attractive characteristics of st. theresa of avila

Irish Jesuit Province

Attractive Characteristics of St. Theresa of AvilaAuthor(s): James CassidySource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 61, No. 717 (Mar., 1933), pp. 179-183Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20513485 .

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ATTRACTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF ST. THERESA OF AVILA.

By REV. JAMES CASSIDY.

T HE tendency to associate what is dour and un pleasant with great sanctity is so prevalent that to controvert this idea we consider a study of

the natural side of saintly characters both wholesome and necessary. Wholesome, because so many fail to realise and so many spiritual books neglect to give due emphasis to the fact that a smiling soul can be

associated with great sacrifice and that, in general, good natural qualities can be pleasantly and effettively called into the service of spiritual progress. Necessary, because if the saints are to be our models we cannot

close our eyes to those very human factors which link them with us and nourish within us the hope of being able to follow them on the route of sanctity. The more of the man or woman we see in the saint the better we

understand the genius of sanctity which could so efficiently eliminate or utilise the human factor for spiritual ends. That huiman factor, as eminently present in St. Theresa, we shall find it very interesting to examine.

St. Theretsa was an ardent lover of nature, and especially of nature as presented to her by her birth place and its environment. The broad, changeless and peaceful plains of Castille wooed her and, in all proba bility, helped to nourish within her a majestic serenity and commanding sweep of outlook in her conflicts with the transient and petty troubles of the world. With no less ardour she admired the cool, bracing climate of her native place which so suited one of eager temperament and bouinless, energies. Avila,, too, she cherished

where quaint simplicities mingled with chivalrous tradi tions taught her the beauty of sincerity in alliance with heroic ideals.

As was to be expected, one whom the beautiful in



180T E T IRISH MONTHLY

nature so fascinated was, in her early years, quite eager that her own person should asthetically impress those she met. In this respect her wishes found easy fulfil

ment, for her Creator favoured her with a stately presence, a striking beauty of feature, and a complexion of rare loveliness. The appeal of these natural endow ments shhe was wont to strengthen by a liberal use of perfume and elegant clothes. All this lure of material beauty she had to conquer for the abiding fascination of the incomparable beauty of the soul.

That appeal which she found in inanimate nature and the humani form developed in her a great love of pic tures. Her highly sensitive soul, delicately aippreciative of joy and sorrow, could wring oftentimes from a simple painting a wealth of elevating love and cleansing suffering. For this reason she filled her oratory with pictures that they might nourish her imagination with an abundance of spiritual food. How well those objec tive aids provided her with spiritual inspiration we learn from the awfu-l sense of sin she experienced by contemplating a painting of Christ full of wounds. So intense was the sorrow then felt that it might be regarded as one of the outstanding penitential events of her life. However, as she advanced in meditative union with God she realised that she had to make imagination her slave if she were to be sure of the purest spiritual experiences. This trying task she faced with heroic fortitude and ultimately accomplished.

A like fascination she found in books. Early in life the glamour of romantic ideals, seen through the medium of linguistic fineries, stirred up within her strong emotions which with advancing years might have caused her immense harm. The providential removal by death of a mother who encouraged this tendency and the resul tant sound direction of a father opened her eyes to the dangers of such reading. Once enlightened on this matter, she who loved so intensely the truth fought off valiantly the perilous delights of these books until she had completely subdued her interest in them. Another factor which helped her in that conflict was the fact that



CHARACTERISTICS OF ST. THERESA 181

the emotional appeal of such books left her soul singularly immune from sense temptations. She had an innocent love of their imaginative delights without sensing their possible perils. Their danger for her was

more purely intellectual, and that danger the light of truth could best destroy. However, though she learned to forget her romances, she ever held the reading of good books as her " dearest delight." In the latter the

only drawback she encountered wa-s the need of literary imagery for contemplative purposes which rendered arduous the development of purely intellectual mys ticism. For twenty years she had to battle before she knew complete emancipa-tion from literary encroach ments upon the domain of meditative union with the Divine.

