Teresa of Avila Archives

Book Review: Evangelization and Contemplation: the Gifts of Pope Francis and Saint Teresa

Evangelization and Contemplation: the Gifts of Pope Francis and Saint Teresa by Rev. Tracy O’Sullivan, O.Carm. | Dorrance Publishing Co., 2019

Seeing a world in desperate need for evangelization, especially in his work as a long-time inner city pastor, Father Tracy begins with the call for a new evangelization seen in Pope Francis’ 2013 encyclical, Evangelii gaudium (the Joy of the Gospel) and similar-themed documents from Pope Paul VI (Evangelii nuntiandi) and Pope John Paul II (Redemptoris missio). All these documents call the Church to not only proclaim the Good News (old evangelization) but through the Gospel to transform the world (new evangelization). But how do we get there? Father Tracy says that the answer is prayer.

Using Saint Teresa of Avila’s book on prayer, The Interior Castle, Tracy sees that the journey of personal interior transformation proceeds from simple prayer (Interior Mansions 1 thru 3) to contemplation (Interior Mansions 4 thru 7) which leads us to more God-centered and less ego-centered ministry. Our ego-driven needs can easily thwart the lofty call for world transformation (new evangelization) and so these documents are, in fact, a call to contemplation. Teresa herself says, “This is the reason for prayer, my daughters, the purpose of this spiritual marriage: the birth always of good works, good works” (Interior Castle, 7.4.6). This contemplative-based ministry is the transformative evangelization that Pope Francis (and his predecessors) calls us to in the new evangelization. Let me try to schematize this:

Then using the writings of Thomas Merton (Trappist spiritual writer) and Rowan Williams (Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, emeritus) Tracy illustrates how contemplative evangelization (new evangelization) is lived and proclaimed. Archbishop Williams, in a Vatican address, says,
Evangelization, old and new, must be rooted in a profound confidence that we have a distinctive human destiny to show and share with the world…The humanity of Christ’s redeeming work is a contemplative humanity.”

This call of Rowan Williams is the call of Father Tracy in Evangelization and Contemplation, and by artfully using Saint Teresa of Avila Tracy adds a Carmelite roadmap. I think the subtitle of Father Tracy’s book should be amended to read the Gifts of Pope Francis and Saint Teresa and Father Tracy.

Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Evangelization-Contemplation-Gifts-Francis-Teresa/dp/1645302636/

The Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 657 – Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Today we celebrate a great one! This is the Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila. My favorite quotation of hers comes from one of her letters. She writes (it’s a prayer), “Lord, I do not think I can give you everything that you ask of me; but I will allow you to take it, and I pray that I do not try and prevent you.” It’s a great prayer because it’s so real; it’s so human. We think we can give everything to God, but, ahhhh. Things that are too close to our ego, to our reputation, to our appetites; ahh, maybe not those Lord. She’s being really human here. But then she’s a great saint because she says, “but I will allow you to take it.” I don’t think we have to give that stuff up – the Lord will take it from us. And then she’s back to human and real when she says, “and I pray that I do not try and prevent you.”

In today’s Gospel we have the vine and the branches and Jesus says that he will prune those branches. What a great Gospel for this Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila!

“God!” and the Devil Flees

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 465 – Friday, October 11, 2019

Today’s Gospel is about the devil and they’re accusing Jesus of being the devil. Teresa of Avila has a great line. She says, “Why are people so afraid of the devil; all you have to do is say the word ‘God’ and the devil flees.” It’s as simple as that.

Our Father

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 463 – Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Today the Gospel passage is the “Our Father.” Saint Teresa of Avila notes that there are seven petitions – you know, like “thy kingdom come” or “give us our bread” or “help us to forgive” – seven petitions to the Our Father. And she says, it is better to pray one petition mindfully than to pray the Our Father mindlessly. This comes from The Way of Perfection. So today, pray one petition of the Our Father instead of the whole Our Father.

Martha and Mary

Carmelite homily for Lectionary 462 – Tuesday, October 8, 2019

In today’s Gospel we have the story of Martha and Mary. The time-honored interpretation is that Martha represents the ‘active life’ and Mary represents the ‘contemplative life.’ Blessed Titus Brandsma says “The lives of the Carmelite saints are evidence that the active and contemplative life can be combined and lead to holiness.” Saint Teresa of Avila says it so much more simply; she says, “Martha and Mary must combine.”