HYMN OF ADORATION -  Part IV

1. These notes follow on from the previous Update and there is no introduction. The material is centred on §43 of ‘Heaven in Faith’ [2], and is suitable for meditation. Note HF§43 ends at the word ‘Sanctus’, leaving the final proposition deceptively brief. Therefore, part of HF§44 has been added by way of completeness. This paragraphing does not apply to the text in MPA.
2. The text of Heaven in Faith included in CW1 has been used for references in these notes. The source of the translation used, is either CW1 or MPA: in some instances, these translations have been modified by the site owner. Note that the text of Heaven in Faith given in the 1947 translation of MPA is incomplete.
3. In this Update, more extensive reference has had to be made to ‘The Last Retreat of Laudem Gloriae’.
4. Where reference is made to quotations from Holy Scripture, any interpretation given in these notes, is that understood to have been intended by Sr Elizabeth.
5. The opinions expressed are those of the site owner and as such may not be assumed to reflect or to represent the official teaching of Holy Mother Church at any time past or present, neither are those opinions intended in any way as criticism by the site owner of Holy Mother Church or her pastors.


A PRAISE OF GLORY IS ……..

Proposition 4 Finally, a Praise of Glory is one who is always giving thanks [3]; whose acts movements, thoughts, aspirations, while more deeply establishing her in love, are like an echo of the eternal Sanctus [4]. ...... In the Heaven of her soul, the Praise of Glory begins now the task which will be hers for all eternity. Her chant is uninterrupted, for she is under the influence of the Holy Spirit and ... ... she sings and adores perpetually and has, so to speak, become absorbed in praise and love, in her passion for the Glory of her God [5].

Proposition 4 seems unusually short, and is not supported in the preceding body of text to the same extent as the other propositions are. While it would not be difficult to elaborate on the proposition, as it stands, this would be contrary to the underlying aim of developing it by reference to Sr Elizabeth’s written works and the testimonies of those who knew her. A few days after completing ‘Heaven in Faith’, Sr Elizabeth began a long personal retreat, which she documented in ‘The Last Retreat of Laudem Gloriae’; and it is there that one must look for supporting material on the ‘apocalyptic’ tone of this last proposition.


INTRODUCTION

A continuing ‘act of grace’ (giving thanks)
Shortly after completing that retreat’, Sr Elizabeth told Mother Germaine, she “realized that while on earth we can live the life of heaven” [6]. Proposition 4 of ‘Heaven in Faith’ requires that we must indeed live the life of ‘heaven in faith’, and for most of us this seems all but impossible. It probably would be, because so often when trying to express, in simple language, what is required, we end up ‘not being able to see the wood for the trees’. Jesus presented the ‘way forward’ in his allegory of the vine: “without me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Without Him we become those dead branches that are thrown onto the fire (Jn 15:6). With Him, we become fully alive, alive with the Love of God: then we are the ‘Glory of God’ (Irenaeus). How often when considering the previous propositions have we noted, with the spiritual life, that everything has to be ‘in Him, with Him, and through Him’. Again, the allegory of the vine clarifies the point: our spiritual ‘everything’ is the ‘fruit of the vine’ and that fruit comprises Jesus and ourselves indistinguishably mixed.

This is what Sr Elizabeth always did, and asks of us: our acts ...., then, are also the Acts ...... of the Beloved Bridegroom: we are His hands, His feet, the channel of His Love, as we walk ‘ici-bas’ in His footprints. We "abide in Him, pray in Him, adore in Him, love in Him, suffer in Him, work in Him, and act in Him: not for a few moments, a few passing hours, but permanently" [7]. A channel of His Love in the Beatitudes to "whatever person or action (we are) concerned with". . We give thanks to the Father ‘in, with, and through’, Jesus; our acts …. aspirations, conform us to, and transform us in, Jesus – Love. Paraphrasing her words: guided by the Holy Spirit, we should strive to make our life a continuing ‘act of grace’, with the Heaven of our soul dimly mirroring Heaven itself; where ‘guided by’ implies that complete docility to the movement of the Holy Spirit. In fine, we should adore, with unmitigated joy.

