Happy Birthday, Madre!

She's 500 years old today, and doesn't she look good! Today is the day we in Carmel celebrate our Mother Foundress's quin-centenary, the heart of our Teresian year. Today is a day of prayer for us - being Lent we have to hold back on the celebrations, but there is always October for the feasting. Today, we give thanks for Teresa's example, teaching and maternal care.

Chesterton, Babette And The Chocolate Eclair

I have been thinking about one of the subjects of my last post, G.K Chesterton's weight and his alleged lack of temperance. I've done a little reading around it and discover that we have here the tip of an iceberg which has been floating between two camps for years: those who like Chesterton and those who are uneasy with him, with others clinging in between on common ground between the two, and the issue of his weight/temperance/gluttony has been a subject of one of their heated debates. I'm not going to wade into the row, but I just hope that the priest conducting the initial investigation will find enough evidence to allow a Cause be opened.

However I have been thinking about Chesterton's love of food and drink and if we can jump what appears to be a hurdle, he will make an important contribution to the Church and our understanding of the Saints in the sense of their appreciating God's gifts. 

It is an established tradition that we venerate the ascetic in the Saints, and quite rightly. Hagiographies praise Saints for fasting and penance, and correctly so. We are astonished by the Saint who fasts for forty days, taking nothing but water, or who abstains from certain foodstuffs, like meat for example, and their practice is held up as a virtue, and indeed it is, if they do not go to extremes. However we have to careful when we praise such practices in these great men and women, that we do not fall into an Albigensian frame of mind and end up seeing food as bad and a barrier to growth in virtue - the virtue is temperance and too much denial can be intemperate. 

St Benedict in his Rule speaks of moderation and also generous hospitality. Our own Rule, that of St Albert, lays down that Carmelites should abstain from meat, but still requires hospitality to be shown to visitors by the Prior. True virtue, I think, lies in moderation, in abstaining when necessary but also enjoying food and drink as a gift from God. I am a real son of St Teresa in this regard as she tells us that there is a time for fasting and a time for partridge. I see St John Marie Vianney's regrets in later life as an indication of this: as an old man, with the wisdom age and sanctity brought, he regretted the extreme fasting of his youth as youthful indiscretions - he was not the only Saint with such regrets. I also see in one of St Therese's last requests another confirmation of this: as she was dying she fancied a chocolate eclair and asked for one - she was given it and she enjoyed it. It seems dying in an odor of sanctity does not necessarily exclude a treat.

Faith and food is one of the themes of that great Danish movie Babette's Feast. In the movie we have a great Parisian chef, now working as a cook in the household of extreme Puritans, who inherits a sum of money and who wants to spend it on a fine feast for her employers and their friends. It is an extraordinary feast of a movie and an exploration of the difference between Catholicism and Puritanism, As Babette praises God through her art of fine cooking, sharing her gifts and dishes most generously with her employers, they are in a tizzy as to how to respond - such sumptuousness goes against everything they believe and live. It is Babette who has chosen the better part here, food is God's gift and we must celebrate that.

Chesterton would be a real life Babette, a man who eschewed slim austerity in favour, I hope, of a more moderate and generous approach. His friend George Bernard Shaw, an unbeliever, was a vegetarian and a secular ascetic, as Chesterton sought to bring him to faith (he failed there, sadly), he also tried to bring to him to a different view of food (he failed there too).  Asceticism for the sake of asceticism is not good, it must be a vehicle to a greater good - to self-control, greater virtue and the ability to put things in their proper context in terms of our relationship with God. It is this latter end which urges us to see food and drink as wonderful gifts of the Lord to be appreciated and enjoyed. If sanctity consisted in complete abstinence from food or its enjoyment, then Jesus would not have eaten, yet if there is one thing that is clear from the Gospel Jesus loved a good meal and never refused an invitation to be fed. This led to his being accused of gluttony and drunkenness (cf. Luke 7:34). True virtue is to be found in the imitation of Christ, if we deny what Christ confirmed then we had better think again.

I hope the investigator into Chesterton's Cause will find enough evidence to recommend its initiation. He may find a man who struggled with food and drink, but that would not necessarily prevent a Cause, we would have to see how he dealt with it and it may provide the Church with a patron for those who themselves struggle with eating disorders. Anyway, we shall see. I will keep praying and hoping, and reading Gilbert. Today is a fast day, the Church's penitential day, so I observe that, as should we all, and Sunday is a feast day and we should all observe that. (Note to self: I wonder if I can pick up an eclair tomorrow for Sunday? Like Therese, I am partial to eclairs!)

