Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906)
The praise of glory is a soul that dwells in God, which loves Him with pure and selfless love and does not seek itself in the sweetness of this love; it loves God above all His gifts, as if it had received nothing from Him, and wishes for the benefit of this so beloved object. How else can we effectively will God's good but by doing His will, which arranges all things for His greater glory? Therefore, this soul must entirely surrender to Him and lose itself in Him, so that it will desire nothing other than what God desires.
The praise of glory is the silenced soul, lingering like a lyre under the mysterious strike of the Holy Spirit, who brings forth Divine harmony upon it. It knows that suffering is the string on which the most beautiful sounds can be played, and thus makes it its instrument, through which it sweetly moves the heart of its God.
The praise of glory is a soul that in faith and simplicity clings to God; it is a mirror that reflects Him in all that He is; it is like an abyss into which He can rise and expand. It is also like a crystal through which He can radiate and contemplate all His perfection and brilliance. A soul that thus allows God to quiet His need to share "all that He is, and all that He has" (1) is truly the praise of glory of all His gifts.
Finally, the praise of glory is a being continuously immersed in thanksgiving. Every action, every movement, all its thoughts and desires root it more in love and become an echo of the eternal "Sanctus".
In heaven full of glory, the saints do not cease "day and night to repeat: 'Holy, holy, holy Lord, God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.'" (2)
The praise of glory already today in heaven assumes its eternal task. Its song is unceasing because it dwells under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who works all within it. And although it is not always aware of it, because the imperfection of nature does not allow it to focus on God without distractions, it still sings and adores, completely transformed into praise and love, in a desire for God's glory. In the heaven of our soul, we are the praise of the glory of the Most Holy Trinity, the praise of love of our Immaculate Mother. One day the veil will be removed, and we will be introduced into eternal dwellings, where we will sing in the presence of Infinite Love. And God will then give us a new name that no one else knows (3). What name will it be? Laudem gloriae.
(1) The thought comes from St. John of the Cross, The Living Flame of Love.
(2) Rev 4:8.
(3) Cf. Rev 2:17.
Excerpted from the book: Elizabeth of the Most Holy Trinity, Living in God's Praise
Author: Giovanna della Croce
Published by: KNA
