St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes
I feel I'm filled with Him. There is nothing that separates us. Everywhere I go, He is with me, within my poor heart. He is the little home where I dwell...He is my heaven on earth. I live with Him, and even going out walking, the two of us converse without anyone surprising us or being able to interrupt us."
This statement by our Carmelite sister and saint was made about a year before she entered Carmel. And already she is describing the spiritual marriage that St. John of the Cross speaks about:
One does not reach this garden of full transformation, which is the joy, delight, and glory of spiritual marriage, without first passing through the spiritual betrothal and the loyal and mutual love of betrothed persons. For after the soul has been for some time the betrothed of the Son of God in gentle and complete love, God calls her and places her in his flowering garden to consummate this most joyful state of marriage with him. (Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 22, #4)
From St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)
As I have already said, one makes these comparisons because there are no other appropriate ones, yet it must be realized that the betrothal has no more to do with the body than if the soul were not in the body, and were nothing but spirit. Between the Spiritual Marriage and the body there is even less connection, for this secret union takes place in the deepest center of the soul, which must be where God Himself dwells. (Interior Castle, Seventh Mansion, Chapter II)
St. Teresa of the Andes clearly talks about this holy dwelling (of union/spiritual marriage)where she abides completely with the beloved. She was about 18 years old when she wrote of this deep union with God. She entered Carmel at 19 and lived only 11 months in the cloister before contracting and dying of Typhus. Pope John Paul lifted her up as a model of holiness for our youth.
Each Carmelite saint has a unique charism. St. Teresa's charism was joy. Her constant theme: God is my joy!
May God be our love, our light, and our joy!
Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
2 comments:
Thank you Rosemarie for another wonderful post where you show us the dimensionality of Carmel and her saints. St. Teresa of the Andes is one of my very favorites. I feel as if this young soul was taken by the hand of her Lord and they never let go of one another. She had a great determination of uniting herself wholly and blocking out all obstacles which came at her -- truly remarkable!
Lisa,
I agree with you-St. Teresa of the Andes is one of my favorite saints, too. I hope that our community will study her writings in the near future. I think everyone should know about her!
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