Words of wisdom from G. K. Chesterton

Madre's Day

 

Today in Discalced Carmel we celebrate the Solemnity of our Holy Mother, St Teresa of Jesus - Madre as many of us call her.  In Carmelite houses all over the world extended liturgies will be succeeded by a festal meal and, for those who drink, a little glass of wine, and perhaps even a little pudding!  Yesterday, according to tradition we observed the fast in preparation, and, in true Teresian spirit, now we observe the feast. 

 

To celebrate, perhaps a few of her poems. St Teresa is famous for her mystical writings, but she was also an accomplished poet.  First something sublime:

 

If, Lord, your love for me is strong
As this which binds me unto you,
What holds me from you Lord so long,
What holds you Lord so long from me?

O soul, what then do you desire?
Lord I would see you, who thus choose you.
What fears can yet assail you now?
All that I fear is but lose you.

Love’s whole possession I entreat,
Lord make my soul your own abode,
And I will build a nest so sweet
It may not be too poor for God.

A soul in God hidden from sin,
What more desires for you remain,
Save but to love and love again,
And all on flame with love within,
Love on, and turn to love again.

 

There is the famous one, beloved by so many:

 

Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
     no hands but yours,
     no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which to look out
     Christ's compassion to the world
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
     doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.
 

Then there is the lovely hymn she wrote asking the Lord to deliver the community from lice.  Apparently, having led a procession of the sisters through the house singing this song, the community no longer had problems with lice, a deliverance, I'm told, lasts up to today.  Teresa believe the Lord worked a miracle, and he might have seeing that lice were a constant problem for all classes in Spain at the time.  In response to the miracle the sisters gave the Lord a new title: the Christ of the lice.  No comment!  Here's one translation of the hymn.

You clothe us with apparel new,
Heavenly King!
Should creatures vile invest our frieze,
Deliverance bring!

These tiresome creatures much disturb
in time of prayer
Minds which are ill established
in things of God.

Should creatures vile infest our frieze,
Deliverance bring!

You who've come here prepared for death,
Yield not one whit,
And such vile creatures great or small,
Fear not at all.

You've clothed us now in livery new,
Heavenly King.
Should creatures vile infest our frieze,
Deliverance bring!

Thanks

Thanks to all those who have been sending messages of support over the last day or so, they are all much appreciated.  As many orthodox priests have found, including Fr Chandler in the UK, when you tackle the occult and New Age, its practitioners are ready to attack.  I see just this afternoon some of those who left the poisonous comments were back again - it seems they are organised.  If ever we needed an argument to show how dangerous yoga is it is the venomous attack of these practitioners which we have seen over the past couple of days here.  One even tried to use the combox to promote a local yoga group!  Anyway, we give them into the hands of St Michael and his Angels.

It is interesting that this spat should emerge as the Church begins the Year of Faith.  Many Catholics dabble in the occult and New Age out of pure ignorance, understanding little about Christ, his teachings and the incompatibility of such practices with Christian faith and spirituality.  If ever we need a new emphasis on catechesis it is now as many have been led astray. 

This is, I think for us Christians, a year in our lives to be devoted to an intense study of our faith.  While I do not agree with many of their teachings, I admire the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists, for example, because they dedicate themselves to understanding the tenets of their belief systems - we do not have to agree with them to acknowledge their commitment and zeal.  We should be doing that ourselves, and seeing as we have the truth in Jesus Christ, we should be even more diligent in coming to understand what the Lord and his Church teaches. 

The Catholic faith is so rich and beautiful; its many spiritualities profound, nourishing and uplifting, leading us to the True God and helping us advance towards holiness on the path of perfection, as St Teresa of Avila puts it.   In this year we should take the opportunity to explore it and see which spirituality is to be ours.  Today, the feast of St Teresa of Avila, we can look to Carmelite spirituality, but there are others: that of St Francis, St Dominic, St Ignatius, St Paul of the Cross, the Benedictine, the Cistercian and so many others. 

These are not just religious orders, but ways of Christian life in which a Saint was inspired to live in a particular way and become an example for others.  Indeed many lay people are so taken with the teaching and spirituality of one Saint, they became spiritual sons and daughters of that Saint, perhaps even join the Third Order or Lay Association of the Saint's Order or Congregation.  There's a project for you: if not already a religious, is there a spiritual family out there for you?

