TERESA: A PRAYER CENTERED REFORMER (Part 1)
Teresa of Avila became a prayer-centered reformer as she followed the enlightenment and guidance of Jesus’ Spirit on a lifelong path of self-discovery. Over four-hundred years ago, the very human Teresa Ahumada became aware within herself of a Divine Presence, who invited her into the intimacy of friendship. In her remarkable writings, Teresa has contributed invaluable guidelines to contemporary searchers into our own identity as friends of Jesus Christ. The metaphors that she uses to describe her experiences may not, however, be ones which you find helpful. You may experience, as I do, that I understand what she is explaining though I would not use her images to explain my awareness of union and communion with the God in whom I live, move, and have my being.
Scriptural Models
In the Book of 1 Samuel, chapter 3, there is recorded an incident that is an important scriptural image of what we shall be considering in our reflection on Teresa’s attainment of the stature of a summer reformer through her prayer-centered life. The young child Samuel was sleeping in the temple, where the ark of God was. Three times he heard himself called by name. Only after the third time-when the youth had run to Eli, his spiritual father, saying, “Here I am”- did Eli realize that God was calling Samuel. The old man instructed the boy: “Go, lie down; and ifhe calls you, you shall say: ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.'”
Another scriptural model of a person led into a profound experience of how Jesus uses prayer as a way to self-discovery is the Samaritan Woman (In 4:5-20). She has been immortalized by John’s description of Jesus’ conversation with her when she came to draw water from the Sychar Well where he was resting. Saint Teresa invites us to meditate on Our Lord’s words to this woman who asked him to give her “the living water” of which he spoke when he said: “The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” So profound were our Savior’s words upon her that she announced to the villagers, “He told me everything I have ever done.”
(….to be continued everyday till end of article)
Article by Mary Eileen McNamara, OCD , titled “Saint Teresa of Avila: Prayer-Centered Reformer”, Published in Spiritual Life, Summer 2010.
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We thank you for the blessing and grace we received from You Father of all creations. Through St. Teresa of Avila we see Your grace emmersed for us. St. Teresa of Avila pray for us.