My Catholic Family Episode 9 Saint Teresa Of Jesus: The Value Of Prayer And Works Formatted by !

" from s#ript pro$ided by produ#er %&'(9'%) *musi#+ ,ale announ#er: ,y "atholi# Family - St. Teresa Of Jesus: The Value Of Prayer And Works - /od Alone 0s Enou1h Sara: 2ey look at this3 There are saints4 names 04$e ne$er heard before. 2ere4s one5St. Tar#isius6 St. /umersindo6 St. Pan#ras7 2elen: Of #ourse. There are lots of saints. Sara: !oes anyone kno8 8ho St. Tar#isius 8as9 2elen: 2e 8as a $ery bra$e boy 8ho li$ed durin1 the earliest years of "hristianity. Sara: Wo86 ,om3 04m impressed - you kno8 so many saints3 2elen: Oh6 #ome on. There are plenty of saints 0 don4t kno8 anythin1 about. Ale:: 2ey6 8hi#h saint4s day is the same day as my birthday9 Sara: ;et4s see. 2ere it is. On O#tober <&th 8e #elebrate the feast day of St. Teresa of Jesus. Thomas: Wo83 Well6 St. Teresa is $ery important to all of us. Ale:: =eally9 Thomas: >es6 she4s a !o#tor of the "hur#h. Sara: A !o#tor of the "hur#h9 What does that mean9 2elen: 0t means that her life and 8ritin1s are $ery important to our faith.

Ale:: A 1reat saint6 huh9 And on my birthday3 04m 1lad that my birthday is an important day6 ?#ause that means you4ll 1i$e me somethin1 $ery spe#ial - like6 for e:ample6 a bike3 *Sara 1asps+ Thomas: 2ey6 hey3 A bike 8ould be a $ery e:pensi$e present. Ale:: Pleeease7 Thomas: Well6 0 promise ,om and 0 8ill think it o$er6 okay. Sara: >ou4ll think it o$er9 >ou4re 1oin1 to buy him a bike6 aren4t you9 Thomas: 0 only said that 8e4d think about it. Sara: Well6 0 need a @/ame Plus.A 2elen: What4s that9 Sara: >ou kno86 ,om3 0t4s for playin1 #omputer 1ames. 2elen: ,aybe for your birthday. Sara: ut it4s a1es and a1es until my birthday3 0 8ant it no8. 2elen: That4s not possible. Sara: Why not9 2elen: e#ause 04m sure it4s $ery e:pensi$e. Sara: And so is a bi#y#le. "ome on6 ,om6 pleeease3 2elen: 0 said for it for your birthday. Sara: >ou4re a spoiled brat3 2elen: "ome on6 don4t be a 1rou#h. 04m 1oin1 to tell you about St. Teresa. When Teresa 8as a little 1irl6 she used to play 8ith her brother =odri1o. They both used to think about eternal life a lot6 and they admired the 8ay the 2oly ,artyrs had earned it throu1h their lo$e of /od6 their fello8 men6 and the "atholi# "hur#h.

*#ri#kets #hirp+ Teresa: The saints 8ill be /od. =odri1o: Fore$er6 and e$er6 and e$er. * + Teresa: Well6 are you ready9 =odri1o: >es. 0 made us some food for the Bourney. Teresa: That4s not 8hat 0 meant. 0 mean are you ready to be a martyr and 1o to 2ea$en9 =odri1o: >es3 Will 0 be like the 2oly ,artyrs9 Teresa: Well6 8e4re 1oin1 to the land of the Arabs3 0t4s 1oin1 to be a lon16 hard Bourney. When 8e 1et there6 8e4ll prea#h that Jesus is ;ord. They may 1et mad at us and kill us. Who kno8s6 8e mi1ht die a horrible death. =odri1o: 0 8ant to be a martyr for Jesus6 like you. Teresa: 0n that #ase let4s 1et 1oin1. There4s no time to 8aste. =odri1o: This is 1reat3 ein1 a martyr is the Cui#kest 8ay to 1et to 2ea$en. Teresa: Shhhh3 e Cuiet6 or you4ll 8ake up ,om and !ad. =odri1o: ut this is so e:#itin13 Teresa: 2onestly6 =odri1o - #an4t you be Cuiet for a se#ond9 >ou4re in#redible3 *Sara lau1hs+ Sara: They 8ere really bra$e3 2elen: 0n fa#t6 they 8ere bein1 $ery irresponsible. They ran a8ay from home6 and 1ot as far as the ne:t $illa1e. Ale:: !idn4t they 1et to the land of the Arabs9

