Saint Teresa of Jesus (Teresa of Avila)
Teresa was born in Avila in Spain in 1515. She entered the Carmelites and made great progress in the way of perfection and was granted mystical revelations. Wishing to share in the spiritual renewal of the Church of her time, she began to live her religious life more ardently and soon attracted many companions, to whom she was like a mother. She also helped in the reform of the friars, and in this had to endure great trials. She wrote books which are renowned for their depth of doctrine and which showed her own spiritual experiences. She died at Alba in 1582. After her death the reform she began eventually separated from the Carmelite Order to become the Order of Discalced Carmelites.
Prayer
Father,
by your Spirit you raised up St Teresa of Jesus
to show your Church the way of perfection.
May her inspired teaching
awaken in us a longing for true holiness.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Scripture Readings
Wisdom 7:7-14; Romans 8:14-14, 26-27; Gospel – John 7:14-18, 37-39a.
Texts taken from the “Carmelite Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours,” Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome: 1993.
