I
Teresa’s Interior Castle is not easy to read. It carries a certain burden of culture from centuries past. Numerous items seem exaggerated. Others seem out of step with a post Vatican mentality especially the model of Church. One needs to adjust to the cultural, social and economic reality of a different time and place. This undertaking makes it possible to free the text of its historical limits. Nevertheless, with some guidance and sufficient effort, all the obstacles soon become a minimal distraction as the message grows in clarity, power and inspiration. A good example of this process of adjustment is Teresa’s constant self-description as a world-class sinner. She never seems to tire of describing herself as the worst of all sinners. This can easily become a turn-off for the modern reader.However, perseverance with the text will allow Teresa’s powerful message to emerge. She teaches us constantly about the importance of self-knowledge. This new awareness of self leads to humility. It also is a gradual unveiling of the self in the light of the reality of God.
As one grows in self-awareness in the inward journey of the Castle, one is steadily stripped of a sense of self-grandiosity. More and more of one’s agenda is seen as self-serving. Even great acts of generosity and sacrifice in the service for others carry a deeply hidden ego-agenda.
The purification and transformation of the fifth and sixth dwelling places have a strong impact. They lead to the center where God dwells within. The divine light shines so brightly in the interior of the person that the individual now sees a completely new reality. All is about the goodness and mercy and love of God. God’s new enlightenment in contemplation so penetrates the heart that all its flaws and distortions are exposed with frightening transparency. The consequence is that one driven to bathe in the sea of God’s mercy as the only escape from one’s sinfulness.
Teresa spoke from the center of the Castle. This is why she described herself as the greatest of sinners. She saw the reality with the full brilliance of God’s grace.
In this context, her sinfulness was simply an invitation into God’s grace. “We shall never completely know ourselves if we don’t strive to know God. By gazing at his grandeur, we get in touch with our own lowliness, by looking at his purity, we shall see our own filth; by pondering his humility, we shall see how far we are from being humble.” (IC 1.9)
This growing self-knowledge always led to humility. Teresa’s experience of the depth of her brokenness did not cripple her in self-hatred. It gave her a wonderful freedom. She was able to describe her life as the story of God’s mercy. This is why the story of The Interior Castle is a journey from the emphasis on the individual as the center to the personal transformation that places God at the center of all. This why the saintly Carmelite stresses self-knowledge with such insistence.
This new awareness facilitates the passage from self-deception and self-absorption to acceptance of God. This is the total fulfillment of the heart’s longing. The closer one draws to God, the greater the bond with God. This leads to greater light and and the accompanying wisdom from the Spirit.
Over the centuries, libraries have been filled with the whys and wherefores of this simple journey from the distorted self to the true self humbly present to a merciful God. This is at the heart of the tradition of Christian spirituality. This self-discovery is finding God at the center within oneself. Teresa’s teachings are a source for this search and scholarship. Her message has transcended the test of history and culture. It remains a centerpiece in our search for God.
II
Teresa has made many contributions to the development of spirituality over the centuries. Her insistence on the continual relationship with Christ has been one her most important. She described prayer “…. for mental prayer in my opinion, is nothing else than intimate sharing between friends. It means taking the time to be alone with Him whom we know loves us.” (L 8.5)
She connected Christ, friendship and prayer as central to the spiritual journey.
Teresa knew she had been gifted with many extraordinary spiritual experiences and gifts. She understood these graces of God as a means to allow her to be a missionary of God’s mercy. She saw herself calling all to encounter Christ as the revelation of God’s mercy. Only in the personal encounter with Christ can one have the true experiences of the merciful God.
“It could be that our Lord ordained that they command me to write so that we might forget our little earthly joys because we will have our eyes set on the reward and see how immeasurable is His mercy – since He desires to commune with and reveal Himself to some worms – and because we will have these eyes set also on His greatness, and thus run along enkindled in His love. (IC V.10)
Teresa is clear in all her writings that she is not encouraging people to seek the exceptional gifts that were her special experience. She teaches that it is in faithfulness to the ordinary responsibilities and relationships where we will find God. In this, she simply is a faithful reflection of the Gospel. She is never far from walking with Jesus in all things.
Teresa’s Gospel orientation kept her approach incarnational. Teresa always stressed the practicalities of life. She said we will find God in the pots and pans of daily service and commitment to our sisters and brothers.
Teresa was not into other-worldliness. She fought off escapism and false division between daily experience and the spiritual. In all of these approaches to true spirituality in real life, she was expressing what happens when we keep our eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus.
The first woman Doctor of the Church saw prayer as the foundation uniting life and history and God. For her, life was the great grace. We enter into the fullness of life by prayer. Prayer is the key to turn away from our brokenness and to be open to God’s mercy, moving from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.
There was no conflict for Teresa between contemplation and commitment. True prayer necessitates commitment to the others and service to the kingdom. Prayer is not possible without a hunger to do God’s will and walking with Jesus in the way of love and commitment.
“I insist again: your foundation must not consist of prayer and contemplation alone. Unless you acquire the virtues and practice them, you will always be dwarfs.” (IC VII.4.9)
Speaking of the experience of God in the seventh dwelling places, Teresa stressed the freedom of the individual to serve. She says in the end, Maratha and Mary become one. There is no obstacle too great to hinder reaching out to help those in need. In fact, she says “This is the reason for prayer, my daughters, the purpose of the spiritual marriage: the birth always of good works, good works.” (IC4:6) The journey of The Interior Castle allows God to work more authentically and generously. In the end, the transformed and faithful instrument of God’s grace and mercy is a powerful messenger of God’s word and works.
