of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
Discussion of Chapter 12
Chapter 12 Contents
Treats
Of The Life of a Nun
Called Beatriz of the Incarnation,
Whom Our Lord Brought
to the Same Convent
Her Life Having Been So Perfect
And Her Death Such
That It Is Only Right To Remember Her
1. Beatriz of the Incarnation.
2. Her obedience and patience.
3. Offers herself to suffer
for great criminals.
4. Her sufferings.
5. Her sweetness in suffering.
6. Her mortified life.
7. Her humility.
8. Her contentment.
9. Her last illness.
10. Death.
11. Burial.
|
Discussion of Chapter 12
█ Summary
In chapter 12, St. Teresa wrote
of "Dona Beatriz Onez"
[ Foundations: Ch12: Foot note #2 ]
who was professed as a Carmelite nun
at the Foundation at Valladolid,
the Monastery of the Conception
of our Lady of Carmel.
Sister "Beatriz of the Incarnation
— that was her name in religion —
made her profession in Valladolid,
17th September 1570,
and died, 5th May 1574"
[ Foundations: Ch12: Foot note #5 ]
St. Teresa wrote about Sr. Beatriz's virtues
in order that others may profit by her example:
"May it please His Majesty, my children,
to enable us to learn
how to profit by a companionship
good as hers was,
and that of many others
whom our Lord gives us in these houses !
Perhaps I may say
something about them,
in order that they
who are a little lukewarm
may do violence to themselves
(discipline themselves: sacrifice, fast, pray, etc.)
and imitate them,
and that all of us may praise our Lord,
Who thus makes His greatness shine forth
in a few poor weak women."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #11 ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sister Beatriz of the Incarnation
led an exemplary life
"and her spirit
filled all with amazement,
seeing what great things
our Lord was working in her."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #1 ]
"it had its source in her (by)
• ever thinking
of eternity, and
of the end
for which God has made us.
• The praise of God was ever in her mouth,
and
• she was always making thanksgivings;
• In a word,
she was always in prayer.
[ Foundations: Ch12: #1 ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
St. Teresa describes her in this way:
- "The nuns and the prioress declare
that they never saw in her...anything...
that might be regarded as an imperfection"
- "She was never heard to utter a word
with which fault could be found"
- "...never complained of anything...
never by word or look
did she hurt the feelings of anybody
in all the duties she had to do..."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #1 ]
Obedience:
- "As to obedience
she never failed in that,
but did whatever
she was commanded to do
readily, perfectly, and with joy."
- "all was done for one end,
so that she lost the merit of none"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #7 ]
Humility:
- "She thought
there was nobody in the world
so worthless as herselt,
and accordingly,
so far as we could see,
her humility was great"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #5 ]
Detachment:
- "withdrawing from everything
that could give her any satisfaction"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #6 ]
Love:
- " "and so she used to say to the sisters,
'The most trifling things we do,
if we do it for the love of God,
is beyond all price;
we ought not to turn our eyes
in any direction
but for that, and to please Him.'
As she never meddled with anything
that was not part of her work,
so she saw nothing amiss in anybody,
but only in herself."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #7 ]
- "Her love of her neighbour was very great"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #2 ]
- She prayed for the salvation of souls:
"...begged (God) most earnestly (for)
the salvation of those souls,
and
and
- offered in return
to suffer all her life long
every pain and torment
she could bear,
either in exchange
for that which they had deserved
or
for the securing their salvation"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #3 ]
Sacrifice:
- "She never sought her own ease...
for it would have been a rudeness,
as she used to say,
to seek relief from the pains
which our Lord sent her;
so she never asked for anything,
but was always satisfied
with whatever was given her.
"She used to say, also,
that it would have been a cross
rather to her
to take comfort
in anything
but God."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #8 ]
- "her most distressing pains,
she bore most willingly and joyously,
as if they were
great consolations and delights.
Our Lord must have filled her soul with joy,
for in no other way was it possible,
so great was the joy
with which she bore them".
[ Foundations: Ch12: #2 ]
"It is very common
for souls given to prayer
to wish for sufferings
when they have none,
but it is not common for many,
when they have them,
to bear them and be glad"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #5 ]
"She kept her eyes
so fixed on our Lord,
for whom she was suffering"
[ Foundations: Ch12: #5 ]
- At her death,
"there was a joyous expression in her face"
"she drew her last breath,
looking like an angel;
for we may believe,
because of our faith and her life,
that God took her into His rest
in recompense of her earnest desires
to suffer for His sake."
[ Foundations: Ch12: #10 ]
____________________
End of the Discussion
of Chapter 12
of the
Book of the Foundations
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
|
