In the Inmost Being of the Soul

                             'The dwelling of God is very different in different souls:
                             in some He dwells alone, in others not;
                             in some He dwells contented, in others displeased;
                             in some as in His own home, giving His orders and ruling it;
                             in others as a stranger in a house not His own,
                             where He is not permitted to command or to do anything at all....
                             We must remember that the Word, the Son of God,
                             together with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
                             is hidden in essence and presence
                             in the inmost being of the soul.'

        (from Sheltering the Divine Outcast, compiled by A Religious, The Peter Reilly Co, Philadelphia, 1952, pp. 47-48)

Anderson painting

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Whatever Our State in Life

"Whether married, religious, single, consecrated, or widowed," says today's post at The Feminine Gift, "we all have a primary vocation to holiness.  Nancy Shuman, of The Cloistered Heart book and blog, writes about how we can fulfill that vocation by making our lives a cloister - a total consecration - where 'God is loved and lived for and served.'  We feel greatly blessed that Nancy will be sharing this way of living for Christ with us once a month..."

I look forward to these monthly visits with the ladies at the Feminine Gift!  Please click here to join us for a quick "refresher" of the Cloistered Heart analogy.  It's a perfect way to begin our next monastic day:  2013 edition.  

Enclosed Within Your Heart....

'In Your Name, Jesus, and enclosed within Your Heart, I can do anything!'

St. Frances Cabrini

Painting: Harold Piffard, Joan of Arc

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And Your Mighty Voice

'When I loved darkness, then I knew You not,
but wandered on from night to night.
But You led me out at last from that blindness.
You took me by my hand,
and You called me, then, to You.
And now I can thank You,
and Your mighty voice,
which has penetrated
to my inmost heart.'

St.  Augustine





Painting of St. Augustine, Caravaggio 
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Enlighten the Dark Corners

'O Holy Spirit, Love of God, infuse Your grace! 

Plentifully descend into my heart.

Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling.

Dwell in that soul that longs to be Your temple. 

Water that barren soil, overrun with weeds and briars

and lost to fruitfulness for want of cultivating. 

Make it fruitful with Your gracious beams,

Your dew from heaven..

Come, Holy Spirit, in much mercy! 

Make me fit to receive You.' 

St. Augustine

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Benedito Calixto painting, cropped