Pentecost

'Veni Creator Spiritus!
Breathe on me, life giving Spirit of God,
come as a Wind.
I am dead, quicken Thou me.
I am listless, inoperative, lukewarm, indolent,
revive Thou me.
Sweep from my soul all its torpor,
all its indifference, all its decay.

'Veni Creator Spiritus!
Come as a Fire.
I need the fire that destroyeth all things rank and gross.
Many such elements are in my soul.
I need the fire that purifyeth imperfect motive, inconsistent life.
I need the fire that infuseth new warmth and glow.

'Veni Creator Spiritus!
Come as a Speech.
O, give me utterance that I may tell
the wonderful works of God.
Give me boldness that none may make me afraid.
Give me the grace of witness-bearing,
that my lips may testify gladly
to Christ, my King.
Give me demonstration of spirit,
wide horizons, great prospect, immortality.
Yea, give me a Feast of Pentecost in my soul.
Veni Creator Spiritus!'

     (from Fervorinos from the Lips of the Master, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1940, p. 184) 

Drafted by NS 3/27/14

So what IS a Cloistered Heart?

We try to put a "what is this?" post here from time to time, a brief look at the basic cloistered heart "analogy" for anyone wondering what this blog is about.

It's time to do this again! The following is from our archives:

The "Cloistered Heart" is basically an analogy in which our lives can be seen as "monasteries," places where God is loved and lived for and served.  

Our call is to be in the world but not of the world.   This is not a new or different idea; rather, it is an emphasizing, a kind of "underlining," of every Christian's call.  The uniqueness of this emphasis is in its monastic imagery. 

The word "cloister" speaks of total consecration.  Those who enter a traditional physical cloister make a tangible break from the world.  Compromise does not fit well in a cloister, nor does lukewarmness, nor does complacency.  The cloistered life is absolute. 

Christians living in the midst of the world are also called to live for God.  But for us, the break is not so clean. The world is persistent in its tugs on the heart trying to live for God.  We need support in our struggles to surrender our lives to God and to resist the world's allurements.  This is where the imagery of the cloistered heart can be of help. "If the cloister is in a man's heart, it is immaterial whether the building is actually there.  The cloister in a man's heart means only this:  God and the soul."  (from Warriors of God by Walter Nigg, NY, Alfred A. Knopf, 1959, p. 13)

Our cloister is not made of bricks and stones, but of God's holy will in which we can choose to live.  The will of God can form for us a "cloister grille," through which we may view and respond to all people and all circumstances around us.

"The heart is the dwelling place where I am, where I live; according to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place ‘to which I withdraw.’  The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully.  The heart is the place of decision..“  (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2563) 

"Thank God, there still remains one sanctuary, the sacredness of which no earthly power may violate… it is the sanctuary of the human heart.  It needs no fixed place for its confines, no stated time for the opening of its gates, no particular hour of silence for its prayer.  A thought, a word, a moment of reflection, and by faith and by love, the soul is within the blessed refuge, and the gates are closed on the confusion of life with all its noise and tumult.  It is secure against the bitterness and the pain of persecution, or hardship or trial, or hurt of body, or wound of earthly pride, or failure of worldly ambition, for there she is inviolable, sacred, impregnable in the fortress of her own spirit.  ‘Entering into solitude,’ we sometimes call the seeking of this sanctuary.  But it is not entering into a lonely solitude.  It is hearkening to the alluring accents and appeal of a Voice that will never, in time, be stilled, but will ever sound gently in the hearing of them that love: ‘come apart with Me and rest awhile!” (from The Living Pyx of Jesus, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini and Co, Australia, 1941, p.101) 

“Most beautiful of creatures, who desires so ardently to know the dwelling place of your Beloved in order to seek Him and be united with Him, you are yourself the refuge where He takes shelter, the dwelling place in which He hides Himself.  Your Beloved, your Treasure, your one Hope is so close to you as to live within you." (St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle)

“You are the temple of the living God.” (2 Corinthians 6:16)

"We may well tremble to think what sanctuaries we are, when the Blessed Sacrament is within us."  (Frederick William Faber)  




Text not in quotes © 2013 Nancy Shuman.  All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized use of this material without permission from blog owner is prohibited.  thecloisteredheart.org   

E- mail: thecloisteredheart [at] gmail [dot] com.

A Radiance

'Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Light. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may be only a radiance of Yours. Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul with whom I come in contact may feel Your Presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only You, dear Jesus.'

