SECULAR ORDER OF DISCALCED CARMELITES
England, Wales and Scotland
Quotes
Saint Teresa of Avila
In the highest stage of prayer the soul is conscious that it is fading away in a kind of swoon; it feels very calm, and full of joy. The breath and bodily powers progressively fail, so the you cannot move even the hands without great effort. The eyes close involuntarily; and, if they remain open, they see almost nothing.
In ecstatic prayer, the Lord catches the soul, just as the clouds gather up the morning mists on earth; and the Lord carries the soul right out of itself, just as the clouds – so I am told – carry the mist towards the sun.
The Lord of the Castle ... dearly loves humility: if you think yourselves unworthy to enter the third mansion, He will grant you all the sooner the favour of entering the fifth. Then if you serve him well there and often repair to it, He will draw you into the mansion where He dwells Himself, where you need never depart ... When once you have learned how to enjoy this Castle, you will always find rest, however painful your trials may be, in the hope of returning to your Lord, which no one can prevent.
Saint John of the Cross
God cures our imperfections by putting the soul into a dark night. Through pure dryness and interior darkness he weans us away from the breast of earthly gratifications and delight, and draws us away from all trivial and childish concerns; and he leads us into the path of virtue. Even if we practise every kind of self-mortification with great passion and zeal, we achieve nothing until God purges us by means of the dark night and we passively submit.
Living in a community is like life in the arena: you are continuously stretched to perform better.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.
For me, prayer is like a ship being launched into the sea; in prayer I am carried toward God.
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
Those who join the Carmelite Order are not lost to their near and dear ones, but have been won for them because it is our vocation to intercede to God for everyone.
The limitless loving devotion to God, and the gift God makes of Himself to you, are the highest elevation of which the heart is capable. It is the highest degree of prayer.