Jesus Living in Mary
I love thee when I hear thee call thyself the handmaid only
Of God, Whom thou didst win to earth by thy humility;
All-powerful it made thee then, above all women, lonely,
And drew, into thy bosom chaste, the Blessed Trinity,
The Holy Spirit, Love Divine, o’ershadowed thee, O Mother!
And God the Father’s only Son incarnate was in thee.
How many sinful, sorrowing souls shall dare to call Him — Brother!
For He shall be called: Jesus, thy first-born, eternally.
And oh! despite my frailties, dear Mary! well thou knowest
That I at times, like thee, possess the Almighty in my breast.
Shall I not tremble at the gift, O God! that Thou bestowest?
A mother’s treasure is her child’s: — I still my fears to rest.
For I, O Mary, am thy child! O Mother dear and tender.
Shall not thy virtues and thy love plead now with God for me?
Then, when the pure white sacred Host, in all its veiled splendor,
Visits my heart, thy spotless Lamb will think He comes to thee.
-Excerpt from “Why I love thee Mary,” last poem written by St. Therese
Dear Friends of Carmel,
Greetings as we continue this season of Paschaltide, still basking in the glorious Light of Our Savior’s holy Resurrection. Lumen Christ! Deo gratias! Alleluia!
Holy Church dedicates the month of April to the Most Blessed Sacrament, since Our Lord instituted this, the greatest of the Sacraments, in April, on the night before he died. But May is right around the corner, so we wish also to dedicate this newsletter to Our Lady. Most fitting and fortuitous! For the Body and Blood of Jesus in this Sacrament was formed in His Blessed Mother. Jesus and Mary! To Jesus through Mary, for through her, He came to us. One of the beautiful titles of the Blessed Virgin is Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
Our Lord speaks in a parable of a precious treasure hidden in a field (Matthew 13:44-46). The kingdom of heaven on earth is the Church, which is that field; and all of the mysteries, dogmas, doctrines of our holy Faith are the treasure. Notice that he who finds the treasure joyously and protectively hides it – and buys the whole field, knowing that it is filled with treasures. These two features/dogmas/doctrines/beliefs/devotions – the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin – are perhaps the most “characteristic” ones of our Catholic Faith – an important part of “the field” which many reject. Throughout these many centuries, those outside the Catholic Church know them as such, either being drawn by these very mysteries and dogmas, or fiercely critical of them.
Alas, even some Catholics fail to believe what Holy Church explicitly teaches regarding this Sacrament: that it is the body and blood of Christ truly present under the appearance of bread or wine From its institution, the Eucharist has always been a “cornerstone” of the Catholic Faith, upon which many who profess to be Christians have fallen and lost their faith. Nevertheless, no one can deny the words of Jesus Christ: “I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever; for the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world…unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you…For My flesh is food indeed and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him” (John 6:51-52,54-57). By these words, Our Lord first explicitly revealed His plan for this great Sacrament. But many did not believe and tried to re-interpret what He spoke: “Many of the disciples therefore, when they heard this, said, this is a hard saying….for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who should betray him.” John 6:61, 65). When they doubted, He insisted. But “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (6:67).
Did not the earliest heresies in the Church attack not only Christ, but the Blessed Mother – her virginity, her divine motherhood, her co-redemption, her intercessory power, etc.? However, for the Catholic, is not the Eucharist the center around which our entire life revolves? Our liturgical life, our worship, our union with God? Do we not go to Mary, the Blessed Mother, with the confidence of little children to ask for her aid? As Father Arintero wrote, “All the souls that delight in Communion love this Blessed Lady and reverence her as a most tender Mother. Love for the most holy Sacrament runs parallel with love for the most pure Virgin. One who distinguishes himself in either of these loves, excels in the other also.”
Our Lord Jesus bequeathed this sacrament to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people. How important it is, therefore, to understand what we do when we receive Holy Communion. How much more it means – and can mean – when we know the truth of this Sacrament and believe it. St. Paul tells us that we are the temples of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16). St. Thomas Aquinas often affirms this: “By sanctifying grace, the entire Trinity is the guest of our soul.” In the wonderful book we often recommend, From Holy Communion to the Blessed Trinity, Dominican Father Bernadot gets to the very heart of the Sacrament and its whole purpose: true union the three Divine Persons in one God:
Yet this (being temples of God) is, if possible, more true at the moment of Communion because then Jesus comes to us as the Bread of Life to bestow expressly upon us that life which He derives from His Father: “He who eats of this Bread shall live.” But how will he live? “As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth Me, the same also shall live because of Me” (John 6:58). The soul of the communicant becomes as it were the heaven of the Blessed Trinity…
A beautiful summary of the close union of these two beloved truths of our Faith is in the ancient hymn, “Ave Verum”:
Hail, true Body,
born of the Virgin Mary.
