Saint Teresa of Ávila, the Great Teacher of Prayer – #1 – Childhood and Adolescence
St. Theresa of Ávila - St. Joseph’s Church - Stained glass - Image Source
The famous Path of Perfection is the most useful for us beginners in the practice of prayer. (The Way of Perfection). It is an essential reading for anyone who wants to pursue a profound spiritual life.
As for the life of Saint Teresa, which is the scope of this publication, there is nothing better than reading her autobiography, entitled "The Book of Life." But there are also countless other excellent biographies.
The Way of Perfection, cover of the book by Penguin edition - Image Source
To give you an idea, one of her favorite pastimes as a child was playing at founding imaginary monasteries and religious orders, which is prophetic, as it will be what she will do later in her adult life.
Her enormous enthusiasm for spiritual life can be exemplified by an episode when she was just seven years old. Meditating on eternal life, together with his little brother Rodrigo, confident in the immortality of their souls and seeking to avoid condemnation and damnation.
They decided to flee from home and head towards the domains of the Moors, who at that time occupied the south of Castile, Spain, intending to become martyrs and have their throats beheaded by the Arabs, as this would allow them to enter the Kingdom of Heaven instantly.
Walls of Ávila, Spain Image Source
As a teenager, however, Teresa learned to read novels, which awakened her vanity. In a short time, she began to become emotionally involved with a cousin. Even so, the relationship did not progress, as her father soon discovered the flirtation and decided to end that situation, admitting her to an Augustinian convent so that she could correct her character.
In this convent, she met an Augustinian nun who spoke to her about the things of God and taught her how to pray, and then those dreams of her childhood, from which she had moved away at puberty, returned with force. At this time, she learned to pray the rosary and began to think about following religious life.
Teresa of Ávila, detail by François Gérard Source Image
Now, it was her father's turn to block her path, as she had plans for her daughter to get married and continue to take care of the family's business and properties.
She remained like this for two years, learning to govern the house, until one day, at the age of 20, inflamed by the desire to follow God, she ran away in the dead of night and entered the Monastery of the Carmelite Sisters of the Incarnation of Ávila.
To be continued...
Bibliography; "Tiempo y vida de Santa Teresa" by Efrén de la Madre de Dios.
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Well now, so that's what happened to her. Lol, God moves in mysterious ways indeed. Can't imagine being a kid and thinking about playing as a foundress of monasteries and religious orders. Whew. The most I could think of as a child was being a saint, thanks to the booklet about the lives of saints. 😆
I haven't looked into her life that much yet and this one gave me a glimpse of it. Thanks for sharing!