Apostoli_Viae

Feast of St. Teresa of Avila - October 15th

  2. Share
Apostoli_Viae
11 10

“Let nothing disturb you,

Let nothing frighten you,

All things are passing away:

God never changes.

Patience obtains all things

Whoever has God lacks nothing;

God alone suffices.

These are the words that can start a quest in your heart.  Simple to understand.  Difficult to live, even in a life where each day begins with mental prayer.  It is a singular gift to realize to any depth, much less the depth she realized it, as we see by her pierced heart, that God alone suffices.  Or God alone is enough.  

On this, her Feast Day, as we recite the last of her Novena, let us consider soaking in her wisdom as our Novena prayer has recommended. Remembering Dan’s presentations about her Four Waters may help.  Here they are simplified for brevity’s sake and not connected to all their meanings with regard to prayer, but more to God’s actions.  In gratitude for her example, consider: 

First, drawing water from the well was not easy for St. Teresa.  She even had to step on the rope that held the bucket as it was slowly brought back up full of water, heavy!  Here we work hardest against our distractions, and yet our hard work lets us see clearly it is His grace that allows detachment from the world so as to focus on Heaven.

Second, water coming in from a water wheel means less work on our part as the water flows in by its own weight, operating the wheel and pouring it into the garden of our soul.  Again, we see God doing the work, pulling out weeds (vices), and planting good plants (virtues).  We simply cooperate with His grace.

Third, a stream or gentle river that pours his grace into our soul with less noise and less effort yet, where our soul opens to receive the life-giving flow in silence and without many barriers as the water simply soaks into the soil of our soul near the stream causing yet more growth.

Fourth, the rain, the gentle rain that falls from above, cleaning all, leaving all new, yet evenly watered, a rain where we do not control where it falls, nor how long it falls, nor how deeply it penetrates for all of that is up to God and we are overjoyed at however He causes it to happen in our souls, for the resulting growth is not predictable but is deeper and less limited by area near it as it is by the flow of a stream.

St. Teresa, who lived in a time where water was a precious commodity, and in a country where it can be scarce even in this time, used this very practical, real experience to teach us truths that can be grasped relatively easily with the mind, but take years of time to assimilate into our hearts.  

St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us to remain in the springs of His salvation as He promised:

37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Jn. 7: 37-38.

Let us thirst for God in community, with clarity and accountability!

Image: St. Teresa, pierced heart close up from Avila pilgrimage 2023 Alba de Tormes.

 

Comments

To view comments or leave a comment, login or sign up.

