I have just returned from a week on retreat. I had visions of blogging everyday, but alas, we had no Internet access. It was a wonderful retreat and very much needed.
Teresa of Jesus is one of my favorite saints. A mystic and a woman of great faith and holiness; was reluctant to claim the grace of God. Teresa was blunt about her own faults and failings, and in some ways found it impossible to believe that God would call her out for any special gifts or talents. These sort of men and women are the most open to God's promise since they know and understand their weakness and foibles. It is St. Paul who reminds us that when he is weak, then he is strong. It is at those moments that Paul realized that Christ could work through him - and us.
Part of our Kairos retreat is to help the young people recognize the walls and obstacles they set up around themselves. Actually we priests examined this aspect of sinfulness this past week. This 'pretend' life can come in the form of false piety, arrogance, pride, and even anger. And there are many more. Earlier this week Jesus challenges the Pharisees and Sadducees to cleanse their interior as well as their exterior selves. Take away the false selves that become obstacles to Christ and others.
Teresa was very honest with herself. One of her difficulties was that she liked to be liked. It was difficult for her to do anything that would cause others not to like her. When we can say, "This is where my weakness is," then we can begin the process of finding wholeness and conversion. In one of the prophets we are reminded that God desires a humble and contrite heart.
With the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the example of saints like Teresa, hopefully we can put out of our lives that stuff that blocks who we ought to be. When the obstacles come down then we can fully embrace the person of our Christ.
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