St. Teresa of Avila whose feast we celebrate today, always had a desire for God and often retreated to her room for silent prayer.
For several years, Teresa asked God in contemplative prayer for a closer relationship with Him. Finally, Teresa felt a growing strength within her which set her on a new pathway: teaching, preaching, and writing about contemplative prayer, leading her community and the Church toward renewal.
Our journey toward God and human flourishing can be a struggle too. In the Gospel passage, Jesus invites us to become an open vessel like St. Teresa of Jesus, by looking into our interior dispositions. The Pharisees spent a great deal of time and energy, tending to exterior cleanliness. They looked religious and righteous on the outside, but inside they were filled with pride, jealousy, and greed for power and position. They observed the law as perfectly as possible, but they were blind to more important things. With a clean interior, we can practice charity of thought. When the inner thoughts are pure, the words that come out our mouths will be edifying. We will use words that lift up those around us, especially our family members.
Let’s try contemplative prayer to examine our own hearts and to receive insight to make changes that will bring us closer to God.
