Come, Holy Spirit. Enkindle in our hearts, the fire of Your Divine Love.



Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Carmel,

protect and pray for us.



Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Discussion of Ch. 39 - The Life of Teresa of Jesus - Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila

   The Life of Holy Mother
        Teresa of Jesus

  The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus,
of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel 

       Discussion of  Chapter   39


She continues 
- the same subject, 
- mentioning great graces granted her by God; 
- how He promised to hear her requests 
    on behalf of persons for whom she should pray.
-  Some remarkable instances 
    in which His Majesty thus favoured her.
- Other Graces Bestowed on the Saint. 
- The Promises of Our Lord to Her. 
- Divine Locutions and Visions.

______________________

Discussion Topics/ Questions

 1). St. Teresa prayed 
       for the physical and spiritual 
       welfare of others. 
        On one occasion, she said,
        "I was...afraid our Lord 
          would not hear me
            because of my sins."
   What reassurances from God 
       did she receive? 
       [ Life: Ch. 39: # 1, 3, 4, 5, 6  ]



2). What did St. Teresa say was
     "the chief reason" 
      "that our Lord did these things" 
       ( bodily and spiritual healings) ?
            [Life: Ch. 39: #5, 7, 11 ] 



3). What did St. Teresa say about
        the "two ways of praying" ?
         [Life: Ch. 39: #8, 9, 10, 18 ] 



4).  St. Teresa extolled the 
        virtue of detachment.
4a). When St. Teresa recalled her stay 
                 at the home of  
            Dona Luisa de la Cerda,
          she  emphasized the need 
             for  detachment.


           What did she say about this ?
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #11 ] 

4b). What else did she say 
          regarding detachment ? 
        [Life: Ch. 39: # 25, 26, 27, 28, 32] 



5).  St. Teresa counseled against
           judging "spiritual things,
        by our own understanding"
        thereby distorting their true meaning. 
        She then discussed the error of
        thinking "we may  measure 
              our (spiritual) progress
         by the years which we have given 
            to the exercise of prayer".
       What did she teach regarding this? 
           [Life: Ch. 39:
                        #12,13,15,17,18,
                          19,21,22,23,28,33 ] 



6). While examining her past good 
          intentions and efforts, 
        St. Teresa  acknowledged
          her "faults and imperfections".
       
       What did she say regarding this?
           [Life: Ch. 39: #20 ] 



7).  What did St. Teresa say
          regarding her own doubts 
         as to the  source of  her visions?
            [Life: Ch. 39: #34, 35  ] 



8). What other benefits 
      (in addition to detachment, 
       Humility and growth in virtue) 
       did St. Teresa  specify 
       that she  received 
         from the visions ?
        [Life: Ch. 39: #36, 37 ] 

____________________________

1). St. Teresa prayed 
       for the physical and spiritual 
       welfare of others. 
        On one occasion, she said,
        "I was...afraid our Lord 
          would not hear me
            because of my sins."
   What reassurances from God 
       did she receive? 
       [ Life: Ch. 39: # 1, 3, 4, 5, 6  ]

St. Teresa said:

~  Regarding a person who was
        "almost wholly blind",
       Our Lord appeared to her
        and said to her:

  - "He...would still more readily 
        grant what I asked Him, and 
  -  that I was not to have 
        any doubts about it."

  "He promised me

   - there was nothing I should ask
        that He would not grant; 

   - that He knew I should ask 
      nothing 
     that was not for His glory, and 

   - that He would grant me 
        what I was now praying for. 
      Even during the time
        when I did not serve Him...
      I had asked nothing 
        that He had not granted 
      in an ampler manner…

  -  how much more amply still 
        would He grant what I asked   
      for, now 
      that He knew I loved Him! 

