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#godalone — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #godalone, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Quote of the day, 29 June: St. Teresa of Avila

    What I’ve said is enough now for beholding His great mercies, not the one time but the many times He has pardoned so much ingratitude.

    Saint Peter, You pardoned once when he was ungrateful; me, You pardoned many times. With what reason the devil tempted me not to pretend to be a friend with one whom I treated publicly like an enemy.

    What terrible blindness mine was! Where, my Lord, did I think I could find a remedy save in You?

    What folly: to flee from the light so as to be always stumbling! Such proud humility the devil invented in me: withdrawing from the column and the staff which were my support against a fall so great!

    Once while with this presence of the three Persons that I carry about in my soul, I experienced so much light you couldn’t doubt the living and true God was there.

    In this state He gave me understanding of things I didn’t know how to speak of afterward. Among them was how the Person of the Son, and not the others, took flesh.

    As I say, I wouldn’t know how to explain any of these things. For some of them take place so secretly in the soul that it seems the intellect understands, as in the case of a person who while sleeping or half asleep, thinks that what is spoken is understood within.

    I was reflecting upon how arduous a life this is that deprives us of being always in that wonderful company, and I said to myself, “Lord, give me some means by which I can put up with this life.”

    He replied: “Think, daughter, of how after it is finished you will not be able to serve me in ways you can now. Eat for Me and sleep for Me, and let everything you do be for Me, as though you no longer lived but I; for this is what St. Paul was speaking of” [1 Cor 10:31].

    Saint Teresa of Avila

    The Book of Her Life, chap. 19, no. 10
    Spiritual Testimonies, no. 51

    Note: The Pauline spirituality expressed in Teresa’s vision—living “as though you no longer lived but I”—had already found poetic expression three years earlier in her famous verse from around 1572: Vivo sin vivir en mí, / y de tal manera espero / que muero porque no muero (I live without living in myself, / and in such a way I hope, / I die because I do not die). Christ’s words in this 1575 testimony seem to confirm and deepen the mystical theology Teresa was already experiencing and articulating through poetry.

    Teresa of Avila, St. 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K; Rodriguez, O, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

    Teresa de Jesús & Álvarez, T 1994, Obras completas, Editorial Monte Carmelo, Burgos.

    Featured image: Saints Peter and Paul often assist Teresa in overcoming demons is an engraving on paper by Adrian Collaert, engraver, and Theodoor Galle, publisher. The printer is unknown; the engraving dates to Antwerp, 1613. The banner above reads “Confide, quia a daemone nequaquam decipieris” (Trust, for you will never be deceived by a demon). The Latin inscription reads: “She sees the glorious apostles Peter and Paul often standing by her side, promising help against the demons’ illusions: nor is it a vain promise, for she was so divinely illuminated with grace that she could easily conquer all the devil’s tricks.” From the album Vita B. Virginis Teresiae A. Jesu ordinis carmelitarum excalceatorum piae restauratricis….Antverpiae, Apud Adrianum Collardum et Theodorum Gallaeum. M.DC.XIII. (BI-1904-78). Image credit: Rijksmuseum (Public domain).

    ⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
    Have you ever found yourself speaking to God in prayer as naturally as thinking to yourself, without formal words or structure?
    Join the conversation in the comments.

    #GodAlone #perseverance #StPaul #StPeter #StTeresaOfAvila

  2. 29 May: Blessed Elia of St. Clement Fracasso

    May 29
    BLESSED ELIA OF SAINT CLEMENT FRACASSO
    Virgin

    Optional Memorial

    Blessed Elia of St. Clement was born in Bari, 17th January 1901, to deeply Christian parents. At her baptism, she was given the name Theodora, gift of God. In the brief course of her life on earth, she lived up to her name. On 8th April 1920 (then Feast of St. Albert, author of the Carmelite Rule), she entered the Carmel of St. Joseph in Bari. She received the habit on 24th November of the same year, the feast of St John of the Cross. On 8th December 1924, she wrote in her own blood her act of total and definitive offering to the Lord with the vow to embrace the “most perfect”. She died on Christmas day 1927. On 19th December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI signed the Decree of Beatification. She was proclaimed Blessed in Bari Cathedral on 18th March 2006.

