Saint Who?
Saints Who Taught about Prayer
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity
Religious († 1906) Feast: November 8
Saints Elizabeth and Thérèse have a great deal in common: both were born in France, lost a parent, became Carmelite nuns, died young, and left behind letters full of deep spiritual insights.
Elizabeth was born in a military camp, and her father, an army officer, died when she was seven years old. She and her younger sister were raised by their mother, Marie. Elizabeth was a sensitive girl, but she was hot-tempered as a child. Marie made sure that her daughters were well educated, with an emphasis on musical training. Both daughters became gifted pianists and were very close to their mother. It was very difficult for Marie to allow Elizabeth to disappear forever behind the grille of a Carmelite convent. Yet she eventually made peace with her daughter’s desire to give her life to God.
As a nun, Elizabeth experienced both ups and downs, feeling perfectly fulfilled at some points but also struggling with periods of darkness. Through her letters, poems, and meditations, she revealed her unique devotion to the Trinity. “O my ‘Three,’ my All, my Bliss…I give myself up to you as your prey,” she prayed; “immerse yourself in me that I may be immersed in you until I go to gaze forever, in your light, on the boundless depths of your greatness.”
Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, grant us the grace to see you, now and in eternity.