  - I was not to doubt. 
            [Life: Ch. 39: #1 ] 

~ Regarding a person who
      "was about to commit an act 
        highly offensive to God":
    "In my distress, 
      I went to a...lonely hermitage...         
         in which there is a picture 
      of Christ  bound to the pillar; 

      ...as I was imploring our Lord...
      I heard a voice 
         of exceeding gentleness,
     speaking...in a whisper. .
           [Life: Ch. 39: #3] 

       When my fears had subsided...
          I became conscious of 
        an inward calmness, 
           a joy and delight,   

         I saw by this 
            that my prayer was granted
          and so it was;" 
              [Life: Ch. 39: #4 ] 



~ Regarding conversion 
           of  a sinner:
     "... I did...pray to God 
        for his conversion. 

     One day, when I was in prayer, 
        I saw a devil...in a great rage, 
      tearing to pieces some paper 
        which he had in his hands.

       That sight consoled me greatly, 
           because it seemed 
       that my prayer had been heard

       So it was...
        that person made his confession
              with great contrition, and 
       returned to God so sincerely"
            [Life: Ch. 39: #5 ] 

   "In answer to my prayers, 
       our Lord has very often 
    rescued souls from mortal sins and
      led others on to greater perfection. 
             [Life: Ch. 39: #6] 
________________________ 

2). What did St. Teresa say was
     "the chief reason" 
      "that our Lord did these things" 
       ( bodily and spiritual healings) ?
            [ Life: Ch. 39:  # 7, 11  
                        Ch. 36: # 5         ]
St. Teresa said 
that the chief reason was because
   of "His pure Compassion".

She seems to say 
   that she worried at first 
          with scrupulosity 
because God granted her  prayers 
    by these healings.
Perhaps she worried regarding 
   a want of humility (?) 
Later, she acknowledges 
   that because of these mercies, 
she is farther in God's debt.

    "At first it made me scrupulous, 
     because I could not help thinking 
         that our Lord did these things 
     in answer to my prayer

      I say nothing 
         of the chief reason of all 
      His pure compassion".
         [ apart, of course, 
               from the chief reason, 
          which is His pure goodness. 
             - Peer's translation"    ]

       I bless His Majesty, 
          and abase myself, 
       because I am still more deeply 
          in His debt; and 

       ...He makes
          my desire 
              to serve Him grow, and 
          my love revive".
                [Life: Ch. 39: #7 ] 
         "there is no other good in me 
              but only that 
           which our Lord gave me 
              when I was so far from 
           deserving it:
                   [Life: Ch. 39: #11 ] 

           Previously she has expressed
               her humility so beautifully:
           "But it was a great joy to me
               when I saw His Majesty 
            make use of me
                 who am so worthless, 
              as His instrument 
                  in so grand a work".
                          [Life: Ch. 36: #5 ] 

_______________________

3). What did St. Teresa say about
         the "two ways of praying" ?
            [Life: Ch. 39: #8, 9, 10, 18 ] 

St. Teresa said:

There is a great difference between
      these two ways of praying







   [ Es grande la diferencia 
           de estas dos maneras de pedir  
     "There is a great difference between
         these two ways of asking"       ]

           (related: supplication
                            praying to God ) 

  -  "La Vida de la Madre Teresa de  Jesús 
           escrita de su misma mano, 
              con una aprobación 
         del P. Maestro fr. Domingo Báñez 
           su confesor y cathedrático 
             de prima en Salamanca".
      "The Life of  Mother Teresa of Jesus
            written in her same hand
        with the approval of Fr  Domingo Banez,
                   her confessor..."





1st way of praying:

  -  like Vocal Prayer;
          [Life: Ch. 39: # 10 ] 

   - when I pray for those graces 
     which God doesn't mean to grant,

   - even though they concern me 
        very nearly 

   - like one whose tongue is tied; 
      who...would speak, yet cannot;

   - or, if he speaks..
         people do not listen to him.

