All posts by Mary Walker

Hrotsvitha – Poet and Playwright

Do not despise them, even though they’re full of faults,
But, with your gentle heart, praise the deeds of God. Hrotsvitha

During the medieval times women often went to convents as a way to serve God. It was a good, safe option for women who did not get married. The convent also enabled women to get an education. Convents were the ideal environment to express their artistic and literary talents.

One such woman was Hrotsvitha, a young nun in a convent at Gandersheim in the late 10^th century. The convent at Gandersheim was especially well known as a cultural and educational center.

Gandersheim was different from most convents because it was established by Duke Liudolf and his wife and her mother in 852 to be a “free abbey”. In other words, it was not connected to the hierarchy of the church. Gandersheim was answerable to the local ruler until king Otto 1 declared it to be a completely free abbey.

The abbesses of this convent were related to the reigning family. During Hrotsvitha’s time the abbess was Gerberga, the niece of the Holy Roman Emperor, Otto 1 the Great. All of the nuns at this abbey were of noble birth, so we know that Hrotsvitha came from the aristocracy and may have even been distantly related to the king.

Some of the nuns took vows and became full-fledged nuns; others did not take vows and remained canonesses. Hrotsvitha did not take the vow of poverty, so she remained a canoness. She was able to control her money and have servants and other luxuries that most nuns did not. However, she did take the vows of obedience and chastity.

Hrotsvitha is considered to be Germany’s first poet and playwright. While at the convent she wrote six plays – they were comedies. She also wrote stories, poetry, and a history of the abbey.

As was common in those days, Hrotsvitha wrote in Latin. That was the language that educated people used for writing. We know from things she said about events of her day that she must have written her poetry and plays some time after 968. There was an extensive library at the abbey. Allusions to famous lyric poets such as Ovid, Terence, Virgil, and Horace confirm the fact that Hrotsvitha made much use of the library.

Why would a nun write comedies? There were several reasons.

Hrotsvitha had studied the Scriptures and she was aware of the evil of her times. The church was very corrupt. Church leaders were involved in greed, licentiousness, and immorality. It was not uncommon for priests to force women into compromising positions. Hrotsvitha wanted a way to admonish the wicked rulers.

Women were not expected to teach or preach in the medieval ages. How could Hrotsvitha call for reform? As a woman she wanted to be seen as sharing a spiritual message but not as preaching, so she put her thoughts into six comedic plays.

Another reason that Hrotsvitha deliberately chose the medium of comedic plays was that in Hrotsvitha’s day theater was secular and outrageously immoral. Hrotsvitha wanted to present her own Christian version of this interesting literary form.

Her comedies and poetry were probably mostly shared with the other women at the abbey. Hrotsvitha would enjoy writing something so different from the usual writing of her time thinking that it would go no further than her sisters. She could be bold and express her thoughts on the sins of the church leaders in her day in a very creative way.

Hence, the quote above – Hrotsvitha calls for her readers to forbear with her humble efforts. She asks them to praise God for His working, not hers.

Hrotsvitha realizes that she might be criticized by men when they realize that she is pointing the finger at their corruption and so she is careful to point out that she is only seeking praise for Christ.

And let him not scorn the frail sex of the woman of no importance
Who played these melodies on a frail reed pipe;
But rather let him praise Christ’s heavenly mercy:
He does not want to destroy sinners…

Hrotsvitha admitted to blushing with shame when writing about sexual sin. In her day, and in ours in certain cultures such as the Muslim culture, women were blamed for all sexual temptations. She was calling the men to take responsibility for their own sin. She had a purpose in writing about matters such as lasciviousness. She stressed that she was trying to show how ‘womanly frailty emerges victorious and virile force, confounded is laid low’.

She wants to show the strength in weakness of Christian women and the weakness in power of the men. In the end it is the men who should blush.