Related Content

89
What is the Examen and how do we do it within Apostoli Viae?
The Examen is a prayerful reflection of the state of our soul, during the course of each day, in the presence of God. This effective tool has been a constant in Church tradition and became much more common through the practical framework of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. It is a powerful help in seeing the movements of God in our day-to-day life.  We talk about "the Examen" a lot here at Apostoli Viae. It's an important part of our lives, as Catholics, and one of the two promises that Disciples make when they become Disciples (the other is to do mental prayer). For many, this is a new concept. In this article, we will explain what it is, how to do it, and how we here at Apostoli Viae do it a little differently.  WHAT IS THE EXAMEN? Dan defines it in his book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. (To learn more, click here.) EXAMEN: Reflection in God’s presence on one’s state of soul that has some reference to a specific adopted standard of conduct (i.e. Rule of Life or commitments etc.) PARTICULAR EXAMEN: Regular prayerful examination of one’s conscience by concentrating on some one particular moral failing to be overcome or virtue to be exercised.  Its focus is on such external manifestations of the fault or virtue as can be remembered for periodic inventory.  Particular examens are changed weekly, monthly, or otherwise in order to ensure maximum attention.  They are also commonly associated with some brief invocation for divine assistance, as occasions arise for avoiding a sin or acting on a virtue. And after some time another cycle may be started of the same defects that this person has to conquer or good habits he or she needs to develop. WHEN DO I DO THE EXAMEN? Father Wade Menezes says in his book, The Four Last Things : I recommend a par­ticular examen and a general examen every day. Each of these should take only about two or three minutes and should close with an Act of Contrition (either a formal one from a favorite prayer book, or one of your own wording). The particular examen is done around midday and looks at a specific virtue that you’ve been trying to cultivate in your life, or at a specific vice that you’ve been trying to eliminate. It is as simple as asking yourself: “How have I done so far today?” Similarly, at the end of the day, just before you retire for bed, make a general examen of your entire day — that is, how you did overall that day in following God’s will. Recognize certain instances during that day when you practiced virtue; and don’t hesitate to recognize certain instances when you sinned. These two daily examens help us to grow in self-knowledge by recognizing and admitting any sin we may have committed that day. If your sin is venial, your fervent Act of Contrition will wipe it away. If it is mortal, pray an Act of Contrition and get to the sacrament of Penance as soon as is reasonably possible. - Taken from this article on spiritualdirection.com, which is taken from The Four Last Things by Fr. Wade Menezes (which is available from Sophia Institute Press). Dan has often mentioned that, at certain times during his spiritual journey, he has done 2-3 examens a day. It's a good thing to discuss with your spiritual director.  HOW DO I DO THE EXAMEN? The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today by Father Timothy Gallagher gives you a step-by-step guide to the examen, talks about where it came from, and tells you stories of those who used it and changed their lives. It is an excellent book. The resources below should help us figure out how to do this important part of our daily life.  Following them, you will find a complete description of how Apostoli Viae members do the examen. DIVINE INTIMACY RADIO Dan has often discussed the Examen on his podcast/radio show, Divine Intimacy Radio. Here are some instances: Aridity, Prayer Methods, Examen Prayer Melancholic Temperaments, Desires, Temptations, God’s Will From Humdrum To Holy Appetites & Spiritual Progress Examination of Conscience ARTICLES ON SPIRITUAL DIRECTION.COM Examination of Conscience Ignatian Conscience Exam On Faith, Hope & Love Daily Exam Of Conscience: Why & How To Do It (I Of II) Daily Exam Of Conscience: Why & How To Do It (II Of II) Daily Quick-Journal And The Fruits Of Meditation APP RESOURCES Believe it or not, there are phone apps that will help you run through the Examen. They're pretty awesome. Here are the ones I know of: Reexamining the Examen iphone Googleplay Examen Prayer itunes  OTHER RESOURCES Two Examinations of Conscience by Father John Hardon: One and Two Sacred Story: An Ignatian Examen for the Third Millennium, by Father William Watson Father Chad Ripperger on A Particular Examination (video below) HOW WE DO THE EXAMEN AT APOSTOLI VIAE The Apostoli Viae Examen is rooted in GRATITUDE and the directionality of our faith. Thus, as we examine the course of each day and our thoughts and actions within it, we focus on giving thanks to God both for the joys and blessings He brings us, as well as for the difficulties that come our way, recognizing that in both instances, God has something wonderful planned for us and something to teach us.  