Prayer
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Zelo Zelatus Sum Pro Domino Deo Exercitum
"With zeal, have I been most zealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts." 1 Kings 19:10.
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Carmel's motto, rather than being about contemplation, is about a fruit of contemplation: zeal for God and to stand and to always remain in His presence in loving faithful service to God and all humankind, beginning with the summit of our daily lives: the Holy Eucharist.
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Liturgical Prayer
The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of the Carmelite’s life as it is of the Church’s life.We place ourselves on the altar with Christ, joyfully surrendering to His Love all our gifts of heart, will, mind, and hands.
In response to Christ’s invitation to the Wedding Banquet of the Eucharist, the Carmelite gathers into her heart the poor (in supernatural life), the crippled (by worldly values; anxiety), and the blind (in darkness of unbelief), so that His house may be filled. When the Bridegroom comes in Holy Communion, He finds those who she invited and feeds all His healing, strengthening grace.
The praise, thanksgiving, and joy of union celebrated at the Eucharistic Sacrifice is continued by the Community chanting the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church’s official prayer.
“By tradition going back to early Christian times, the Divine Office is arranged so that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praises of God …
It is the very prayer which Christ Himself together with His Body, addresses to the Father.
All who perform this service are not only fulfilling a duty of the Church, but also are sharing in the greatest honor accorded Christ’s spouse, for by offering these praises to God they are standing before God’s Throne in the Name of the Church, their Mother.”
(Vatican II: Constitution on the Liturgy, 84/85)
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Personal Prayer
Jesus spent time apart, in the desert, on the mountain. Loneliness and solitude are two different realities: loneliness is missing a significant other; solitude is being in the presence of THE significant Other. Here is where intimacy with God is fostered.
Each day the Sisters dedicate at least two hours to quiet, solitary prayer. The preparation for this throughout the day is striving to live in the Presence of God. Our personal prayer is fed by daily participation in the Eucharist, the Liturgy of the Hours, and Lectio Divina: reading, meditating on, praying, and contemplation of Sacred Scripture so that we imbibe the Word of God and are able to live that Word.
What is needed: a listening, learning, loving heart …
A life of prayer is an opening of one’s heart to Christ in all ways. He takes as much as one gives. The Carmelite’s desire is to give all … be wide open … respond fully.
A Carmelite’s day is steeped in prayer. Through prayer, she is:
- a creature in adoration before her Creator (Ps. 45:10).
- a bride enamored of her Divine Bridegroom Who gave His Life to win her (Jn. 19:34).
- a living temple, delighting in the Presence of her indwelling God (Jn. 14:23).
From the Carmelite Rule: In silence and in hope shall your strength be. (Is. 30:15)
For those answering the Spirit’s call to deeper prayer, silence is a necessary friend and a helpful usher, bringing us to God. In silence we can be our deepest, most expansive selves. Our greatest joys and sorrows are too deep for words, but not for silence. Far from being inaction, silence leads one to a high form of activity: loving conversation with God, surrender of one’s attention and heart to Him.
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