Quote of the day, 1 June: St. Edith Stein

The church had blossomed, but the masses
Of the people remained distant, far from the Lord
And his mother, enemies of the cross.
The people are in confusion and cannot find rest,
An object of disdain and scorn:
It will be thus until the final battle.
But before the cross appears again in heaven,
Even before Elijah comes to gather his own,
The good Shepherd goes silently through the lands.
Now and then he gathers from the depths of the abyss
A little lamb, shelters it at his heart.
And then others always follow him.
But there above at the throne of grace
The Mother ceaselessly pleads for her people.
She seeks souls to help her pray.
Then only when Israel has found the Lord,
Only then when he has received his own,
Will he come in manifest glory.
And we must pray for this second coming.

Saint Edith Stein

Conversation at Night (excerpt)

Stein, E. 2014, The Hidden Life: hagiographic essays, meditations, spiritual texts, translated from the German by Stein, W, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: A symbolic, AI-generated depiction of Christ returning in glory, used here to evoke the eschatological hope described by St. Edith Stein. Image credit: Anthony Paz / Adobe Stock.

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
Am I truly praying for Christ’s return—or do I keep my hope bound to this world?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#BlessedMother #Elijah #goodShepherd #Israel #lamb #poetry #SecondComing #StEdithStein

Marie du jour, 21 May: St. Thérèse of Lisieux

We know very well that the Blessed Virgin is Queen of heaven and earth, but she is more Mother than Queen; and we should not say, on account of her prerogatives, that she surpasses all the saints in glory just as the sun at its rising makes the stars disappear from sight.

My God! How strange that would be! A mother who makes her children’s glory vanish! I myself think just the contrary. I believe she’ll increase the splendor of the elect very much.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Last Conversations: The yellow notebook, August 21

Thérèse of Lisieux, S & Clarke, J 1977, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Her Last Conversations, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington DC.

Featured image: Virgin and Child is one of the true gems of the Robert Lehmann Collection at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. This small oil on oak panel painting—its overall dimensions are 6 1/8 x 4 1/2 inches (15.6 x 11.4 cm)—from the workshop of early 16th c. master Gerard David is a testimony to the success of the studio. Image credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art (Public domain).

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How does Mary’s motherhood shape my understanding of holiness and heaven?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

#BlessedMother #BlessedVirginMary #chosen #glory #heaven #inspiration #QueenOfHeaven #Saints #StThereseOfLisieux

"The Mystery of the #Visitation implies a whole conception of #communication based on #charity [...] The beginning of communication is the salutation: #Peace be with you! God be with you. [...] How the Mystery of the Visitation is a perfect starting point: in this, the salutation was also a #sacrament; the salutation of Our #BlessedMother was the cause of sanctifying #grace being poured down upon the babe, that leapt in the womb."
#ThomasMerton

#Catholic #Carmelite #Christmas #Mary #quote