And now, gathered together as we (Carthusians) are on the site where our Father St Bruno lived, we would like to say to all our brothers in the Order:

“Let us rejoice in the generous outpouring of God’s grace on us; let us always give thanks to God the Father for all the gifts of prayer that he has showered upon us through-out the centuries. And to all those who labour and stumble along the tortuous paths of prayer, we say, with all the affection that the Spirit inspires in our hearts: do not hesitate to continue your journey, or to take it up again, even if you have the impression of gathering no fruit.

Remember that our prayer is not the result of our own efforts, but of the Spirit in our hearts. It is a long journey  between ourselves and the One who is completely Other. lt impliess a radical purification, the transformation of our entire being in God, after the image of Christ. For us, this can only be a path of poverty and hope. A hope that is obscure and dark, but full of joy, ‘for God is greater than our hearts’ (1 John 3:20).

‘Wound of Love’ A Carthusian