    From the Common of Virgins

    Office of Readings

    Second Reading

    From the Writings of Blessed Elia of Saint Clement
    (Ed. O.C.D. 2001: pp. 282, 295, 322)

    The desire to lose herself in God and her apostolic zeal

    O sweet hiddenness, I love to pass my days in your shadow and to consume thus my existence, for love of my sweet Lord. At times, thinking of those eternal rewards, so great compared to the slight sacrifices of this life, my soul remains in wonder, and seized by an ardent longing, it throws itself on God, exclaiming: “Oh my good Jesus, I want to reach my goal, the gates of salvation, no matter what the cost. Do not deny me anything; give me suffering. May this be the most intimate martyrdom of my poor heart, hidden from every human glance: a rugged cross is what I ask of you. I want to pass my days here below hanging from this cross.”

    When we suffer with Jesus, the suffering is delightful; I long to suffer with all my heart, beyond this I no longer want anything.

    My Delight, who could ever separate me from You? Who could be capable of breaking these strong chains that keep my heart attached to yours? Perhaps the abandonment of creatures? It is precisely this that unites the soul to its Creator. Perhaps tribulations, suffering, crosses? It is in these thorns that the canticle of the soul that loves you is freest and lightest. Perhaps death? But this will be nothing other than the beginning of true happiness for the soul. Nothing, nothing can separate this soul from You, not even for a brief moment. It was created for You and is lost if it does not abandon itself to You.

    My life is love: this sweet nectar surrounds me, this merciful love penetrates me, purifies me, renews me, and I feel it consuming me. The cry of my heart is: “Love of my God, my soul searches for You alone. My soul, suffer and be quiet; love and hope; offer yourself but hide your suffering behind a smile, and always move on. I want to spend my life in deep silence, in the depths of my heart, in order to listen to the gentle voice of my sweet Jesus.

    “Souls, I will search for a way to cast you into the sea of Merciful Love: souls of sinners, but above all souls of priests and religious. To this end, my existence is slowly disappearing, consumed like the oil of a lamp that watches near the Tabernacle.”

    I sense the vastness of my soul, its infinite greatness that the immensity of this world cannot contain: it was created to lose itself in You, my God, because you alone are great, infinite and thus You alone can make it completely happy.

    RESPONSORY

    R/. An unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs. * Her aim is to be dedicated to him in body as in spirit (alleluia).
    V/. God is the strength of her heart, he is hers forever: * Her aim is to be dedicated to him in body as in spirit (alleluia).

    Morning Prayer

    Canticle of Zechariah

    Ant. O Lord, how gentle is your love! Lost in your embrace I shall be blessed forever (alleluia).

    Prayer

    O Lord,
    who were pleased to accept the self-offering
    of Blessed Elia of Saint Clement, virgin;
    grant through her intercession,
    that, sustained by the Eucharist
    we may be able faithfully to do your will.

    Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
    who lives and reigns with you,
    and the Holy Spirit,
    God, forever and ever.

    Evening Prayer

    Canticle of Mary

    Ant. Your love, O Lord, is like a fire consuming me in the ardent furnace of your Heart (alleluia).

    Blessed Elia of St. Clement (Teodora Fracasso, 1901-1927)

    Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.

    #Bari #blessed #BlessedEliaOfStClement #GodAlone #infiniteBeing #Liturgy #LiturgyOfTheHours #love #loveAlone #loveForJesus #loveForTheLord #loveIsLoss #loveOfGod #loveWithoutLimits #martyrdom #mercifulLove #optionalMemorial #perfection #suffer #suffering #TeodoraFracasso #trueLove #virgin

  3. May 29
    BLESSED ELIA OF SAINT CLEMENT FRACASSO
    Virgin

    Optional Memorial

    Blessed Elia of St. Clement was born in Bari, 17th January 1901, to deeply Christian parents. At her baptism, she was given the name Theodora, gift of God. In the brief course of her life on earth, she lived up to her name. On 8th April 1920 (then Feast of St. Albert, author of the Carmelite Rule), she entered the Carmel of St. Joseph in Bari. She received the habit on 24th November of the same year, the feast of St John of the Cross. On 8th December 1924, she wrote in her own blood her act of total and definitive offering to the Lord with the vow to embrace the “most perfect”. She died on Christmas day 1927. On 19th December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI signed the Decree of Beatification. She was proclaimed Blessed in Bari Cathedral on 18th March 2006.

