Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 28th Week in Ordinary, Year 1, and the Memorial of St. Theresa of Avila, October 15th, 2021
Texts: Romans 4:1-8; Ps. 32: 1-2.5.11; Luke 12:1-7
Reflecting on the life of St. Theresa of Avila shows that saints are those who have willed their lives to God. St. Theresa's prayer was: "To die, Lord, or to suffer! I ask nothing else of Thee for myself but this." She was born into a wealthy family at Avila, Spain, in the year 1515 and joined Carmelite at age 18. After her profession she fell sick for some years. When she recovered, she judged herself unfit for contemplative prayer until year 1555. In year 1555 she resumed contemplative prayer and started experiencing God's presence within her. From that time on she started to nurture the idea of reform. She envisioned a life dependent on God and free of distractions from human and material things. She chose life of poverty. "She made a vow, always to follow the more perfect course, and resolved to keep the rule as perfect as she could" (Pazhayampallil, Words of Eternal Life, Vol. 2, p. 304).
She turned a great reformer. Against opposition and ill-health, she reformed the Carmelite order. In her, we see the possibility of merging the highest flight of contemplation with a busy practical life. She was also a great writer. She had a way of expressing spiritual experience in clear terms using ordinary things of life. She once said, "Know that even when you are in the kitchen, our Lord moves amidst the pots and pans." She wrote many letters, her autobiography, and two works, The Way of Perfection and Interior Castle. For her writing, Pope Paul VI declared her Doctor of the Church. She died 4 October, 1582.
The lines found in her breviary will be a great way to end this reflection on her life:
Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing frighten you
All things are passing
God never changes
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God wants nothing
God alone suffices. (Pazhayampallil, Words of Eternal Life, Vol. 2, p. 305)
In today's first reading, St. Paul speaks of how Abraham became righteous: it was by his faith in God. He says, "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'” Abraham was awarded righteousness for his faith in God. Abraham is a witness to our life in Christ, for he was justified by faith, not by law. We are the true children of Abraham in God, for, like him, we become righteous by our faith in Jesus Christ. That we are justified by faith has implication. The implication is that our righteousness is not by our merit, it is a gift from God. Hence, St. Paul says, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.... Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness". One thing must be clear that the righteousness is bestowed on us at the beginning of our journey with God. After the bestowal of the righteousness, we need to justify it by good conducts and works; the righteousness must bear fruits in good conducts and works.
The righteousness that comes through faith is a gift from God. Being gift it is a sign of God's love, it is a sign of God's favour towards us. Hence, St. Paul adds, "So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin.'” Blessed because we enjoy God's favour and love.
Having received gift we have to be grateful; gratitude is a response to a kind gesture. Love begets love; let us love God back. He has given us His life as a gift we are to give Him our lives as gifts.
Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for the gift of righteousness bestowed upon us; grant that we may live to justify it by good conducts and works. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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