Association Of Catholic Bloggers

It is true, it is REALLY true. It is not an allegory. It is not for a few select saints. Life in Christ is for me;  I was created for this, designed for this life. I have been crucified with Christ and  I no longer live,  but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body,  I live by faith in the Son of God, for me. -Galatians 2:20 Twenty-five years ago, my husband discovered a book at a Trappist monastery that changed our lives, called  “Guideline to Mystical Prayer”  by a British Carmelite nun, Ruth Burrows. She describes Petra, who is a woman who lives only by faith without any experiences of God, and Claire  who is a “light on” nun who experiences mystical encounters. Both women know with absolute clarity that it was no longer they that lived but Christ who lived in them. My husband and I  were filled with an exuberant joy because we felt legitimized. We identified with Claire  and realized that holiness was real and was possible. read more

Twenty-five years ago, at a Trappist Monastery near Montreal, my husband stumbled upon a book that changed our lives and filled us with hope and joy.   Guidelines to Mystical Praye r, by a British Carmelite nun, Ruth Burrows, relates the experiences of two nuns who live in her monastery. They  know  that their old nature has died with Christ and that now Jesus lives within their hearts, minds,and souls. These two women are the polar opposite of each other. Ruth renames one nun Petra (earth) because she does not receive any mystical visions or feelings. She is an example of most Christians whose spirituality is called “light off”. Never the less, Petra knows that her old self has died. Claire (light) is really a “light on mystic” who experiences inner locution, visions and feels God’s presence. What a relief to discover a contemplative nun who is like my husband and I, who are very much “light on”. I can hardly express the exuberant joy we experienced as we connected