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini 1941, p. 421)

Painting: John Henry Frederick Bacon, Suscipe me Domine (detail)

A New Life of Friendship

'A change comes in the soul when it begins to really recognize Who it is that dwells in her. A new life of affection begins a new life of intimate friendship.

Intimate friends are characterized by mutual benevolence: each one makes the interest of the other the subject of his thoughts and of his plans...

In such manner should we live in the intimacy of our Divine Guest. We should turn to him frequently, to speak of ourselves, our sorrows, our joys. We should, in all simplicity, as between friends, tell Him of our anxieties, our needs, our plans, our projects.

But we should speak to Him also of His own interests and especially of the salvation of souls, which is God's great desire. We should beg His grace, the grace of the Faith, for those outside the Church, and the grace of Hope and Charity for those inside the Church. By so doing, we are making the interests of our Divine Guest our own.

Some may think that such a life of Union with God is only for saints, that a life of intimacy in which the soul constantly turns to God, as to a loving and beloved guest, is not for the ordinary faithful. This view is incorrect.

Intimacy with God is not for the saints only, it is for all of us.

God dwells in each soul which is in the state of grace and calls each of us to be united to Him in intimate friendship.'

(from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940, pp. 62-63)

Painting: Gaspar de Crayer, The Vision of St Theresa of Avila

Back to the Edge of My Knowing

I once dreamed I was in an urban neighborhood at dusk, making my way across back yards crammed with people. The yards were narrow strips of land belonging to detached rowhouses standing side by side. Everyone appeared to be waiting for something; perhaps a baseball game, or fireworks on the fourth of July. Sounds of traffic surrounded us all.

My trek from yard to yard was halted when I reached a building extending farther back than the others. It looked like any other building, but I knew it was a church. There was an entrance facing me; a small, humble, very plain side door. I opened it and stepped inside.

The interior was larger than I expected. Dark, cool, with walls and floors of deep reds and browns.  Every surface gleamed with a warm patina, like stones worn smooth during years of prayer.

The overall sense was of a cavern, one lit only with candles. Small clusters of burning white tapers kept vigil along the long walls.

By now it was dark outside, and I knew the people were still out there, still packed in, still noisy, still waiting. From inside, however, I could no longer hear them. There were no more sounds of traffic. I knew only silence, and subtle scents of incense and beeswax, and a gently growing awareness of someone here, on the edge of my knowing.

I had thought I was alone, all by myself in this silent church. Yet now I knew an unseen sense of Presence.

He was in this place; of course He was.  I'd only needed to come away for a moment from the noise, so I could hear Him. I needed to be where His silence filled the air.

He had been waiting for me to stop and listen.

He had been waiting all along.

"I have a secret dwelling place, a sanctuary closed to the world and occupied by God alone, where I can always say 'O my God! I belong to You!' Neither afflictions, nor tempests, nor the clamour of the world, can tear me away from this secret abode, from this hidden Sanctuary where I can always converse with God, in a mysterious friendship which is the beginning of Heaven." (The Living Pyx of Jesus, Pelligrini, 1941, p. 95) 

'To be with God it is not necessary to be always in church. We may make a chapel of our heart, whereto to escape from time to time to talk with Him quietly, humbly and lovingly.... Begin then; perhaps He is waiting for a single generous resolution.' (Brother Lawrence)

'We are, each of us, a Living Cathedral. Each is his own chapel. And provided we are in a state of grace, God lives and dwells within us… we must live and act as if we were dwelling in a church in the presence of the Tabernacle.” (The Living Pyx of Jesus) 

This is a slightly edited repost from our archives. It is linked to Reconciled to You and Theology is a Verb for 'It's Worth Revisiting.'   
 

Photo: Kitaev Hermitage. Click here for full attribution.

While I Live for You Alone

'Come my loving Redeemer, and dwell within me during the day and night...
Take the beats of my heart as adoration, love and gratitude throughout my life.
Oh! May I breathe in Your courage, Your strength, 
Your charity, humility, obedience, patience and purity. 

May I draw in Your Love, Your Spirit, Your Life.
May You live within me while I live and toil and suffer for You alone.'

from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, p. 534

Painting at top: Enoch Wood Perry, Jr
Painting at bottom: Winslow Homer

When We Are Mystics

"Is this life of union a special vocation for priests, religious, Saints, privileged persons, and mystical souls? Not at all. 

This trusting and tender union with God is the very foundation of the spiritual life. There is no exception made to that call of the Divine Master: 'Come unto Me!' and for those souls who might imagine that the labours, cares and sorrows of this life might hold them back, He adds: 'Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you!' 