   - And yet I do not fail 
            to force myself to pray, 

   - though not conscious 
         of that fervour 
      which I have when praying
         for those graces 
      which our Lord intends to give. 
                 [Life: Ch. 39: # 9 ] 

    - however much I may wish 
         to pray for those graces 
      which our Lord sees 
         not to be expedient, 
       I cannot do it; 

       and if I try, 
          I do so with little 
        earnestness, force, and spirit: 

        it is impossible to do more, 
          even if I would. 
           [Life: Ch. 39: #8 ] 
2nd way of praying: 

  - "Prayer of Contemplation 

     so high 
        that our Lord shows Himself
     in such a way as to make us feel 
      - (that) He hears us, and 
      - that He delights in our prayer, 
      - that He is about
            to grant our petition. 
                [Life: Ch. 39: # 10 ] 

      -  like one who speaks 
              clearly and intelligibly 
      - to a willing listener.
                   [Life: Ch. 39: # 9 ] 

       "But it is not so as to those 
           which His Majesty intends to grant. 


         These I can pray for constantly, 
             and with great importunity;
          though I do not carry them 
            in my memory, 
          they seem to present themselves 
             to me at once.  
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #8 ] 
      
  "I wish... to express my preference 
          for the prayer 
       that in a short time 
        results in these great effects
       which show themselves at once;  
          -  to please God 
          -  accompanied with a vehement love

      I would rather have that prayer 
         than that 
      which lasted many years, but...       
       never issued in a resolution 
           to do anything for God
         with the exception 
              of some trifling services..."  
               [Life: Ch. 39: # 18 ] 
        - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

   "There is a great difference between
      these two ways of praying
  
    As to the first, 
    when I pray for those graces 
       which our Lord 
     does not mean to grant,
                  --even though they 
                     concern me very nearly,--
     I am like one whose tongue is tied; 
        who, though he would speak, 
     yet cannot;
     or, if he speaks,  sees 
         that people do not listen to him.

     And yet I do not fail 
         to force myself to pray, 
     though not conscious 
         of that fervour 
     which I have when praying 
        for those graces 
       which our Lord intends to give. 

        In the second case
          I am like one 
       who speaks clearly and intelligibly 
          to another,
        whom he sees to be 
          a willing listener.
               [Life: Ch. 39: #9 ] 

         The prayer 
             that is not to be heard is, 
          so to speak,
              like vocal prayer;

          the other is 
          a prayer of contemplation 
          so high 
          that our Lord shows Himself
          in such a way as to make us feel 
          - (that) He hears us, and 
          - that He delights in our prayer, and 
          - that He is about 
               to grant our petition. 
             [Life: Ch. 39: #10 ] 
__________________________
4).  St. Teresa extolled the 
        virtue of detachment.
4a). When St. Teresa recalled her stay 
                 at the home of  
            Dona Luisa de la Cerda,
          she  emphasized the need 
             for  detachment.


           What did she say about this ?
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #11 ] 
4b). What else did she say 
          regarding detachment ? 
        [Life: Ch. 39: # 25, 26, 27, 28, 32] 
         ______________________

4a). When St. Teresa recalled her stay 
                 at the home of  
            Dona Luisa de la Cerda,
          she  emphasized the need 
             for  detachment.
           What did she say about this ?
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #11 ] 
St. Teresa said:
  "When I was staying
      in the house of that lady...   
  it was necessary for me 

  - to be  very watchful over myself, and

  - keep continually in mind 
           the intrinsic vanity 
        of all the things of this life

     because 
        of the great esteem I was held in, and 
         of the praises bestowed on me. 



    There was much there to which 
        I might have become attached
    if I had looked only to myself; 

    but I looked to Him 
       who sees things as they really are, 
     not to let me go out of His hand. 

     I remember how great a trial
     it is for those 
     to whom God has granted a true insight
        into the things of earth… 

  
     I know 
           there is no other good in me 
       but only that 
           which our Lord gave me 
      when I was so far from deserving it:
              [Life: Ch. 39: #11 ] 
________________________
4b). What else did she say 
          regarding detachment ? 
        [Life: Ch. 39: # 25, 26, 27, 28, 32] 

St. Teresa said:

~ Regarding a vision of Christ 
    "...holding out His hand to me, 
         and  there protecting me"
     from the multitude with their
         "weapons of war":
                    [Life: Ch. 39: #25 ] 


  - " the vision represented the world,
       because everything in it 
         takes up arms against the poor soul. 

