The Vow of Victim to Jesus-Eucharist: Messenger Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity Poor Clare of Jerusalem

By SA(c)lim Sayegh

"I desire an army of apostolic souls consecrated to me by the vow of victim not to expiate the sins of others by extraordinary trials, no, that is not what I desire... I desire a great army of victim souls who will join me in the apostolate of my Eucharistic Life... I desire these victims to be everywhere; in the world and in the cloisters, in every occupation, in every station of life, in the fields and in the factories, in schools and in the stores, in families and in convents, in businesses and in the arts, everywhere"

(Jesus to Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity)

1

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798889432210

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The Vow of Victim to Jesus-Eucharist

Messenger Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity Poor Clare of Jerusalem

+SA(c)lim Sayegh

ISBN 979-8-88943-220-3 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88943-221-0 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by +Sélim Sayegh

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Notes

I want all souls to know how much my love seeks them, desires them and expects them to fill them with bliss…

(Jesus to Saint Gemma Galgani)

Abbreviations

Essential Bibliographies

Foreword

Love Jesus very much.

Do not oppose any obstacle to His plans.

And soon, you will see what path He will have made for you

Without you realizing it.

Don't be afraid,

the Heart of Jesus is the epitome of mercy,

where troubled souls are most welcome,

provided that, out of love

they offer themselves to Him from the abyss of their misery

(Saint Gemma Galgani)

Introduction

Part 1

Messenger of Jesus-Eucharist Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity Poor Clare of Jerusalem

Chapter 1

Daughter of a Calvinist Missionary

Chapter 2

Jesus Has Come into My Life That Was Enough for Me

Chapter 3

Poor Clare of Jerusalem City of Redemption

Chapter 4

The Inner Colloquies

Part 2

The Message The Vow of Victim to Jesus-Eucharist

Chapter 1

What Do You Fear? I Am Always with You. Will You?

Chapter 2

I Desire an Army of Apostolic Souls Consecrated to Me by the Vow of Victim

Part 3

Christian Context of the Vow of Victim

Chapter 1

The Christian Life Holiness and Penance, Self-denial and Love

Chapter 2

The Christian Life of Victim with Jesus Christ, Victim of Our Love

Chapter 3

The Vow in the Christian Life

Part 4

The Eucharistic Context of the Vow of Victim

Chapter 1

The Eucharistic Mystery of Faith

Chapter 2

The Eucharist Mystery of Divine Love

Chapter 3

Mary Mother of the Eucharist

Part 5

Adoration at the Eucharist

Chapter 1

Adoration of Priests at the Eucharist

Chapter 2

Adoration of Consecrated Souls at the Eucharist

Chapter 3

Adoration of the Laity at the Eucharist

Part 6

Jesus-Eucharist Explains Himself

Chapter 1

The Four Requests of Jesus-Eucharist

Chapter 2

Apostolic and Missionary Horizons of Our Christian Life

Chapter 3

Intimate Union with Jesus-Eucharist

Chapter 4

Imitation of the Virtues of Jesus-Eucharist

Chapter 5

Sanctification and Purification of the Soul

Chapter 6

Reconstruction of Society

Part 7

Love for Love

Chapter 1

The Joy of Offering to Jesus-Eucharist

Chapter 2

The Response of Generous Souls Love for Love

Conclusion

Notes

This book is the translation of Le Voeu de Victime à Jésus-Eucharistie. La messagère Soeur Marie de la Trinité, Clarisse de Jérusalem. We express our deep gratitude to the translator. He insisted that his name be omitted, for the glory of God and salvation of souls, and we respect his will.

For the present edition, the translation has been read and settled by a lawyer in New York State, who also requested anonymity for the glory of God and salvation of souls. We are very grateful to him as well.

Souls who receive graces through the intercession of Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity are requested to inform the Sisters of Poor Clare at Jerusalem:

Monastère Ste Claire - Clarisse

Hanoch Albeck, 3 - POB 1013-9100901-Israel

E mail: [e-mail]

www.monasteroclarissejerusalem.com

I want all souls to know how much my love seeks them, desires them and expects them to fill them with bliss…

(Jesus to Saint Gemma Galgani)

Abbreviations

Bible Books

For other books

Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catechism)

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium (LG)

Soeur Marie de la Trinité, Luisa Jaques,Clarisse de Jerusalem (1801–1942), conversion, vocation, carnets. Imprimerie Saint François, Malines 1948 (Conversion)

The numbers in brackets indicate the numbers of the colloquies.

Un appel à l'Amour, le message du Coeur de Jésus au monde et sa messagère sœur Josefa Menendez, religieuse coadjutrice de la Société du Sacré Cœur de Jésus (1890–1923). Editions de l'Apostolat de la Pirère, Toulouse 1944 (JM).

Père Garrigou-Lagrange. Les trois Ages de la Vie Intérieure, Tome I et II, Editions du Cerf, 1938 (Les trois Ages I, II).