2elen: Do. Their un#le sa8 them in the $illa1e and took them home a1ain. Ale:: And they didn4t run a8ay a1ain9 2elen: Do. Their parents had been $ery 8orried6 and s#olded them. So that 8as the end of their ad$entures. Then 8hen Teresa 8as fourteen years old6 her mother died. Sara: That4s so sad. 2elen: >es. 0t 8as $ery hard for the family6 but Teresa turned to the Vir1in ,ary. Teresa: 0 miss you6 ,other. Vir1in ,ary6 0 kno8 that you lo$e me. From no8 on 0 ask you to be a ,other to me. Please6 don4t e$er lea$e me. 2elen *O.S.+: From that moment on6 Teresa had a spe#ial de$otion to the Vir1in ,ary6 and ne$er let herself drift a8ay from 2er. *+ Sara: This is su#h a disaster6 ,om. 0 don4t kno8 8hat to 8ear for Ale:4s birthday party. 0 don4t ha$e any #lothes 0 like3 2elen: >ou ha$e 8hole #loset full of @thin1s you don4t like.A Sara: That4s not fair. 2elen: >ou kno86 Teresa 8as $ery pretty as a 1irl6 and she be1an to dress up all the time. She 8as al8ays lookin1 in the mirror6 tryin1 on ne8 #lothes6 and 8earin1 perfume. She 8anted to look her best - like you. *Sara lau1hs+ 2elen: 2er father 8as 8orried that she 8as be#omin1 $ain and #on#eited. 2e 8as afraid that she4d spend all her time thinkin1 about these thin1s. So he de#ided to send her to study at the #on$ent of the Au1ustinian Sisters6 in his #ity6 A$ila6 ri1ht in the #entre of Spain. * + *O.S.+ The 8ay the nuns li$ed made a bi1 impression on her. Teresa sa8 that the nuns dedi#ated a lot of time to prayer6 and 8ere al8ays happy. 2o8 #ould the nuns be so happy6 if they 8ere al8ays shut up in the #on$ent9 Teresa prayed lon1 and hard to find out 8hat /od 8anted of her.

Teresa: 0 belon1 to >ou6 for >ou 0 8as born. Jesus6 8hat do >ou 8ant of me9 * + Sara: Sr. Patri#ia6 #an you sho8 me a holy #ard of St. Teresa9 0 really 8ant to kno8 8hat she looked like. Sr. Patri#ia: St. Teresa of Jesus9 Sara: >es. Sr. Patri#ia: 0 think 04$e 1ot a holy #ard ri1ht here. Sara: Wo83 Sr. Patri#ia: When she 8as (%6 she told her father that she 8anted to be a nun6 but her father told her she should 8ait a fe8 more years. Teresa felt stron1ly that she 8anted to enter the #on$ent6 but at the same time she 8as $ery sorry to lea$e her family and her friends6 8ho she lo$ed $ery mu#h. After a time6 Teresa de#ided to run a8ay from home. And she 8ent to the "armelite "on$ent of the 0n#arnation. Sara: There4s one thin17 Sr. Patri#ia: What4s that9 Sara: Why 8as it so diffi#ult for St. Teresa to enter the #on$ent9 She really lo$ed /od6 didn4t she9 Sr. Patri#ia: That4s ri1ht. Teresa lo$ed /od $ery mu#h but she found it $ery hard to lea$e her family. * + Sometimes in life6 8e ha$e to ask /od for a spe#ial 1ra#e in order to be able to #arry out 2is 8ill6 e$en if it4s diffi#ult for us. Sara: And 8hat happened ne:t9 Sr. Patri#ia: Dot lon1er after she be#ame a nun6 Teresa be#ame $ery si#k6 and she had to 1o home a1ain. *+ Father: 0s it $ery serious6 do#tor9

