MEMORIAL OF SAINT TERESA OF JESUS, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, OCTOBER 15, 2022

MASS READINGS

Reading 1 EPH 1:15-23

Brothers and sisters: Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the Church, which is his Body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

REFLECTION

Today we celebrate Saint Teresa of Avila. She was born in Spain in 1515 and was the eldest daughter of her father's second marriage. She is one of my favorite Saints. She suffered from headaches, so when I get a headache, she and Jesus are my companions through the pain.

Do you ever think about what the Saints had to go through in order to be a Saint? How much suffering they went through when they were ridiculed because of their faith? How strong they had to be when faced with evil? Do you want to be a Saint?

In the first reading from St. Paul to the Ephesians, he writes of his thankfulness and his prayer for the Christians in Ephesus. The prayer gives a lot of information about all the gifts they need from God for their journey in the faith. This prayer from Saint Paul is written here, not only for the Ephesians, but it is for us as well. We all need this prayer from Saint Paul. He writes of an inheritance, "what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones." When we hear of an inheritance, we think of something we gain after someone close to us has died. However, God is alive, and wants us to have His inheritance. Baptism was our first installment of the inheritance, as he gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us. We have Him with us always.

Saint Teresa of Avila had written a prayer poem called Nada Te Turbe (Nothing Troubles Me). It was found in her breviary. This is only a portion of the whole poem.

Nada te turbe, nada te espante

Quien a Dios tiene, nada le falta

Nada te turbe, nada te espante

Solo Dios basta

Nothing troubles me, nothing frightens me

I belong to God, I want for nothing

Nothing Troubles me, nothing frightens me

God alone fulfills.

In the last line of the first reading it says, "the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way." God alone fulfills.

Let us pray for each other and bless each other always. There are many troubles in the world, but they do not have to take precedence over our lives. Let us remember we belong to God and only He can fill our hearts.

God bless.