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Summer 2010, Vol. 25, No. 2



This page was last updated: July 22, 2010
St. Teresa as Seen by St. John of the Cross

Jose Vicente Rodrigues, OCD

This article first appeared in the October 2009 issue of Teresa de Jesus and was translated from the Spanish by Father Michael Buckley, OCD (reprinted with permission).

These two founders of the Discalced Carmelites met for the first time at Medina del Campo in the summer of 1567. At this "summit" meeting, Teresa used all her powers of persuasion to captivate the little friar who wished at that time to join the Carthusians. She won him over to her project of renewing the religious life among the Carmelite friars. At that first meeting, John discovered in Teresa the foundress and organizer (prime mover) of the Carmelite life. However, in full freedom, he added one condition: "He promised me that he would ramain, provided he would not have to wait long" (F3, 17).

Acceding thus to the wishes of Teresa, John returned to his studies in Salamanca. After he completed these, both met again at Medina. They spoke at length of their foundation plans, of the mysteries of God, of prayer, of the beauty of the spiritual life, etc. Father John agreed to accompany Teresa when she made the foundation for the Carmelite nuns in Valladolid. And she used the occasion to instruct him in the type of life that she planned for her Carmelite sisters. "And since we spent some days before establishing the enclosure, there was an opportunity to teach Father John about our way of life so that he would have a clear understanding of everything, whether it concerned mortification or the style of our community life and the recreation we have together. The recreation is taken with such moderation that it only serves to reveal the sisters' faults and to provide a little relief so that the Rule may be kept in its strictness. He was so good that I, at least, could have learned much more from him than he from me. Yet this is not what I did, but I taught him about the lifestyle of the sisters" (F13, 5).

Source and Foundress

With that precise account, we see how Teresa made St. John the receptor and transmitter of the Carmelite charism while he regarded her as the source and foundress. But we should note that Teresa writes in a letter she consigned to John for delivery to Francisco de Salcedo: "I believe the Lord has called him for this work. There is not a friar who does not speak well of him, for he has been living a life of great penance even though he is young. It seems the Lord is watching over him carefully, for although in trying to get everything settled, we met with a number of troubles--and I myself must have caused trouble at times by becoming annoyed with him--we never saw an imperfection in him" (LRS 13, 2).

In hindsight, we may conjecture why Mother Teresa was annoyed with him. If I do not mistake, I think that previous to Teresa's proposals for the friars, St. John at some moment may have said something like: "Mother, you understand the life of the nuns; but I have more experience of the life of the friars, and we should revise some of those points which you are proposing."

Duruelo

In a visit, which Teresa made to Duruelo during Lent in 1569, it is possible that some matters cropped up that had been discussed a year earlier in Vallidolid. In fact, after speaking to them about certain aspects of penance, she ended by saying: "Since they were so virtuous and had such great confidence in God, they took little notice of my suggestion that they give up their practices" (F14, 12). It is still the same: Teresa will be the mother. However, they also will have voice and opinions. She, despite her conviction, concludes: "Thus I went away greatly consoled although I did not give God the praise so great a favor deserved."

In the interim between what has been said up to this and what is to come, let us note the following. On one occasion, John traveled from Mancera to Medina del Campo and met Teresa again. She asked him to give a talk to the sisters, which he did gladly and with expertise. They continued to speak about the things of God and the conversation led to some praise for Teresa. Following the community custom whenever a sister is praised or admonished, Teresa bowed with her face to the ground. The sisters reuested that John tell her to rise. John said: "Let her remain on the dusty ground since this is her desire." Finally, he asked her to get up, which she did joyfully with a smile. And Teresa told her nuns what had transpired. He mentioned that for all his lover for her, he did not treat her with due respect. And in serious mien, he replied: "Make amends for that, daughter." Teresa was disappointed when John would not call her "daughter" as he did with the other nuns. These little anecdotes speak of the confidence that existed between Teresa and John.

Receiving Communion

When the two saints were together in Avila, Teresa left a written account of the following. Father John was very exacting in matters of devotion. "On November 18, 1572, at Communion time, he divided a single host between me and another sister." Surely he wished to put her to a test. And she understood his purpose in this: "I think it was not due to a shortage of hosts, but he wished to mortify me because I had mentioned to him that I loved to receive a large host--not denying, of course, that Jesus is present in the smallest particle."

When, after his imprisonment in Toledo, John went to Andalusia, the sisters of Beas, with whom he was staying "judged him to be frail and tired, yet his words and his bearing showed how close he was to God. He spent some days very quietly, admirably with few words" (BMC 10, p. 323). Among the few words, the sisters heard him speak of Teresa as his dear daughter. Mother Ann of Jesus remarked: "Father John of the Cross seems to be a very good person, but he is very young to call our mother foundress his daughter."

(Note: Have you enjoyed reading this excerpt? You may order the entie article on "St. Teresa as Seen by St. John of the Cross" by ordering a copy of the Summer 2010, Volume 25, No. 2, issue of Carmelite Digest.)

Summer 2010, Vol. 25, No. 2 Table of Contents:

  • St. Teresa as Seen by St. John of the Cross
  • St. Teresa of Avila and the Modern World
  • Praying Always in Christ
  • Prayer Blossoms
  • From Night to Noon: Contemplative Union Through the Emergence of Self
  • Taking Carmel Into the World
  • Update on the Uganda Mission
  • Carmel: A Lover's Quest
  • Teresian Carmelite Historiography in North America (Part 2 of 2)

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