October 15, 2013    Martin Mallon  (Ireland)     Martin's previous articles          

(Comments welcome here)              

                        SAINT TERESA OF AVILA

Today is the feast day of St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), a Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelites of her time, was a mystic and wrote inspired books on prayer. She is a Doctor of the Church and this beautiful poem is attributed to her:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.  

This poem is extremely accurate. We know God is all powerful and can do whatever He wants without our help; He does not need our help, but He asks for our help. He asks us to carry His Word around the world, He asks us to feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, comfort the afflicted, tend the sick, assist the dying; in other words He asks us to love God and our neighbour and to see the face of Jesus in our neighbours, as Mother Teresa of Calcutta did so well.

God, in His power and might, could do all of these things Himself, but instead, in His wisdom, He delegates, He asks us to do these things so that we may be like Christ in our lives, play our part in His family and be brothers and sisters in Christ. He gives us these opportunities to show that we love Him.

This poem is a wonderful reminder, a wonderful description of how our bodies and lives should be used for the glory and honour of God.

Her autobiography, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and her book on prayer, The Interior Castle, should be read by everyone if possible. They are truly inspirational and her feast day is a reminder that we have excellent teachings available to us.

The Life of Teresa of Jesus is available to read online free here  

The Interior Castle is available to read online free here

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