For example, in one of Hrotsvitha’s comedies, Emperor Diocletian orders three chaste virgins to deny their faith. They refuse and are thrown into prison. An army general, Dulcetius sees how beautiful they are and decides to take advantage of them.

Dulcetius locks the women in a kitchen, thinking to return later that night and have his way with them. The women pray for protection. God answers their prayers in an admittedly strange-sounding way to us –(but remember this is written as comedy – to make a serious point in a dramatic way.)

When Dulcetius returns for the girls things don’t exactly go according to plan. As he enters the kitchen:

Befuddled, he begins to caress the pots and pans, while the girls watch through a crack in the wall. “Why, the fool is out of his mind. He fancies he has got hold of us,” reports one of them. “Now he presses the kettle to his heart, now he clasps the pots and pans and presses his lips to them . . . His face, his hands, his clothes are all black and sooty; the soot which clings to him makes him look like an Ethiopian.” One of her companions comments, “Very fitting that he should be so in body, since the devil has possession of his mind.”

The girls in the play attribute their escape from Dulcetius’s evil attempts to the grace of God. The moral lesson in the play is that Hrotsvitha wants women to understand that they can turn to God for protection. And she has found a clever way to show men that they are “out of their minds” or “immoral” for taking advantage of the “weaker” sex.

Some of Hrotsvitha’s plays were lost for centuries. Then in 1502 they were discovered and published in Latin. They were published in English in 1920.

Many of Hrotsvitha’s poems were written to honor the saints, including the Virgin Mary, as well as Agnes, Basil, and the martyr Pelagius (not the 4^th century heretic – but a later Pelagius who was tortured and martyred by the Muslims.)

Her last extant work, probably written about 973 or later, is a poem on the founding of Gandersheim. As in her other works, Hrotsvitha opens her work with humility:

Behold, my spirit, lowly and submissive,
Breaks forth to tell the origins of blissful Gandersheim.

The primary inspiration for this poem was the Gospel account of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many allusions in the poem to “shepherds” and “guiding lights”.

Hrotsvitha claimed often that she was so blessed to have the gift of writing. In spite of being a woman and living in a convent, she was able to express her thoughts in a way that inspired many others. Even if not many people would see her works, she felt that she was nearer to God by using His gift to her. She was thankful that God had given her a way to address the wrongs of her times in a Scriptural, yet creative way.

We can learn from Hrotsvitha’s example of humility and service. We can use our gifts with joy and thanksgiving and praise to the One Who gave them to us.

Dhuoda – 9th Century Lay Theologian

I admonish you continually to mull over the words of the holy gospels and the writings of the fathers concerning these (things)…. By thinking, speaking and acting rightly, you may believe in the everlasting God, who remains one in trinity and triune in unity. Dhuoda – “Liber Manualis”, 843 AD

This remarkably astute advice was given to a son by a mother who lived in the 9^th century. It is so wonderful to be able to connect with someone who lived and wrote nearly 1200 years ago. Dhuoda studied the same Scriptures that we study. She read the church fathers that we have read. She came to the same doctrinal understanding of the faith that we consider “orthodox”. Reading Dhuoda’s story is an encouragement to my faith.

We only know of Dhuoda’s life through her writings. She married Bernard, son of William of Gellone, at Aachen on June 29, 824. William was a cousin to Charlemagne. Bernard and Dhuoda lived in southern France where Bernard was an advisor at the French court. Dhuoda accompanied Bernard on his travels until the birth of their first son, William, in 826. Then she went to live in a castle at Uzes for the rest of her life.

To put Dhuoda’s life into perspective let us review the 8^th and 9^th centuries in Europe. Charlemagne (c.742-814) ruled much of Western Europe from 768 to 814. In 771, Charlemagne became king of the Franks (a Germanic people group who extended through most of Western Europe). He wanted to unite all Germanic peoples into one kingdom, and convert his subjects to Christianity. He spent most of his reign engaged in warfare in order to bring this about. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Romans. Charlemagne founded the Carolingian Renaissance, a cultural and intellectual revival in Europe.

