A FEW THOUGHTS ON 

ST. TERESA OF AVILA:

IMAGES AND QUOTES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my sermon for today's feast of St. Teresa is, “A Few Thoughts on St. Teresa of Avila: Images and Quotes.”

I’m using the readings of the day - the 28^th Monday in Ordinary time: Galatians 4: 22-24, 26, 27, 31 - 5:1 and Luke 11: 29-32.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Galatians gives us an image of the choice between being like either of two women:  Hagar the slave woman and Sarah the free woman. It also gives us the choice of two covenants and two mountains. Choices are made easier when they are easy to picture: 2 women, 2 covenants, 2  mountains, 2 choices.

St. Teresa also liked to teach and write with images. She used the contrast between being like Martha or Mary - often in her writings.

I like Martha better. Teresa of Avila chose Mary.

TODAY’S GOSPEL

In today’s gospel we hear about repentance and growth. St. Teresa of Avila was all about change, conversion and growth. She was an intrepid reformer.

Today’s gospel talks about wisdom - St. Teresa of Avila was one wise woman - who was made a Doctor of the Church. And if you read her, you’ll catch her wisdom, but she’ll say what Jesus says, “One greater than Solomon is here.” Teresa will point us to Jesus.

Yet she is very wise. I love her comment: I prefer intelligent priests to stupid ones. She was a wise woman. Use your brains.

She talked about the spiritual life being like a garden. We have to work to have a good garden. Those who know her writings like the image of watering a garden. She says we can do that 4 ways. Buckets and watering cans. Next, hose or build an aqueduct or channel. Third - use a stream or a river. Fourthly, stand in the rain. Work, but then celebrate God sending down his rain on you.

If you get to Rome make sure you see Bernini's famous statue of St. Teresa in ecstasy. You can see the rain of God coming down on her.

 She liked the image of the castle. The spiritual journey calls for movement - growth - steps - moving from the outside - where the snakes are - to the inside - moving deeper and deeper into the heart of the castle. It would be wise to read a commentary on the Interior Castle while reading The Interior Castle.[1]

TERESA OF AVILA - IS RATHER QUOTABLE

Let me close by saying that Teresa of Avila is rather quotable.

Why not find one of her quotes that grabs you and put it on your fridge or on your mirror. You can find many of them if you go on line. Go to Google and just type in: “Teresa of Avila - Quotes.”

Here are my 3 favorites:

“There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.”  Isn’t there a country western song with that theme?

Here is the famous: St. Teresa bookmark;

“Let nothing disturb you,
let nothing cause you fear
All things pass.
God is unchanging.
Patience obtains all:
Whoever has God
needs nothing else.
God alone suffices.”                                     

And thirdly, here is my favorite, "God save us from sour-faced saints."

NOTES:

[1] Ruth Burrows, Interior Castle Explored: St. Teresa's Teaching on the Life of Deep Union With God [Continuum]