Wednesday, April 6, 2011

St. Theresa of the Andes Letter to her Mother

Convent of the Holy Spirit
May 1919

Mrs Lucia Solar de Fernandez:

May Jesus be with my beloved Mommy:

Since today is Sunday we didn't have so many chores, so that Rev. Mother is letting me travel your way for a few minutes to chat with you. But now I'll have to put two chairs out, becasue Jesus is coming, too. It's impossible to separate us now. What happiness... You don't know how much I enjoy your letters. They all show me that the heavenly feelings in my own soul are echoed faithfully in the soul of my dear mother. How often I thank my good Jesus for having given me a Mom like mine, a mother who looks out for God's concerns! Oh, Mom, let's you and I love Jesus who is so hated and mistreated. Let's console Him at every second and tell Him that we love Him. He really loves that never-ending song of love. Let's love Him in our every action, doing each thing perfectly and only to please Him. Let's love Him adorable will in every circumstance Cross is not heavy; martyrdom is not felt; we live more in Heaven then on earth. The life of the Carmel is one of love. This is our profession.

I assure you, Mother dear, that what I feel is insatiable hunger and thirst that souls may turn to God ans seek Him not out of fear but with unbounded trust in His Divine Love. When a soul gives herself over to Him in this way, Jesus does it all; becasue He sees that the soul is poor and unable to do any good; and, since He sees it full of good will and self-doubt, His loving Heart is touched and He takes over.

Look for God in this way, Mother dear, and you'll find God coming close to you, casting you more deeply into the infinite ocean of His love. it seems as if Our Lord likes this very much, since He makes His presence felt there in our soul. Let's abandon ourselves completely, Mom, to His adorable Will; and He will do everything becasue He loves us infinitely.

As for what you told me about Miguel, it really touched me and I'm praying for him alot. And you know already that I've come to Carmel to convert him. Rev. Mother, with such goodness, offers up everything for him and all my dear Sisters are praying, too. Let's have trust; and the Sacred Heart will arrange all things for His glory. God never fails to hear a mother's prayers. So then, let us suffer, pray love. These must be Our bywords to succeed.

You can't imagine how Rev. Mother looks out for me. She came in the other day convinced I didn't have enough bed clothes, touched the bed to be sure, went off looking for more blankets to cover me. She really spoils me, overwhelms me with her kindness. But it seems that she and Our Lord are in cahoots. What have I done to deserve such attention? But since the two of them spareno effort to care for me, what can I do but enjoy it? I'm happy, becasue I'm in charge of waking up the community. I get up a quarter of an hour before waking up my dear Sisters. This is so delightful, for it's still dark with the moon still out. I'm the first to go in to the choir. There, all alone before Our Lord, I tell Him all kinds of things, Mother dear, about everyone, for at that hour He has to be very generous, after saving up graces all night for souls. I love this job becasue I'm to call my Sisters to prayer; and, with my own praises so poor, at least I'm bringing in other souls who know better how to love and praise the Divine Prisoner. And today I also went to the kitchen to learn how to cook. I'm delighted, and I was thinking of Susana with all her scurring about.

We have begun the month of the Sacred Heart. You can imagine with how much devotion and recollection they celebrate it here. This is my first month of the Sacred Heart at Carmel; can this be a dream? They pray that prayer you used to recite, the one I liked so much: "Oh Jesus, I consecrate my heart to you."

In our novitiate, we have a Little Baby Jesus donated by Rev. Mother Margarita. It used to be in the choir and, after I came, they brought it here. Yesterday everyone wanted the Baby Jesus back, but our Rev. Mother wouldn't let them take it from us. They had taken Him to the choir and He came over here with His Teresa, and I spent an hour shut up in my cell talking to Him about a thousand things, since I'm such a silly thing. Friday we're going on an eight-day retreat to get ready for Pentecost. Fantastic! Won't you pray that your Teresita may be really carried away with God?
I wish you'd ask the Sacred Heart Sisters for that hymn, "I will repeat the song of love. " I think they call it. Also send "Cor Jesu, Rex." I hope they'll lend them to you so that you can copy them. Please send the things I asked for in my letter to Rebecca as soon as you can. God will reward you for everything, Mother dear. Bye for now. Affectionate greetings and my Sisters do, too. Abig hug to Dad and to my brothers and sisters. And for you, here's all the love of your unworthy

Teresa of Jesus, Carmelite



Special greetings to my aunt Juanita, to Julia, Sister Esther Pelle, Mother Josefine. I remember each one of them in a special way. Say the same to Juanita Ossa and to her little girls. They've just given me your letters. Please thank them so much in Rev. Mother and the Sister's name for the gift. Tell them I'll write them soon. Hello to my governess and to Rosa and every one there at the house. How's Lucecita doing? Bye. May we live in Christ, praising and loving Him. When's Rebecca going back to school? Greetings to all the Sisters, with whom I'm one in spirit. Father Avertano came and heard my confession. I like hin very much. He's very holy and spiritual.

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