When Charlemagne died in 814, his empire encompassed much of Western Europe, and he had also ensured the survival of Christianity in the West. It was into this largely Christian society that Dhuoda was born around 803 AD.

After Charlemagne died his son Louis (778-840) reigned in his stead. It was rumored that the self-seeking Bernard had an affair with Louis’s second wife, Judith. In any event, Bernard was an advisor at court when Louis died in 1840. Louis’s three sons then started a bloody civil war for the throne. At first Bernard backed Pepin II but then changed sides and backed Charles the Bold. In order to prove to Charles that he would not change sides again, Bernard presented his first born son, William, to Charles as a hostage.

Bernard was a very selfish, cruel, lecherous man. He tortured and maimed his enemies. He shut Dhuoda up in a castle in Uzes when he took their firstborn son from her. When Dhuoda’s second son was born, Bernard snatched him away even before he was baptized. In her writing, Dhuoda tells us that she never found out what her second son’s name was. (It was usual to name the child at Baptism.) Bernard’s enemies were just as treacherous. They killed everyone else in Bernard’s family. Perhaps it was just as well for Dhuoda that she was shut away in a castle.

In spite of the fact that Bernard had given his son as hostage, Charles lured him to court in 844 and had him beheaded. Apparently Bernard was still engaged in intrigues. He was always only thinking of himself. His son William proved to be too much like his father and unwisely sought to gain back his family’s territories.

Meanwhile at the castle in Uzes, Dhuoda decided to write to her son. She had heard that things were dangerous at court. She was perhaps also told that William was not living the Christian life that he should. She thought that writing to him would help to get her son to live rightly.

The city of Uzes where Dhuoda was living had seen many changes over the centuries. It began as a Christian community very early in the 2^nd century. There were monasteries there and a large cathedral. It was a very peaceful city until 843 with the Treaty of Verdun. After that Uzes became a major battlefield in the dynastic wars which Dhuoda’s husband and family were involved in.

This was the year, 843, when Dhuoda’s book, Liber Manualis, was completed. Dhuoda intended this book to be a manual for the personal growth and edification of her son William. The book was written against the backdrop of all of the wars and fighting and intrigues going on around her. Her main purpose was to write words of wisdom for her son. She wanted him to survive, not as a selfish person, but as a man of God.

Dhuoda stressed three allegiances in her book, first to God, then to William’s earthly father, and then to the king, Charles the Bold.

Unfortunately, Dhuoda’s wise counsel was lost on William. As we now know Bernard was put to death for treason in 844 the following year after Dhuoda’s book was written. William forsook his mother’s counsel and supported Pepin II in spite of owing his allegiance to Charles. William tried to regain his territorial rights against Charles. He was beaten in battle and slain in 850. It remains unclear what happened to Dhuoda’s second son, possibly also named Bernard. In any event Bernard’s family fortunes were now lost.

Though Dhuoda’s well written instruction manual went unheeded by her son, it remains for us a beautiful example of Medieval writing by a woman was is considered a lay theologian in her own right.

Dhuoda wrote during a time when few women were writing. Only the wealthy could afford the kind of education that Dhuoda had. Yet, thanks to Charlemagne’s efforts at advancing Christianity and the culture, more people were reading the classics. We can tell from Dhuoda’s writings that she had read the Scriptures many times. She was also familiar with the major works of the Church fathers. She learned Christian principles that she wanted to pass on to her son.

One example comes from her teaching on the Beatitudes. She tells her son that being “poor in spirit” does not mean only being poor financially. “Someone may shine with gold, gems and the royal purple, but will go forth to the shadows naked and poor, carrying nothing unless he has lived well, piously, chastely, and worthily.” She admonished William to be generous to the poor. She reminded William that his position came from God and he needed to be a good steward.

Too bad William didn’t pay more attention.

