My vocation to Carmel
I had the desire to join Carmel when I was 15 years old. As the word Carmel came surfacing constantly at prayer I wrote to the Prioress in Singapore because at that time the Malaysian Carmel was not founded yet. She thought I was too young and would change my mind later so she threw my letter away. I wrote again after I finished my Form V and was teaching. Contact between me and Carmel started.
When it was time for me to enter my father wanted me to wait for two years till my brother and sister finished their studies. I was eager to join so I did not wait. I thought that if I waited, I would lose my vocation. My uncle too discouraged me asking me to stay and take care of my old grandparents. I did not wait and entered when I was 22 years old.
I chose Carmel for 2 reasons. First, when I was making the Stations of the Cross I realized how much Jesus loved me and that He gave Himself up totally for love of me inspite of all my many, many faults, failures. God, Christ still loved me and gave Himself totally for love of me. Truly, I can say like St. Paul: “Christ loved me and gave Himself up for love of me.” I too wanted to give myself totally for love of Jesus in the enclosed life of Carmel. Second, I had always wanted to be a doctor but I was weak in spellings so I did not choose to go into that profession. I encouraged one of my sisters to become one and she did while I went into teaching. One day at prayer, I realized that in becoming a doctor or a teacher I could serve only a limited number of people whereas through prayer, I could reach out to the whole world. For these two reasons I chose Carmel and daily through prayer and the total gift of self, I feel myself maturing in the reasons that brought me to Carmel.
I am very happy in the choice I made. I do not regret it at all even after 51 years now in Carmel.I am very blessed and happy. Inspite of all the ups and downs, darkness and light I know God’s hand is leading and guiding me all through the years especially in Christ’s total gift of Himself to me in the daily Eucharist which enables me to live day by day with the strength of His love.
I thank God for His constant Faithful love for me. I will continue to serve Him in love till He comes to bring me home to Himself.
Carmelite sister.
Jesus
Jesus, my love, how my heart longs for you
morning and evening and all the day through.
Stirrings so gentle yet lasting and true,
glimpse of Your love ever new.
Ah! All my longing is for me to be
living and moving and being in You.
Through You and with You and in You alone,
fullness of life here below.
Oh God so near and yet so far away
drawing me into Your own life each day;
Openess radiance of splendour Divine,
grace of Your Presence within.
Glimmer of plenitude life lived in love
when only You I believe, I adore,
prostrate before You surrender my life
yours, yours alone each new day.
Oh! when the day dawns to meet face to face,
Lord let Your gaze be of mercy and grace.
Words of salvation, delight and embrace,
enter to Life and to Love.
Joyously sing with the heavenly throng,
honour and glory and thanks evermore.
Beauty and splendour and brilliance of light.
Eternal blessing in love,
Eternal blessing in love.
Music by: Franz Lehar
Lyrics: Carmel Seremban
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording Artist: Miss Christine Tee
Soloist: Carmel Seremban
Holy is His Name
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
And my spirit exalts in God my Saviour.
For He has looked with mercy on my lowliness
And my name will be forever exalted.
For the mighty God has done great things for me
And His mercy will reach from age to age.
Refrain:
And holy, holy, holy is His name.
He has mercy in every generation
He has revealed His power and His glory.
He has cast down the mighty in their arrogance
And has lifted up the meek and the lowly.
He has come to help His servant Israel
He remembers His promise to our fathers.
Refrain:
And holy, holy, holy is His name.
Holy, holy, holy is His name.
Lyrics: John Michael Talbot
Choral Arrangement by Phil Perkins and Rick Modlin
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording Artist: Miss Christine Tee.
Choir: Carmel Seremban
Let Me Bring Love
Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred Lord, let me sow love;
Where there is hatred Lord, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, Lord let me bring pardon.
Where there is doubt Lord, Lord let me bring Faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring Hope
Let me bring hope, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness let me bring light.
Where there is sadness let me bring joy.
Where there is darkness let me bring light and
Where there is sadness, Joy.