!o#tor: 04m afraid so. Father: ,i1ht she die9 * + 0 see. * + !o#tor: 04m $ery sorry6 0 really am. 0 did e$erythin1 0 #ould6 but no8 she is in the hands of /od. Teresa: ;ord6 0 a##ept this sufferin16 and 0 offer it to you6 but 0 8ant to ser$e you. 0 ha$e 1i$en my 8hole life up to you6 and 0 think 0 #ould ser$e you better if 0 8ere healthy as 8ell. St. Joseph6 inter#ede for me6 so that 0 may be #ured6 and ser$e /od 8ith all my stren1th. Sr. Patri#ia: And then Teresa 1ot 8ell a1ain. E$eryone kne8 that it 8as a mira#le. She 8as sure that it had been thanks to the inter#ession of St. Joseph6 so from that time on she had a spe#ial de$otion to him. Sara: Wo83 Sr. Patri#ia: St. Teresa 8as a 1reat tea#her of prayer. Sara: What4s prayer9 Sr. Patri#ia: Prayer is 8hen 8e talk to /od6 and make friends 8ith 2im6 tellin1 2im of all our Boys and troubles. 2e4s our Friend and 2e4s 8aitin1 for us to talk to 2im. * + Thomas: Well6 in the end 8e bou1ht the bike for Ale:. 2elen: 0t 8as e:pensi$e6 but it4s his birthday. Thomas: !o you think Sara 8ill be upset9 2elen: Thomas6 Sara has to understand that this @/ame PlusA she 8ants is $ery e:pensi$e. 0t 8ill be 1ood for her to learn to 8ait for her birthday. Thomas: >ou4re ri1ht. We ha$e to tea#h them the $alue of bein1 patient. * + Sara: >ou kno8 8hat6 Sr. Patri#ia9 04m 1oin1 to start prayin1. Sr. Patri#ia: That4s a 1reat idea..

Sara *O.S.+: Jesus6 04$e #ome to #hur#h to pray. ut 0 don4t kno8 8hat to tell >ou6 be#ause >ou kno8 e$erythin1. 04$e been here for fi$e minutes6 and7 04m 1ettin1 bored. * + 0 1et bored 8hen 04m tryin1 to pray. 0 tell Jesus 8hat 0 did that day6 and 8hen 04$e told him that6 0 don4t kno8 8hat else to say. Sr. Patri#ia: !on4t 8orry. The same thin1 often happened to Teresa. Sara: !id she 1et bored 8hen she 8as prayin1 too9 Sr. Patri#ia: >es. Sara: ut7 she 8as a 1reat Saint. 2o8 #ould she 1et bored of bein1 8ith /od9 Sr. Patri#ia: The 1reat Saints 8ere people6 Bust like you and me. *O.S.+ Teresa used to 1et so bored that she 8ould #ount do8n the minutes until she #ould finish prayin1 and lea$e the #hapel. She spent the 8hole time 8aitin1 for the bell to rin1. * + *bell+ Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: The bell marked the end of prayers. 0n that #on$ent there 8ere more than a hundred nuns6 and their li$es 8ere a lot of fun. Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: The nuns often had $isitors6 and as Teresa 8as so li$ely and out1oin16 she spent a lot of time #hattin1 and lau1hin1 8ith the ladies 8ho #ame to see her. Sometimes6 the $isitors brou1ht her presents. *+ Sara: Talkin1 of presents6 my brother is a spoiled brat3 Sr. Patri#ia: Why do you say that9 Sara: e#ause they4re 1oin1 to buy him a bike6 and they 8on4t buy me a /ame Plus3 And 0 need it so 0 #an play 8ith my friends3 Sr. Patri#ia: Well6 no8 - you don4t really need that 1ad1et to be happy. Sara: >ou don4t understand3 E$eryone has a 1ame #onsole e:#ept me3 Sr. Patri#ia: ;isten: 04m 1oin1 to tell you somethin1 that mi1ht help you. Some nuns used to pray many times e$ery day6 but Teresa preferred to

