You have loved Me before the creation of the world.” 1 Such is Christ’s last wish, His supreme prayer before returning to His Father. He wills that where He is we should be also, not only for eternity, but already in time, which is eternity begun and still in progress. It is important then to know where we must live with Him in order to realize His divine dream. “The place where the Son of God is hidden is the bosom of the Father, or the divine Essence, invisible to every mortal eye, unattainable by every human intellect,” 2 as Isaiah said: “Truly You are a hidden God.” 3 And yet His will is that we should be established in Him, that we should live where He lives, in the unity of love; that we should be, so to speak, His own shadow. 4

2. By baptism, says St. Paul, we have been united to Jesus Christ. 5 And again: “God seated us together in Heaven in Christ Jesus, that He might show in the ages to come the riches of His grace.” 6 And further on: “You are no longer guests or strangers, but you belong to the City of saints and the House of God.” 7 The Trinity— this is our dwelling, our “home,” the Father’s house that we must never leave. The Master said one day: “The slave does not remain with the household forever, but the son 8 remains there forever” (St. John). 9

Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions

How does St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s understanding of prayer challenge your current approach to prayer and relationship with God?
Reflect on the idea that heaven is not just a future state but an experience accessible in the present through faith and prayer. How does this perspective shift your view of daily life and spiritual practice?
St. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of scripture in deepening our relationship with God, even without full access to the Bible. How can you more fully integrate scripture into your prayer life to foster a closer communion with God?
Considering Jesus’ desire for communion with us, as highlighted by St. Elizabeth, how might you respond more fully to this desire in your own life of faith and prayer?
St. Elizabeth’s reflections were intended to guide her sister, a busy mother, in deepening her spiritual life. How does this speak to the possibility of profound spiritual depth amidst the busyness of your daily responsibilities?

We would like to thank Miriam Gutierrez for providing “the voice” of St. Elizabeth for this series

For other episodes in the series visit the Discerning Hearts page for Dr. Anthony Lilles

St. Elizabeth of the Trinity…her very name means “house of God”

Although she lived on for twenty-six years, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity had an extraordinary sense of the three persons of the Trinity dwelling within her.

John Murray PP tells her story:

They were almost contemporaries, both of whom followed the way of Carmel. While Thérese Martin gave the world her ‘little way’, Elizabeth Catez was truly the ‘prophet of the presence of God’. When Pope John Paul beatified her on 25 November 1984, he presented her to the Church as one ‘who led a life hidden with Christ in God’.

A terror or a saint!
However, Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity, who was born in France in 1880, did not have such auspicious beginnings. ‘You will either be a terror or a saint,’ her mother had said. The stubborn little girl who often demanded her way, had inherited the military spirit of her ancestors. Her father Joseph had enlisted in the French army and had a successful military career, receiving even the Legion of Honour in 1881.

After the early death of her father, Elizabeth’s outbursts of anger increased. However once she experienced for the first time the sacrament of Penance, it brought about what she styled her ‘conversion’. She henceforth began to struggle noticeably against her violent temper.

In the spring of 1891, when she was almost eleven years old, Elizabeth made her First Communion. She was profoundly affected by her first reception of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Her mother later testified, ‘From that day and afterwards there were no more fits of anger’.

Trinity
Elizabeth asked for help in understanding her interior experience – her need for silence and recollection – and her sense of an inexplicable presence in the depth of her soul. The Dominican proceeded to deepen her awareness of the truth of the indwelling of the Trinity in the soul of the baptized: that not just Christ, but that all three of the Trinity Father, Son, and Spirit – were present in love in her soul.

As she was waiting to enter her beloved Carmel, Elizabeth lived the life of a typical young, active Catholic laywoman of her time. She sang in two choirs in her parish; she helped prepare children for their First Communions, and she animated a type of ‘day care’ for the children of those who worked in the local factory.
The personality of this energetic young woman had blossomed from her earlier years. It should be noted that Elizabeth was also a very gifted musician who could have made a career with her talent. From the age of seven, she studied music at the Conservatory of Dijon, winning several prizes for her skill at the piano. ‘No one can interpret the great masters like Elizabeth,’ wrote one admirer.