O Divine Master, O Divine Master
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console.
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console.
Lord let me understand rather than be understood
Lord let me understand rather than be understood
Rather than be loved Lord, let me give love.
Rather than be loved Lord, let me give love.
For it is in giving, we receive, in giving we receive.
It is in pardoning, we are pardoned,
in pardoning, we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
We are born to Eternal Life.
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording artist: Miss Christine Tee
Choir: Carmel Seremban
The Holy City
Last night I lay a-sleeping. There came a dream so fair,
I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there.
I heard the children singing, and ever as they sang,
Me-thought the voice of Angels from Heav’n in answer rang,
Me-thought the voice of Angels from Heav’n in answer rang.
Chorus:
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna to your King!
And then me-thought the scene was changed, the streets no longer rang,
Hushed were the glad hosannas the little children sang.
The sun grew dark with mystery, the morn was cold and chill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill.
Chorus:
And once again the scene was changed, new earth there seemed to be;
I saw the Holy City, beside the tide-less sea;
The Light of God was on its streets, the gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter, and no one was denied.
No need of moon or stars by night, or sun to shine by day,
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away,
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Sing for the night is o’er,
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna for evermore!
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna for evermore!
Music by: Stephen Adams
Words by: Fred Weatherly
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording artist: Miss Christine Tee
Choir: Carmel Seremban
Along the Road
Along the road of life I have a friend Divine
Who walks with me and gently leads the way;
He gives me joy and makes the darkest night to shine
It is my Lord who won my heart today.
Chorus:
I do not mind the rough and winding hard way,
Or mountain steep through valley dark and cold;
It is enough to know He travels by my side
Along the road that leads to streets of gold.
For many years I did not know His love so true
Until I heard how on the cross He died;
I trusted Him and He became my Saviour too
and since that day he’s journeyed by my side.
Chorus:
I do not mind the rough and winding hard way,
Or mountain steep through valley dark and cold;
It is enough to know He travels by my side
Along the road that leads to streets of gold.
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording Artist: Miss Christine Tee
Choir: Carmel Seremban
Life’s weaving
Accompanist: Miss Christine Tee
Recording: Miss Christine Tee
My life is but a weaving between my God and me,
I may not choose the colours, He knows what they should be.
For He can view the pattern upon the upper side,
while I can see it only on this the under side.
Sometimes He weaveth sorrow, which seems so strange to me,
But I will trust His judgement, and work on faithfully;
Tis He who fills the shuttle, He knows just what is best,
So I shall weave in earnest and leave with Him the rest.
At last, when life is ended, with Him I shall abide.
Then I may view the pattern, upon the upper side.
Then I shall know the reason why pain with joy entwined,
Was woven in the fabric of life that God designed.
All is well (Julian of Norwich)
When our life on earth is ended,
and the last day of the world.
We shall all be gathered in the presence of our God.
And in the things which now are hidden,
Which we cannot understand,
We will then see clearly God’s loving, guiding hand.
Chorus:
None of us will say “If we had known these things,
there need not have been the pain.”
Instead there will be joy at the amazing love
In everything ordained.
And we’ll cry:
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
All is well forever!”
For in spite of all our pain and the sorrow we endure,
God is truly with us and His love forever sure.
It is His will that we should know
We are always in His care – God holds us in such love
We never need despair.
Chorus: (repeat)
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
“Lord may You be blessed for all is well,
All is well
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Music: Traditional
Hail, O Lady of Mount Carmel
Proudly do our hearts recall
From the Church's ancient treasures
Comes the title dear to all
Chorus:
Dearest Lady of Mount Carmel
Souls of prayer we long to be
Intercede for us, we pray Thee
With the child upon Thy knee
Many saints Thy bless are sharing,
For to God their lives they vowed
On the Holy Mount of Carmel
Where Elias saw the cloud
Simon Stock received Thy promise
in the ages long ago,
Those who wear Thy holy habit
Cleansing fires scarce will know
At Thy call the great Teresa
scorned all earthly joys as dross
Smiled Thou on Therese of Jesus,
And inspired John of the Cross.