ha$e fun 8ith the other youn1 nuns and #hat for hours and hours in the refe#tory. Teresa prayed $ery little. Entil one day6 somethin1 happened. Sara: What happened9 Sr. Patri#ia OS: Teresa had seen the same #ru#ifi: many times before6 but that day it seemed that Jesus 8as bleedin1 more than usual. * + Teresa 8as deeply affe#ted. Teresa: ;ord6 ho8 did this happen9 Jesus: >our 1ossip 8ith the $isitors. That4s 8hat did this to me6 Teresa. Sr. Patri#ia*OS+: From that day6 Teresa didn4t 8aste any more time 8ith her $isitors6 or on friendships that did not lead to saintliness. She be1an to spend lon1 hours in prayer. Sara: And ho8 did she pray9 0 8ant to learn from St. Teresa. Sr. Patri#ia: Well the first thin1 you ha$e to understand is that 8e #an4t hear /od 8ith our ears. Sara: 0n that #ase6 ho8 #an 0 hear him9 Sr. Patri#ia: Jesus puts thou1hts in our minds and in our hearts6 and sometimes he helps us realiFe thin1s. Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: On#e6 she heard Jesus speakin1 to her7 Jesus *$oi#e only+: 0 don4t 8ant you to speak 8ith men6 but 8ith the an1els. Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: Sometimes she rose off the floor 8hen she 8as prayin1. People be1an to talk about these thin1s throu1hout the to8n. Some said she 8as a saint6 and others said she had a demon inside her. Teresa: 0 ha$e su#h hope6 that 0 die be#ause 0 do not die. Sara: @0 die be#ause 0 do not die9A 0 don4t understand 8hat that means. Sr. Patri#ia: Teresa had a $ision of 2ea$en and 2ell. Sara *1asps+: =eally9

Sr. Patri#ia: >es. And 8hen she sa8 the 2ea$en that /od has prepared for us6 she really 8anted to 1o there. Sara: ut 8e 8ill only 1o to 2ea$en 8hen 8e die. Sr. Patri#ia: And that4s e:a#tly 8hat Teresa said. She didn4t mind dyin16 if it meant she 8ould 1o to 2ea$en. * + Sara: 0t says here you need three #ups of flour and t8o e11s. 2elen: That4s to make the #akeGmi:. Sara: We4re so lu#ky that /randma 8rote do8n her birthdayG#ake re#ipe3 0t4s the best #ake 04$e e$er tasted in my life3 2elen: >es. >ou #ouldn4t buy one like it in the shops. Sara: And it says here ho8 to make it6 step by step. 2elenH >ou kno86 Teresa4s spiritual dire#tor told her to 8rite about her life6 and she did as she 8as told. She started to 8rite do8n e$erythin1 that /od told her. Sara: Just like /randma did 8ith the #ake re#ipe9 *2elen lau1hs+ 2elen: >es6 you #ould say that. *O.S.+ Teresa started to meditate on the life of Jesus. She had a $i$id ima1ination6 and she pi#tured herself bein1 there 8ith 2im. * + For e:ample6 she 8ould ima1ine that she 8as at Jesus4 side in the Oli$e /arden6 8hile 2e prepared 2imself for 2is Passion. Sara: That4s a 1ood idea. When 04m prayin16 0 #an read part of the /ospel6 and ima1ine that 04m there myself6 8at#hin1 it all happen. *+ Sara: Jesus6 today 04m 1oin1 think about 8hen you 8ere born in the stable in ethlehem. *+ Sara: And then 0 ima1ined 0 8as in the stable in ethlehem. 0 8as there7 *O.S.+ and 0 sa8 the Vir1in ,ary and St. Joseph6 and aby Jesus sleepin1 in the man1er. 0t 8as so beautiful7 *baby #oos+