Her romantic attachment to literature was largely the expression of a nature that was strikingly feminine. She was endowed in an intensive fashion with instincts which made her one of the most womanly of women despite many traits of character suggestive of mascu line strength. Of all those feminine characteristics the

most remarkable was her capacity for love, both natural and supernatural. From that warm heart of hers sprang that heroic patience so necessar-y for progress in

mystic enlightenment. Her pasion for cdmmunicating with souls through

literature was, perhaps, equalled by her love of coni versation. In. her early years this latter tendency mani fested itself in frivolous fashion when she met fa-mily friends whose influence upon her was anything but elevating. In these worldly matters she gave promise of covenatlonal powers which would have made her the equal of the greatest of her sex in this sphere had grace not directed her talent along sacred channels. Her life in religion gave her plenty of opportunity of joying in the spoken word which paid tribute in a fascinating way to the glories of the spiritual life. This command of spiritual discourse she maintained without permitting it to interfere with a life of most intimate conscious ness of the presence of God.



182 THE IRISH MONTHLY

St. Theresa's love of conversation waas but one feature of a general personal charm which seldom failed to conquer those with whom she became intimately acquainted. To the last she retained a, gaiety and youith fulness of spirit which made the lheaviest crosses toler able and even pleasant both for herself and those who had the benefit of her spiritual advice. This tactful sun shine of soul found ample opportunities for the healing power of its genial rays. Without and within her con vents her reforming efforts created for her many enemies whose hostility seldom failed to vanish before her smiling logic. Whilst she insisted on respect for the firm hand of auithority, she did so with such an air of igenial delicacy that eveln the most obstinate welcomed her disciplinary measures. She coiuldl, for instance, appoint a prioress whose rigid insistence pn the observance of the rule might be calculated to cause a

minor revolution and could with equial efficiency estab lish respect for the one she appointed by becoming the

most pleasant and obedient of her daughters. That spirit of lightheartedlness which was in no sense levity she constantly encouraged amongst her religious from the youngest novice to the -oldest nuln as a safeguard against that unhea-Ithy gloom which she regarded as the devil's workshop. " It were far better," she said, " to have no fouindatiojn at all than to fill it with melancholy nuns." Melancholy, " the Great Infirmity," as she called it, from which nuns " rarely recover and never die " she feared immieasuirably more than any frivolous conduct which might proceed from lightsome ways.

Hence she deemed even a hearty laugh on the part of a

novice or sister something of true spiritual va-lue. And so, for all her rigid insistence on the minute observance of the severe Carmelite rule, she believed it far better to fail in being gentle and kind than in exacting strict adherence to conventual law.

That lovable joie de virre of our saint largely accounted for a bluntness of opinion which seldom failed! to do good for souls because the genial element in her spiritual medicine uisually more than counterbalanced



(CHIARACTEIUSTICS OF ST. THERESA 183

its bitterness. She was most outspoken when discussing her own sex, whose failings she made the target of mucih humorous criticismn. Precisely because it was her own s,ex she attacked, the severity of her opinions was accepted with goo(d grace as proceeding from one who could be witty at her own expense.

That pleasing liveliness of spirit lhelped coitsiderably to make her onie of the most active spirits huimanitv has known. It enabledl her to suirmounolt witlh ease many obstacles which wouild lhave crushed a1 mnelancholv souil. It made her love the expenditure of energy which spiritual conflict enitailed, and as she conquered con ferred on her an ever growing confidence to seek further victories in the cause of the King.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI.

Discerning with old ages thoughtful eye The world's true beauty and its hidden strength,

The youthful Francis, with exulting cry, Explored that beauty in its depth and length.

Within the whirling circle of earth's joys, The central pivot of Divinity

First drew, then held him 'mid distracting noise; Not nature but its Source makes truly free.

While creature elements his brothers were, And woodland's verdant touch his soul could fire,

Yet man, weak, mighty man, his heart would stir: True Charity must mount up ever higher.

The world was not enough, great sparkling ball: His greatest treasure was the Lord of all.

EDWARD JAMES SCHUSTER.



attractive characteristics of st. theresa of avila

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