One of the things I say to my parishioners and when I give talks, is that we must realise the communion that exists between us and begin to live that communion.  A spiritual family is important, especially in these times when orthodox Christians are being sidelined and persecuted by non-believers and even by the lax and lapsed within the Church.  We need the support of the faithful to withstand attack - as I see clearly in these last couple of days. The evil one works to divide, we must work to form communion: communion in love, in faith and in truth.  Let us pray for each other. 

Please note: Up until now I have allowed the anonymous option on the combox, but given the nature of the comments I have received, from now on if people want to comment, they will have to reveal who they are.  I welcome comments, as long as the usual rules of courtesy and respect are observed .  If people disagree with me, fair enough, I have rarely deleted comments on my blog: in fact I have only done it once before when the comment, not referring to me but to another person, was libelous.  Of course, as you know, there is no such thing as an anonymous comment, all can be tracked down: I have a tracker programme monitoring my blog, so I have the IP addresses of all who comment, and these can be followed up.

Happy feast day to you all!  May our Madre, St Teresa of Jesus, watch over you and protect you.

Reform Anniversary

Today is a special day for us in Carmel - today we celebrate the 450th anniversary of the reform of the Order by St Teresa of Avila. On this day, the 24th August 1562 the first Discalced Community was formed as the Monastery of St Joseph was opened in Avila.   At the time St Teresa was unable to join the sisters, she was still in the Monastery of the Incarnation and was trying to find a way to leave without breaking her vow of obedience.  In faith she left it all to the Lord and before long, Madre was walking through the doors of St Joseph's.  There is a lesson for us there.

The Holy Father sent a message to the Bishop of Avila to mark the anniversary, it is a beautiful meditation on our Holy Mother Teresa and the legacy she has left us.  Here is the Pope's message in full:

To my Venerable Brother
Bishop Jesús García Burillo of Avila

1. Resplendens stella: “a star shining in great splendour” (Libro de la Vida, [The Book of My Life] 32, 11). With these words the Lord encouraged St Teresa of Jesús to found the Monastery of San José in Avila. This was the beginning of the Reform of Carmel which will be celebrating its 450th anniversary next 24 August. On this happy occasion I would like to join in the rejoicing of the beloved Diocese of Avila, of the Order of Discalced Carmelites and of the People of God on pilgrimage in Spain, as well as of all those in the universal Church who have found in Teresian spirituality a sure light for men and women to attain a true renewal of their life through Christ. In love with the Lord, this illustrious woman did not want anything other than to please him in all things. Indeed, it is not those who do great things based on the excellence of their human qualities who are holy; on the contrary, holy people are those who humbly let Christ penetrate their soul and act through them, who truly allow him to play the lead in all their actions and aspirations, inspiring every project and sustaining every silence.

2. Only those who have an intense prayer life are able to let Christ lead them in this manner. The Saint of Avila says that a life of prayer consists in “being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with him who, we know, loves us” (Libro de la Vida 8, 5). The reform of Carmel whose anniversary fills us with inner joy was born from prayer and is inclined to prayer. By distancing herself from the Mitigated Rule in order to further a radical return to the primitive Rule, St Teresa de Jesús wished to encourage a form of life that would favour the personal encounter with the Lord, for which “we have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon him present within us. Nor need we feel strange in the presence of so kind a Guest” (Camino de perfección [the Way of Perfection] 28, 2). The Monastery of San José came into being precisely in order that all its daughters might have the best possible conditions for speaking to God and establishing a profound and intimate relationship with him.

3. St Teresa proposed a new way of being a Carmelite in a world that was also new. The “times were dangerous” (Libro de la Vida 33, 5) and in these times, as this spiritual teacher said, “the friends of God should be strong, in order that they may support the weak” (ibid., 15, 5). And she eloquently insists: “the world is on fire. Men try to condemn Christ once again, as it were, for they bring a thousand false witnesses against him. They would raze his Church to the ground.... No, my sisters, this is no time to treat with God for things of little importance" (Camino de perfección, 1, 5). Does not this most luminous and challenging reflection made by the holy mystic more than four centuries ago seem familiar to us in the situation in which we are living?