Sara: And 0 realiFed somethin1. Sr. Patri#ia: Oh really9 Sara: >es. 0 realiFed that Jesus 8as born poor6 $ery poor. Sr. Patri#ia: That4s ri1ht. Jesus 1a$e us an e:ample of po$erty. Sara: And 0 thou1ht that 0 ha$e so many thin1s6 and sometimes 0 feel sad be#ause my mom and dad 8on4t buy me somethin1 that 0 8ant6 like the /ame Plus. And Jesus didn4t ha$e anythin13 2e didn4t e$en ha$e a proper #rib or a house to be born in. Sr. Patri#ia: St. Teresa understood this too6 and that4s 8hy she said6 @Whoe$er has /od la#ks nothin1. /od alone is enou1h.A And this is a 1reat truth. To be happy6 8e only need /od. !o you see9 Our ;ord Jesus has helped you realiFe all this. Sara: Do8 0 kno8 ho8 /od speaks to us. Sr. Patri#ia: >ou kno86 one of St. Teresa4s nie#es6 8ho 8as also a reli1ious sister in the "on$ent of the 0n#arnation6 1a$e her a $ery 1ood idea. Die#e: Sr. Teresa6 8hy don4t you start a smaller #on$ent than this one. There are too many sisters here6 too many people $isitin16 brin1in1 presents. Teresa: 0 understand6 sister. Die#e: 0t makes it $ery hard to lead a life of prayer. * + Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: Teresa prayed hard and #ame to think that 8hat her sister had said 8as the 8ill of /od. So she asked permission from her superiors6 and they 1ranted it. And she founded the #on$ent of St. Joseph. Sara: Of #ourse3 Do8 0 understand. She named it after St. Joseph be#ause of the de$otion that she felt to8ards him. And 8as it a $ery small #on$ent9 Sr. Patri#ia: >es. 0t 8as smaller and poorer. ut Teresa didn4t mind. She 8anted to be poor. As poor as Jesus had been. They didn4t e$en ha$e

money to buy shoes. That4s 8hy they or 8ore sandals. And they #alled them the !is#al#ed "armelites6 8hi#h means they 8ent barefoot. Teresa *O.S.+: Why must 8e desire so many 1oods and pleasures9 Teresa: Will pleasures and pastimes lead us to the fruition of 8hat 2e 8on for us at the #ost of so mu#h blood9 That is impossible. That is not the ri1ht 8ay. We shall ne$er rea#h our 1oal. * + Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: Teresa and her sisters 8ere $ery happy bein1 poor6 be#ause to be happy6 it4s enou1h to ha$e /od. That4s 8hat Teresa said. 0n time6 ne8s rea#hed the Pope of the po$erty of these Sisters6 and he appro$ed of their 8ay of life6 so he named Teresa ,other Superior of her old #on$ent to en#oura1e the nuns to #arry out their $o#ation better. Sara *O.S.+: So she 8ent ba#k to the #on$ent 8ith all the presents9 *Sr. Patri#ia lau1hs+ Sr. Patri#ia *O.S.+: >es - and do you kno8 8hat9 The nuns 8ere all afraid6 be#ause they kne8 that Teresa 8as $ery stri#t. Teresa: ,y dear ,others and Sisters6 the ;ord has sent me here throu1h the $oi#e of obedien#e. ,y only intention is to ser$e you. !o not be afraid. Althou1h 0 ha$e li$ed for lon1 time amon1 the !is#al#ed "armelites6 and ha$e been their Superior6 0 also kno8 ho8 to 1o$ern the "al#ed "armelites6 8ith the ;ord4s mer#y. * + Dun: She4s ri1ht. We must trust ,other Teresa. Sr. Patri#ia: And so she 8on the friendship and the respe#t of all the nuns6 and 8as able to reGestablish the ori1inal dis#ipline and 8ay of life of the "armelites. Sara: So they didn4t #hatter all the time or 1et presents9 Sr. Patri#ia: Do. The Sisters prayed more6 and 8ere poorer. ut they 8ere happier be#ause they 8ere #loser to /od. * + Sara: >ou kno86 !ad6 04$e learnt that 0 don4t need a /ame Plus to be happy.