Sr Elizabeth's beautiful prayer is addressed to everyone, no matter what their calling, or their degree of union with God. No matter what our calling, whether to the secular or to the religious life, we praise God by living that life faithfully to that calling: our God-given vocation. To some degree, then, we are all in the world, but not of the world. We are social beings and the Gifts of God enable us to project the image of God into our dealings with our neighbour through the Beatitudes and the Commandments. Like Sr Elizabeth, we will always be giving thanks: making 'acts of grace'; because in us Christ actively walks the earth. To what extent do we follow in His footprints, sharing His Cross on the royal way up Mount Carmel? Like Sr Elizabeth, with every step we "penetrate ever deeper into this abode": the abode of Love - He in me and I in Him.

In these notes, ‘Giving thanks’ has been replaced by ‘making acts of grace’. Proposition 4 is the only instance in the treatise, and also in Sr Elizabeth's letters from Carmel, where 'giving thanks' is used both in CW1 and MPA: elsewhere [8], 'thanksgiving' is found. This point is made because the corresponding French expression is the same for both, and is literally translated as 'acts of grace', which is more meaningful. Newman described the true Christian state: “ as the nearest approach to Christ’s calm and placid sleep in the tempest: - not perfect joy and certainty in heaven, but a deep resignation to God’s Will, a surrender of ourselves, soul and body, to Him; hoping indeed, that we shall be saved, but fixing our eyes more earnestly on Him than on ourselves; that is, acting for His glory, seeking to please Him, and devoting ourselves to Him.” [9]

The purified soul is always making 'acts of grace' under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. She is 'oned' with Jesus: with God; conformed with Him, transformed in Him, and giving Glory to God through Him. The soul gives Glory to God because the imprint of God has resulted in an almost flawless image of Him, so that in everything she does: those many acts of grace - prayer and penance; she is giving God to God in God. For herself, "she desires nothing, she asks for nothing, and she refuses nothing: for she truly is 'oned' with God. "This is the true wilderness into which God leads the soul that He may speak to it" [10].

Three examples, taken from Sr Elizabeth’s life suffice to illustrate the concept of living our life as ‘a continuing act of grace’. One day when she was sweeping the floor a novice approached her, but was so overcome by her demeanour, that she went quietly away [11]. On another occasion, her Prioress noted that no one would ever know the depth of her spirituality, her absorption in God, or the intensity of her love for Jesus; but her openness, her trust, was such that no pain, no suffering, ever interrupted her when in prayer. [12]. This absorption in God, was also evident to her sisters in her love of silence [13]. These are examples, ‘here-below’, of hymns of acts of grace [14]: the Psalms provide more examples.

The aim, then, in this Update on the Propositions for a Praise of Glory is to ‘flesh-out’ the different parts of the brief final proposition: as far as possible in Sr Elizabeth’s own words. ‘Always hymning ’acts of grace’: how should we strive to achieve the ideal? An inward activity of the soul has to be mirrored by the outward activity of a virtuous life: ‘Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father’ (Eph.5:20). “All things”, not just those things which appear to affect us directly; in particular for our neighbour and his well-being, and for the God-given opportunities to be of help to him: Lord, “melt me, mould me, fill me, use me” [15]. Sr Elizabeth gave examples of ‘acts of grace’: ‘acts, movements, thoughts, aspirations; making our activities ‘like an echo of the eternal Sanctus’ [16].

The specific reference to the eternal Sanctus emphasizes our adoration and joy; but it masks differences between the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant. It draws attention to the ‘more familiar’ descriptions in the ‘Apocalypse’, whereas the alternating threats and promises in the ‘Letter to the Hebrews’ can escape unnoticed [17]. For example, account must be taken of the fact that the examples previously cited are being performed by people in the world who, even if ‘not of the world’, are subject to the world and its temptations. As the ‘Praise of Glory’ is advanced further in purification, so the suffering is increased by God: an increase, no matter how painful, which is welcomed by the soul. That is an essential difference for those ‘echoing the eternal Sanctus’ here on earth.

