Trust and Surrender

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into bards, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."  -Matt. 6:25-34

There is something to be said about the concepts of surrender and trust. These words are not really welcomed in today's society. To surrender in today's terms is to give up. To trust is to be weak and foolish. If we truly look at these two words in the light of Truth and what they encompass, then we begin to see that these words require a complete gift of self. To surrender and trust is to put aside our own wants and desires and seek those of another: the Lord. In this passage from Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells us not to be anxious about anything, but rather, to trust that our heavenly Father knows our needs and desires. When we simply surrender and trust, we submit ourselves to a will more perfect than our own and our lives will be flooded with an unshakable peace. It is when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness that our confidence and trust in the Lord begin to grow in unexpected ways. Let us open up our hearts to Him in a new way and begin to see the different ways that the Lord takes care of us. 


Written by Alycia, Special Events Coordinator for the Carmelite Sister for the Aged and Infirm

Glory! Honor! Praise!

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  - 1 Corinthians 10:31

What is our motivation each day? Is our motivation the Lord? Is everything thing we speak, think, and do for the greater honor and glory of God? Is our life continual praise to the Most Holy Trinity? As we finish out this week, let us pray that we do so in honor, glory and praise of the Holy Trinity!

"Let my praise be the life I live for you!" -Lyrics by Sarah Kroger, "Let My Praise"


Written by Alycia, Special Events Coordinator for the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm

"We are a Eucharistic People"

We are a Eucharistic people. The Eucharist - cleanses and separates us from sin[1], is our spiritual food,[2] is an increase of the grace received at Baptism[3], is the source of conversion and penance[4], and commits us to the poor[5]. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith[6].  Through our participation in the Eucharistic feast we establish a community of believers[7], are transformed through Christ[8], are united in Christ[9], are united as Christians[10], are united to the heavenly liturgy[11], and experience a foretaste of the life to come[12]. We are a Eucharistic people from age to age, united as one body in Love of Christ.

From the very beginning of the Church we have been a Eucharistic people. In Acts 2:42 our life as a Eucharistic people and the outline of our faith is present: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers. . . Day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with generous hearts.”[13]

The Eucharist, through the power of Christ’s great mercy and love, unifies us with all those present at the institution at the Last Supper, with the Church Fathers, with the martyrs of the early Church, with the great saints of the Middle Ages, with the Carmelite Order, with the Seraphic Order, with all the holy angels and saints from generation to generation, and on all the altars throughout the world. This unity transcends the barriers of time and space and provides for us not only strength, but also a comfort.  It provides a strength in numbers united fully to the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant, to withstand and combat the attacks of the devil so as to win souls. It provides a comfort in such an unbreakable unity that provides for the hearts of all the faithful the opportunity and great privilege of developing, fostering, and witnessing to others an authentic Christian life saturated in mercy, grace, Eucharistic zeal, and charity.