Thomas: >ou4re ri1ht about that. Sara: St. Teresa said6 @Whoe$er has /od la#ks nothin1. /od alone is enou1h.A Thomas: And that4s $ery true. 0f only e$eryone #ould see it. Ale:: !ad6 #an 0 turn on the TV9 The #artoons are about to #ome on. Thomas: 2a$e you done your home8ork9 Ale:: >es. Thomas: 0n that #ase6 you #an. Ale:: >ay33 * + 2elen: Sara6 8hat are you doin19 Sara: 04m prayin1. 2elen: >ou #an4t pray properly here. 0t4s too noisy. >ou kno86 St. Teresa re#ommended 1oin1 some8here Cuiet to pray6 some8here you #an be on your o8n. Why don4t you 1o up to your room9 Sara: >ou4re ri1ht. 0 #an4t really #on#entrate here any8ay. * + 2elen: Are you readin1 the /ospel9 Sara: Do6 0 finished it already. Do8 04m readin1 the life of St. Teresa. >ou kno8 somethin16 ,om9 She said that /od is amon1 the pots and pans. What did she mean9 2elen: Well6 the pots and pans are in the kit#hen6 8here food is prepared7 Sara: Ah3 Do8 0 understand3 That4s 8hy Teresa helped 8ith the e$eryday Bobs in the #on$ent6 and offered her 8ork to /od6 be#ause that 8ay the #hores be#ame a prayer. 2elen: That4s ri1ht. /od is also in household #hores.

Sara: Well6 as of today6 04m 1oin1 to tidy my room e$ery ni1ht before 0 1o to bed6 and offer that little #hore to /od. 2elen: 0 think that4s a 1reat idea. !id you kno8 that St. Teresa founded se$enteen #on$ents in her lifetime9 And a $ery important reCuirement for a 1irl 8antin1 to be#ome a !is#al#ed "armelite 8as intelli1en#e. Sara: 0ntelli1en#e9 >ou mean that Teresa 8anted the Sisters to be intelli1ent9 2elen: >es6 be#ause Teresa said that an intelli1ent person kno8s they are not perfe#t6 so they find it easier to a##ept help. Teresa: 0t is easier to a#Cuire piety than maturity of Bud1ment. ,ay /od preser$e us from silly nuns3 *Sara lau1hs+ Sara: !id she really say @silly nunsA9 2elen: >es6 that4s 8hat she said. Sara: ,om6 #ould 0 be1in takin1 spiritual 1uidan#e from Fr. ,i#hael6 so he #an help me pray and be #loser to /od. 2elen: Absolutely6 dear. >ou are smart to realiFe that Fr. ,i#hael #an help you 1ro8 in holiness. *O.S.+ ut listen to this. Teresa 8anted to 1o to 2ea$en $ery mu#h6 and at last6 her time #ame. Teresa: Oh6 ;ord6 at last the time has #ome for us to see ea#h other fa#e to fa#e. * + 2elen *O.S.+: So Teresa died6 and only I% years later6 she 8as pro#laimed a saint. Today there are more than (%6%%% !is#al#ed "armelites6 both men and 8omen6 li$in1 in <6J%% monasteries and #on$ents all o$er the 8orld. Sara: Wo83 *musi#+ EWTD !"