For we know that "God works all thing to the good for those who love Him." (Rom 8:28) Proceeding in this manner adds a redemptive emphasis to an already invaluable spiritual practice. When we do our examen, we focus on giving thanks to God for the joys and blessings He brings us, as well as for the difficulties that come our way, recognizing that in all of them, God has something wonderful planned for us. In gratitude, we remember about difficulties are not bad, per se, but can be  opportunities to unite our sufferings with His, experiences necessary for our purification, reminders of our need to rely on the Lord, reminders of our need to remain humble, opportunities to offer up reparation for our sins or for those of others.  Our Plan of Love (or Rule of Life) is essential to our spiritual health (or Rule of Life--read more about it here or take a short course on it here) since it helps us address our common struggles or obstacles in the way of union with God. We conduct our Examen at the end of each day, or the beginning of the next. We look at our day as from a helicopter—flying back to the beginning and considering everything against our Plan of Love.   When we fail, we express gratitude for our failure and that God has given us the grace to see, the grace to repent, and the opportunity for redemption. When we succeed, we jump up and down with joy! (Some of us really do!) We thank Him for the graces He gave us to overcome whatever obstacles came our way, always acknowledging that it is only through Him that we can overcome sin and temptation. Our Examen is always redemptive and positive. We never beat ourselves up, getting down about all of our failures. We use the time—sometimes as short as 5 minutes a day!—to reflect on our day and thank God for everything that came our way. And then we ask Him to help us on the next day... and the next... and the next... until one day, God willing, we will be with Him in Heaven. Dan recorded this reflection on The Examen Prayer in the Reflections from the Heart of the Charism Group (you must be a member of the group to access it): The Examen Prayer—Liberation—Healing—Gratitude A Deeper Examination of Conscience according to the Seven Deadly Sins is provided here Following these guidelines, the Apostoli Viae Examen is always redemptive and positive. We never beat ourselves up, getting down about all of our failures. Instead, we focus on Jesus and His redemptive work within us. We use the time—sometimes as short as 5-8 minutes a day!—to reflect on our day and thank God for everything that came our way. We ask Him to help us the next day... and the next... and the next... trusting that each step we take is a step toward union with God. In this reflection (click to be taken to the post), Dan discusses the examen, in general, and the Daily Examen Guide which is provided to Apostoli Viae members who make their first promises and move on to the Disciple level. *The guide is provided to all below. In moving up to this deeper level of involvement with Apostoli Viae, each Disciple promises to spend time each day in mental prayer and to conduct a daily examen. Daily Examen Guide 1) Before reflecting on your plan of love or commitments, sit a moment in silence, preferably before Mass, during adoration or before night prayer. Recognize and acknowledge the loving gaze of the Blessed Trinity upon you. Make the sign of the cross and pray this prayer or something similar. Dear Lord, You know my heart and my soul better than I know myself. You know my sin, my imperfections and those things which keep me from living in the fullness of love for You and those You have placed in my care. Show me my sins, my imperfections and how I have honored and failed You. I beg You to help me to rejoice in the successes that have come by Your grace and to turn from choices I have made that reveal sin and selfishness within me. Please help me now as I examine my actions to see what You see and to express my humble gratitude for successes that You have granted by Your grace and to seek forgiveness for times when I have failed to give all that I am to You. Help me to humbly acknowledge my failures and rest in Your redemptive provision knowing that without You, I can accomplish nothing, but with You, I can overcome these failures to Your glory and continue to embrace Your virtues by Your grace. Your love is worthy of all my love. Help me to return that love with joy and to see You and to follow You in all I think, say, and do. 2) Review your plan of love slowly and silently – noting where you have seen progress and where you need to make better progress. Listen to any promptings of love and direction. Each time you see success, give praise to God. You might offer praise like,  Thank You Lord Jesus for your grace. 3) For those areas where you have failed, recognize that this failure is a part of the cross and a realization of your need for God to complete the work of self-sacrifice that you failed to complete. Ask for forgiveness as a child when a loving parent looks on them with joy because the heart of the child is rightly oriented to the truth and desires to please them. Say something like,  I am sorry Lord, please help me to better serve you. You can also use the traditional act of contrition from the Mass here. O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell, But most of all because they have offended Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen. Accept the Lord’s love and forgiveness. Reject any negative self-talk, self-focus or self-condemnation that focuses on you rather than God’s redemptive work in your soul. 4) Take a moment and list three things for which you are especially grateful. Try to make them different each day, as a challenge! 5) Conclude your time with thanksgiving for progress made and a commitment to correct your failures with the Lord’s help. Make the sign of the cross to conclude your prayer acknowledging His profound love for you in His sacrifice on your behalf and His commitment to draw you to Himself through both your failures and successes.   IMAGE: At Prayer by Edwin Long (public domain)
