The Joy of a Living Faith: Saint Theresa of Avila
Saint Theresa of Avila is one of those saints that reveals to us the reality and the joy of a living faith. The one word I most often associate with this intrepid saint is “real.” Theresa pulls no punches. She tells it like it is. Even when she is talking to God.
A Living Faith in the Real World
Even though Saint Theresa founded and lived in a religious order, she very much lived in the real world. Her life shows the false division between religious orders – even the most cloistered ones – and human life.
Vibrant religious orders give us yet another example of the joy of a living faith.
In her “Joy of 9” blog, Melanie Jean Juneau often does these short little snippets of Catholic life. Her entry “Saint Teresa of Avila: Funny, Smart, Holy” has some great quotes that give you a flavor for this wonderful saint. Notice how real she is – and the wonderful balance between taking her faith seriously and not taking herself too seriously.
G.K. Chesterton famously quipped, “Angels can fly because they take themselves so lightly.” Saint Theresa of Avila had the mystical gift of levitation. It irked her so much that she told her fellow sisters to hold her down next time it happened. Too funny.
We also need to learn how to take our relationship with God seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Discover the joy of a living faith.