    From the Common of Virgins

    Office of Readings

    Second Reading

    From the Writings of Blessed Elia of Saint Clement
    (Ed. O.C.D. 2001: pp. 282, 295, 322)

    The desire to lose herself in God and her apostolic zeal

    O sweet hiddenness, I love to pass my days in your shadow and to consume thus my existence, for love of my sweet Lord. At times, thinking of those eternal rewards, so great compared to the slight sacrifices of this life, my soul remains in wonder, and seized by an ardent longing, it throws itself on God, exclaiming: “Oh my good Jesus, I want to reach my goal, the gates of salvation, no matter what the cost. Do not deny me anything; give me suffering. May this be the most intimate martyrdom of my poor heart, hidden from every human glance: a rugged cross is what I ask of you. I want to pass my days here below hanging from this cross.”

    When we suffer with Jesus, the suffering is delightful; I long to suffer with all my heart, beyond this I no longer want anything.

    My Delight, who could ever separate me from You? Who could be capable of breaking these strong chains that keep my heart attached to yours? Perhaps the abandonment of creatures? It is precisely this that unites the soul to its Creator. Perhaps tribulations, suffering, crosses? It is in these thorns that the canticle of the soul that loves you is freest and lightest. Perhaps death? But this will be nothing other than the beginning of true happiness for the soul. Nothing, nothing can separate this soul from You, not even for a brief moment. It was created for You and is lost if it does not abandon itself to You.

    My life is love: this sweet nectar surrounds me, this merciful love penetrates me, purifies me, renews me, and I feel it consuming me. The cry of my heart is: “Love of my God, my soul searches for You alone. My soul, suffer and be quiet; love and hope; offer yourself but hide your suffering behind a smile, and always move on. I want to spend my life in deep silence, in the depths of my heart, in order to listen to the gentle voice of my sweet Jesus.

    “Souls, I will search for a way to cast you into the sea of Merciful Love: souls of sinners, but above all souls of priests and religious. To this end, my existence is slowly disappearing, consumed like the oil of a lamp that watches near the Tabernacle.”

    I sense the vastness of my soul, its infinite greatness that the immensity of this world cannot contain: it was created to lose itself in You, my God, because you alone are great, infinite and thus You alone can make it completely happy.

    RESPONSORY

    R/. An unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs. * Her aim is to be dedicated to him in body as in spirit (alleluia).
    V/. God is the strength of her heart, he is hers forever: * Her aim is to be dedicated to him in body as in spirit (alleluia).

    Morning Prayer

    Canticle of Zechariah

    Ant. O Lord, how gentle is your love! Lost in your embrace I shall be blessed forever (alleluia).

    Prayer

    O Lord,
    who were pleased to accept the self-offering
    of Blessed Elia of Saint Clement, virgin;
    grant through her intercession,
    that, sustained by the Eucharist
    we may be able faithfully to do your will.

    Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
    who lives and reigns with you,
    and the Holy Spirit,
    God, forever and ever.

    Evening Prayer

    Canticle of Mary

    Ant. Your love, O Lord, is like a fire consuming me in the ardent furnace of your Heart (alleluia).

    Blessed Elia of St. Clement (Teodora Fracasso, 1901-1927)

    Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.

    https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/05/27/fracassolit24/

    #Bari #blessed #BlessedEliaOfStClement #ff0000 #GodAlone #infiniteBeing #Liturgy #LiturgyOfTheHours #love #loveAlone #loveForJesus #loveForTheLord #loveIsLoss #loveOfGod #loveWithoutLimits #martyrdom #mercifulLove #optionalMemorial #perfection #suffer #suffering #TeodoraFracasso #trueLove #virgin