Home at last
At last Elizabeth entered the Carmel. There she was home. As a Carmelite she received the name of Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity and made her profession on the Feast of Epiphany, 1902. From reading St. Paul, her great scriptural mentor, Sister Elizabeth discovered her vocation. She would be a ‘Praise of Glory’ or Laudem Gloria praising God dwelling within her offering a ceaseless ‘Sanctus’.

‘God dwells within you, do not leave Him so often,’ she advised. To another she wrote, ‘It is wonderful to recall that, except for the vision of seeing God, we possess God as all the Saints in Heaven do. We can surely be with Him always and no one can take us away from Him. He dwells in our souls!’ She often referred to the Blessed Trinity as ‘my Three’.

Secret for peace
As a child, Elizabeth had found the strength to conquer her fiery temper only after having received the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist for the first time. As a Carmelite, she would read in Paul that it was Christ ‘who made peace through the blood of his Cross’ (Col.1,20), making ‘peace in my little heaven so that it may truly be the repose of the Three’.

Once she wrote to a friend, ‘I am going to give you my “secret”: think about this God who dwells within you, whose temple you are; St. Paul speaks in this way, and we can believe it.’

The call to praise the glory of God also included the call to share in the redemptive sufferings of Christ, to be able to say like St. Paul, ‘In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the Church’ (Col 1,24) – and Sister Elizabeth had to accept suffering.

Addison’s disease
Early in 1906 it was noticed that Sister Elizabeth had become very weak. She made a retreat to prepare for the ‘Eternal Retreat’. The young Carmelite suffered for months from Addison’s Disease, a malady of the kidneys which at that time was incurable. As a result of this illness, Elizabeth suffered great fatigue, an inability to digest food, intense abdominal pains and great thirst.

During the last week of her life, Sister Elizabeth’s stomach was very ulcerated, and yet she made frequent and lengthy visits to the Blessed Sacrament. On 31 October, she received the last rites. On 1 November, she made her confession and received Holy Communion for the last time. Elizabeth’s last audible words before her death were, ‘I am going to Light, to Love, to Life’.

Mission in heaven
She died on 9 November 1906, at the age of twenty-six, after having lived in Carmel for only five years. From her sick bed, Elizabeth wrote to a fellow Carmelite, ‘I think that in Heaven, my mission will be to draw souls by helping them go out of themselves to cling to God by a wholly simple and loving movement, and to keep them in this great silence within that will allow God to communicate Himself to them and transform them into Himself.’

This article first appeared in The Messenger (February 2007), a publication of the Irish Jesuits.

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Holy Trinity, Whom I Adore

O my God, Trinity whom I adore, let me entirely forget myself that I may abide in You, still and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity; let nothing disturb my peace nor separate me from You, O my unchanging God, but that each moment may take me further into the depths of Your mystery ! Pacify my soul! Make it Your heaven, Your beloved home and place of Your repose; let me never leave You there alone, but may I be ever attentive, ever alert in my faith, ever adoring and all given up to Your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified for love, would that I might be for You a spouse of Your heart! I would anoint You with glory, I would love You – even unto death! Yet I sense my frailty and ask You to adorn me with Yourself; identify my soul with all the movements of Your soul, submerge me, overwhelm me, substitute Yourself in me that my life may become but a reflection of Your life. Come into me as Adorer, Redeemer and Saviour.

O Eternal Word, Word of my God, would that I might spend my life listening to You, would that I might be fully receptive to learn all from You; in all darkness, all loneliness, all weakness, may I ever keep my eyes fixed on You and abide under Your great light; O my Beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never be able to leave Your radiance.

O Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, descend into my soul and make all in me as an incarnation of the Word, that I may be to Him a super-added humanity wherein He renews His mystery; and You O Father, bestow Yourself and bend down to Your little creature, seeing in her only Your beloved Son in whom You are well pleased.

O my `Three’, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in whom I lose myself, I give myself to You as a prey to be consumed; enclose Yourself in me that I may be absorbed in You so as to contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your Splendour !