The Divine Gift of Union
Some development of this point, with reference to Sr Elizabeth’s suffering, and the degree of ‘union’ granted her by Almighty God, is useful. Mother Germaine records that Sr Elizabeth had a vision of the Blessed Trinity on May 24th 1906, The Feast of The Ascension. Sr Elizabeth told her Prioress she saw the three Persons holding Their counsel of Love within her, and that she saw them still [18]. Watkin puts it succinctly: “After an interior locution, she was granted an intellectual vision of the Blessed Trinity” [19]. A ‘vision’ which was to remain with her. Later when she narrowly avoided meningitis, Mother Germaine remarked, “It was then that we fully realised how deeply her soul was immersed in God. … Divine union had become so habitual to her that it was maintained throughout her sufferings” [20]: by inference, throughout the writing of ‘Heaven in Faith’.

Sr Elizabeth referred collectively to the 3 persons she saw as ‘my Almighty Counsellor’ and Mother Germaine further records that all things were referred to Him [21]. Some years earlier Sr Elizabeth had told her Prioress that she could not reveal all that Jesus taught her in the depths of her soul. “He shows me all things and responds to my needs.” [22] There is no need to dwell on what Sr Elizabeth saw and heard: she saw and heard what God wanted her to see and hear: the unity of the Triune God, her ‘Three’. She was aware that she would not see that which was God, in His Essence: ‘Thou art a hidden God’ (Is.45:15) [23]. Three things stand out: Sr Elizabeth appears to have been granted the highest degree of union with God, before she came to write ‘Heaven in Faith’; that union was more-or-less continuous for at least the last 6 month’s of her life; and she had been granted ‘infused knowledge’ on-and-off at least for the last 2 years of her life [24]. Three things which give some idea of her inner life when she wrote Heaven in Faith and, in particular, the final proposition.


THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

General
This was written by way of encouragement, to men and women trying to live a Christian life in a hostile world: written to stem apathy in the Faith, and to lead a regeneration of enthusiasm for Christian principles. It brooks no compromise: Christ is the one, and only, way to union with God; incorporation in Christ is tacitly assumed; and the necessity of His intercession is stressed. Those to whom the Epistle was addressed were not assured of salvation, simply by being named as heirs to the Kingdom; and threats, as well as promises, were incorporated to encourage, worship, prayer, and mutual aid. One might euphemistically remark that the Epistle is surely a recipe for our times.

The writer of ‘The Epistle to the Hebrews’ was well aware of the need to encourage people to hold fast to their faith as the ‘going got harder’. In the final section on the ‘life of faith’ (Heb.10:37-13:17), Biblical heroes of the past were catalogued by way of encouragement. Then in Chapter 12, there was a contrast between the Israelites who came to Mount Sinai to meet God, and the Christians who have come to Mount Sion, the Heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22-24). Note how the wording of (Heb:12:22) is consistent with Sr Elizabeth’s ‘Heaven in Faith’: ‘You have come to…the city of the living God’ – life in Christ is ‘here-and-now’; not at some time in the future. “Since my soul is a heaven wherein I dwell while awaiting the heavenly Jerusalem, this heaven too, must sing the glory of the Eternal, nothing but the glory of the Eternal” [25]: this is more than simply gratitude, it is an acknowledgement that God is absolute. “Sr Elizabeth was restless, as indeed we should be, because her soul had been fashioned through grace into something higher and more splendid than itself. Man is now, not only man, but has more than his humanity, has something of the very humanity of God. It is this life of God that makes us pilgrims and strangers on earth: ‘here no lasting city’ (Heb. 13:14). Earth is too strait a home for us whom God has lifted up into the circle of His own life.” [26];

