St Elizabeth of the Trinity
BORN: 18th Jul 1880
DIED: 9th Nov 1906
In Carmel the words of scripture came to life for her. She explored in detail St John’s Gospel, especially the final discourse of Jesus to His disciples. The words ‘Remain in my love’ carried her to new heights as she penetrated the depths of mystical communion and life in Christ.
From St Paul’s letters she gleaned her personal calling, to be the “Praise of Glory”, an expression which opened up the sublime inner beauty of her life.
Though she has not yet reached eternity nor can she forget herself entirely, she longs for the absolute peace of her prayer. Now she has a glimpse of future glory when her soul will become a perfect dwelling place for the Trinity, and this is her hope. She chooses words with musical overtones – being attentive, harmonies, surrendered in all-absorbing activity, waiting. Aware of the presence of the Trinity she remains in the company of her Beloved Christ, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit, consuming fire and Spirit of Love.
She prayed to become “a kind of incarnation of the Word…another humanity… in which He can renew His whole mystery.” Like the Virgin of Nazareth she would live her Advent mystery and know the joy of being rooted and grounded in love. Scripture revealed an infinity where mere words ceased.
We are reminded of St John of the Cross in the Spiritual Canticle when contraries meet and he can only speak of the sounding silence and silent music, through the one who has loved us into being and rejoices in the new creation.
“Always believe in love and then no suffering will be able to destroy”, (L298) she wrote to console Guite, her only sister and life-long companion, when she felt weakened with illness in her last year. This was the source of her calm serenity from the perspective of eternity, in light, love and life. She saw Christ like a beckoning Star which sheds its radiance and fascinates us with its constant glow and inner beauty. Let us listen to this music in the silence of that eternal Presence, for eternity is now!
Elizabeth’s bequest to us is a lasting treasure. Her Prayer to the Trinity was only discovered after her death, written on a page torn from her notebook at the conclusion of a retreat on the Feast of the Presentation, 21st November 1904.
Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Oh my God, Trinity whom I adore, let me entirely forget myself that I may abide in you, still and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity; let nothing disturb my peace nor separate me from you, O my unchanging God, but that each moment may take me further into the depths of your mystery! Pacify my soul! Make it your heaven, your beloved home, and the place of your repose; let me never leave you there alone, but may I be ever attentive, ever alert in my faith, ever adoring and all given up to your creative action.
O my beloved Christ, crucified for love, would that I might be for you a spouse of your heart! I would anoint you with glory, I would love you — even unto death! Yet I sense my frailty and ask you to adorn me with yourself; identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, submerge me, overwhelm me, substitute yourself in me that my life may become but a reflection of your life. Come into me as Adorer, Redeemer, and Saviour.
O Eternal Word, Word of my God, would that I might spend my life listening to you, would that I might be fully receptive to learn all from you; in all darkness, all loneliness, all weakness, may I ever keep my eyes fixed on you and abide under your great light; O my Beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never be able to leave your radiance.
O Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, descend into my soul and make all in me as an incarnation of the Word, that I may be to him a super-added humanity wherein he renews his mystery; and you, O Father, bestow yourself and bend down to your little creature, seeing in her only your beloved Son in whom you are well pleased.
O my ‘Three’, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in whom I lose myself, I give myself to you as a prey to be consumed; enclose yourself in me that I may be absorbed in you so as to contemplate in your light the abyss of your Splendour!