Jean Ladame, Doctrine et Spiritualité de sainte Marguerite Marie, Edition Résiac, 1977 (Ladame).

Suor Maria della Trinità Clarissa di Gerusalemme,Colloquio Interiore, Edizioni Terra Santa 2015 (Colloquio)

Don Columba Marmion,Le Christ vie de l'âme, Editions de Maredsous, 1949 (Marmion)

Luisa Jaques,Qu'un même amour nous rassemble, Apostolat des éditions, Editions Paulines, 1977 (Un même amour)

Code de Droit Canon (CIC)

The Spiritual Legacy of Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clare of Jerusalem (190–1942) (Published by Tan Books and Publishers, Inc. Rockford, Illinois, 61105, 1981) (Spiritual Legacy)

Essential Bibliographies

The New American Bible for Catholic 1970

Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition) 1994, 1997

Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Ecumenical Council Documents (Vatican II)

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium

(Christ is the Light of nations)

Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem

(The Apostolic Activity)

Decree on the adaptation and renewal of religious life

Perfectae Caritatis (The Perfect Charity)

Paul VI, Christus Dominus (Christ the Lord). Decree concerning the pastoral office of bishops in the Church), September 15, 1965.

Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus, February 2, 1974.

John-Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor hominis (The Redeemer of man), March 7, 1979.

John-Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio(The Christian family in the modern world). November 22, 1981.

John-Paul II, Apostolic Letter Vigesimus quintus annus (Twenty-five years ago). On the twenty-fifthanniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium on the Sacred Liturgy, Décembre 4, 1988.

John-Paul II, Encyclical Letter, Ecclesia de Eucharistia (The Church draws her life from the Eucharist) The Eucharist in its relationship to the Church, April 17, 2003.

John-Paul II, Apostolic Letter,Mane nobiscum, Domine (Stay with us, Lord). For the Year of the Eucharist, October 7, 2004.

Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter,Deus Caritas Est (God is love). On Christian love, December 25, 2005.

Sœur Marie de la Trinité, Luisa Jaques, Clarisse de Jérusalem1901–1942, conversion, vocation, carnets, Imprimerie saint François, Malines 1948.

Un appel à l'Amour, le message du Cœur de Jésus au monde et sa messagère sœur Josefa Menendez, religieuse coadjutrice de la Société du Sacré Cœur de Jésus (1890–1923), Edition de l'Apostolat de la Prière, Toulouse 1944.

Père Garricou-Lagrange, Les Trois Ages de la Vie Intérieure, Tome I et II, Editions du Cerf 1938.

Jean Ladame,Doctrine et Spiritualité de Sainte Marguerite-Marie, Edition Résiac 1977.

Suor Maria della Trinità, Clarissa di Gerusalemme, Colloquio Interiore, Edizioni Terra Santa 2015.

Dom Columba Marmion, Le Christ Vie de l'âme, Editions de Maredsous 1949.

Luisa Jaques,Qu'un même amour nous rassemble, Apostolat des éditions, Editions Paulines 1977.

The Spiritual legacy of Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clare of Jerusalem (1901–1942)(published by Tan Books and Publishers, Inc. Rockford, Illinois, 61105, 1981).

Foreword

Since his retirement, Msgr. Sélim Sayegh has devoted most of his time to a life of prayer, making him a very unique apostle, serving the diocese and the Church. In this book, he shares the meditations of his daily life. He has become a living witness to the joy and freshness of an authentic life of prayer.

I think of these two verses of Psalm 71 (70), which says, God, you have taught me from my youth; to this day I proclaim your wondrous deeds. Now that I am old and gray, do not forsake me, God. That I may proclaim your might to all generation yet to come. And again, I think of what Psalm 92 (91) says,

The just shall flourish like the palm tree; shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord they shall flourish in the courts of our Lord. They shall bear fruit even in old age. Always vigorous and sturdy. As they proclaim the Lord is just, our bedrock, in whom there is no wrong.

There are many of our young people today; laypeople, seminarians, priests, monks, and nuns, who thirst for the testimony of Christian and consecrated life, authentically lived, putting God in His rightful place, i.e., in the center.

Msgr. Sélim speaks of attachment to the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, as a means to establish a life of love for Him, serious and simple at the same time, for a free response delivered to Him in order to be consistent in our love for Him. A life given on a daily basis, where we learn to endure everyday life and not just wait for the highlights and the moments of great sacrifices. This, I think, is the meaning of the words that Msgr. Sélim uses without difficulty, as victims and spirit of immolation, and which he explains very well in his introduction.

This new book is unique because it deals with the spiritual doctrine that nourished the life of Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity. It is, without doubt, the fruit of prolonged meditation on the life and writings of the nun, from the perspective of the auxiliary bishop emeritus himself, who is deeply attached to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. That is why his heart comprehends, in a particularly lucid way, the Poor Clare Nun, cor ad cor loquitur, and he is thus able to transmit, with all simplicity, the essence of this same experience to our generation.