Although a detailed breakdown of the content of the Epistle is out of place in these notes, it is helpful to identify 4 broad divisions: ‘the living Word’ (1:1-4:13); ‘the life of worship’ (4:14-10:31); ‘the life of faith’ (10:32-13:17); and ‘conclusion’ (13:18-25) [27]. There is no clear indication of when Sr Elizabeth became interested in the Epistle, possibly just ‘dipping-in’, to read sections of it. The first reference noted by Fr De Meester [28]; is to (Heb. 1:3) in 3 poems [29]. ‘Christ, the Splendour of the Father’ is used in each poem, and this may well have been a familiar saying in the Carmel, because almost another year was to elapse before the Epistle was referred to again. Then, it was in her ‘Prayer to the Trinity’ – ‘Fain would I cover Thee with glory’ (Heb.2:7,9) [30]. Considering the circumstances in which she wrote her Prayer, was this an ‘isolated’ phrase – which she would repeat as ‘cover in the blood of the Just One’ [31]; after yet another year? While the background of these usages may be in doubt, there is no doubt that she was quoting ‘first-hand’ in her letters to the Abbe Chevignard in June 1905 in respect of his forthcoming ordination to the Priesthood (Heb. 5:6; 7:3,17) [32]. Thereafter, quotations appeared in several letters and in her treatises. One might say that the Epistle was referred to frequently, although not after her ‘Last Retreat’.

Mention has been made above, in the introductory note to the Epistle, that the Hebrews were warned not to count on ‘salvation’ simply because they were ‘heirs’ to a Kingdom (Heb. 3:14). Sr Elizabeth picks up this point briefly in ‘Heaven in Faith’, when considering ‘predestination’[33]; and then more fully in ‘The Greatness of Our Vocation’, where she noted: “St Paul recommends that we ‘hold firm to this beginning of His existence which He has given us’ “ [34]. However, her main thrust from this division of the Epistle, occurs in 3 letters in which she highlights the Love and Compassion of Our Divine Saviour. “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15) [35] which she completes by: He is “always living to intercede and ask for mercy” (Heb. 4:16, 7:25) [36]. She is so carried away by these thoughts that she continues in a most beautiful prayer of petition, which we could make our own: “Oh… may I be equal to my vocation and not abuse the graces He lavishes on me; if you knew how fearful that makes me sometimes. Then I cast myself on Him … and beg Him to be Himself my fidelity.” [37]

The ‘life of faith’
The remaining quotations are taken from the ‘life of faith’ division of the Epistle. First, there are 2 letters following her near death on Palm Sunday 1906 which confirm that this incident was accompanied by a mystical experience. “I feel as if I was coming out of a beautiful luminous dream, but St Paul tells me that in my soul, through faith, I possess in substance these splendours, these divine riches that I thought I was going to contemplate in the great brightness of God.” (Heb. 11:1) [38]. She confirms her faith in a letter to her Mother: “it is enough to believe that God is spirit, and we approach Him through faith.” (Heb. 11:6) [39]. There is another rare treat in this ‘letter of prayer’: “The Divinity, that Essence the Blessed adore in Heaven, is in your soul; there is a wholly adorable intimacy when you realise that; you are never alone again! [39,bis]

Second, there is the very familiar, and oft misunderstood, quotation: “God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). Although we associate this with the words of Proposition 4: “while more deeply establishing her love”; Sr Elizabeth used the phrase in letters: as a simple heading [40], and in the text [41]; in a poem [42]; in her Prayer to the Trinity [43]; and in her spiritual treatises [44]. The Hebrew text is usually linked to (Deut. 4:24); but also note: “As gold in the furnace He hath proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust He hath received them” (Wis. 3:6); “nothing can escape His heat.” (Ps.19:6); and “fire will test the quality of each man’s work.” (1Cor.3:13). These quotations leave no doubt that we shall all be subject to the ‘consuming fire’, which will burn away the chaff/dross of self, leaving what remains to burn brightly with Love.[45] Sr Elizabeth’s wording was: “David sings that ‘fire goes before the Lord’ (Ps. 96:3). Isn’t fire Love? ….. At His touch the soul will become like a flame of Love spreading into all the members of the body of Christ, the Church”. [46] “A fire of Love which destroys and transforms into Itself whatever it touches” [47]. In a letter to a nun about to go on retreat, she prayed that the “consuming fire might transform and divinise your whole being” [48]; while in a lovely letter to a former postulant she wrote: “He will really be able to consume us, and like two little sparks we will lose ourselves in the immense Furnace (of His Love), free to burn there for all eternity” [49].