    "... that the soul, 
          if it be not watchful, 
      will find itself caught in a net,

       
       all these things 
            (honours, possessions, pleasures)
       labour  to ensnare it;

       more than this, 
       so also 
           do friends and relatives, and 
                -- what frightens me most -- 
           even good people

       I found myself afterwards 
           so beset on all sides, 
       good people thinking 
           they were doing good
        and I knowing 
           not how to defend myself, 
           nor what to do.
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #26 ] 

      what a warning 
           I should be giving to men 
       to hate the whole world utterly! 
         
       ...what I had seen in the vision, 
              helped me greatly 
       not to trust much in any one

        for there is no one 
              that can be relied on 
        except God. 

         In all my great trials, 
         our Lord always sent some one 
               on His part 
         to hold out his hand to help me,
         so that I might attach myself 
               to nothing,
         but only please our Lord

          and this has been enough 
              to sustain 
          the little virtue I have 
              in desiring to serve Thee 
                 [Life: Ch. 39: #27 ] 

   
    -  that we were never safe 
         while living in the flesh.  
               [Life: Ch. 39: #28 ] 



 ~ Regarding a vision of  heavenly throne
     where the "Godhead dwelt":
     St. Teresa said:

    "everything man can desire 
     was all there together, 

      how everything was nothing 
         in comparison with that. 

      my soul afterwards was vexed to see 
         that it could rest 
       on any created thing

       how much more, then, 
         if it had any affection thereto;
       for everything seemed to me 
          but an ant-hill.  
              [Life: Ch. 39: #32 ] 
________________________

5).  St. Teresa counseled against
           judging "spiritual things,
        by our own understanding"
          thereby distorting their true meaning. 

        She then discussed the error of
          thinking "we may  measure 
              our (spiritual) progress
          by the years which we have given 
              to the exercise of prayer".

        What did she teach regarding this? 
           [Life: Ch. 39:
                        #12,13,15,17,18,
                          19,21,22,23,28,33 ] 

Regarding spiritual progress, St. Teresa said:

God, who grants graces
         according to His will and pleasure,
     Who knows what is best for each one.

         "for though I might 
               long for it,
               labour for it, and
               annihilate myself 
          in the effort to obtain it, 

         I can do nothing towards procuring 
               a single spark of it myself, 

         because it all comes 
              of the good pleasure 
         of His Majesty, 
                [Life: Ch. 39: #33 ] 



Progress  can nor be merited 
         by one's effort

            "I do not mean that
                 there is no merit in it at all, 
              nor that it will not 
                  be well rewarded; 

              yet if any spiritual person thinks, 
                   because he has given himself 
              to prayer  for many years, 
                   that he deserves 
              any spiritual consolations, 
              I am sure he will never attain
                   to spiritual perfection. 
                       [Life: Ch. 39: #21 ] 



One can strive to dispose themselves 
         for graces 
       through prayer  and good works.

     - Not by the amount of  years, 
         that one has  practiced prayer.
                "our Lord gives to 
                      whom He will
               particularly to him 
                      who is best disposed".
                           [Life: Ch. 39: #13 ] 

               "It was given me to understand
                how this fighting and struggling 
                     are profitable to us, 
                 because of the reward"
                           [Life: Ch. 39: #28] 

               "He would never abandon me, 
                       but it was necessary 
                I should do all 
                        that I could myself.
                           [Life: Ch. 39: #28] 
              
             "that thou mayest always labour 
                   to advance."
                  [Life: Ch. 39: #33 ] 

  Humility is needed
      - so that one doesn't attempt to
        "prescribe limits to Him". 
      - "to ascertain our own shortcomings"
          ________________________
   
~ Regarding Gauging Progress in prayer
     Progress can be gauged:
        - "by the fruits
        -   by the good resolutions and love"
        -   advancement in virtue
             
