Wyatt North - The Life and Prayers of Saint Teresa of Avila

Wyatt North Publishing, LLC 2012

A Boutique Publishing Company

Publishing by Wyatt North Publishing, LLC.

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Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Today, St Teresa continues to point the way from outer turmoil to inner peace for Catholics throughout the world.

Above all, she is renowned for her mystical theology through books such as Life, The Foundations, The Way of Perfection and Interior Castle. Over 400 of her letters remain, together with Spiritual Testimonies,Soliloquies, Meditations on the Song of Songs and an assortment of poetry.

Through all of her physical, emotional and spiritual challenges, she was unstinting in her declaration of her longing to serve God. Her life is evidence of both His presence and His enduring, unconditional love, a love she unceasingly and unhesitatingly sought throughout her astonishing life.

Born:

March 28, 1515 near Avila

Died:

October 4, 1582, Alba de Tormes

Feast:

October 15

Attributes:

habit of the Discalced Carmelites, Book and Quill, arrow-pierced heart

When Teresa de Ahumada was born on March 28, 1515 near Avila, it was only twenty-three years after Christopher Columbus discovered America and just twenty years since the Moors had been driven from Spain. The nation was finally united in the Catholic faith after almost eight centuries of dispute. A mere two years after Teresas birth, Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Spain was the most powerful colonial country in the world, enjoying unprecedented power under the reign of Charles V, a reign which extended across Europe and into South America.

It is against this eclectic backdrop that God placed an inspirational saint who would produce some of the greatest writings on mystical theology ever produced, with a profound focus on the passion of Christ. A saint who would ultimately create her own monastic order against fierce opposition, while suffering from chronic illness.

That saint was Teresa of Avila.

Teresa was the third of ten children born to wealthy merchant Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda and his second wife Beatriz Davila y Ahumada. Both Alonso and Beatriz lived devout lives, and consequently faith played a major part in the young Teresas world. She often displayed piety as a child and would have been inspired by legends of strong, fearless women of Avila. Jimena Blazquez was one such example. Years before, she led the citys women to victory over invading hordes by dressing as men and waving torches on its battlements.

Like Ignatius of Loyola before her, the young Teresa read extensively, citing one of her favorite books as the Amadis de Gaula a story of brave, chivalrous and pious knights. Inspired too by her mothers piety, as a young girl Teresa would often retreat into the garden for solitary prayer and she was often overwhelmed by a longing to see God. The evidence of this desire is apparent from an early age. At just seven years old, accompanied by her brother Rodrigo, Teresa briefly escaped from the towns gate giving her reasons as a quest for martyrdom. She was desperate to see God and knew she must die to see Him. Her fervor did not diminish and she constructed several hermitages in her garden with Rodrigo to build upon her relationship with God.

When she was just 13, Teresas mother Beatriz died giving birth to her tenth child. It was a devastating event in her life. She sought solace desperately, finally finding it as she stood before a statue of her beloved Virgin Mary. Brokenhearted, Teresa implored the Blessed Virgin to fill the space left by her mothers demise. As she writes in her autobiography, Life (The Life of Teresa of Jesus: The Autobiography of Teresa of Avila (Translated by E. Allison Peers)," Doubleday, 1991) : -

Whenever I put myself in the hands of the sovereign Virgin, she has always helped me, and in the end she has always brought me close to her.

Gaining strength from her grief, Teresa venerated the Blessed Virgin throughout her life.

Teresa was blossoming into a beautiful and vivacious young woman, blessed with masses of dark wavy hair and a natural grace. Her affability led to great social popularity. Yet in 16 th Century Spain, such qualities often placed young women in difficult and vulnerable situations. Their most prized asset at that time was their honor, an asset of Teresas which came under threat at the age of sixteen when she became distracted by one of her more frivolous cousins. Teresa was later to reflect on this time as the devil tempting her.

She also revealed, again in Life, that despite her parents devoutness, she felt that her own wickedness was innate. This was symptomatic of Teresas lifelong desire to surrender to God and to be made perfect in his love.

Following the death of Teresas mother and with her eldest sister recently married, her concerned and loving father Alonso was left with only one option, to send the sixteen year old to an Augustinian monastery to complete her education. Acknowledging her potentially reckless behavior, Teresa complied with her fathers request and entered the Augustinian convent of Santa Mara de Gracia (St Mary of Grace). The convent was renowned for preparing young Spanish women for a life of devout domesticity.

Lifestyle choices for Spanish women of the sixteenth century were limited. The option for a respectable marriage was not one that Teresa countenanced, having seen her mother die in the agony of childbirth. Entering a convent to live a life of piety was the only alternative. For some, this was not as restrictive as it may sound. Many convents were mitigated, governed by a papal decree that limited the austerities of its inhabitants. For a beautiful young woman blossoming into womanhood and easily distracted by the world, this solution proved ideal.

At first Teresa felt imprisoned within the monastery walls and was often tormented by her conscience over her actions, yet she believed from that early age that she was blessed by God with the gift of pleasing people. Soon, she became immersed in her new life, often praying fervently and in solitude, although the emotions and weeping that came easily to her companions did not occur with Teresa at this time. That would radically change as she grew stronger in her faith and drew closer to God.

After just eighteen months in the convent, Teresa succumbed to a series of fainting fits and a high fever, falling seriously ill. It was to be the first of many illnesses she suffered throughout her life. With perplexed physicians unable to find a cause for her malady, the decision was made to send her home, initially to her sisters house, in the hope that the rural air would prove beneficial to her overall state of health.