By Fr. Mario Esposito, O.Carm

During the Sacred Triduum and the celebration of Easter, it is easy to recall the memory of the Servant of God, Mother Angeline Teresa. Mother was deeply devoted to Christ, to the Eucharist, to the liturgy of the Church, and to all priests. The Christ-centered approach in her spirituality touched every aspect of her life and her prayer, and became part of her legacy to the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm. Just before Easter 1966, Mother wrote to all the superiors and Sisters in these words: “Easter, the season of hope and joy will soon be here. It is a time of new life, new growth, and renewed resolutions. The days of Lent remind us constantly of the great Truths of our Faith, and during Holy Week we recall how Christ suffered of us, and how much He loves us. We cannot reflect on these great Truths without letting them affect our daily lives as Religious and resolving that Christ will not have suffered in vain.”

These simple sounding yet profound sentiments teach us an important aspect of Mother’s spirit and leave us with a point to ponder this 2012 as we mark the same holy feasts. For Mother, prayer was never something in a vacuum. For her, beautiful ceremonies and lofty words must be translated into how we live. With the eyes of a contemplative, Mother looks at the paschal mystery, the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, but that contemplation doesn’t end when one blesses him or herself with holy water as they leave the church. What we have prayed and pondered we must live, and the example, life and love of Christ must change, affect our ways of thinking and acting. The liturgical meeting with Christ in prayer should lead us to become more Christ-like. Mother lived in this fashion, she died in this fashion, and wants us to do so too.

As Mother wrote, Easter is a time to bathe in the glory of new life and new growth. We have been redeemed by Christ and set free. It is up to us, as she also wrote, to renew our personal resolutions to follow Our Lord in every part of our lives, and to lean on Him, knowing that without Him and His grace, really, we can do nothing.A wonderful and joyous Easter to you!

In Christ,
Very Reverend Mario Esposito, O.Carm
Vice-Postulator