At the Discalced Carmelite
Monastery of the Holy Cross
in Iron Mountain, Michigan

The Monastic Stillness Is Broken
No matter how one may want to look at it, five o’clock is truly early in the morning; and it is at this time that the stillness of the monastery is abruptly broken by the alarm. Yet, in all my years in Carmel — and they are not a few! — the first words spoken for all to hear by the Sister who turns off the alarm have never lost their fresh appeal: “Praised be Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, His Mother. Come to prayer, Sisters, come to praise the Lord!” Simple though they be, these few words capture the essence of what a Carmelite’s whole life is all about; namely, prayer and praise of God. Rising then, I offer my heart anew to Jesus through Mary as I clothe myself once again with her holy habit, both a privilege and a joy to wear, and start down to the choir. On my way I meet one of the other Sisters headed for the laundry room to start a load of wash.

Remaining with the Lord in Silent Love
Very easily does this time of liturgical prayer flow into the hour of mental prayer. After speaking to the Lord with my mind, heart, and lips, I now remain with Him in silence—a silence not empty but filled with His living presence. St. Teresa once remarked “prayer consists not in thinking much but in loving much.” There are many ways this love can be expressed; but for me it is enough simply to be aware of and to abide in His presence, listening to Him as He speaks to my heart through the Scriptures or the reflections His grace inspires. From this hour of prayer, one steps naturally into what is certainly the greatest act of praise and worship of God in our entire day: the Mass. Here Our Lord satisfies the very real hunger for holiness by giving Himself, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, in Holy Communion. At the same time He accepts the gift of myself which I make to Him in return, uniting me with His Sacrifice, offering me to the Father in the Holy Spirit, allowing me to share in the work of redemption. After Mass we end our period of personal thanksgiving with our daily renewal of vows. The grace of the Holy Spirit is certainly necessary throughout the day, and it is especially to the Holy Spirit that our prayer at the first “Little Hour” is usually directed. (Terce, Sext, and None are the Latin titles given to these “Little Hours” of the Divine Office; they refer to the third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, mentioned in Scripture as times of prayer. Brief though the “Little Hours” be, they are full of depth and meaning.)Sharing in the Lord’s Work
After Terce, the community takes a light breakfast before each Sister goes to her assigned duties. For those in the novitiate, part of this morning work period is usually spent in classes given by the Novice Mistress, who is in charge of their formation. However, Saturdays during the summer months are considered “garden days” in which all who can do so spend time working outdoors, in the garden itself or taking care of the yard and the various shrines around the grounds. Working in silence enables one to reflect on many things, to share everything with the One who is always with us.

A Refreshing Break from Activity
The hour of free time or “siesta” is preceded by a community visit to the Blessed Sacrament. Here we spend a few minutes honoring Our Lord, with prayers also to the Holy Angels and, lastly, our daily novena prayer to the Infant of Prague for all the intentions recommended to our prayers by so many people. Refreshed by this little break in our daily activity, we go to the choir for None, the last of the three “Little Hours,” in which our minds are directed once again to the consummation of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Immediately following is the beautiful Litany of Our Lady, prayed alternately by two psalmisters and the other Sisters. Just as food nourishes the body, good spiritual reading is necessary to nourish the heart, mind, and soul. Scripture, the writings of Sts. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, and other spiritual books are meant to fill this need; and so it is important not only to use this time well, but to choose what is most helpful for one’s needs at the present moment.
The Day Begins to Wind Down
That Carmel is “all Mary’s” rings true in every Carmelite’s heart. She is not only our loving Mother, but also our guide and model in our life of prayer and sacrifice for the Church, for priests, for all souls. A much-loved tradition in Carmel follows; namely, the chanting of the solemn “Salve” in honor of Our Lady. Wearing mantles and holding lighted candles, we process from the chapter room to the choir while the organist plays an interlude. As the hebdomadary for this new week, it is my joy and privilege to intone the hymn while the whole choir then joins in! As the day begins to wind down, so to speak, this next hour of quiet prayer is a blessing. Then for the third and last time, we pray the Angelus as the evening hours advance. Gratitude is an important virtue for everyone to cultivate; but for us who rely very much on the Providence of God which is often realized in the generosity and kindness shown us by so many good people, it is even more so. How, then, do we pay this debt? At the end of supper or collation, a Sister reads a list of alms received that day along with the names of the benefactors. The Prioress then invites all the Sisters to pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary for them and their intentions.