There are hours when we are all mystics. We throw ourselves instinctively upon the Sacred Heart of Jesus, whenever sorrow or pain strikes us with 'a blow from God,' or when we feel the need of carrying our joys to a safe refuge."

from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940, p. 75

When My Eyes Are Heavy

'My dearest Jesus, look with pity on me, your poor, weak child. My heart is cold, and my eyes are heavy; I really cannot pray, for I am so tired I can scarcely keep awake. 

You, too, were often weary during Your life on this poor earth of ours, so I know You understand just how I feel. Lord, if You will, You can keep me wide awake when I long to talk to You. 

You know I really do love You, and want You to set my heart aflame with a love so strong and tender, that even while my eyes close and my head droops and a drowsiness overpowers me, I shall find comfort in the thought that I am struggling and working for You.'

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, pp.383-384)

Room for the Likes of Him

 
                    'I gave the keys of my heart to Love - to Love on a blood-stained tree,
                    Whose Heart and Hands and Feet were pierced as a purchase-price for me,
                    Whose Head hung heavy beneath the crown which marked Him King of Grief.
                    I gave the house of my heart to Love as hospice for His relief.
                    And yet, when He comes to claim His own, to shelter Himself with me,
                    How often I fail to pierce the guise of the King Whose Throne was a tree.
                    How often I ask that He garb Himself with raiment befitting my whim -
                    How strange that I keep Him waiting to know if there's room for the likes of Him.'

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, p. 57)

Painting: Fra Angelico

This Unchosen Cloister

You may have noticed that lately I've been absent from behind these cloister walls. I wish I could say I've been away on a long vacation, but the truth is far less glamorous. I've spent the last few weeks in a cloister not of my own choosing... within the little "cell" of a hospital room.

I hope to tell you more, soon, about this adventure. (I know you won't be able to wait). In the meantime, this is just to say "Hi! I'm back!" And I hope you're having a blessed Easter season.

'Thank God, there still remains one sanctuary, the sacredness of which no earthly power may violate…  It is the sanctuary of the human heart.  It needs no fixed place for its confines, no stated time for the opening of its gates, no particular hour of silence for its prayer.  A thought, a word, a moment of reflection, and by faith and by love, the soul is within the blessed refuge, and the gates are closed on the confusion of life with all its noise and tumult. It is secure against the bitterness and the pain of persecution, or hardship or trial, or hurt of body, or wound of earthly pride, or failure of worldly ambition, for there she is inviolable, sacred, impregnable in the fortress of her own spirit.' (From The Living Pyx of Jesus, Pelligrini and Co, 1941, p.101) 

'We cannot go to Jesus in the Tabernacle at every moment of the day, but we can turn inward to the Triune God at any moment, even in the midst of our day's worst difficulties.' (The Living Pyx of Jesus, Pelligrini, 1941, p. 27)

God Beneath the Surface

'Many a time, face to face with nature, I come upon the manifestations of His power, His wisdom, His beauty. 

Sunset, and flowers, and the sea, and moonlight, and morning star are so many reminders of God beneath the surface, the Great Reality sustaining all, holding the universe in the hollow of His hand.

Often alone, undistracted by men, untroubled by things, I look into my soul and find Him there, the Hidden God, ever good and patient towards me, ever gentle and loving and divinely merciful and infinitely generous...'

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, pp.149-150)



Painting: Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, Italian Girl with Flowers

The Divine Guest of my Soul

"He is with us always, within the depths of our souls always, listening to us and asking us to speak to Him, at least at intervals. 

"Is this quite true? Yes, the Eternal God, my Loving God, is within me, He is the Divine Guest of my soul. I must live my life with Him as much as my weakness, my misery, my meanness, my lukewarmness, my cowardice will allow. 

"This will not deter me in my other occupations nor separate me from others; it will take only a moment of time; only instead of being alone, I will have a Companion in my work and in my duties. 

"Now and again I will lower my eyes to my heart and remain in recollection for a few seconds, thinking 'You are here, my God, and I love You.' Thus I will develop the habit, and I will end by always feeling the sweet Companionship of the God of my heart."

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, pp. 208-209)

Painting at top: Henriette Browne

Painting at bottom: Gifford Beal; Elevated,Columbus Avenue, NY, 1916

O God, Forgotten By Many

"I fear there are few souls who constantly remember the Indwelling Holy Spirit. Far too few, indeed! 

Here and there, a great saint; now and again, some simple, loving, obscure disciple. But by the many, He is neglected and forgotten...

But the consciousness of that Divine Presence in the soul, the gracious influence of the Indwelling Spirit, make those who remember grow steadily more and more like You. In their lives, one sees ordinary men and women reflecting the sublime beauty, and the splendid wisdom, and the perfect holiness, which belong to God Himself. 