Truly suffered, immolated
on the cross for mankind.
From whose pierced side
flowed water and blood.
Be for us a foretaste [of the Heavenly banquet]
in the trial of death!
O sweet Jesus, O loving Jesus,
O Jesus, son of Mary!
Some may recognize the title of this hymn, since it has often been put to music during the ages, most notably, perhaps, by Mozart. However, we love the simple Gregorian melody best of all.
Further on in this letter, we will share good sources for keeping with heart and soul these sublime devotions. They lead us to Heaven!
Jesus, living in Mary,
come and live in Thy servants,
in the spirit of Thy sanctity,
in the fullness of your Thy might,
in the perfection of Thy ways,
in the realization of Thy virtues,
in the communication of Thy mysteries.
And subdue, in Thy Spirit, every adverse power,
to the glory of the Father. Amen.
Website News
First Communion
“It is not to remain in a golden ciborium that [Jesus] comes to us each day from Heaven. It’s to find another heaven, infinitely dearer to him than the first: the heaven of our soul, made to his image, the living temple of the adorable Trinity!” – St. Therese the Little Flower
Most often, the springtime of the year is the time for First Holy Communion. Nearly all of the 15 Sisters here received our First Holy Communion in May. The older Sisters recall spending the entire school year learning and preparing for this great day. We are pleased to hear that there are churches, schools, priests and teachers who still observe this careful instruction and preparation of the children. (Sadly, for some First Communion Day is hardly more than a social initiation event in the lives of little ones!)
This inspires us to keep up our efforts to provide whatever training materials we can, in the form of excellent books and devotional gifts, to assist in the preparation to receive the living and true God in Holy Communion. Please see below for a few of these, as well as wonderful books that will surely aid all in their devotion to our Blessed Mother. We extend our prayerful congratulations to those receiving First Holy Communion this spring – both children and adults!
“When we receive Christ with interior devotion, His blood, full of warmth and glory, flows into our veins and a fire is enkindled in our depths. We receive the likeness of His virtues, and He lives in us and we in Him. He gives us His soul with the fullness of grace, by which the soul perseveres in love and praise of the Father!… All that He has, all that He is, He gives; all that we have, all that we are, He takes away. He asks for more than we ourselves are capable of giving… He knows that we are poor, but He pays no heed to it and does not spare us. He Himself becomes in us His own bread, first burning up, in His love, all our vices, faults, and sins…” – Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity
First Communion Books for Children
The Mass for Children and The Mass Explained to Children – both of these are outstanding tools for teaching children about the Mass. They are so doctrinally correct and devotional, that even adults can benefit from reading and teaching from these books. Our Sacraments is another excellent book for teaching children.
The Little Children’s Prayer Book – Learning to pray early in life can give a soul strength and goodness! Mother Mary Loyola’s book carefully includes morning and night prayers, but a good portion is again on the prayer of the Mass, beautifully explained. Preparation to receive the sacraments, proper thanksgiving after receiving the sacraments – Mother Mary Loyola misses nothing. There is a precious section called “Things that will help me to love God and to be good” – now, who would not want children to know just what those things are?
Treasure and Tradition – Again, not only children can benefit from this book. It is unique in all literature about the Mass, tackling all aspects of the Church’s beautiful act of worship: doctrine and prayers, of course, but also and importantly, scripture, history, art, music, decorum, sights, sounds and smells at Holy Mass. Children absolutely love this book, either on their own or in company with a caring adult. Heavily illustrated with simple but thorough explanations, it is absorbing! Priests we know like giving this book to altar servers. But priests themselves have commented on how much information and devotion is in this book.
Spiritual Reading – Holy Eucharist and Our Lady
Preparation for Holy Communion with Mary in the Spirit of Blessed de Montfort – an ideal devotional book for prayer, Mass and Holy Communion. The author, Fr. Texier, begins the book with a thorough summary of the union of these doctrines. Then he gives familiar titles of Our Lady, some from her Litany, and how they convey and nourish loving devotion to Our Savior in the Blessed Sacrament.
The Sacred Heart and Mine in Holy Communion– this little book is a series of brief meditations on the titles of the Sacred Heart and are comprised of thoughts drawn from the titles of the Sacred Heart (Litany) and the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. “The considerations are made suitable for the time of Holy Communion and nourish food for thought and prayer during those few minutes which are the most precious of our day.”
