Saint of the day October 15: Saint Teresa of Jesus. Catholic Saints

Every October 15, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Teresa of Ávila, Virgin and Doctor of the Church (1515-1582); founder of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites and reformer of religious life. By virtue of the name she adopted upon consecration, she is also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus.

This brave woman promoted one of the most impressive reforms in the history of religious orders: the reform of Carmel. Mystic and writer of Jewish descent is recognized both for her contribution to Catholic spirituality and to Spanish literature.

Only God is enough

“Let nothing trouble you,
nothing scares you,
everything passes,
God doesn’t move
patience achieves everything;
He who has nothing lacks God:
“Only God is enough.”

These lines belong to one of Teresa’s poems: in some way, they are a complete synthesis of the density of her work – an authentic spiritual itinerary -, the fruit of her deep love for the Lord Jesus. “Nothing disturbs you” can be counted among the most beautiful prayers that exist, it has been translated into numerous languages ​​and is a prayer in common use for many Catholics around the world.

Given her holiness and theological gifts, Teresa holds the title of ‘Doctor of the Church’. In fact, she was the first woman to receive such a distinction in the history of the Church. And it can be said, without falling into any excess, that she was the great reformer of the 16th century, a century that began with the Protestant revolt.

Avila

Saint Teresa was born in Ávila (Spain) on March 28, 1515. Her full name was Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada, although she generally called herself ‘Teresa de Ahumada’.

At the age of 18 he entered Carmel. And many years later, at 45, seeking to respond to the extraordinary graces he received from the Lord, he undertook the reform of his own Order. Teresa of Jesús, as she began to call herself, was full of desire for an authentic renewal that would recover the original spirit of Carmel, largely lost in those years. The Carmelite monasteries were, for the most part, infected with a certain gentrification, and far from being subject to the command of Christ, their doors and windows let in worldly winds that blew through passageways and cells, taking hold of many hearts.

Thus, supported by another greatest exponent of Spanish mysticism, Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591), friend and spiritual director, Teresa began the Carmelite reform.

To Mount Carmel, on bare feet

Despite the misunderstandings, the immediate rejection of many, the gossip and false accusations – something that would lead the saint to appear before the Inquisition – Teresa did not stop at the project that the Lord had entrusted to her.

Always with the guidance and guidance of the ecclesiastical authorities, as well as the spiritual directors she had, Saint Teresa committed herself to founding new convents in which she reorganized the life of the cloistered nuns, opting for a more austere spirit, without vanities or luxuries.

some time ago

Teresa had both a passionate heart and a lively intelligence. However, even with that, he was not spared from spending a large part of his religious life immersed in mediocrity and restlessness, accentuated by illnesses and physical ailments. And when he wanted to do things better, he could not avoid what Saint John of the Cross mystically called “the dark night of the soul.” God would allow me to experience all of this firsthand for long periods, although not meaninglessly.

In her mid-forties, when Teresa finally allowed herself to be truly led by God – whether through prayer or spiritual reading -, her interior began to rediscover her first love for the Crucified. And that would be just the first step.

The call within the call

In the long hours of contemplation facing her beloved Jesus, Teresa began to experience ecstasy and mystical raptures. And, contrary to what certain prejudice might suggest, he never lost his sense of practicality or his ability to deal with everyday situations. It is true that, like most women of her time, she had little education, but that did not seem to be any impediment to showing singular talent and wisdom.

Such was that “knowledge” coming from God that illustrious and powerful people surrendered to her and asked her for advice. Bishops, authorities and members of the nobility came to the parlour. Many of them, in gratitude, became his collaborators: a certain flow of material resources and financing for his “reform” would begin to arrive.

Within Teresa’s heart, what she once defined as “the calling within the calling” was being confirmed. The Carmelite saint knew very well that every work of God is a joint task – God and his creature – and that a lot of generosity is required in every sense. She says it herself bluntly:

“Teresa without the grace of God is a poor woman; with the grace of God, a strength; with the grace of God and a lot of money, a power.”

Doctor of the Church!

The writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila are a sure guide on the path of spiritual life and Christian virtue, an invitation to the perfection of charity: holiness. It is enough to remember some of its fundamental titles: Life (his autobiography), Foundations, path of perfectiony, The dwellings of the inner castle.

Pope Benedict XVI remembered it more than a decade ago: “Saint Teresa of Jesus is a true teacher of Christian life for the faithful of all times. In our society, often lacking spiritual values, Saint Teresa teaches us to be tireless witnesses of God, of his presence and his action” (General Audience, February 2, 2011).

Teresa of Jesus left for the Father’s House on October 15, 1582. She was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and declared a Doctor of the Church by Saint Paul VI in 1970.

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If you want to know more about Saint Teresa of Ávila, you can read this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/Santa_Teresa_de_%C3%81vila.

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