Dear Friends,

These were two of the questions that my community of consecrated women were able to ask during our parlor visit, across the double grill, at the Carmelite convent of the Incarnation in Avila last month.

                  The five Carmelite nuns who joined us were varying in age and years in the monastery, as was our community. The encounter lasted an hour, and after some initial small talk and introductions we posed these two questions to them, hoping to glean from their experience and wisdom.

                  Their answers were simple and easy to put into practice. “Often, throughout the day, return to the sanctuary of our heart where the Lord dwells, and make a short prayer to unite yourself to him.” Another one said, “Remember for Whom you are doing these things, and offer your work with love for a special intention.” The older nun wisely recommended, “It is very important to be faithful in the small things. That is the way of a true spouse of Jesus.” We shared our own experiences of living this as lay consecrated with a contemplative and evangelizing spirituality. What came through from both communities is that everything can be a means to unite ourselves to God, for we can find him in everything.

                  The bell rang for the sisters to attend the liturgy of the hours, and they graciously took leave of us. We went to visit their museum and gift shop, where we found an apron with this saying from St Teresa of Avila, seeming to sum up the message of the days… “Know that even when you are in the kitchen, our Lord is moving among the pots and pans.”

Glory Darbellay