Monday, Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
(Romans 1:1-7; Luke 11:29-32)
A compelling image that Pope John Paul II left us is the picture of his playing with pigeons a couple weeks before he died. He seems to be in joyful ecstasy as he watches them fly about his head. Christianity radiates this same joy because it envisions the rising from the dead – God’s ultimate victory over evil. Even if we must suffer now, we need not be completely glum. We can also laugh because we know that relief is on the way.
Although she is noted for reforming monastic life, St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) exemplified joyfulness. She prayed tongue in cheek, “God save us from sad-faced saints.” Evidently, she realized that reform is not only about repentance of sin. It means as well conversion to God’s love that brings true happiness.
Both the reading from the Letter to the Romans and the gospel refer to the resurrection. Paul says directly that he is charged with preaching the Gospel, the proclaiming of Jesus Christ as God’s Son known from his rising from the dead. The gospel refers to the sign of Jonah who spent three days nights in the belly of a large fish before preaching in Nineveh – a resurrection experience. The joy of the resurrection pervades our faith. Let us allow it to touch every aspect of our lives.