The ultimate aim of the Teresian Reform and of the creation of new monasteries in the midst of a world devoid of spiritual values was to strengthen apostolic work with prayer; and to propose an evangelical lifestyle that might serve as a model to those in quest of a way of perfection, based on the conviction that every authentic personal and ecclesial reform passes through reproducing, ever more faithfully, the “form” of Christ (cf. Gal 4:19) within us. The Saint and her daughters strove to do exactly this and this was the exact commitment of her Carmelite sons who endeavoured solely to “advance in virtue” (Libro de la vida, 31, 18). In this regard Teresa writes: “He [Our Lord] prizes one soul which of his mercy we have gained for him by our prayer and labour more than all the service we may render him” (Libro de las Fundaciones [The Book of the Foundations] 1, 7). In the face of forgetfulness of God the Holy Doctor encourages prayerful communities that protect with their fervour those who proclaim Christ’s name everywhere, so that they may pray for the Church’s needs and bring the cry of all the peoples to the Saviour’s heart.

4. Today too, as in the 16th century and also among rapid changes, trusting prayer must be the soul of the apostolate so that the redemptive message of Jesus Christ rings out with deep clarity and vigorous dynamism. It is urgently necessary that the Word of life be harmoniously vibrant in souls, with resonant and attractive tones.

Teresa of Avila’s example is a great help to us in this exciting task. We can say that in her time the Saint evangelized without mincing her words, with unfailing ardour, with methods foreign to inertia and with expressions haloed with light. Her example keeps all its freshness at the crossroads of our time. It is here that we feel the urgent need for the baptized to renew their hearts through personal prayer which, in accordance with the dictates of the Mystic of Avila, is also centred on contemplation of the Most Holy Humanity of Christ as the only way on which to find God’s glory (cf. Libro de la Vida, 22, 1; Las Moradas [Interior Castle] 6, 7). Thus they will be able to form authentic families which discover in the Gospel the fire of their hearths; lively and united Christian communities, cemented on Christ as their corner-stone and which thirst after a life of generous and brotherly service. It should also be hoped that ceaseless prayer will foster priority attention to the vocations ministry, emphasizing in particular the beauty of the consecrated life which, as a treasure of the Church and an outpouring of graces, must be duly accompanied in both its active and contemplative dimensions.

The power of Christ will likewise lead to the multiplication of projects to enable the People of God to recover its strength in the only possible way: by making room within us for the sentiments of the Lord Jesus (cf. Phil 2:5), seeking in every circumstance a radical experience of his Gospel. This means, first of all, allowing the Holy Spirit to make us friends of the Teacher and to conform us to him. It also means accepting his mandates in all things and adopting such criteria as humility in behaviour, the renunciation of the superfluous and giving no offence to others or proceeding with simplicity and a docile heart. Those who surround us will thus perceive the joy that is born from our adherence to the Lord and see that we put nothing before his love, being ever ready to account for our hope (cf. 1 Pet 3:15) and, like Teresa of Jesus, living in filial obedience to our Holy Mother, the Church.

5. Today, this most illustrious daughter of the Diocese of Avila invites us to this radicalism and faithfulness. Accepting her beautiful legacy at this moment in history, the Pope asks all the members of this particular Church, and especially youth, to take seriously the common vocation to holiness. Following in the footsteps of Teresa of Jesus, allow me to say to all who have their future before them: may you too, aspire to belong totally to Jesus, only to Jesus and always to Jesus. Do not be afraid to say to Our Lord, as she did, “I am yours; I was born for you, what do you want to do with me?” (Poem 2). And I ask him to obtain that you may also be able to respond to his call, illuminated by divine grace with “determined resolve” in order to offer “that little” which is in you, trusting in the fact that God never abandons those who leave everything for his glory (cf. Camino di perfección 21, 2; 1, 2).

6. St Teresa knew how to honour with deep devotion the Most Holy Virgin, whom she invoked with the sweet name of Carmel. I place under her motherly protection the apostolic aspiration of the Church of Avila so that rejuvenated by the Holy Spirit she may find appropriate ways for proclaiming the Gospel with enthusiasm and courage. May Mary, Star of Evangelization, and her chaste spouse, St Joseph, intercede so that this “star” which the Lord set alight in the universe of the Church with the Teresian Reform, may continue to shine with the great splendour of the love and truth of Christ for all humankind. With this wish, Venerable Brother in the Episcopate, I send you this message. I ask you to make it known to the flock entrusted to your pastoral care and, especially, to the beloved Discalced Carmelites of the Convent of San José in Avila so that they may perpetuate in time the spirit of their Foundress. I am ever grateful to them for their fervent prayers for the Successor of Peter. To them, to you and to all the faithful of Avila I impart the Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of abundant heavenly favours.

