Considered one of the greatest and influential figures in the Catholic Church, St. Teresa of Jesus was a multifaceted Saint - she was a Carmelite nun; a reformer and founder; a practical administrator; a renowned spiritual writer; and a contemplative mystic of the highest order.
Born Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada on March 28, 1515, in Avila Spain. Her parents were highly pious and raised their offspring to be faithful, as well. In fact, when Teresa was just 7, she was inspired by the lives of the Saints to run away with her brother Rodrigo, in an attempt to become little Martyrs at the hands of the Moors, but both were returned home by an uncle who found them wandering outside the city walls.
The youngster suffered a deep blow when she lost her devout mother, Beatriz, at 14. At this stage in her life, she succumbed to distractions (e.g. romantic novels, fashion, and social events) but developed aspirations to consecrated life after her father - Don Alonso - sent her to board with the local Augustinian nuns; recovery from a serious bout with Malaria was another factor in her conversion.
In the meantime, being that his daughter had matured into a beautiful, intelligent, witty, and charming young woman, Alonso sought an advantageous marriage for her. Teresa resisted the idea of marriage and secretly left home at age 20 to enter the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila (simply known as the Incarnation). When her father found out, he relented and supported his daughter's vocation. She was professed under the name of Sr. Teresa of Jesus.
It needs to be mentioned that the monastery Teresa entered had become lax since its establishment. Rather than observing the original, strict Carmelite Rule the monastery was a social gathering place for women of high society to chat and mingle with the nuns, and each other. The residents, themselves, had lost the sense of discipline and austerity that their vows entailed (nuns from elite families retained personal possessions and accepted gifts from their wealthy relatives), and Teresa was caught up in it along with about 150 other nuns of the Incarnation!
Two years into religious life our Saint again fell seriously ill. Despite the best treatments arranged for her by Don Alonso, she progressively worsened and was taken home where she was bed-ridden for an extended period. After three years, Teresa made a partial recovery, thanks to prayers invoking St. Joseph, and she was reflective not only because of the suffering she endured but also because of divine illuminations she began receiving, via contemplative prayer. She resumed life at the Incarnation and for the next 15 years progressively transitioned from living the mediocre life of her community to greater commitment to the true spirit of the Carmelite vocation. This process was facilitated by the direct intervention of the Lord, who was granting Sr. Teresa spiritual charisms, including visions and locutions.
Among her most pivotal mystical visions was a visit to hell where she saw the place prepared for her should she choose to live contrary to the will of God; this time around, Teresa's "reversion" was solid and lasting.
Now concerned over the poor spiritual state of the monastery, Teresa conceived the idea of somehow reforming it or leaving it altogether to start new one. She sought guidance about her mystical inspirations and experiences with learned Churchmen, but was initially judged as either deluded or under diabolic influences. Amidst tremendous moral suffering, she persevered in humility and obedience to her confessors, and eventually found support and encouragement from certain holy priests, a few of whom are now Saints like her, e.g. St. Francis Borgia, St. Peter of Alcantara, and St. John of the Cross.
The piercing of St. Teresa's heart
with Divine Love
In the meantime, Teresa's spirituality escalated and she was sometimes levitated in full view of witnesses while in ecstatic prayer; Mass and Holy Communion was usually a trigger. During one of these raptures, her famous encounter with a Seraph occurred in which her soul was infused with Divine Love, represented by a long dart tipped with a flame that the angel repeatedly pierced her heart with! In addition, at another time, Teresa received the hidden Stigmata and later still ... she eventually underwent the sublime grace of Mystical Marriage with Christ.
In 1562, at the age of 47, Teresa left the Incarnation with a handful of like-minded companions to enter her first reformed monastery in Avila, which she dedicated to her beloved St. Joseph. The project was covertly papal-approved and funded by one of her married sisters. In their new house Teresa and her nuns were strictly cloistered and observed poverty and discipline, unlike their previous monastery.
Vehement opposition from within her Order and secular officials soon followed the reform, but Teresa bravely stood firm and weathered all obstacles, which dissipated, as she went on to successively establish a total of 16 monasteries (including the Incarnation in Avila) in the span of 20 years. It all goes to show her proficient skills as a diplomat, negotiator, and organizer. And not to be overlooked are the miracles Teresa worked along the way (e.g. she raised a young nephew to life after he was crushed by a collapsed wall during the construction of her first monastery).
The reform that Teresa started with the Carmelite nuns was later taken up by St. John of the Cross in the male branch of the Carmelites. His efforts also met with success amidst similar push-back and persecution (sometimes violent) from other members of the Order. Those who embraced the reform came to be known as the Discalced ("shoeless") Carmelites, versus those of the "ancient observance". Providentially, the bitter dispute between the two branches was resolved in 1579, per a Papal edict that granted autonomy to the Discalced Carmelites from their predecessors.
... and finally, a biography about St. Teresa of Avila would not be complete without mentioning her literary works. Fortunately for us, her rich spirituality and teachings are preserved, thanks to her confessor's specific commands to her to write them down. Of particular value are the following spiritual classics:
- Her autobiography - the "Life of Sr. Teresa of Jesus" in which she describes her soul's transformation in four stages, using the symbolism of a garden being watered and cultivated.
- "The Way of Perfection", a guide to prayer and meditation she wrote for her nuns.
- "The Interior Castle" in which she describes the successive seven stages of prayer and transformation a soul undergoes in its quest for ultimate union with God.
Teresa died in her Carmel of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes, on October 4, 1582. She was 67-years-old and her body exuded a delightful floral fragrance that was known to surround her even in life; 9 months later her body was unearthed and discovered perfectly intact although the habit she was wearing was in tattered condition. Today, her major relics can still be venerated in Alba de Tormes.
The relic of St. Teresa's preserved heart
(the wound left by the angel's dart is still
visible in the heart)
Without a doubt, this Saint's illustrious life is the work of the Holy Spirit, as good fruit continue manifesting in the wake of her passing. Canonized in 1622, St. Teresa of Avila was further bestowed the rare honor of being named a Doctor of the Church in 1970 ... and let's not forget that among her spiritual children are other Saints, such as St. John of the Cross; St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart; St. Therese the Little Flower (also a Doctor of the Church); St. Mariam Baouardy of Bethlehem; the Holocaust Martyr - St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein); and the celebrated Sr. Lucia of Fatima, to name just a few ... and other new Saints from the Discalced Carmelite spiritual family will surely follow.
St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us, as we
journey through the stages of spiritual
growth and transformation. Amen.
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