        - "not (by) the years
             they may have spent in prayer"
               [Life: Ch. 39: #13] 



            "It seems to burn up the old man, 
               with his faults,
                        his lukewarmness, 
                        and misery

             so that it is like the phoenix, 
                 of which I have read 
             that it comes forth... 
                  out of its own ashes 
             into a new life

            Thus it is with the soul:
                  it is changed into another

            whose desires are different, and 
            whose strength is great

             It seems to be  no longer  
                 what it was before, and 
             begins to walk renewed in purity
                 in the ways of our Lord. 
                    [Life: Ch. 39: #33 ] 

~ Regarding the progress of others:
     - St. Teresa warns us not to compare
         our progress with that of others.

          "Comparisons are always bad, 
               even in earthly things; 

            what, then, must they be 
               in that, the knowledge of 
            which God has reserved 
                to Himself? 

            His Majesty showed this 
                clearly enough,
             when those who came late and 
                 those who came early 
              to His vineyard
                  received the same wages.  
                              ( Mt. 20: 9 - 14)
                  [ Life: Ch. 39: #23 ] 



            "for, by this seeming regard 
                  to their progress, 
             we 
                  - hinder our own, and 
                  - miss the opportunity 
                        our Lord gives us 

                           -- to humble ourselves, 

                           -- to ascertain 
                               our own shortcomings, 
                               and 

                           -- (to) learn how much 
                                   more detached and 
                                   more near to God 
                                these souls must be
                                   than we are, 

                                seeing that His Majesty 
                                  draws so near to them, 
                                        Himself.
                                   [Life: Ch. 39: #17 ] 

~ Regarding  expecting  progress in prayer 
       according to  the length of  years 
          of  the practice of prayer:
     
           "We think we may 
                  measure our progress
             by the years which we have given 
                  to the exercise of prayer

             we even think 
                 we can prescribe limits to Him 

                 who bestows His gifts 
                 not by measure when He wills
                     and who in six months can give 
                        to one 
                           more than
                        to another 
                           in many years. 
                      [Life: Ch. 39: #12 ] 



              What His Majesty 
                     has not been able 
               to accomplish in me
                    in so many years…     
         
               He accomplished in them 
                    in three months, 
               and in some of them 
                    even in three days, 

               though he gives them 
                    much fewer graces 
               than He gave to me"
                   [Life: Ch. 39: #15 ] 

        "there is danger 
            in counting the years 
            we have given to prayer; 

              for, granting that 
                 there is nothing in it 
              against humility, 

             it seems... to imply...
             that we have merited, 
          in some degree, 
             by the service rendered

          Is it not enough 
                 that a man has merited 
                     the protection of God, 

                  which keeps him 
                      from committing those sins 
                       into which he fell 
                           before he began to pray,

            but he must also...
                sue God for His own money?
                         [Life: Ch. 39: #21 ] 

         This does not seem to me 
               to be deep humility...
            I look on it as great boldness
                         [Life: Ch. 39: #22 ] 

           "I do not mean 
               that the soul makes
                    no progress in time, or

               that God will not reward it, 
                   if its prayer has been humble
             but I do mean 
               that we should forget 
                   the number of years 
               we have been praying, 

               because all that we can do 
                    is utterly worthless 
               in comparison 
                        with one drop of blood 
               out of those which our Lord 
                         shed for us. 



              And if 
                       the more we serve Him,
                       the more we become 
                          His debtors, 
              what is it, then, 
                       we are asking for?

              for, if we pay one farthing 
                       of the debt, 
              He gives us back 
                       a thousand ducats. 

              For the love of God, 
                      let us leave 
               these questions alone,  
                 for they belong to Him
                         [Life: Ch. 39: #23 ] 



 St. Teresa gave similar advice regarding
       our services which we offer to God:

 "... that we are making much 
          of certain services 
       which we render our Lord, 

but 
       which are too pitiable to be considered, 
       even if they were many in number? 