From the Vatican, 16 July 2012

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Our Father General has also issued a message which is very inspiring: you can read it here.  Fr Saverio has a deep love for Secular Carmelites and is trying to remind the Order that we are not only members of the Order, but an important part of it (he wrote a letter on the issue).  Following Vatican II, while there was great emphasis on the vocation of the laity, Third Orders were a problem - some even said that they were not part of their Orders, but associations of laity.  This is an issue that still needs to be addressed.  At the moment our Secular and Third Order fall under the Council for the Laity, but we are consecrated people - consecrated by profession of the evangelical counsels and we are members of Orders.  I personally believe Third and Secular Orders should come under the Congregation for Institues of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

That said, today is a great feast day!  As you probably know by now we Carmelites love our feast days!  So we'll raise a toast - we're 450 today!  I think some of us look good for our age.

The Fiery One

Today is the feast of St Elijah the Prophet celebrated by both Carmelite Orders - the O Carms as a Solemnity and us, the Discalced, as a feast (why not a Solemnity too?).  It is a special day for me as it is the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood - I was thrilled when the bishop picked this day.  Elijah was present at the ordination Mass, during the Litany of the Saints the heavens opened and torrential rain fell heavily on the church roof.  It was a wonderful experience. 

Now Elijah would not be renowned for his pastoral sensitivity, no more than St John the Baptist who took up the Prophet's mantle in his ministry as Precursor.  I imagine if he was priest in Ireland today he would probably be on "administrative leave" for preaching the Gospel a little too directly to the faithful.  Whether that means he was too strong, or we have become too soft I'll leave it up to you; but given that Jesus had great time for Elijah and praised the fiery John the Baptist, the second Elijah, as being the greatest born of women we might look to ourselves rather than Elijah when considering the question.

Elijah rose up to defend God among a people who wavered in their allegiance.  They were out for themselves, so they followed the god that gave them what they wanted.  The battle on Mount Carmel between the prophets of Baal and Elijah was the means through which God proved to his people that he was the stronger one, the only One.  It is a message that needs to be proclaimed today.  The word of Elijah - "How long will you waver between the two?" must be spoken to the people of our time.  We have become a comfortable lot - we want heaven, but also the pleasurable way of life even if it brings us into sin - "sure God loves anyway".  

As a priest it can be difficult to proclaim this word to people.  One thing I find most challenging is trying to answer one particular question in a particular situation.  When people who live lives contrary to the Gospel, rejecting Christ's moral teaching, and then when difficulties, tragedies or other problems emerge they fall out with God: "Why did God let this happen?"  I am tempted to say - "Why blame God?  You chose to live in a way which is contrary to his moral law, creating a distance between you and him, and now you blame him when things do not turn out well for you."  People do not see.  Elijah was very clear in his response to such questions: "Your sin has led you to disaster - only your repentance and return to God will bring you life and grace."  That is the prophetic message, our task is to preach this in a way that is pastorally sensitive, direct and opens the door for reconciliation, but it must also be proclaimed in a way that does not undermine the message.  We have had too many priests who have diluted and reversed the Gospel and the Church's moral teachings in the name of pastoral sensitivity. 

As we celebrate in Carmel today, I bring to your attention a message from the Holy Father to the Bishop of Avila marking the 450th anniversary of the reform of our Order.  We celebrate the anniversary on the 24th August next.  It is a beautiful letter and a real resource to help us mark what is essentially the beginning of Discalced Carmel.  With reference to what I wrote above, this line from the Pope is interesting: "We can say that in her time the Saint evangelised without mincing her words, with unfailing ardour, with methods foreign to inertia and with expressions haloed with light."   That's fantastic!

I see the culture of death is triumphing in Holland.   According to one article 14% of deaths in the country are actually brought about through the action of doctors.  That does not surprise me.  Holland is a country which fell for the liberal agenda hook, line and sinker, from legalised drugs, abortion, legalised prostitution and now euthanasia.  I remember a holiday there a number of years ago - I could not wait to get out of it.  In Amsterdam on a warm summer's evening there was the odor of pot in the air.  We tried to avoid the red light district, but suddenly found ourselves in the middle of it when we went to visit the Lutheran Cathedral - the cathedral square has a "mall" of brothels.  To see women sitting in windows selling themselves makes one wonder how far we have gone.  A liberal, "modern" country and it permits a culture where women sell their bodies to make a living?  Are we surprised they think it is okay to kill their sick and elderly?

That said, euthanasia is more common than we think.  I remember a conversation with a nurse during which she told me how a patient can be killed leaving no trace of the act - nothing that would stand out in a postmortem.  I was shocked.  "You'd be surprised how often it happens", she said.  "Even in Ireland?" I asked.  "Oh yes", she said.  Scary!