No matter how closely we may seem to walk with Jesus, to believe that all of the chaff/dross can be burnt away in this life is illusory: further purification is always possible in this life. “Until you see Him to be a consuming fire, and approach Him with reverence and Godly fear, as being sinners, you are not even in sight of the strait gate.” (Matt. 7:14) [50] Commenting in Souvenirs about her daughters condition, just weeks before her death, Mother Germaine wrote: “Her tortures were now increased by severe interior inflammation; she was literally scorched and could hardly speak, but her face was radiant with joy. “God is a consuming fire”, she said, “He is acting upon me” [51]: “more deeply establishing her love” [52]. Sr Elizabeth squarely faced up to the inescapable reality of the Cross. Jesus asked James and John: “Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?” (Matt. 20:22) A question, which separates the sheep from the lambs. “My sheep hear my voice. And I know them: and they follow me. …. And no man shall pluck them out of my hand.” (Jn 10:27,28).

Third, the phrase ‘heavenly Jerusalem’ (Heb.12:22), already mentioned above, is usually associated with the Apocalypse; although other wording may be used [53]. Sr Elizabeth used that wording only in her “Last Retreat” [54], where the meaning is quite clear. However, the phrase must have been in her mind ever-after she was Professed, for there is a veiled reference in 13 letters [55], that she is ‘waiting’ to go to the ‘Heaven of glory’ [56]. For example: “The hymn of thanksgiving being sung in my soul while I wait to go sing in Heaven, following the Lamb!” [57]. St Augustine noted that the phrase ‘heavenly Jerusalem’, “signifies by interpretation the ‘vision of peace’ [58] A peace which belongs to the children of God.

In the Epistle, the Christians have come to a mountain (Sion) which is the City of the living God, to a Jerusalem [59] which is heavenly. They are still on a journey to heaven, “yet since they already possess in an anticipatory way the good things to come, (the writer of the Epistle) can speak of them as having already arrived” [60]. The Epistle is timeless: note how the writer says that the Christians have come to a Mountain, and not ‘…will go to …’; we are also on that journey and we have realised our Heaven on earth: our Heaven in faith, ‘here-and-now’,’ici-bas’. It is here that we are “redeemed, purified, and saved by the Precious Blood flowing from the pierced side of Christ on the Cross”; we are further reminded by Pope John Paul II, using this text from the Epistle, that the Precious Blood “shows how precious man is in the sight of God and how priceless is the value of his life”.[61]


THE APOCALYPSE.

General
At first sight, it would appear impossible to know just how familiar Sr Elizabeth was with the text of St John's Apocalypse. Undoubtedly, as with the Epistle to the Hebrews, she would have 'dipped into it', but to what extent was she influenced by texts familiar to those in Carmel? Consider, for example, 2 texts associated with the calling, and joy, of a nun: Sr Elizabeth refers to the vision of the Lamb with His own (Apoc.14:1-5), in 6 letters and 2 poems [62] in Carmel, prior to her treatise 'Heaven in Faith; and to the purity of the Spouse of the Lamb (Apoc. 22:1) in 4 letters and 4 poems over the same period [63]. Fr Vallee had set the scene for this, at her clothing when he preached on the purity of Our Blessed Mother, and on Apoc.14:4. Notwithstanding this, Sr Elizabeth had been conscious of the treasure of being a bride of the Bridegroom: even before she entered Carmel. Strangely though, later on her interest ‘waned’ for a time: in the 16 months after having composed her Prayer to the Trinity, and before entering the infirmary, quotations from the Apocalypse appeared in only 4 letters and 2 poems [64]: 3 of these letters were compassionate [65]. Thereafter, Sr Elizabeth's quotations covered a wider selection of the texts: all of them emphasizing the joy that awaits the Praise of Glory; the 'Church Triumphant', glorifying God [66], the vision of the Lamb with His own [67], the Canticle of the Lamb [68], and the Canticles of Joy in Heaven [69].

