Respect Life Month
Saint: Saint Teresa of Avila (Saint Teresa of Jesus), Virgin, Doctor of the Church (1515-1582)
Readings of the Day
Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 12 The Celebration of the Solemnity of Lauds
Mass: Eph 1:15-23; Resp Ps 8; Lk 12:8-12
O Lord, our Lord.
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
MARY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY,
MARY, QUEEN OF DOCTORS OF THE CHURCH,
SAINT JOSEPH, DEFENDER OF LIFE,
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,
PRAY FOR US.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened.
(Eph 1:18)
Some days, and probably most, it is best to be enlightened by the saints we commemorate, and today we have another great saint and intercessor in Saint Teresa of Avila, also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus. A difficulty is deciding what to include for our edification. Here a few things I picked out.
Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.
(St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, Chapter 8, 5)
Whoever lives in the presence of so good a friend and excellent a leader, who went ahead of us to be the first to suffer, can endure all things. The Lord helps us, strengthens us, and never fails; He is a true friend ...
What more do we desire than to have such a good friend at our side, who will not abandon us in our labors and tribulations, as friends in the world do? Blessed are they who truly love Him and always keep Him at their side!
(St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, 22: 6, 7)
Although it is a great grace from God to practise self-examination, yet "too much is as bad as too little," as they say; believe me, by God's help, we shall advance more by contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves, poor creatures of earth that we are.
I do not know whether I have put this clearly; self-knowledge is of such consequence that I would not have you careless of it, though you may be lifted to heaven in prayer, while on earth nothing is more needful than humility. Therefore, I repeat, not only a good way, but the best of all ways, is to enter first by the room where humility is practised ...
our understanding and our will become more noble and capable of good in every way when we turn from ourselves to God.
(St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, Chapter II, 9, 10, 11)
With anything we desire to do, we might listen to what the Lord said to Teresa of Avila:
One day while I was anxiously desiring to help the order, the Lord told me: "Do what lies in your power, surrender yourself to me, and do not be disturbed about anything; rejoice in the good that has been given you, for it is very great; my Father takes delight in you, and the Holy Spirit loves you."
(Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Testimonies, 10)
As we commemorate Saint Teresa of Avila then, we look once more to a document from the Second Vatican Council and proclaim the wonderful works of Christ and His servants.
The saints have been traditionally honored in the Church and their authentic relics and images held in veneration. For the feasts of saints proclaim the wonderful works of Christ and His servants, and display to the faithful fitting examples for their imitation.
(Sacrosanctum Concilium Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 111)
On the subject of saints, I include a passage from an Ann Patchett novel The Dutch House. I smiled when I read it the other day. It is from a conversation between Danny and Sandy. Sandy said of Danny's mother,
"She's a saint."
I smiled at her. No one was kinder than Sandy. "She's not a saint. Taking care of someone who doesn't know you doesn't make you a saint."
Sandy nodded, took a sip of coffee. "I think it's hard for people like us to understand. To tell you the truth, it's unbearable sometimes, at least it is for me. I just want her to be one of us. But when you think about saints, I don't imagine any of them made their families happy."
"Probably not." I couldn't remember the saints themselves, much less about their families.
(Ann Patchett, The Dutch House, Harper, 2019, p. 327)
When we read the lives of the saints, it is not difficult to imagine that some of them did not make their families happy. Living with some of the saints must have posed many challenges for others. Two saints come quickly to mind, namely, Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena. On the other hand, Teresa of Avila has many good things to say about her family as related in the The Book of Her Life. She writes of her virtuous and God-fearing parents. Her father was charitable, compassionate, honest; he was an upright man. Her mother had many virtues. Even though she suffered much from sickness during her life (she died when Teresa was twelve), her mother was modest, beautiful, gentle and very intelligent; her death was a truly Christian one. Teresa's brothers and sisters (they were in all three sisters and nine brothers) did not in any way hold her back from the service of God. Teresa writes, "If I start to complain about my parents, I am not able to do so, for I saw nothing but good in them and solicitude for my own good" (The Book of Her Life, 1:1, 2 ,3, 4, 8).
SAINT TERESA OF AVILA,
SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA,
SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX,
SAINT HILDEGARD OF BINGEN,
POPE SAINT JOHN XXIII,
POPE SAINT PAUL VI,
POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: This was picked just for Saint Teresa of Avila. I think she likes it. ☺How glorious is your name over all the earth!
© Gertrude Feick 2022
No comments:
Post a Comment