Author’s Introduction
This book is a meditation and contemplative reflection that will create an environment for you to encounter the silent unveiling of the combined hearts of St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux through the sacred topology of Mystical France and the sacred mythology of Joan’s heart—the Sky-Veil.
I am Walter Emerson Adams, a retired corporate executive who writes on the unveiling Divine Glance ‘in the world’ gifted by the French saints, Joan of Arc and Thérèse of Lisieux. In a moment of unreflective certainty on a fall day in 2008, Joan of Arc emerged in my life story like a sudden flash of spiritual fire ‘in the world’—a Divine Glance—arising out of the plays and poetry of rose-bearing Thérèse of Lisieux. The effect was immediate, astonishing, and life-altering.
I began asking myself what had happened. Thérèse had inflamed me with an instantaneous, awe-inspiring, holy love for Joan of Arc. I sensed the two had a relationship in Heaven, a union of hearts. Their “combined hearts” filled me with Catholic hope that has persevered over the years. The impact on my life was so dramatic that I changed careers and lifestyle to search for the answer to the question, “What was it?” What was that sudden moment of rose-bearing fire ‘in the world’ with St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse?
I was interested in what lay hidden in Joan’s presence and how she emerged in such silent thunder. She filled me with a holy desire to spend the rest of my life seeking the radiance of her gift as my “pearl of great price.” Joan’s heart unfolded before me as a liminal space and sacred mythology heralding the story of my destiny—a space I have since called The Sky-Veil. Therefore, my question was not metaphysical. I knew Joan’s emergence in my life was a moment of grace. Rather, my question was how to retrieve the “Being” of my story ‘in the world’ through this sacred mythology.
In the years immediately following, I wrote and prayed as one who had experienced Joan only as an object of my subjective consciousness. I knew no other way. My frustration with that approach led me over time to understand the encounter more appropriately as nearness—presence ‘in the world’—with Joan. The encounter brought more than inspiring ideas to my imagination; Joan had entered my world as a friend, patron, and guide. Joan of Arc’s friendship drew me to nearness in the world with her and Thérèse. It began a fifteen-year journey along the gleaming, mythopoetic “golden thread” through the sacred topology Mystical France with the two of them. The path led to Mary Magdalene on the shores of Provence, both figuratively and literally. What I offer here is the resulting expression of Aletheia—unveiling—through the Catholic Church and Holy France that St. Joan and St. Thérèse unfolded for me ‘in the world.’
Reflecting for over a decade on the Divine Glance of Joan of Arc through Thérèse, these saintly sisters led me on a journey through the mystical topology of the Kingdom of Catholic and Royal France in the center of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With their patronage, my life transformed from near death to lively Catholic hope.
I share this journey that you, too, will receive the grace to experience the silent unveiling of St. Joan and St. Thérèse in the world, accompanied by your mythopoetic story and a renewal of hope through their French, Royal, Catholic spirituality.
“But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (Douay-Rheims)
The book’s mission:
I write this expression to help usher in the renaissance of hope through our mythopoetic stories unfolded in Joan’s Sky-Veil, illuminated by the silent nearness of the combined hearts of St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
My background:
My writings are personal reflections on a spiritual journey through the Catholic Church.
I hold an undergraduate degree in Economics from Princeton University and a master’s degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University.
I am married and the father of one child. Though raised a Methodist in the Bible Belt and surrounded with evangelicalism as a youth, I converted to the Catholic Church prior to my marriage in 1985.
Touched deeply by the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and imbued with a filial love for Mary, I set out on a life-long spiritual journey to "seek first" Christ's Kingdom with Thérèse as my guide.
Eventually led to confront my innermost being on that lonely, mystical hill of Calvary; I discovered through Mary's maternal guidance and Thérèse's sisterly care that Jesus had called another mighty saint to walk with me and to protect me through that dark and awful night of self-confrontation that leads us in Christ to true freedom. That saint, a spiritual sister to Thérèse, was Joan of Arc.
~ Walter Emerson Adams
“Most Charming Shade” from the album The House of New Bethany on my music site, WalterEmerson.com.
Lyrics ©Walter Emerson Adams. Music and vocals by Suno ©Walter Emerson Adams.
In flames, Joan of Arc shines brightly, crying Around her angels weeping, sighing In flames, Joan’s robed in tints of glory A color sweet, celestial story Her banner flies in Faith and Hope Through fire our Joan in love eloped Her beauty formed by pain and tears Transformed by Him Whom she holds dear Thérèse leads us down pathways new In colors bright with morning’s dew With Little Flower dancing fore We follow Joan through fields galore Thérèse and Joan in heaven shine The prettiest color, their grace combined Thérèse will guard and never tire While Joan will move our heart’s desire Forward we march, we’re seeking glory For King and Queen of heaven, hurry With sacrifice and cross embraced And hands outstretched to theirs of grace And when I’m tired and want for power? Joan’s loving flame ’round Little Flower Casts heavenly color in streaming haze Most charming shade that lifts my gaze
This is beautiful Walter. I can tell how much more clearly your mission is crystallizing for you. I sense that some people will find this aspect perplexing:
the friendship you describe between a heavenly spiritual mentor and the mentee is initiated by the mentor—ie the Saint—not the mentee. Your experience with Joan and Therese can’t be replicated by others just by reading about it. How does your work benefit someone who may never experience a “divine glance” of their own?