I do not mean 
  that His Majesty will not make much 
of them Himself, 
  for He is good;  

but I wish I made no account 
   of them myself,
or even perceived that I did them, 
   for they are nothing worth.
            [Life: Ch. 39: #18 ] 



But, O my Lord, 
    do Thou forgive me, and blame me not, 
 if I try to console myself a little 
   with the little I do, 
seeing that I do not serve Thee at all

for if I rendered Thee any great services, 
  I should not think of these trifles. 
      [Life: Ch. 39: #19 ] 
_____________________________
6). While examining her past   
          good intentions and efforts, 
        St. Teresa  acknowledged
          her "faults and imperfections".
       
         What did she say regarding this?
           [Life: Ch. 39: #20 ] 

St. Teresa said:

"...in every one of my actions, 
which I thought were of some service
     I traced so many 
             faults and imperfections
             now and then 
but little courage
       very frequently a want of faith

for until this moment, 
  when I see everything accomplished, 
I never absolutely believed;

neither, however, on the other hand, 
  could I doubt 
what our Lord said to me 
   about the foundation of this house. 

In short,  I find 
that our Lord Himself,  on His part, 
   did all the good that was done, 
while I did all the evil

I therefore ceased to think 
       of the matter, 
and wished never to be reminded 
        of it again, 
   lest I should do myself some harm 
         by dwelling on my many faults. 

Blessed be He 
   who, when He pleases, 
draws good out of all my failings! 
Amen.
       [Life: Ch. 39: #20 ] 
_______________________

 7).  What did St. Teresa say
          regarding her own doubts 
         as to the  source of  her visions?
            [Life: Ch. 39: #34, 35  ] 



St. Teresa said:
   
"Once, when I was doubting...
whether these visions came 
   from God 
   or not, 
our Lord...said to me: 
  "O children of men, 
  how long will you remain hard of heart!"

~ I was to examine myself carefully on...
    whether I had given myself up 
       wholly to Him, or not. 

   If I had...
   I was to believe 
      that He would not suffer me to perish. 

~ for I should see by this...
      - for He knew already 

           -- that, so far as it lay in my power, 
                 I would not fail in anything 
               that was for His service; 

           -- that He Himself would do 
                 what I wished, 
               and so He did grant 
                 what I was then praying for; 

           -- that I was to consider
                 my love for Him, 
               which was daily growing in me

   - that these visions did not come 
        from Satan; 

   - that I must not imagine 
         that God would ever allow the devil
      to have so much power 
         over the souls of His servants 

      as to give them 
         such clearness of understanding and
         such peace as I had.
              [Life: Ch. 39: #34  ] 



~ He gave me also to understand 
     that, when such and so many persons 
        had told me 
     (that) the visions were from God, 
        I should do wrong 
      if I did not believe them.  
              [Life: Ch. 39: #35 ] 
____________________________

8). What other benefits 
           (in addition to Detachment, 
              Humility and growth in virtue) 
        did St. Teresa  specify 
           that she  received 
        from the visions ?
             [Life: Ch. 39: #36, 37 ] 



St. Teresa received: 

~ Spiritual Wisdom:

   "Once, when I was reciting 
         the psalm Quicumque vult 
    I was given to understand
         the mystery 
    of One God and Three Persons 
   with so much clearness…

   This was of the greatest help to me, 
       for it enabled me to know more 
    of the greatness and marvels of God; 

    ...when I think of the most Holy Trinity, 
    ...I seem to understand the mystery, 
        and a great joy it is.
               [Life: Ch. 39: #36 ] 

~ Perseverance 
    Desire to suffer for God
    Growth in Love of God and our Lady
     ( "On the Feast of the Assumption
        our Lord ...made me behold...
        our Lady...going up to heaven, 
         and... her reception there, 
       as well as the place where she now is" )

     "The effects of the vision were great

        it made me long 
            to endure still greater trials
        and I had a vehement desire 
            to serve our Lady
        because of her great merits.
           [Life: Ch. 39: #37 ] 



  ~   End of Discussion of Chapter 39    ~