Reference is made to the Apocalypse in 3 of the sections of ‘Heaven in Faith’ [70], which is surprising in view of the object of the treatise. However, the text of the ‘Last Retreat’ is quite different: reference to the Apocalypse is made in 6 sections [71]: “At this time (she) was fascinated by some of the finest passages of the Apocalypse” [72]; there are many more scriptural references [73]; and just 4 short references to Ruysbroec. The text is the result of a very personal retreat. As Fr de Meester remarks, the ‘selection of references’ shows the influence Mother Germaine [74]. The text also shows just how familiar Sr Elizabeth was with the Bible: it is like reading the script of a ‘master-class’. The point being made here, is that Sr Elizabeth could have included some of the relevant material from her ‘Last Retreat’ in ‘Heaven in Faith’, but she chose not to. In all probability, ‘Heaven in Faith’ was written between August 2nd/3rd and August 11th/12th , and her ‘Last Retreat’ between August 16th and August 31st. On August 31st Sr Elizabeth re-consecrated herself to the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity; together with her love and zeal for the glory of the Triune God [75].

The Apocalypse and ‘Heaven in Faith’
Sr Elizabeth concludes HF§13 with, “Blessed are they who die in the Lord” (Apoc 14:13). The whole thrust of this ‘second prayer’ was to do everything ‘ in, with, and through’ Jesus. In Proposition 4, ‘everything’ is seen to include: ‘acts, movements, thoughts, aspirations …’ , and, summarized in the Beatitudes: while walking with Him on the ‘way of sorrows’; and “while singing in the depths of our hearts and raising a hymn of thanksgiving to the Father” [76]. In Christian teaching, good works, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) must stand alongside faith (Jas 2:14-26) [77]. By these good works we are continually praising God, making acts of grace – raising that hymn of thanksgiving . In fine: profoundly adoring.

In several of letters [4,bis] as the serious nature of her illness became apparent, Sr Elizabeth referred to the Apocalypse setting of the throne of God, and to the eternal Sanctus: "Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord God Almighty, ..." (Apoc.4:8). In her treatise, she expressed the desire that everything that she did – ‘resting not day or night’ - would be: ‘like an echo of the eternal Sanctus’ [16,bis]. She is acknowledging that all we know about the heavenly host, is that they give glory to God. ‘Echo’ occurs in 7 of her letters from Carmel [78]. Relevant here are: the celebration of the feast of Our Lady in Carmel was like an echo of the Heavenly feast [79]; and “an echo of the silence that is God” [80]. To her sister, for whom ‘Heaven in Faith’ was intended, she wrote [81]:

“May a profound silence grow in the soul of my Guite, an echo of that being sung in the Trinity.
May her prayer never cease, since she possesses what will one day be its Vision, its Beatitude!”

The use of ‘echo’ is appropriate because the Holy City of God is identified with ‘Mount Sion’; it is a true reproduction of, but not, the original; and we feel surrounded by the sound with no clear idea of the source. Thus it is in our souls: our acts of grace, our praise, our adoration of God are inevitably, but a shadow of what these can become, even while here-below; if like Sr Elizabeth we are docile to the movement of the Holy Spirit that He may lead us to the deepest center of our soul – which is God. How better to end than with Sr Elizabeth’s own words [82]: “In the heaven of our soul let us be praises of glory of the Holy Trinity, praises of love of our Immaculate Mother. One day the veil will fall, we will be introduced into the eternal courts, and there we will sing in the bosom of eternal Love. And God will give us ‘the new name promised to the victor’. What will it be?”

