« A Prayer for You | Home | Precious Blood Sister an artist at 90 »
By Sister Julie | February 23, 2008
I’ve updated my sidebar and decided to post an image of Saint Teresa of Avila … only question is, what does J.M.J.A.T. stand for?? Any idea?
Topics: about this blog, teresa of avila |
Sister Julie's blog about being a Catholic nun
illustration by
AnniBetts.com
"Do not think I am sitting here to pass the time away telling you that religious life is poetry. It is the roughest kind of prose."
Justina Reilly, IHM (b. 1848)
about this blog catholic life compelling quotations discernment formation habit IHM justice, peace, care media news on the nunfront NUN 101 nuns in print and film nuns in the marketplace nuns who rock out and about prayer random writing saints and holy people smile stereotypes of nuns surfing the net teresa of avila theology Uncategorized vocations vows
You should run a thousand miles from such expressions as: “I was right.” “They had no reason to do this to me.” “The one who did this to me was wrong.” God deliver us from this poor way of reasoning. Does it seem to be right that our good Jesus suffered so many insults and was made to undergo such injustice?
— Saint Teresa of Avila, Way of Perfection
February 23rd, 2008 at 10:19 am
I tried Googling it, but no luck. My guess is: Jesus Mary Joseph All Things, based on a reference I saw to it somewhere saying “JMJAT help me”.
LOVE your blog, btw
February 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
All times. Again, just a guess, but this one might make a bit more sense.
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 am
Okay … good job … you got the first 3 letters correct … the second two not unlike the first three.
Any other takers?
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
jesus mary joseph and teresa?
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Jesus Mary Joseph Augustine Thomas
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Apostolate, Twelve??? Just a BIG guess. I am still looking. I know it is something to do with Apostle???
February 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
It’s Latin for “Jesus,. Mary and Joseph, I love you.” The “AT” stands for “I love you” — “te amo,” if I remember correctly from my Latin over 40 years ago!
February 23rd, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Lisa — you are totally on the right track, but not Augustine and Thomas… getting warmer!
Nicki and New Song — very nice tries. The Latin was especially creative.
If not Augustine or Thomas, who else might merit mention (hint: important to the IHM congregation)
February 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Could the A stand for St. Albert of Jerusalem who wrote the rule for hermits that is the origin of the Carmelite rule and T for Teresa, la Madre?
February 24th, 2008 at 4:57 am
Could it possibly be And ( Blessed) Trinity?
February 24th, 2008 at 5:28 am
IHMs…the A might be for Alphonsus…but I can’t figure out the T…
February 24th, 2008 at 7:00 am
Takemyhand and Barbara — you’ve got the T nailed. T stands for Teresa of Avila.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:14 am
“Mom” (i though it was my own mom for a minute!) — you got perhaps the most difficult one … the A is for Alphonsus!
JMJAT = Jesus Mary Joseph Alphonsus Teresa
JMJ is used by many Catholics as a quick prayer — often it is written in correspondence. Many religious communities have used it and then add in the names of founders or patron saints of their communities.
So, since the IHMs are under the patronage of Alphonsus and Teresa, we add an A and a T. Many of our letters and documents have this little prayer at the top — a good way to begin any correspondence or activity for that matter. I decided to add it to my blog because the blog is a form of correspondence and all that I do should always begin with a prayer … especially to those near and dear to my IHM congregation.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Ah, I was using the wrong context clues. I didn’t realize that the JMJAT was IHM-specific in this case. Now I get it… That was a good exercise
February 25th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
JMJAT
Julie, nice exercise. I would not have given away the answers, since I am an IHM. I am only writing now to confirm your historical context. We used these initials, JMJAT on our letters as a prayerful reminder that our words did matter. We called on the intersession of our patrons to guide us. For some reason or other this wonderful practice dropped out of favor in recent years. Perhaps writing quick emails and blogs is the culprit.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Many thanks, Joyce … It’s a really cool practice that I’m going to keep up! Julie
February 25th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
It was interesting to read this and view all the answers. I would have had no idea where to begin. Thank you!!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Hi all.
I came across this discussion trying to figure out why St Alphonsus Liguori, in his personal letters, often signed “live” or “praised be” “Jesus Mary Joseph and Teresa.” Apparently, from his teenage years, had a special relationship with St. Teresa, his “second mother” who taught him many important lessons, especially about prayer.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Oh yeah…
Forgot to say…
Sine the copyright is expired, you can read the volume of his collected works containing his letters on this awesome web site: http://www.archive.org/details/alphonsusworks18liguuoft
Other works are on there too, including the Glories of Mary, but a few volumes haven’t been posted yet.
Praised be Jesus Mary Joseph and Teresa !
April 7th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Thanks for writing, Eric. One of the founders of the IHMs was Louis Florent Gillet, a Redemptorist priest. We inherited many of the Redemptorist customs — so I’m sure we got the JMJAT from them.