Oct 15 – Memorial for St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor
Also known as Teresa of Avila, Teresa of Jesus (1515–1582) was born to the Spanish nobility, the daughter of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda and Dona Beatriz. She grew up reading the lives of the saints, and playing at ‘hermit’ in the garden.
Crippled by disease in her youth, which led to her being well educated at home, she was cured after prayer to St. Joseph. Her mother died when she was 12, and Teresa prayed to Our Lady to be her replacement. Her father opposed her entry into religious life, so she left home without telling anyone, and entered a Carmelite house at 17. Seeing her conviction to her call, her father and family consented.
Soon after taking her vows, Teresa became gravely ill, and her condition was aggravated by the inadequate medical help she received; she never fully recovered her health. She began receiving visions, and was examined by Dominicans and Jesuits, including St. Francis Borgia, who pronounced her visions to be holy and true.
She considered her original house too lax in its rule, so she founded a reformed convent of St. John of Avila. She founded several houses, often against fierce opposition from local authorities. She was a mystical writer, and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 27 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI. She is known for ‘holy wit’.
“God, deliver me from sullen saints.” – St. Teresa of Avila
- Patron Saint Index
Gal 5:1-6
Lk 11:37-41
For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
I am writing this a few days after attending the Papal Mass presided over by Pope Francis in Singapore, which had been the final stop in His Holiness’ 12-day Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania. Since the above line reminded me of Pope Francis’ homily, I thought I would put down my reflections on the Papal Mass ,as well as our Holy Father’s other events in Singapore, which I had livestreamed.
I had never really dwelled on the topic of unity in the Catholic Church, perhaps because it seemed quite abstract and unrelated to our daily challenges; or perhaps because I tended to view my faith as a largely personal matter. But going for the Papal Mass helped me to realise that I am indeed part of a bigger family that goes beyond myself, my parish, and even my country.
Even before the Pope came to Singapore, I found it interesting to learn about the Catholic Church in the countries he visited (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste). On the day of the Mass, I was surprised and humbled to notice how many attendees hailed from the countries in our region — from those who came in their ethnic costumes, to those who had flown in just to attend the Mass; to those who were content to stand outside the venue for hours to livestream the Mass on their phones. I was heartened to recognise familiar faces among the crowds, the volunteers and the performers and appreciated the preference given to the elderly and vulnerable at both the pre-Mass ‘Popemobile handshake session’ and post-Mass praise and worship.
It was also quite surprising to realise that the Pope’s visit attracted interest from my Christian, and even non-Christian colleagues and friends, some of whom even joined me to watch the livestreams and go through the news. Though this could have arisen because of the intense media coverage, it was still a timely reminder that my own words and actions can serve to bring Jesus to others.
Indeed, in the fortnight leading up to the Pope’s visit, I wondered if I was getting caught up in the hype too. Though I had tried to ‘study’ by watching the Pope’s weekly Angelus prayers broadcasts and reading up (or trying to) on his encyclical documents, amid the daily demands of work and family and my own non-existent attention span, it seemed far easier to scroll through TikTok updates on his flight or choose which merchandise to purchase before everything got snapped up.
But when I actually saw the Pope arrive in Singapore via livestream, I felt profoundly moved, and the next day when I saw him in person (even from the second floor of our sports stadium) I could even feel the unexpected pinprick of tears. Perhaps it was his frailty and vulnerability, as he had been visibly tired during the welcome ceremony. Perhaps it was his gentle sincerity, as he smilingly welcomed every person coming forward to meet him. Perhaps it was his faith, wisdom and dedication shining amid that frailty which sustained him throughout his visit and enabled him to speak to his flock at the tail end of an arduous journey. They were all powerful reminders of our Lord’s immense love for us and willingness to make great sacrifices for us, as well as His unexpected choice to come to us as a frail and helpless baby, so that we may love the frail and helpless around us and in ourselves (or at least try to).
As Cardinal William Goh remarked in his interview (here), we didn’t need to familiarise ourselves with everything that our Holy Father had written to know his closeness to God. Perhaps I need this insight for my own faith journey as well, as I sometimes tend to focus more on knowing about Jesus than knowing Him and strengthening my relationship with Him. For as our Holy Father said in his homily at the Papal Mass, everything is built on love and sacrifice. Now that I have been blessed to see him and to hear his words, I need to persevere in letting them permeate my faith (after the ‘spiritual high’ of his visit inevitably fades) and in the way I view the others around me, as well as to acknowledge their love and sacrifice as well. Perhaps this is how we can work towards the unity which the Pope calls us to.
Separately, I was also extremely relieved and grateful because just a week before the Papal Mass, a family situation occurred which made me doubt if I could still attend. But by our Lord’s grace and mercy, everything worked out well and I was left with a deep appreciation of His timing and the care and concern of my family and friends. Praise be to God!
(Today’s OXYGEN by Jaclyn Lam)
Prayer: Lord, please continue to bless and sustain Pope Francis in his work as an ambassador of Your love. Protect him and all who work with him, and grant him your guidance and wisdom as he seeks to bring your message to our painfully divided world. Through Your grace, may his Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania continue to bear fruit among all of us who encountered him.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the many shepherds who accompany us on our pilgrimages, and pray that they may continue to be nourished physically and spiritually.
OXYGEN 
Leave a comment