LAUDEM GLORIAE

COMMENT

Guite
Sr Elizabeth was no stranger to spiritual marriage at the start of the 4 propositions, so that these are not a 'live' record of her spiritual progress towards the very peak of holiness; but rather a look, by hindsight as it were, a 'slotting-into-place', of a road travelled not just over a few days or months. She was apparently responding to a request by her married sister to learn more about her inner life: nothing more. Guite was not even sure that Sr Elizabeth could do anything because of her poor health. On the other hand, Sr Elizabeth had mentioned to Guite that she was expected to take over the role of Praise of Glory on Sr Elizabeth's death. Sr Elizabeth was in earnest, because Jesus needed standard bearers in a France beset by religious persecution. Nevertheless, it would have been no different for Guite, then; as it is for us, now. God wants us all to Praise His Glory; but He will decide in what way, and in His own good time, how He will guide us and facilitate our purification: should we decide to accept His invitation. In no way does that detract from Sr Elizabeth's propositions, which were inspired by God, written in His Love, and intended to be read and meditated on in that way. They are an invitation to holiness.

Well, did Guite assume Sr Elizabeth's role? The answer is that she was the Praise of Glory, par excellence, that God intended her to be. Read Remy's book [83], and make up your own mind about this truly remarkable, and very holy woman. Marie Louise Hallo, a very close friend of Elizabeth's, said at Guite's death, "She was totally surrendered to the Will of God. She has gone to rejoin her saintly sister who must have been ready to receive her at the gate of Heaven. Her reward must be great" [84].

Clarification - (added later)
“Nothing defiled may enter the Kingdom of Heaven”. During these last 4 Updates Sr Elizabeth has guided us on a personal journey of Purification. When purification has been achieved, either in this life or in death, we shall be able to respond to those beautiful words, “Come, thou blessed of My Father” (Matt.25:34), whenever the call comes. “I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me” will have been fully realised, and we shall live in Him: God, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our ‘I’ will be no more except a as person ‘I’ living in Christ: the drop of dew in the ocean of Love, or if you prefer, aflame with Love in the Furnace of Love. As Fr De Meester so aptly put it [85] “henceforth we will belong to the entire Church”, meaning that we will be at the service of the entire Church in the giving of Glory to God: for the ‘Church Triumphant is the ‘Praise of Glory’. We will have become ‘transparent’ before the Face of God, as Blessed Elizabeth is transparent before the Face of God.

So, why this emphasis on comments already made? It has been noted, elsewhere, that in her ‘Prayer to the Trinity’ Sr Elizabeth made use of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ 43 times and that there was no mention of Holy Mother Church [86]. This comment must also apply to many of her letters and, in particular, to her proposed actions: “I will be “Laudem Gloriae” before the throne of the Lamb” [87]. Of course she will (and ‘is’) along with countless other Laudem Gloriae: singing the eternal Sanctus, and at the service of the entire Church according to the Will of the Lamb. When composing her magnificent Prayer, when composing her spiritual treatises, Sr Elizabeth was being docile to the movement of the Spirit of Love. She was inspired, and of this we may be sure: that her ‘self’ was entirely reoriented to conform her will to the Will of God.

On a personal note, allow me to conclude this clarification with Père Philipon’s words: “In order to compose such a prayer, one of the most beautiful in Christian literature, a whole life of sanctity was required, together with a special charisma causing it to well up from her heart”. [88]. Words which apply equally well to her treatise ‘Heaven in Faith’ which sets out her 4 propositions for a ‘Praise of Glory’.

Frances Havergal’s hymn makes a nice, though incomplete backdrop to these meditations [89].

Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou Thyself the answer to all my questionings;
Live out Thy life within me, in all things have Thy way!
I, the transparent medium, Thy glory to display.

The temple has been yielded, and purified of sin,
Let Thy Shekinah glory now shine forth from with within,
And all the earth keep silence, the body henceforth be
Thy silent, gentle servant, moved only as by Thee.

Its members every moment held subject to Thy call,
Ready to have Thee use them, or not be used at all,
Held without restless longing, or strain, or stress, or fret,
Or chafings at Thy dealings, or thoughts of vain regret.

But restful, calm and pliant, from bend and bias free,
Awaiting Thy decision, when Thou hast need of me.
Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou the glorious answer to all my questionings.

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