Per Christum

Sunday (yesterday) would have been St. Teresa of Avila’s feast day, had her day not fallen on the weekly feast of the resurrection, Sunday.

However, I want to say a few words about Teresa anyway.

Teresa is a doctor of the Church, and a famous 16th century mystic and reformer. She helped St. John of the Cross start his ministry. Her most famous work is The Interior Castle. I confess I have not read the whole thing, but only parts. When I briefly studied St. Teresa and other western mystics of the time, I remember being struck by Teresa’s humility and willingness to be corrected by the Church. When her visions seemed to suggest a kind of unitarianism with regard to the godhead, Teresa listened to the correction of her confessor, and interpreted her vision correctly. I remember thinking this illustrated the balance between the mystical and the apostolic, i.e. that mystical experiences enliven Apostolic Teaching, but must also be corrected by Apostolic Teaching. Teresa of Avila is an example of humility, zeal, and Christlikeness.

St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!