SAINT OF THE DAY -- Oct. 15 - St. Teresa of Avila
October 15
Saint Teresa of Avila
(1515 - 1582)
Patron Saint of People with Illnesses, The Religious and Those Whom Have Lost Parents
"All blessings come to us through our Lord.
He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example.
"
- St. Teresa of Avila"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid.
All things pass away.
God never changes.
Patience obtains everything.
God alone is enough."
- St. Teresa of Avila
Teresa lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social and
religious upheaval. It was the 16th century, a time of turmoil and
reform. Her life began with the culmination of the Protestant
Reformation, and ended shortly after the Council of Trent.
The gift
of God to Teresa in and through which she became holy and left her mark
on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a
contemplative; she was an active reformer.
As a woman, Teresa
stood on her own two feet, even in the man's world of her time. She was
"her own woman," entering the Carmelites despite strong opposition from
her father. She is a person wrapped not so much in silence as in
mystery. Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate,
courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a
mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in
tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer. A holy
woman, a womanly woman.
Teresa was a woman "for God," a woman of
prayer, discipline and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her own
conversion was no overnight affair; it was an arduous lifelong
struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering. She was
misunderstood, misjudged, opposed in her efforts at reform. Yet she
struggled on, courageous and faithful; she struggled with her own
mediocrity, her illness, her opposition. And in the midst of all this
she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and
contemplation are drawn from her experience: powerful, practical and
graceful. A woman of prayer; a woman for God.
Teresa was a woman
"for others." Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and
energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back
to the full observance of the primitive Rule. She founded over a
half-dozen new monasteries. She traveled, wrote, fought—always to
renew, to reform. In her self, in her prayer, in her life, in her
efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she was a woman for
others, a woman who inspired and gave life.
In 1970 the Church
gave her the title she had long held in the popular mind: Doctor of the
Church. She and St. Catherine of Siena were the first women so honored.
Comment:
Today
we live in a time of turmoil, a time of reform and a time of
liberation. Modern women have in Teresa a challenging example.
Promoters of renewal, promoters of prayer, all have in Teresa a woman
to reckon with, one whom they can admire and imitate.
Quote:Teresa
knew well the continued presence and value of suffering (physical
illness, opposition to reform, difficulties in prayer), but she grew to
be able to embrace suffering, even desire it: "Lord, either to suffer
or to die." Toward the end of her life she exclaimed: "Oh, my Lord! How
true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a
precious price to those who love you if we understand its value."
Prayer:
Dear wonderful Saint, model of fidelity to vows, you gladly carried a
heavy cross following in the steps of Christ who chose to be crucified
for us. You realized that God, like a merciful Father, chastises those
whom he loves - which to worldlings seems silly indeed. Grant to {name of sufferer} relief from grant pains, if this is in line with God's plans. Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
Each lesson is only 10¢
God bless you!
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries
If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?