Thursday of the Twenty Eight Week in Ordinary Time. Year II (St Teresa of Avila, Virgin & Doctor). Eph.1:1-10; Luke 11: 47-54
Have you ever wondered why it’s so difficult to change people’s orientation from evil to good? Worry less. It has always been so. In the gospel reading of today, Jesus condemns three sets of people: those who kill the prophets, those who build the tomb of the slain prophets, and lawyers/Scribes who have taken away the key of knowledge. Jesus says these people will pay for their actions. This condemnation brought him intense opposition from the scribes and Pharisees.
In much the same way, Teresa of Avila experienced so much opposition when she founded a convent of Discalced (shoeless) Carmelites in 1562 to return to a primitive rule of absolute poverty, enclosure, and prayer. At a point, she was so opposed that her convents were shut down, and her followers imprisoned and tortured. But in 1580, with help from King Philip II, the Discalced Carmelites became independent, and Teresa was able to found many more convents. She died on October 15, 1582, and was declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970. Rather than oppose truth, why not speak it from the rooftops? Rather than get discourage in the course of right, why not depend on God, who chose us before the world was made?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, may our daily sufferings for your name’s sake, build our perseverance in faith, that we may never falter in the firm purpose of bringing everyone under your care, by the action of the Holy Spirit working in us, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
God bless your day ahead. St Teresa of Avila, pray for us!
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