The Life and Teachings of St. Teresa of Avila

In preparation for the celebration of the 500 years birth anniversary of St. Teresa of Avila on March 28, 2015.
(Fifth of a series)

God’s Grace in the Guise of an Illness

St. Teresa experienced many sufferings in her life that included physical, mental, emotional and spiritual sufferings. In the early chapters of her autobiography, St. Teresa wrote about her suffering from the loss of her mother so early in her life. She wrote about the sense of loss of what to do with her life and the interior struggle she had in trying to find a suitable vocation for her, which in her time was just limited to two choices, that of a married life or that of a religious life.

At the convent school of the Augustinian Nuns where Teresa spent 18 months of her teenage life, Teresa wrote about her spiritual struggle and sufferings. In her own words she wrote: “I looked more to pleasing my sensuality and vanity than to what was good for my soul. These good thoughts about being a nun sometimes came to me, and then would go away; and I could not be persuaded to be one.”

Then Teresa wrote about how the Lord intervened and led her to a decision. The Lord sent her an illness that brought her back to her father’s house from the convent school. She had suffered from painting spells and fevers. When she got a little better she was sent to live with her sister and her husband in the country outside Avila where the country air could perhaps do her some good. Along the way they stopped by the house of her uncle, her father’s brother who was a widower, and in his old age gave up his possessions and lived like a hermit. The uncle loved to read books on spirituality and he had a very interesting collection. Sometimes he would ask Teresa to read the books to him and at first Teresa pretended that she relished doing it. Teresa admitted that in matters of pleasing others she would go to extremes even if it was a burden to her. This experience led Teresa to begin to like reading spiritual books.

When she came to reading the Letters of St. Jerome, she was so encouraged that she decided to tell her father that she will become a nun. About this experience, Teresa wrote about her intimate conversation with God and she talked to God: “ Oh, God help me! What means His Majesty was employing to prepare for the state in which He desired to make use of me! For without my desiring it He forced me to overcome my repugnance. May He be Blessed forever. Amen”.

On suffering, St. Teresa has this to say:

“Suffering is a great favor. Remember that everything soon comes to an end . . . and take courage. Think of how our gain is eternal.”

Contributed by: Cesar R. Ledesma, OCDS