St. Teresa's Prayer

IN THE HANDS OF GOD…..

By St Teresa of Jesus

I am Yours, and born for You.

What do you want of me?

Majestic, Sovereign,

Unending wisdom,

Kindness pleasing to my soul.

Kindness sublime, one Being Good,

Behold this one so vile.

Singing of her love to you:

What do You want of me?

Yours , you made me.

Yours, you saved me.

Yours, you endured me.

Yours, you called me.

Yours, you awaited me.

Yours, I did not stray.

What do You want of me?

Good Lord, what do You want of me?

What is this wretch to do?

What work is this,

This sinful slave, to do?

Look at me, Sweet Love,

Sweet Love, look at me,

What do you want of me?

In Your hand

I place my heart.

Body, life and soul,

Deep feelings and affections mine,

Spouse – Redeemer sweet,

Myself offered now to you.

What do You want of me?

Give me death, give me life,

Health or sickness,

Honor or shame,

War or swelling peace,

Weakness or full strength,

Yes, to these I say,

What do you want of me?

Give me wealth or want,

Delight or distress,

Happiness or gloominess,

Heaven or hell,

Sweet life, sun unveiled,

To you I give all.

What do You want of me?

Give me if you will, prayer,

Or let me know dryness.

An abundance of devotion.

Or if not, then barrenness.

In you alone, Sovereign Majesty,

I find my peace.

What do You want of me?

Give me then wisdom.

Or for love, ignorance,

Years of abundance,

Or hunger and famine.

Darkness or sunlight,

Move me here or there:

What do You want of me?

If you want me to rest,

I desire it for love;

If to labor,

I will die working:

Sweet Love, say

Where, how, and when.

Calvary or Tabor give ne,

Desert or fruitful land,

As Job in suffering

or John at your breast,

Barren or fruitful vine,

Whatever be your will:

What do You want of me?

Be I Joseph chained

Or as Egypt’s governor,

David pained

Or exalted high,

Jonas drowned,

Or Jonas freed.

What do You want of me?

Silent or speaking,

Fruit-bearing or barren,

My wounds shown by the Law,

Rejoicing in the tender Gospel;

Sorrowing or exulting,

You alone live in me:

What do You want of me?

Yours I am, for You I was born.

What do You want of me?

Copy-typed St Teresa’s poem “In the Hands of God” by Alan Fox

from pages 377-379 Of the Collected Works of St Teresa if Avila, vol 3.

Kieren Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez

ICS Publications, Washington, DC

ISBN 0-935216-06-5 1985.

A Vision of Heaven...

Have you seen the "Peloton" exercise-bike commercials on TV?

You might recall one where the camera pans up-and-around, back-and-forth across the screen. We see a large building with a number of individual rooms -- people are exercising, working, and living.

Interesting...

But I wonder -- could heaven look something like this? We know Jesus tells us "My father's house has many rooms" (John 14:2-3).

Only God knows. But perhaps one could imagine a large building with:

• Rooms for artists, painters, musicians.
• Rooms for teachers, doctors, nurses, judges, athletes, cooks, farmers, soldiers.
• Rooms for Angels.
• Rooms for friends of the Blessed Virgin Mary and those who pray the Holy Rosary.
• Rooms for young children, and for young persons who have died -- such as unborn children lost through abortion.
• Rooms for martyrs and persons persecuted for their faith.
• Rooms for those devoted to Holy Scripture.
• Rooms for Eucharistic Adoration.

And maybe a lot of other rooms too!

[What do you imagine heaven to look like?]

Prayer Of Carmel

Queen and Beauty of Mount Carmel
Virgin of the solitude,
in the wilderness of Carmel
lies the world's eternal good.
Draw us to its deep seclusion,
and make God alone our goal
in the mystical Mount Carmel
that lies hidden in the soul.

Sr. Miriam OCD (Jessica Powers)

Rotten Tomatoes

A few months ago my wife started growing some tomatoes in a planter. The plants grew up quite big. But in spite of their massive growth, they have not managed to produce any fruit. It is now late in the season, and the plants are still growing and chewing up space. Although we've had success with other vegetables, the tomatoes are disappointing.

We're not sure what happened. Why they failed to produce any tomatoes. We're simply left to ponder -- "why"... Perhaps in the same spirit that Our Lady was left to ponder -- with the many unusual and (at times) unpleasant experiences that befell her and her family.

And perhaps there is a need for patience. I'm reminded of the words from the gospel -- "The gardener said, 'let's give it another year. I'll dig around it and fertilize it, and maybe it will produce fruit next year; if it doesn't, then chop it down." (Luke 13: 8,9)

On Rublev's Trinity Icon...

(from Wikipedia)

The Trinity (Russian: Троица, tr. Troitsa, also called The Hospitality of Abraham) is an icon created by Russian painter Andrei Rublev in the 15th century. It is his most famous work and the most famous of all Russian icons, and it is regarded as one of the highest achievements of Russian art.


In our Carmelite tradition, we know that St. Elizabeth of the Trinity had a particular devotion/love for the Holy Trinity. It is said she would address each person of the Trinity specifically, and pray in a specail way to each one.

In this painting, the individual persons are seated out around the table -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit -- but the front of the table is left open. This arrangement allows the viewer to see what is taking place. In fact (as a priest once mentioned in a commentary) it serves as an invitation. It's a sign of God's love and sharing between persons -- a love so strong that it welcomes fallen humanity to come in and share with the divne...

Our Lady Is With Us...

12/2020 --

My wife and I moved to N. California recently. We have been attending church at St. Mary's in Arcata. The masses are now held outdoors because of Covid.

There is a lovely statue of Our Lady, but if you look closely you will see she is missing her hands. Perhaps this is a sign she has joined us in our suffering. Like Her Son, allowing herself to become both victim and priest -- praying for the well-being of all God's children...

May the Lord be praised!

Update, 5/2022 --

Now, a year or so later -- and without knowing how/when it occurred, this lovely statue of Our Lady has been repaired.

Her hands are now visibly back in the position of prayer. Our masses are returning to the indoors; the pandemic (for a time) seems to be lifting.

Perhaps some small sign(s) of the good things that come to those who wait upon the Lord...

10/2022 --

Our Lady has lost her hands again. Perhaps a sign of the evil and darkness still in the world. Let us wait with her in silence -- until God comes to our aid.

On How to Petition the Lord...

The discreet lover does not care to ask for what she lacks and desires, but only indicates this need so the Beloved may do what he pleases.

When the Blessed Virgin spoke to her beloved Son at the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee, she did not ask directly for the wine, but merely remarked: They have no wine [Jn. 2:3]. And the sisters of Lazarus did not send to ask our Lord to cure their brother, but to tell him that Lazarus whom he loved was sick [Jn. 11:3].

There are three reasons for this: First, the Lord knows what is suitable for us better than we do; second, the Beloved has more compassion when he beholds the need and resignation of a soul that loves him; third, the soul is better safeguarded against self-love and possessiveness by indicating its lack, rather than asking for what in its opinion is wanting.

-- St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 2 #8