Saint Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582) is the fountain of inspiration and orientation and the Mother Foundress of Teresian Carmel. She was born in Avila to the Family of Cepeda y Ahumada, March 28, 1515.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Saint Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582) is the fountain of inspiration and orientation and the Mother Foundress of Teresian Carmel. She was born in Avila to the Family of Cepeda y Ahumada, March 28, 1515.
The intuition of St. Teresa was accurate and undeniable. From then on these two great mystic authors of Christianity walked together in the history of Carmel and Christian spirituality. Won over by her for the new ideal of Carmel, John of the Cross initiated the new experience of the Carmelite life with Fr. Antonio de Jesus and others in Duruelo, Avila, on November 28, 1568.
He shines with his own light in Carmel and the Church. He was the formator of the first Teresian Carmelites in various houses of formation and the director and spiritual master of Carmelite nuns and the laity in Castile and Andalusia. He instructed and encouraged by his preaching but his special charism was manifested more in his spiritual direction. He had responsibility for government in the houses and in the religious Provinces. A lack of comprehension within the Order cause him to be imprisoned for almost nine months in the monastery jail of Toledo. This cramped environment without light favored him with an interior introspection which he sang about in his first poems and which were the first beginnings of his future books.
His books reflect the teachings of his spiritual direction and instructions. At the beginning is the poem, almost beyond analysis for its inspiration, its allegory and its symbolism. The analytical commentary follows with liberty, but which can be so inspired for the profound theology and for the astoninshing poetic revelation. Standing out in all his teachings and commentaries is the image of the living Christ. As the foundation and reason for all the asceticism and spirituality he recommends having "an habitual desire to imitate Christ in all your deeds, conforming you self to his life which you must study in order to know how to imitate it" (Asc. BK. I, 13,3)
In the standard classification, which is imperfect since it does not take into account the unity and the profundity of his thought, his books: Ascent of Mount Carmel and the Dark Night are considered ascetical works. Writings of the mystical level are the Spiritual Cantle (also called "Songs that treat of the exercise of love between the soul and Christ the Spouse") and the Living Flame of Love. Other minor writings follow, such as the Cautions, the Sayings of Light and Love and the Letters and various Poems.
Because of his subtle analysis of the human soul with its destiny and tendencies, the written works of St. John of the Cross give rise to interest by Psychology, Mysticism and literature. His own total longing is for union of pure love with God: there the impassable and mysterious divine transcendence leaves a glimmer and at the same time makes it closeness felt to the point of being the same center of the human person. For the serene and captivating tensions of this intimate transcendence his writings are, surely, read today more than ever, inside and outside the Christian faith.
He died in Ubeda, on the night of December 13 towards midnight in 1591. His body rests in Segovia. Beatified on January 25, 1675 and canonized in 1726, two centuries later on August 24, 1926. Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church for his teachings in domain of mysticism.
Cheerfulness and transparency together with an original wisdom and strength are some traits of this young and popular saint of Carmel. Therese Martin was born on January 2, 1873 in Aleócon, France. A few years later the family moved to Lisieux upon the death of the mother when Therese was on four years old.
In April of 1888 she entered the Carmel of Lisieux "only for Jesus." Her two older sisters had already entered there. The Franciscan priest Alexis Prou launched her "full sail on the waves of confidence of love." At eighteen years of age she discovered the fascinating teachings of St. John of the Cross. But above all, her spiritual nourishment was the Word of God, especially the Gospels. The malady of her father around this time was a cause of great moral sufferings.
Always mindful of the missions, the collection of her letters with her two spiritual brothers who were missionaries, Maurice Bullière and Adolphe Roulland, put her in contact with the exceptional dimension of the evangelizing Church. The missionary awareness was strengthened by the knowledge of the possibility that she might be sent to the Carmel in Saigon and Hanoi in Vietnam, a prospect that was never realized due to her illness. From her own interior life and as the assistant to the Novice Mistress she acquired an admirable experience of how Jesus communicates directly to souls. Feeling the attraction of various vocations, charity gave to her the key to her contemplative vocation in the Church: "In the heart of the Church, my Mother, I shall be Love... and thus I shall be everything." (Ms B v3)
The great discovery of her life was that God is merciful love and that He is approached by confidence and simplicity while remaining always in humility and spiritual poverty.
By Easter of 1896 a grave and mortal illness was manifested. At the same time, she entered into a devastating spiritual night which lasted until her death. Learning from her own experience, sshe comprehended the antheists for whom she now felt doubtly a sister. In the infirmary of the convent of her Sister Agnes of Jesus began to write down the words and observations of the sick and dying Therese. These constitute the Last Convfersations. In the afternoon of September 30, 1897 she dies with the words: "My God, I love you."
The Story of a Soul or Autobiographical Manuscripts is the most read religious book after the Bible in the 20th century. It was the origin of numerous religious and priestly vocations and many conversions. Also important are the letters, poems, plays for convent recreations and prayers. Authentic photographs of her are also printed.
She was called the "greatest saint of modern times" by Pope Pius XI considered her "the star of my pontificate,"and he canonized her on May 25, 1925. On Deccember 14, 1927 he proclaimed her the universal patron of the Missions. With the Papal Bull "Divini Amoris Scientia" on October 19, 1997 Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church.