Roses
Lyrics: Carmel – Oklahoma
Music: Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, Seremban, West Malaysia.
From your bright place in heaven,
Therese where you now reign
Let fall a shower of roses,
Do not our prayer disdain
Fair roses tinged with glory,
Faith's light hope's glad desire.
Love's flame so strong yet tender
To set our hearts aflame.
Send too the rose of childhood
That trusting openness,
Which finds in every moment,
Our Father's will to bless.
We honor You Oh Jesus
Revealed to little ones,
With Father and blest Spirit
While course of ages runs.
Mission - St. Elijah
Lyrics: Carmel - Oklahoma
Music: Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia.
Today to Saint Elijah
We lift our hearts appeal
For graces of His worship
and courage of His zeal
Upon the slopes of Carmel
In solitary prayer,
He heard God's message whispered
Upon the gentle air.
In deeps of contemplation
He learned God's holy will;
And then went forth with ardor
His mission to fulfill.
He pleaded with His people
to place in God their trust
Denounced the wicked rules,
The faithless, the unjust
May we in other ages;
God's sacred laws avow;
And listening to His spirit
Fulfill our missions now.
To love our great Creator
His Son and Spirit heed;
and so to love each other
And live our Christian creed
Paul's Prayer to the Ephesians
(dedicated to all the beautiful people who have helped and who help us in countless ways.)
Refrain: May Christ dwell in your heart through faith; may love be the root of your life.
I kneel before the Father's heart and ask His gift of Love for you,
That you may be filled with the fullness of Christ, and strengthened with His power
I ask the fullness of His gifts, that you may fully grasp and know
the length and the breadth and the height of Christ, and surrender to His Love.
To Him whose pow'r is now at work, the One who does more than we ask or desire,
To Him be glory in the Church and in you, forever, Amen, amen.
Your Word is as a Lamp
Lyrics: Carmel - Quidenham
Music: Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, Seremban, West Malaysia.
St. Teresa of Avila: Teresa de Ahumada was born in 1515 in Avila, spain. When she was 20, she joined the Carmelite Monastry of the Incarnation where the Mitigated Rule was observed. She had a warm, attractive and vivacious personality which attracted many visitors to the Monastery.
After her ‘second conversion’ at the age of 39, Jesus became her “all”. The “Good Jesus” became her only guide, her sole companion and the source of all Truth. She felt the need of an environment where she could live a life of greater and deeper intimacy with Jesus for His Church. At His urging she founded the Monastery of St. Joseph where the Primitive Rule was observed. Subsequently she founded 16 more such monasteries before her death in 1582.
St. Teresa’s major writings are spiritual classics and she was declared the first woman Doctor of the Church in 1970.
Your Word is as a lamp
To light my feet along life’s way
A light no gloom or darkness can defeat,
But makes night day.
Oh Mother make our hearts
Aflame with yours,
Our spirits high,
Our faith a flame that soars.
Yours was a love that did not count
The cost nor seek reward.
That held all earthly fame and joy well lost
For Christ our Lord.
A burning zeal to quench that thirsting cry from Calvary’s height.
With Christ for souls to die
Teach us to die that only Christ
May live and reign alone.
Our hearts and minds our very selves to give,
To be His own.
The frail vase of our lives O may we break over our God.
All reckless for His sake.
Cantate Domino
Cantate Domino: Latin
Composer: G. Haendel
Chorus:
Cantate Domino conticum novum,
Cantata Omnis Terra Alleluia
Jubilate Deo, omnis terra, cantata et exultate et psal-li-te
Benedicite gentes Deum nostrum, date gloriam laudi laudi ejus
(English translation)
Chorus:
Sing to the Lord a new song
Sing all the earth, Alleluia
All the earth make demonstations of joy to God
Sing and rejoice exceedingly with a string of instruments
Nations bless our God'. Give glory, praise, praise Him
Bl Elizabeth's Prayer
Lyrics: Her own prayer arranged to music Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, Seremban, West Malaysia.
