Memorial of Bl Mariam of Jesus Crucified

"Born at Abellyn (Cheffa-Amar, Galilee), between Nazareth and Haifa, on Jan. 5, 1846, Mary was orphaned at three years of age and was brought by her uncle to Alexandria in Egypt, where she made her First Communion. Since she had set her heart on virginity, she separated, despite persecutions and maltreatment, from the young man to whom she had been engaged at the age of twelve.

In a moment of religious furor, a Muslim wounded her seriously in the neck with a scimitar, because she had refused to become a Mohammedan; and since he believed her dead, he wrapped her in a large veil and carried her outside the city. Healed miraculously by Our Lady, who appeared to her in a dream, Mary went into domestic service, first at Alexandria, and then at Jerusalem, Beirut and Marseilles. And here, in May of 1865, she joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. But in 1867, while still a postulant, she was dismissed because of the extraordinary experiences of her spiritual life. Because of them she was judged better suited to the contemplative than to the active life. The extraordinary events of which her life was to be full had already begun: on March 29, 1867, she had had the stigmata for the first time.

Mary entered the Carmel of Pau in 1867 with Veronica of the Passion, who had been her mistress at the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition. She took the habit as a lay sister on July 27, 1867; and on Aug. 21, 1870, she left for Mangalore, where the vicar apostolic, Ephrem M. Garrelon, wanted to have the first cloistered monastery in India. She made her profession there on Nov. 21, 1871, and the vicar apostolic himself became her spiritual director.

Because of several extraordinary mystical manifestations that defied any explanation, the vicar Garrelon believed Mary was being led by the spirit of darkness. Mary, therefore, was obliged to return to Pau, in Sept. of 1872. Supernaturally spurred on to found a Carmel at Bethlehem, she worked to realize her dream until in Aug., 1875, she was really able to leave for Palestine. The monastery was inaugurated on Sept. 24 in temporary quarters; and on Nov. 21, 1876, the community moved into the definitive monastery. It was built according to the indications and under the direction of the servant of God, who was already thinking of the foundation of a new Carmel at Nazareth. But this idea was realized only in 1910, a number of years after her death, which overtook her on Aug. 26, 1878.

The spiritual life of Mary of Jesus Crucified, though replete with extraordinary facts, still shines with particular simplicity. Humble and unlettered, she yet knew how to give counsels and theological explanations of crystalline clarity. This was obviously the fruit of her uninterrupted prayerful communion with the Lord, of her faith and, above all, of the love that consumed her. Her ecstasies, her prophecies, her raptures were very frequent; her practice of the most solid and substantiating virtues like humility and obedience was sustained, despite an obsessive power that at times the devil seemed to have over her.

For a long time she shared in the sufferings of the passion. From the year 1867, especially during Lent, the stigmata appeared on her body. Only in 1876, after she had implored Our Lord, did she obtain the grace to have the exterior signs disappear, and only the painful participation in the sufferings of the Lord remained."

-- Biography by Fr Valentine Macca, ocd

Jesus, Guest of our hearts

"I saw our Lord Jesus poor, sad, suffering and searching for lodging, and He said to me: 'I am searching for a lodging, a home and nobody wants to receive me. As soon as I present Myself, they chase Me away. Even you sometimes drive Me out from your heart... Oh, if only I could find someone who would but work solely for My glory, I would do everything for him!"

-- Thoughts: Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified compiled by Reverend D Buzy, SCJ

Where are You, my Beloved?

"My Beloved, where are You? Who has seen my Beloved? I have searched for Him and I have not found Him...

My Beloved, I walk, I run, I weep: I have not found my Beloved...

O Jesus, my Love, I cannot live without You. Where are You, my Beloved? Who has seen my Jesus? Who has found me Beloved?

You know, my Love, that all the earth means nothing to me without You and all the waters of the sea would not suffice to refresh my heart."

Feast of Bl Mary of Jesus Crucified

Mariam Baouardy was born at Abellin (Ibillin), a small village in Galilee on January 5, 1846. Her family was of the Greek Melchite Rite. Miriam was not yet 3 yrs old when her father died, and her mother died just a few days later. Her brother Boulos (Paul) was then adopted by an aunt and Miriam was adopted by an uncle. After many hardships, including an attempted rape and murder, having her throat slashed and left to die, she entered the Discalced Carmelites in Pau, France, in 1867. There she received the name Mary of Jesus Crucified. Mariam was sent with the founding group to the Carmel of Mangalore in India where, in 1870, she made her profession. She returned to France in 1872. In 1875 she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began planning for another at Nazareth. While watching over the workers during a construction in the Bethlehem Carmel, she went to get water for the workers and fell down the stairs, braking an arm. Grangrene set in and she died a few days later, on August 26, 1878, at the age of 32. Mariam is also affectionately known as the Little Arab. As a "white veil" sister, Mariam did the hard labors in the community, such as cooking and cleaning, and did not have a vote in the decisions made by the chapter (which was composed of the "choir sisters"). Though she was a "white veil" sister, she is considered the foundress of the Bethlehem Carmel. Mariam was noted for her supernatural gifts, especially for humility (calling herself "the little nothing"), for her devotion to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church and the Pope. Pope John Paul II beatified her on November 13, 1983.


Bl Mary of Jesus Crucified, pray for us!
-o-
Prayers of Bl Mariam:

Holy Spirit, inspire me.
Love of God, consume me.
Along the true road, lead me.
Mary my Mother, look upon me.
With Jesus, bless me.
From all evil, from all illusion,
from all danger, preserve me.

-o-

Source of peace, Light,
come and enlighten me.
I am hungry, come and nourish me.
I am thirsty, come and quench my thirst.
I am blind, come and give me light.
I am poor, come and enrich me.

A cell for Jesus

"Jesus wants to come to you in the middle of the night. Get a cell ready for Him. This is what He wants:

He wants a small cell, very simple, very poor. A little bed; which signifies the virtue of silence. A mattress that is kept new by repeated acts of humility. A pillow, of charity. A blanket, of patience. Large curtains, spotlessly white, which signify the union which prevents the wind of temptation from causing charity to grow cold.

You also need a night-light for Jesus. The glass of it is faith and hope. The oil, continual prayer. The cork which floats is the love of God which raises the soul above earth. The wick is self-sacrificing devotion which forgets its own interests for the happiness of others. And lastly, the flame is obedience and purity of intention."

-- Bl Mary of Jesus Crucified, ocd (Mariam Baouardy)