Love's Quest: Your Advent Retreat with the Carmelite Mystics

Are you looking for ways you can enter more deeply into Advent? Look no further! 

This Advent, Sr. Shawn Pauline from the Carmelites of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles will offer He Leadeth Me listeners a series of podcast episodes on the writings of St. Theresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. In this episode, Sr. Shawn Pauline begins the retreat by talking about the beginning stages of the journey into deeper prayer. Sr. Shawn Pauline and Jess discuss:

• Theresa's description of the Prayer of Recollection and the image of the well and the bucket
• How can you tell the difference between consolations felt at this stage of prayer and the consolations experienced at deeper stages?
• What does God do in the soul at this stage and what should the person do to respond?

Sr. Shawn Pauline is a religious sister in the community of the Carmelites of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus of Los Angeles.


Check out Sr. Shawn Pauline's notes for this episode!

Love’s Quest

On my bed at night, I sought Him Whom my soul loves- I sought Him but did not find him. So I will rise and go through the city…to seek Him Whom my heart loves (Song 3:1-3)

1st Water: Prayer of Recollection or Simplicity

Teresa’s Image: The Well and Bucket

Characteristics of this prayer:

• The beginner works while The Lord gives the increase (11.5)
• The beginner must cultivate their garden on very barren soil, full of abominable weeds (11.6) 
• With the help of God we must strive like good gardeners to get these plants to grow (11.6)
• His Majesty wants determination, and He is a friend of courageous souls if they walk in humility without trusting in self (13.2)

Effects on the soul in this prayer:

• Greater detachment from outward things but mixed with  many faults
• Increased desires for God
• Greater self-mastery
• Divine love begins to be enkindled

Work of the soul in this prayer:

• Perseverance, determination, courage 
• Self-knowledge: the thought of one’s sins (“our daily bread”)
• Growing in the virtues of humility and detachment
• God’s assistance 
• Meditate on the sacred life and Passion of Christ, hell, death, the power of God, the Love he bore us (13.13)
• Do not be distressed or afflicted over the dryness or noisy and distracting thoughts (11.17)
• Jesus is not concerned with our little inabilities (11.15)
• Occupy yourself in looking at Christ Who is looking at you