'The Heaven of Glory and the Heaven of Faith' : A poem by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity
Week Six
Voice of Heaven
And when one loves, how good it is to give!
You can be giving every hour and every place.
Oh, give God glory while on earth you live -
By self-oblation. Seize on this high grace!
In this final part of Elizabeth's poem she seems focused on that key element of the Carmelite charism, namely 'service'.
She has Mother Germaine of Jesus in mind, who was in fact novice mistress when Elizabeth first entered Dijon Carmel, but who very soon after (and at the age of just 31 years old) was elected to lead the community as prioress.
From a sense of being 'lost' to the love of the Divine Elizabeth witnesses 'a giving' of oneself at 'every hour and place'. And through that 'giving' in the service of Christ, one is so plunged deeper into 'this high grace' that ultimately unites all and transforms all.
There is even a note of urgency to respond through this love filled action in Elizabeth's use of the word 'Seize'!
Question: At times, do we need to be reminded how 'good it is to give'? Might it help to be in our own 'hour and place' if we ever grow tired of 'giving'? Perhaps we too can rebalance aspects of our lives that preoccupy us so as restore some sense of what we can give others and what we can (...and need!) to give God ?