#stfrancisborgia — Public Fediverse posts

Quote of the day, 31 July: St. Teresa of Avila

Saint Francis Borgia visits Avila

A college of the Society of Jesus had been started in Avila. Teresa, who had the greatest admiration for the new order, heard this with joy, but up to now had not dared to speak with one of the greatly renowned fathers.

Now she took refuge in them, and this was her deliverance. Fr. Juan de Prádanos completely reassured her about the origin of her mystical states and advised her to continue on this path. He only found it necessary that she make herself worthy of the favors by strict mortifications.

As she said, “mortification” was at that time a word virtually unknown to her. But with her characteristic decisiveness, she took up the suggestion and began to accustom herself to severe penances.

Recognizing that her weak health would not be able to stand such a severe life, P. Prádanos easily helped her with this. “Without doubt, my daughter,” he said, “God sends you so many illnesses in order to make up for those mortifications that you do not practice. So do not be afraid. Your mortifications cannot hurt you” [see L, 24, 6]. And in fact, Teresa’s health improved because of this new lifestyle.

St. Francis Borgia visited the Jesuit college, and to get his evaluation, Fr. Prádanos asked him to speak with Teresa. She herself writes about this:

At that time Father Francis [St. Francis Borgia] came to this place. He had been the Duke of Gandía, and some years before had given up all and entered the Society of Jesus…. Well, after he had heard me, he told me that my experience was from the Spirit of God and that it seemed to him it would no longer be good to resist, but that up to this time it had been all right, and that I should always begin prayer with an event from the Passion, but that if afterward the Lord should carry away the spirit I ought not resist Him but let His Majesty bear it away—and not strive to do so myself. As one who was well advanced, he gave the medicine and the counsel, for experience in this matter is very important. He said it would be a mistake to resist any longer (Life 24:3).

Saint Edith Stein

Love For Love, 10. New Tests

Teresa of Avila, St. 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K; Rodriguez, O, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Stein, E. 2014, The Hidden Life: hagiographic essays, meditations, spiritual texts, translated from the German by Stein, W, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Detail of Santa Teresa de Jesús consulta a san Francisco de Borja by José Segrelles, 1956, oil on canvas, altarpiece of the Sagrario chapel, Ducal Palace of Gandía, Valencia. Image credit: delaruecaalapluma.com

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