O God! forgotten by so many, I will strive to remember You....

What a long series of claims You have upon my loyalty, You, Who made me! Who redeemed me! Who saved me not once, but repeatedly, from the fatal consequences of my own foolish and wicked conduct....

Help me, dear Lord, to find a lasting source of joy in the thought of Your Presence within me! 

Help me to keep the eyes of my soul opened, and the ears of my soul unstopped, so that, from morning until night, I may be always on the alert to please You by doing Your Will. May I always say, like little Samuel, 'Speak, Lord! Thy servant heareth.'"

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, pp. 203-204

Painting: Herbert James Draper, The Golden Rays

While Crowds Pass

'Jesus lives in the solitude of the Tabernacle. 

Crowds pass, eager or despairing, in the conflict of human existence, 

in the persistent or reckless pursuits of pleasure. 

All are occupied with their material concerns, with the affairs of home. 

Few give thought to the Divine Lover who dwells amongst them.
Those alone know His divine charm who, like Mary and Joseph,
interweave human activity with the divine activity of self-surrender.
For them, the Tabernacle is the actual meeting place of lovers of Jesus with Himself.
There, they find abundance of spiritual energy and fullness of life.'

from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940, pp. 399-400

When I Grow Weary With Trifles

'I know that as frequently as possible 
I should recall 
the Indwelling of the Holy Ghost.
I cannot think of Him too often.

From my awakening in the morning 
until I fall asleep at night, 
here He is within me always,
closer than breathing, 
at the very centre of my soul.

Here He is while I am doing my daily work,
and struggling under my burdens;
He is here when I grow weary
with the drudgery, 
with the monotony,
with the emptiness of the trifles 
which fill day after day of my life...

He is here when I am disappointed and cross,
impatient and obstinate,
willful and unreasonable and hard to please...

He is here when I show myself 
eager for notice, 
hungry for praise, 
when I excuse my meanness
by alleging a noble motive.
When I exaggerate, or boast, 
at all such times
He, the Holy Ghost, is here,
just as truly 
as if Christ Himself were visibly present,
and I could touch His garment,
grasp His hand,
embrace Him lovingly.

It is only those who are willfully blind 
Who cannot see Him...'

from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940, pp. 53-55
  
 
Paintings by Petrus Van Schendel

Tiny Teasing Crosses

'Teach me silence, dearest Jesus,
when in sorrow and in pain,
For to hide in Thee my suffering
makes me love Thy cross again.

Teach me patience, dearest Jesus, 
when all day my heart is tried
by those tiny teasing crosses,
welcome friends - that crush my pride.'

(from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940, p. 122)






Painting: Frank W Benson, The Open Window, 1917

From Sudden Places

'The hours I tread ooze memories of Thee...
Beneath my casual feet
With rainfall as the lea
The day is drenched with Thee.
In little exquisite surprises 
Bubbling deliciousness of Thee arises 
From sudden places
Under the common traces
Of my most lethargied and customed places.'

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, p. 27)

The Soul's Secret

Quote from 'Listening to the Indwelling Presence' by a Religious, Pelligrini, 1940

Painting: Carl Gustav Carus (attr), Mönch in Winterlandschaft

I Am Your Opportunity

"Everyone who speaks to me 
a harsh or unfriendly word, 
who slights me, or sets me aside, 
who criticizes or injures me,
Such a one delivers a message, 
a reminder, an invitation, 
a challenge to my aspiring soul.
For such a one
seems to be saying:
'You seek to be holy? 
I am your opportunity.'"

(from The Living Pyx of Jesus by A Religious, Pelligrini, 1941, pp. 183-184)


Painting: Ivan Kramskoy, 1883

Let Me Realize What This Means

'Let me recall that God within me is ever awaiting a whispered word, a loving glance, an act of service or of adoration. Let me realize what this means.
It means that:
I need not take a single step in order to put myself in His Presence.
I need not even speak aloud in order to be heard by Him.
The very movement of my will is plain to Him.
His one desire is for my worship never to cease.
From my heart, as from the Tabernacle Lamp, a steady little flame of love should always be ascending.
This love should burn by day and night in storm and calm, while I work or while I rest.
It is the uninterrupted adoration of my soul for the God Who dwells within.
It shows that I am looking at Him and loving Him as He wishes to be looked upon and loved by His children.
So be it!'

(from Listening to the Indwelling Presence, compiled by a Religious, Pellegrini, 1940, p. 39)