53
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity - Feast - November 8th
Our beautiful, inspirational saint started life on an air base, appropriate for a person whose soul flew to Heaven within while she was yet on earth.  She was born Elizabeth Catez on July 18, 1880.  Her army officer father died when Elizabeth was seven.  That same year, she made her first Confession and discovered that Her Father in heaven was merciful. Although she had been a proud, hot-tempered child, she began to change upon making Confession and this change deepened and she grew in self-control after her first Communion in 1891.  Interestingly, in connection with the Novena we did to St. Michael the Archangel, she celebrated this sacrament at Saint Michel (Saint Michael).  Her Confirmation followed at Notre Dame a year later.  All along, she studied music, being educated at home.  She was a talented pianist and the Dijon Conservatory awarded her a certificate.  She had one sister, Marguerite (Guite) Chevignard, who had two children.  St. Elizabeth wrote in joy about their births to her sister upon receiving the news of their births.  Her love for those around her, including those in the cloister with her was real and genuine infused by her love of God, and given from a heart that was so close to Jesus that His love poured through it, based on the tenderness of her wishes for those near to her in that time and her wishes to bestow blessings on all souls from Heaven by bringing all into the silence where God may best be found as He looks for us. As her love for the Trinity increased in her life, it became visible in her acts of service to those around her, in particular her work catechizing factory children.  She rejected all marriage possibilities, for she had a dream of entering Carmel, which began when the Mother Superior happened to give her a circular to read, which happened to be an early edition of St. Therese of Lisieux’s Story of a Soul.  When St. Elizabeth’s mother allowed her to enter the Carmel at Dijon upon attaining the age of 21, it was a fulfillment of a call that had begun upon reading her sister Carmelite’s writings where she had begun to understand the movements of God within her. In the five short years she lived within the cloister, she wrote many letters and several retreats.  Her most famous prayer is “O Trinity Whom I adore” which we prayed during our Novena.  She lived her life of love and intense prayer despite suffering from Addison’s disease, and felt she lived to be the “praise of the glory” of God.  This sense of intimacy with God should move us to ask for her intercession and to be confident of her joyous request of the Lord on our behalf to help us enter into the Divine Intimacy she has found and within which she has realized that the Trinity seeks her even more than she seeks Him.  Her name in Hebrew (Elisheba)means “God in Abundance” and her desire is to see more souls realize that abundance in their lives, not waiting to have tears wiped away in Heaven only, but living in the praise of His glory in joy while we are yet here, as she did.Her death came early after three years of suffering from Addison’s disease.  She saw the sufferings as a way to be united with Christ Crucified and therefore her last words were,“I am going to Light, to Love, to Life!” (Circular Letter of Mother Germaine Prioress). She entered Heaven on Nov 9, 1906.  The Carmelite Order placed her feast on November 8th.   She was beatified in 1984 by Pope John Paul II and canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis. She is the patron saint of the sick, those who have lost a parent, and against illness.  Interestingly, in her cell in Dijon, Our Lady of Lourdes graces a corner of it, and it seems appropriate that Mary, Who worshipped the Lord within her Womb would be present there in the cell of St. Elizabeth, who as it says in her propers “devoted her live to profound adoration of the hidden God.  Of course, her readings contain the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians (1:3 & 10:13-14) where she found the phrase in praise of His glory.  Wonderfully, the Gospel comes from John 14:23-26 verses about the Holy Spirit that she knew enabled her to live out the words in Sacred Scripture.  May all of us in Apostoli Viae be joyful in knowing we have given her joy in requesting her assistance and praying the beautiful prayer she wrote without stopping in 1904 that we prayed each day of the Novena we finish today.  St. Elizabeth of the Trinity, pray for us! Image in the public domain.
Apostoli_Viae
Powered by Cause Machine. All rights reserved.