To God With Love: St Teresa and The Way of Perfection To God with Love, Show
Teresa of Jesus These words taken from one of St. Teresa’s poems could easily have been penned by her in a letter to God. The phrase “I was born for You” is being used as the logo for the Fifth Centenary of the birth of St. Teresa [She was born in Spain in 1515]. It could likewise be the theme for her book, The Way of Perfection, as she urged her nuns on to a deeper relationship with Our Lord. Since Teresa’s other writings, both her Life and the Interior Castle, were not available to her nuns, her confessor Fray Domingo Bañez commanded her to write yet another book which would guide the nuns in prayer. What was intended simply for her nuns to instruct them in the Carmelite life that they were already living became over time a spiritual classic for anyone wishing to live a more perfect life. In her writing, Teresa gave practical insights into a number of topics. She did this because her nuns, coming from different backgrounds, were at various stages in the spiritual life and she was thus reaching out to offer guidance to each of them. This makes the counsels of Teresa very pertinent to those who read The Way of Perfection today because there is something in it for everyone. Perfect Love: The Lord’s Prayer: Teresa devotes the last 16 chapters of her book to the Lord’s Prayer and in Chapter 42 writes of perfect love:
Teresa has taken our most common prayer and broken it open as a pathway to perfect love. She has reached out, not simply to her nuns, but to peoples of all ages that followed and those to come. Unceasing Prayer of the Carmelite rule:
Contemplation: In Chapter 17 Teresa writes, “…sometimes the Lord comes very late and pays just as well, and all at once, what he was giving to others in the course of many years.” Teresa herself spent many years in ordinary prayer before she was given extraordinary gifts of grace. And further on, in the same chapter, she offers words of encouragement to continue being faithful to prayer when she assures her nuns, “In humility, mortification, detachment, and the other virtues there is always greater security. There is nothing to fear; don’t be afraid that you will fail to reach the perfection of those who are very contemplative”. Deeper Life of Prayer: God Alone is Enough Originally published on the website of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. Used with permission. Art: Teresa of Avila, Peter Paul Rubens, 1614, CC by SA, painting out of copyright, Wikimedia Commons. What does the treatment of Teresa of Vila by the Spanish Inquisition in the sixteenth century suggest about the reformation of religious orders?What does the treatment of Teresa of Ávila by the Spanish Inquisition in the sixteenth century suggest about the reformation of religious orders? The reformation of religious orders greatly concerned those with authority in both church and state.
Which of these reformers is most closely associated with the idea of predestination?Predestination has been especially associated with John Calvin and the Reformed tradition.
Which of the following best describes the trend in the first two categories from the first period to the second period?Which of the following best describes the trend in the first two categories from the first period to the second period? The percentage of crimes categorized as disputes and quarrels remained relatively steady, while the percentage of behavioral offenses increased.
Which of the following claims does de azurara make in the first paragraph regarding Henry's motives for keeping armed ships?Which of the following claims does de Azurara make in the first paragraph regarding Henry's motives for keeping armed ships? Henry kept a fleet for war against the Muslims and for exploration.
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