Our Lady Book – It is like a very world of prayer in the presence and under the care of our Blessed Mother, this book compiled by Father Lasance! Includes chapters of meditations on the life of Our Lady, quotes and commentaries of the Saints, a section called, “A Thought for Each Day of the Month” – perfect for the month of May. Also, chapters for preparation for Holy Communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament. And abundantly more, as all of Father Lasance’s books are…
Mary Help of Christians – Another wonderful treasure trove of prayer, this is a book of instructions, novenas and prayers with a section called “Thoughts of the Saints for Every Day of the Year”. A fascinating chapter explaining Catholic ceremonies and practices – like devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and honoring Our Lady! Very helpful for sharing the Catholic Faith with friends and family.
Other First Communion Gifts
We finally updated the image on our Holy Eucharist Badge, just in time for First Communions! Still available in blue and white – the badge has a relic touched to the table of the last supper. We went through about 25 renditions of this image before finally settling on one that the Holy Eucharist, chalice, and surrounding lilies in good detail.
New to our site are beautiful vintage style commemorative First Communion and Holy Eucharist medals, made by the same company who casts the other vintage style medals which have become popular on our site both as individual pieces and on rosaries.
Our handmade First Communion candle now comes in color, with a beautiful chalice and host dusted in gold, white, and purple. As is the case with all of our devotional candles, they are 100% beeswax and can be blessed upon request.
Also new to our site is this beautifully simple resin statue of Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament, inspired by original Hummel drawings. It’s small size makes it another perfect gift for First Communion.
There is no patron of First Communion more fitting than Our Lady, she who carried Our Lord within her for the nine months before His birth. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why First Communion Rosaries are among the most traditional First Communion gifts. It might be a bit late for ordering custom rosaries, but we still have several “ready-made” styles in stock and ready to ship!
We also have several styles of beautiful First Communion rosary boxes, including several new ones.
New Greeting Cards
We have expanded our selection of greetings cards, not only for First Communions, but for Confirmations, Ordinations, Weddings, Graduation, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Sympathy cards.
Sacred Music
Our holy religion is one both divine and human. The good and wise God has ordained that human things – things of the senses, visible, audible, touchable – be part of the way we worship Him. The Sacraments and sacramentals bear out this truth. Sacred music is one of the important means of prayer and worship. The chants of the Church are the perfect expression of lex credendi, lex orandi – as we believe, so do we pray. The melodies become sacred and dear to those who hear and sing them year after year, and remind souls of all that Christ spoke and did – and of all He means to us!
Gregorian Chant: World Famous Recordings – This CD includes many of the beloved Gregorian Eucharistic hymns composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and on the Feast of Corpus Christi. Ave Verum Corpus, which we mentioned above, is among them!
Benedicta – Marian Chant from Norcia – Benedictines know how to sing chant. Listening to this recording is to learn how strong and virile, yet tender, is the chant of the Church. Rorate Caeli: Marian Sounds of Advent from the monks of Clear Creek is another seasonal CD recording in honor of Our Lady. Chants of Mary is another CD dedicated to Marian chant – Masses and hymns.
Hail! Queen of Heaven – Music in Honor of the Virgin Mary – truly one of our favorite recordings because of the selection of choral music, “inspired” by our Blessed Mother, from Gregorian and other hymns to the best polyphonic pieces. “lively and fresh, as always,” reverent and quite inspiring to prayer.
Gregorian Chant – Easter – from the monks of Solesmes is filled with what we have come to know as the sounds and echoes of Easter and the Paschal season. The Easter Mass sings: “I have risen and am still with you” and “This is the day the Lord has made…”
Lastly, we want to inform our international visitors and customers that we have been working hard to fix the high shipping rates problem. It seems that we now have the problem fixed and that both FedEx and UPS rates are showing as affordable on the website. We apologize for the issue and will keep a better eye on this. One of those blips of online technology!
Community News
It has been a long time since we shared any updates on community news! Epiphany, Lent, and Easter have all come and gone. The days in Carmel are always full – never a dull moment! And the seasons pass quickly.
We had expected to have a quiet and uneventful Lent, but two days before Ash Wednesday one of the Sisters came down with noro virus, and within a couple of days all but one of the Sisters had it. So the first days of Lent were spent doing a very different kind of penance than what we had planned….but is that not God’s way! And His choice of Lenten penance for us is always best.
Thankfully we recovered quickly. However, it did take us several weeks to catch up, and before we knew it Easter had arrived. Those days re-living the great mysteries of our redemption are so precious, holding so many graces. We sometimes wish time would pause briefly so we could relish them more. But our eternity in Heaven will provide for us – when time is no more!
Spring – such as it is in Colorado (which means we still may be buried in snow at any time) – is upon us. The gardens, buds, blossoms and bees are all waking up. Yes, our bees survived the Winter! Sister opened the hive for the first time this spring to check up on the hive, and we were able to take our first little taste of honey from some of the comb that broke off the side of the frame.