Music: Waltz in A Flat - J. Brahms
Oh my Blessed Three, Trinity Whom I adore;
I plead for self-forgetfulness that so many soul its calm retains.
Your peace in me, and I in You - Unchanging Lord this my plea:
Each moment swept into the depts of Your hidden mystery.
Oh calm my soul, make it Your heav'n, Your loved abode, Your place of rest
Oh there may I be wholly yielded to you!
Oh Beloved Christ, so crucified by love,
My one desire Your bride to be and cover You with glory Lord.
But yet I feel my frailty and ask You Lord identify my soul with all the movements of Your own soul.
Oh my Blessed Three Trinity whom I adore,
Possess, immerse me in Your self, adorn me with Your very self.
Adorer come, Redeemer come, O Saviour come, and this my prayer
That all my life to reflect Your own life Lord;
O Eternal Word, Beloved Star hold my gaze;
In darkness, void and powerlessness, O never let me leave You Lord.
Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, O let the Word renew His Mystery in me
So Father sees His own Son.
Oh my Three my All, Trinity Whom I adore;
I give myself to you as prey so that consumed God may I be.
The Birth of Christ
Lyrics: St. John of the Cross
Music: Unknown
When the ancient dispensation its predestined course had run
Straight from out His bridal chamber came the Bridegroom, God the Son
Once on earth with arms extended He embraced His heavenly bride,
And His Blessed Mother laid Him in the manger at her side
All around that helpless baby animals were standing by;
Men sang songs of glad rejoicing, angels joined their song on high.
Celebrating the betrothal "twixt the Bridegroom and the bride
While the Almighty in the manger, as an infant wept and cried.
Gems these tears which human nature brought to the betrothal rite,
And the maid was lost in wonder as she witnessed such a sight.
Man was full of joy and gladness, God was weeping weak and lone;
Ne'er before throughout the ages had so strange a thing be known.
Ave Maria
Composer: Maria Parkinson
As I kneel before you, as I bow my head in prayer
Take this day make it yours and fill me with your love
Chorus:
Ave Maria, gratia plena
Dominus tecum, benedicta tu
All I have I give you, every dream and wish are yours
Mother of Christ, Mother of mine,
Present them to my Lord.
As I kneel before you and I see your smiling face
Every thought, every word is lost in your embrace.
My Beloved Passing Fair
My beloved passing fair.
Love has drawn your likeness see
In your inmost heart and there;
Lost or straying unaware;
You must seek yourself in Me.
Well I know that you shall find;
this your image im My heart,
Pictured to the life with art,
So amazing that your mind,
Sees your very counterpart.
If by chance you e'er shall doubt
where to turn in searh of Me;
Seek not all the world about;
Only this can find Me out,
You must seek Myself in you.
In the mansion of your mind is
My dwelling place and more,
There I wander unconfined,
Knocking loud if e'er I find
In your thought a closed door.
Search for Me without were vain,
Since when you have need of Me,
Only call Me, and again to your side
I haste a-main.
You must seek Myself in you.
Lyrics: St. Teresa of Avila (Tr. A. Stirling)
Music: Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia.
Poem by St. Teresa where she pictures god addressing a person, calling him/her ‘my Beloved’ and making it clear to us where we can find Him…..not outside of us but to look for Him within ourselves. “When you have need of Me, only call Me and to your side I haste; You must seek Me in you.”
Jesus - St. Albert
Jesus - St. Albert
Jesus and Jesus alone, the cry from St. Albert goes on.
Through centuries his voice is still heard,
Allegiance, allegiance to Christ.
A Rule you did hand us O Albert, to help us attain perfect love.
Ponder the law of the Lord, His word in your mouth day and night.
Struggle, we must all our lives, “Gainst sovereignties powers on high
Your strength will be in silence and hope, the Word of the Lord in your hearts.
For those who wish to be the greatest must first become servant and slave
Just as the Lord Himself came not to be served but to serve.
Lyrics & Music: Composed by Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, West Malaysia.