The Memorial of St Teresa of Avila

Eph. 1:1-10, Lk. 11:47-54. The divine benevolence, such as the justice of God, the glory of God, redemption by blood-sacrifice, divine grace and favour, at the fullness of time, run all through today's first reading. Paul points out that our unity with God is established by these divine gifts that were given to us before we existed as God plans to give us life. If only our love for others could be modelled upon that of Christ, we would be richly blessed with abundant of gifts. In pretence of being charitable, the Pharisees and Lawyers built monuments over the graves of the prophets. In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks openly to them and remarks that these false leaders are following in the footsteps of their ancestors before them who also persecuted the true prophets. 

The ultimate guilt will rest on them because they will put to death the Incarnate Word of God. Jesus realises that such chastisement will lead to His demise, but He also knows that is all part of the plan of God, the way through which message of salvation will be proclaimed. Jesus does not condemn all His fellow Jews, only those who consciously choose to deny God's plan in action through His mission and ministry. The docility of St Teresa of Avila to do the will of God sums up the profound faith and knowledge of God she attained in her lifetime. Teresa was a Spanish nun, of the Carmelite Order and proclaimed Doctor of the Church. She is known as a theologian, and leader within her community and the Church. Grounded in her profound mysticism, and prophetic in her own way, she took on reforms within the Carmelite Order. Teresa joined St John of the Cross within that movement of reform that led to a split in the Order establishing the Discalced Carmelites.

May the Lord heal hearts that are broken, gather together those who have been scattered and enrich us from the plenitude of eternal wisdom! Amen!! Be safe and have a wonderful day!!!