An interesting article here on recent events concerning the SSPX.  They say they recognise the authority of the Pope, let's hope they do and come back into the fold, accepted a Council of the Church the Popes called, presided over and have been implementing since the 1960s. 

Blogging will be erratic over the next few weeks - I am away on holidays and may not get a chance to blog too often.  Although..... I may have no excuse!  I was given an iPad for my birthday - you may remember a post where I was wondering should I or should I not, well the decision was made for me.  Over the last few days I have been experimenting with it - I feel it could become an addiction, so moderation is called for.  But at least when I get time I can do a bit of writing.  At the moment I have three books half finished, never getting time to complete them and send them off to a publisher, the iPad might put manners on me.  But then again, who wants to read what I have to say?  I torment you poor people enough as it is!  I will probably have many more years in Purgatory thanks to this blog!

Happy feast day to you all!  May St Elijah watch over you, and the ravens never fail!

La Madre

First of all, thank you for your prayers.  The Mass went very well last night. There was a good crowd, all gathered to honour St Therese.  The ceremonies began with the Rosary, followed by Mass, then Adoration and then blessing with the relics of St Therese and her parents, Blesseds Louis and Zelie.  As I have said before, these devotions do so much for the faith - not only of the people, but of us priests too.

The Mass celebrated was that of the great St Teresa, whose feast it is today.  For us Carmelites, today is a Solemnity, having begun at dusk yesterday evening.  I say us Carmelites because, while I am a diocesan priest, I am also a Secular Discalced Carmelite (or Third Order as it used to be known).  This means that, in reality, I am a member of the Discalced Carmelite Order by my profession, but also a priest of the diocese of Meath.  Sounds confusing - not really: diocesan priests are permitted in canon law to join Third Orders.  One of the ways I like to clarify it is by thinking: in life I am priest in Meath; when I get to heaven (that should  be an "if", a big IF), I'll be in the Carmelite crowd, all going well.  I'm hoping to elbow my way in between St Therese and Blessed Hermilo of St Eliseus (Spanish Civil War martyr) - I'm trying to bribe them to get me into heaven somehow, but their price is very high - love.  I do my best, but most of time I know I don't meet the rent!  But I'm trying.  This year is important for me because I am preparing for my final profession on the 18th December, or Definitive Profession as it is called. 

So today is a big feast.  St Teresa is one of those saints you fall in love with immediately.  Her personality shines through her work as does her holiness and love of God.  If you have never read her, make a resolution to do so.  The best book to begin with is her autobiography.  If you find it difficult, keep going, it's worth it: she'll just jump out at you. 

Teresa was not always a saint. In her childhood she showed great signs of it, but then she blew it.  She entered the convent out of fear for her soul, but then proceeded to waste twenty years, dodging prayer, for the best of intentions, or so she thought.  It took two conversions and a serious illness to call her to her senses and bring her back on track.  So Teresa can identify with all the problems we face in the spiritual life, and can guide us along the path to union with God.   Her works detail this path, but with great simplicity and lots of digressions which actually reveal her personality and help endear her to you.  She writes very differently from St John of the Cross with whom she is most often compared: same theology, same spirituality, but different way of exploring and expressing it. 

One thing I love about her is her ingenious way of getting around people - a God-given gift which, it seems, most of the founders in the Church had: Blessed Teresa of Calcutta had it.  When she was setting up the first house of the reform of Carmel, San Jose in Avila, Teresa faced many difficulties, including a superior who was caught between her and those objecting to the reform.  Teresa was obedient in all she did, but recruited others to do the work for her, so when permission was given, she was ready to fly like a dove into the new house.  Later in life she was brought back to her original convent to reform that.  The nuns in the convent rebelled, and there was ructions in the house.  Teresa arrived at the door to find it locked and the nuns barricading themselves in.  Teresa just sat quietly outside until negotiations were over and the door, reluctantly opened.  With her charm and charity, Teresa proposed a solution: sitting on a stool, she had a statue of Our Lady placed in the Prioress' chair: until peace was restored and hearts won over, Our Lady would be prioress.  Teresa won hearts, she brought St John of the Cross as confessor, and that convent became one of her great supporters and one of the flagships of the reform.

Prayer: O Holy Mother St Teresa, in these difficult times in the Church, obtain from the Lord for us those graces he granted you: love, patience, charity, tact and a thick skin.  Like you, may we sing of his mercies for all generations to hear.

St Teresa, patroness of reform and spiritual renewal, pray for us.

Happy feast day!  We're having partridge tonight!