Many hands makes short work, and our first “yard clean up party” (the first of many this year) went quickly. Even the dogs pitched in to help pick up the pine cones…..we just have to teach them how to throw them out, rather than bring them inside and tear them to shreds!
The sewing room, of course, in never idle in Carmel. After our large embroidery/vestment project last year (which we saw used for the first time on Easter this year!) we took some time to catch up on simple altar linens, habits, and toques.
Towards the end of December, the idea was brought forth of making a special cope for Palm Sunday – an idea that we had entertained many times before. We had even partially designed it ten years ago, but because of lack of time and other projects it never materialized.
This time we were determined to make it happen. We settled on a simple yet striking symbol that sums up all of Palm Sunday (and all of Holy Week): a large cross and crown decorated with palms – passion, victory and kingship. Rich red velvet and gold trimmings were the final touch on what turned out to be one of our favorite copes! As one of the Sisters said: “You cannot beat the combination of gold and red.”
The crosses down the front of the cope and one on the stole were also accented with green palms. Two phrases from the Mass of Palm Sunday were chosen to complete the decorative orphreys: “Hosanna filio David” (Praise to the Son of David) and “Psallite regis nostro” (Sing praise to our King).
We also recently finished an embroidered applique of Our Mother of Perpetual Help to be placed on a new Roman vestment. This was another image/vestment we had long planned on making! The combination of sublimation and embroidery once again proved an invaluable tool and technique for bringing the image to life. Many of the Sisters joined in to help choose the discreetly-colored crystals for Our Lady’s crown.
The “website department” has also had its fair share of adventures the past few months. We had quite literally thousands of candles blessed on the Feast of Purification for all of you that requested it. As we brought the wagon loads of candles back from the sacristy to our work building to be shipped, we were surprised to notice that we were being followed by a small band of our bees (it happened to be a mild winter day). They were attracted to, but quite confused by, the scent of so much beeswax!
We’ve also still been renovating and re-organizing the rosary department. All of the hundreds of different centers, crucifixes and side medals, in all of their different sizes and metal types, are now labeled and have an official home. We know variety is important – and truly is the “spice of life” – but variety is also challenging on many levels!
We close our April/May Newsletter with the assurance of our continued prayers – and with gratitude for your good prayers for our Community. May the Hearts of Jesus and Mary be near you to love and protect you, and to hear your every prayer!
In these Hearts,
Your Carmelite Sisters
My Wishes Before the Tabernacle
by St. Therese
O little key! I envy thee,
For thou canst ope, at any hour,
The Eucharistic prison-house,
Where dwells the God of Love and Power.
And yet — Oh, tender mystery! —
One effort of my faith alone
Unlocks the tabernacle door,
And hides me there with Christ my Own.
O lamp within the holy place,
Whose mystic lights forever shine!
I fain would burn with fires of love
As bright, before my God and thine.
Yet, miracle of wondrous bliss!
Such flames are mine; and, day by day,
I can win souls to Jesus Christ,
To burn with His pure love for aye.
O consecrated altar-stone!
I envy thee with every morn.
As once in Bethlehem’s blessed shed,
The Eternal Word on thee is born.
Yet, gentle Saviour! hear my plea;
Enter my heart, O Lord divine!
‘Tis no cold stone I offer Thee,
Who dost desire this heart of mine!
O corporal that angels guard
What envy of thee fills my breast!
On thee, as in His swaddling bands,
I see my only Treasure rest.
Ah Virgin Mother! change my heart
Into a corporal pure and fair,
Whereon the snow-white Host may rest,
And thy meek Lamb find shelter there.
O holy paten! Jesus makes
Of Thee His sacramental throne.
Ah! if He would abase Himself,
To dwell awhile with me alone!
Jesus fulfils my longing hope,
Nor must I wait until I die; —
He comes to me! He lives in me!
His ostensorium am I!
The chalice, too, I fain would be,
Where I adore the Blood divine!
Yet, at the holy sacrifice,
That Precious Blood each day is mine.
More dear to Jesus is my soul,
Than chalices of gold could be;
His altar is a Calvary new,
Whereon His Blood still flows for me.
Only one little bunch of grapes
That gladly disappears for Thee,
O Jesus, holy, heavenly Vine!
Thou knowest I rejoice to be.
Beneath the pressure of the cross,
I prove my love for Thee alway;
And ask no other joy than this, —
To immolate myself each day!
Among the grains of purest wheat,
O happy lot! he chooses me.
We lose our life for Him, the Christ, —
What rapturous height of ecstasy!
Thy spouse am I, Thy chosen one.
My Well-Beloved! come, dwell in me.
Thy beauty wins my heart. Oh, come!
Deign to transform me into Thee!