¡feliz #500 cumpleaños Teresa of Avila!

 “I repeat, it is necessary that your foundation consist of more than prayer and contemplation. If you do not strive for the virtues and practice them, you will always be dwarfs. And, please God, it will be only a matter of not growing, for you already know that whoever does not increase decreases. I hold that love, where present, cannot possibly be content with remaining always the same.”

~Teresa of Avila                          

“Keep in mind that I could not exaggerate the importance of this. Fix your eyes on the Crucified and everything will become small for you.”

+     +     + 

Today is the 5^th centenary of the birth of Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-2015), one my closest mentors in the spiritual journey.

Today is also the 33^rd birthday of our oldest and our only son, Christopher!

And today I am traveling basically all day from Norman to Chicago to New York, where I will join the rest of the Catholic Bloggers Press Tour participants on our way to Amman. 

Let us pray for one another!

what do You want of me?

If You want me to rest,

I desire it for love;

If to labor,

I will die working:

Sweet Love say

Where, how and when.

What do You want of me?

Calvary or Tabor give me,

Desert for fruitful land;

As Job in suffering

Or John at Your breast;

Barren or fruited vine,

Whatever be Your will:

What do You want of me?

Be I Joseph chained

Or as Egypt’s governor,

David pained

Or exalted high,

Jonas drowned,

Or Jonas freed:

What do You want of me?

Silent or speaking,

Fruitbearing or barren,

My wounds shown by the Law,

Rejoicing in the tender Gospel;

Sorrowing or exulting,

You alone live in me:

What do You want of me?

Yours I am, for You I was born:

What do You want of me?

~Teresa of Ávila,       

                                            from the poem “In the Hands of God”

Over the next few months I will publish here some of my favorite poems and writings in celebration of the 5^th centenary of the birth of Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-2015)—a woman whose life, faith and candor has profoundly formed and influenced my faith journey!

[photo of floor mosaic:  St. John Neumann Catholic Church, Austin @SJNAustin]

nada te turbe...solo Dios basta

Teresa, la peregrina, Ávila

A follow up to yesterday's Ávila story...

This year marks the 500th birthday of Santa Teresa de Jesús, Teresa of Ávila, whose feast day is October 15.

Not only has Teresa always been close to my heart, this October 15 of 2014, will be my son's 32nd birthday--and it is also the due date for his fourth child (our 5th grandbaby)!

This week I came across this beautiful video in honor of this year's feast, and its beauty brought tears to my eyes.

It is one of two virtual choirs produced for the celebration of Santa Teresa's 500th birthday, and it features Carmelite nuns virtually singing "together" from around the world, accompanied by the Teresian Orchestra of St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Washington.

Sister Claire Sokol composed this beautiful rendition of Teresa's famous prayer, "Nada te turbe."  I know you will enjoy it.

know that he, the Lord, is God

top of chapel, Cedarbrake Renewal Center

one of countless inviting spots on the beautiful Cedarbrake grounds

LAUGHTER CAME FROM EVERY BRICK

Just these two words He spoke

changed my life,

“Enjoy me.”

What a burden I thought I was to carry—

a crucifix, as did He.

Love once said to me “I know a song,

would you like to hear it?”

And laughter came from every brick in the street

and from every pore

in the sky.

After a night of prayer, He

changed my life when

He sang

“Enjoy Me.”

~Teresa of Avila, 

from

“Love Poems by God,” Daniel Ladinsky

I got home from my roadtrip to central Texas late last night feeling abundant gratitude for my time at Cedarbrake Renewal Center--and for the amazing people I was graced to spend the weekend with. 

Being "on" and giving presentations around the clock for a whole weekend takes a lot out of me. But God not only provided me with the energy I needed, He also surprised me with joy, laughter and fellowship. How is it possible to feel both exhausted and invigorated?

solo Dios basta

On a prominent place on my work desk, I keep a simple three by five wooden plaque with the words of Teresa of Avila (1515-1582): 

“Let nothing trouble you; Let nothing scare you; 

All is fleeting; God alone is unchanging; 

Patience obtains everything; 

Who possesses God, nothing wants; 

God alone suffices.”

In Spanish, however, “Solo Dios basta,” is even bigger.  “Bastar” means not only "suffices," but abounds, as in, only God is more than enough.

We are urged to be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is essential, however, that our doing be rooted in prayer and that our heart be filled with Love. Otherwise we will be deluded into thinking that our doing is *ours*––and not God’s, who is the source of everything. 

Solo Dios, only God, basta! 

Nada te turbe, 
nada te espante, 
todo se pasa; 
Dios no se muda. 
La paciencia 
todo lo alcanza; 
Quien a Dios tiene, 
nada le falta; 
Solo Dios basta. 

Recordándo a Teresa, la peregrina

My favorite image of Teresa of Avila, la peregrina

found in front of her convent

The walls of Avila, España

In your hand

I place my heart,

Body, life and soul,

Deep feelings and affections mine,

Spouse--Redeemer sweet,

Myself offered now to you,

What do you want of me?

[from the poem "In the Hands of God" by Teresa of Avila]

Monasterio de la Encarnación, Avila

Teresa's convent, right outside the Walls 

Teresa of Avila