With my benediction,

+ Pierbattista Pizzaballa

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

Love Jesus very much.

Do not oppose any obstacle to His plans.

And soon, you will see what path He will have made for you

Without you realizing it.

Don't be afraid,

the Heart of Jesus is the epitome of mercy,

where troubled souls are most welcome,

provided that, out of love

they offer themselves to Him from the abyss of their misery

(Saint Gemma Galgani)

Introduction

The title of this book could leave some readers indifferent, and it may stimulate the curiosity of others. This book is not a story to be read, nor a book of theology or apologetics to leaf through. Rather, it is a book of prayer and meditation because it deals with the message that our Lord confided in Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clare of Jerusalem. Jesus-Eucharist invites us to bind our love for Him, by our vow of victim, and to establish a life of love for Him that is serious and simple at the same time.

We will very briefly present the messenger, Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity, Poor Clare of Jerusalem. Then we will highlight the Christian and Eucharistic context of the vow of victim and adoration to Jesus-Eucharist, and finally we will listen to Jesus explain to us what He means by this vow and why He wants it so that we freely give our answer to Him knowingly and responsibly.

The message of vow of victim to Jesus-Eucharist is of great importance to us today because today, more than ever, and on all fronts, on all sides, sin is prevailing. Without God, man's pride pretends to transform the earth into a paradise, but in reality, man simply succeeds in turning it into a vestibule of hell, where immorality prevails, where impiety reigns, where evil passions rein freely, where wars and injustice prevail, and where the immense majority suffer in poverty and servitude, all without the comfort that faith can bring.

To attract man more easily to Him, Jesus-Eucharist, our God and our Savior desires, by the vow of victim, to show us His infinite mercy and His unfathomable love for us. He loves us, all of us, and He loves us individually as we are. He loves even the most unhappy, the most in despair, and the most sinful of us. He wants to remit this unhappiness, despair, and sins, but on one condition—that we repent and convert to Him. Many souls hurt His heart by their sin and lose the confidence in His goodness and mercy. Yet His heart, with His divine love, awaits all of us.

By the vow of victim, Jesus offers us His grace, His love, His affection, His tenderness, and His constant concern to help us arrive at His eternal kingdom. He proposes to us that we live the gospel in our daily lives, in a very simple and very practical way, that is within the reach of all those who are of good will. He invites us to be consistent in our love for Him. He does not require great suffering, as the word victim might suggest, but he wants to teach us the importance of our ordinary actions, however small they may be, when they are done in union with Him, in a spirit of offering, in a spirit of sacrifice, and in a spirit of love. He reveals to us the value of our least sacrifices which can lead us in the ways of holiness and serve at the same time for the salvation of many other souls.

Whatever our life is, with the grace of God, Jesus-Eucharist invites us to see God the invisible as God the visible in our life, to be in friendly contact with Him who lives in us, to listen to Him who is within us, in the intimacy of our soul and in His divine mystery. It is about observing His holy will. He always wants to realize our holiness and to suggest to us the means of purification to achieve it. The vow of victim to Jesus-Eucharist helps us to live full time, our catholic faith and our belonging to Jesus, our Savior, living in the Eucharist, without asking us to change anything of our occupations and responsibilities. The vow of victim helps us to take seriously the responsibility for our eternal salvation and that of our brothers in Christ and in humanity.

We will, therefore, need a serene and thorough reading of this book to fully understand what Jesus asks for the good of our souls. We should expand our Catholic and Eucharistic horizons so that the grace of Jesus-Eucharist can penetrate and transform us. In short, what Jesus asks for is our love, to love Him as He loves us. Love is the way of the saints; it is the only way to respond to the love of Jesus-Eucharist.

Part 1

Messenger of Jesus-Eucharist Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity Poor Clare of Jerusalem

It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. This I command you: love one another.

—Jn 15:16–17

Chapter 1

Daughter of a Calvinist Missionary

Louisa Jaques is her worldly name. Born to a Swiss couple, Numa Jaques and Elisa Bornand, originating from the Jura Vaudois. Her father, Numa, was a Calvinist pastor and missionary in South Africa.

Louisa was born on April 26, 1901, in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa. She was the youngest of four children: a brother, Alexandre, and two sisters, Elisabeth and Alice. Her mother died at childbirth at the age of thirty-six. In July 1902, her father, finding himself alone with three little girls and a boy, decided to bring the family back to Switzerland. After a holiday spent in Auberson, a locality in the Swiss commune of Sainte-Croix, in the canton of Vaud, he returned to South Africa to resume his mission, leaving his three little girls in the care of their aunt, Alice.

Aunt Alice did the impossible with her tenderness and her care of the three girls to fulfill the void of paternal love. The three little girls called her the little mother. They received from her a strict Protestant education.

Alice, Louisa's sister, was the