Letter 184 – The Letters of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity – Beginning to Pray with Dr. Anthony Lilles Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor delve into the letters of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, during a fruitful and transformative period of her life. This period, from 1903 until her death in 1906, marks her religious profession and an intense intimacy with Christ, during which she composed her major works and many significant letters. The profound personal and spiritual insights found in Elizabeth’s letters, particularly her reflections on heaven, the Eucharist, and divine intimacy reveal her deep spiritual experiences and thoughts, especially when writing to priests, close friends, and spiritual companions. One highlighted letter, written on November 24, 1903, to Madame S., illustrates Elizabeth’s vision of heaven as a place where we are completely loved by God. She describes heaven as our true homeland where infinite love awaits us. This intimate union with God, Elizabeth argues, can be experienced even now through faith, prayer, and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Touching on the value of letter writing in spiritual life, contrasting it with today’s brief, text-oriented communication, letters, like those of Elizabeth, serve both to communicate personal experiences and to deepen one’s own spiritual understanding. Elizabeth’s selective sharing of her inner life, her devotion to mental prayer, and her trust in Jesus’ continual presence and transformative power are key themes. Dr. Lilles and McGregor explore how her faith in God’s love, even amid suffering, offers a model for finding purpose and healing in modern, often broken, human relationships. Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions * Personal Spiritual Growth: How can I incorporate more reflective and meaningful letter writing into my spiritual practice, following the example of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity? * Intimacy with Christ: In what ways can I deepen my personal relationship with Christ to experience a greater intimacy and love similar to St. Elizabeth’s? * Value of Solitude: How can I create more moments of silence and solitude in my life to foster a deeper union with God? * Faith in Difficult Times: How can I maintain and strengthen my faith in God’s presence during times when I feel spiritually dry or distant from Him? * Witness of the Saints: How can the lives and writings of the saints, particularly St. Elizabeth, inspire and guide me in my own spiritual journey? * Healing through Prayer: How can I use mental prayer as a means to heal from past hurts and alienation, and grow closer to God? * Living Heaven on Earth: How can I strive to live out the heavenly love and union with God in my everyday life, as St. Elizabeth describes? * Embracing Sacrifices: What beautiful but lesser goods might I need to renounce to fully embrace the love and grace of God in my life? * Understanding Divine Love: How can I better understand and accept that my true fulfillment comes from being loved by God and loving Him in return? * Prayer Discipline: What specific practices can I adopt to persevere in prayer and deepen my faith, especially when I feel nothing is happening? Letter 184 [November 24, 1903] Dijon Carmel, November 24 J. M. +J. T. “My Beloved is all mine and I am all His!”2 Madame and dear sister, I was very touched by your good wishes. I, for my part, celebrated your feast day, too, since Saint Elizabeth is your patron,3 for it does us much good to look into the soul of saints and then to follow them through faith right up to Heaven; there, they are all luminous with the light of God, whom they contemplate face to face for all eternity! . . . This Heaven of the saints is our homeland,