Dhuoda wrote in Latin. She was a gifted writer who presented her thoughts in unique ways. She used poetry and prose and even played word games, such as an acrostic she made of her own name.

Dhuoda was a lay theologian. She wrote commentaries on many parts of the Bible. Her translations are orthodox. Some of her theology takes a fresh approach to interpreting Scripture. For example, following Augustine, the main commentaries on the beatitudes in her day compared the beatitudes with the gifts of the Spirit. Dhuoda understood that the gifts of the Spirit enable believers to live the holy life expressed in the beatitudes. Dhuoda used these as concrete examples in her writing to her son.

But, while Augustine reduced the number of beatitudes in order to complete the numerical parallel with the gifts, and he reversed the order of the gifts of the Spirit in order to make them fit his pattern, Dhuoda described both the gifts and the beatitudes as sets of military skills needed to live a mature Christian life. This is not surprising given that she is encouraging her son to live rightly in the world of the intrigues of the court and political revolution.

Dhuoda advised William “to ascend the fifteen steps through the seven formative gifts and the eight beatitudes; ascend them in order and thoughtfully, a step at a time, but vigorously, my son.” Historians believe that Dhuoda was uncertain of her son’s Christian commitment. In her writing we see that she assumes he is a Christian, but very immature. Her book was written to help him know how to grow up to a complete man in Christ.

The date of Dhuoda’s death is unknown. Though we do not have more details of her life, we can be thankful that she left us her writings. Her advice to her son on moral behavior is timeless. Dhuoda is a shining example of a woman who loved God above all and spent her time studying about Him to get to know Him better and to pass on that knowledge to others.

Happy New Year 2017!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Have you made some New Year’s resolutions? How did you do on last year’s resolutions?

It’s a lot of fun talking with our friends about all of our good intentions for the coming new year. We laugh about the resolutions that did not last long in 2016. I am wondering if some of my resolutions were either too specific or too general. No wonder we get discouraged.

As my husband and I sat at the breakfast table Sunday morning, January 1, we talked about making resolutions for the new year. It’s really good to take time out to evaluate our lives. Even if our good intentions only last a month or two, at least we tried.

Maybe we ought to switch to “New Quarter” resolutions, or even “New Monthly” resolutions. If we didn’t accomplish our goals, we can just make adjustments and keep on going. The point is to not give up at the end of January when we throw in the towel and put off thinking about our decisions and goals until the next new year.

So, I told my husband that I would like to lose 15 pounds, but I will not beat myself up if I don’t. He would like to spend more time reading books. We agreed that we will review at the beginning of each month and see how we are doing.

But what about our more serious resolutions for this year? What should those be?

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

When we celebrated Christmas we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Jesus came not only to die for our sins but to give us new life. Our lives can now be spent for God’s glory. We can now serve Christ with joyful hearts. We can follow in Jesus’ footsteps leading lives that look like His. I would like to do a better job of that this year but how did I do last year?

Our goal is to become more like Christ. Can I honestly say that during 2016 I became more like Christ?

How did I do in my spiritual life?

– Did I take time to study the Word of God in order to be able to “present (my)self approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)?

Thanks to Christ’s incarnation, death, and resurrection we are able to grow spiritually.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

All Christians are given the gifts of the Spirit “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:12)

– Did I grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”? (2 Peter 3:18)

– Did I take the apostle Peter’s advice on how to be more spiritually mature? Peter encourages the saints to INCREASE in the following progression of character traits of the spiritually mature.

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in our knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in in your perseverance godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

– Was I grateful, gracious, and thankful? “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

What did I do when I failed or was discouraged?

– Did I remember that we “have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example for you to follow in His steps”? (1 Peter 2:21)

– Did I get up and try again when I came up short of my goal? Paul encourages believers to keep on persevering. “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. … I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 3:12, 14) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:24).

Don’t’ be discouraged. Make resolutions. Seek God’s help to fulfill your plans.

I hope that by the end of 2016 I had become more like Christ than at the end of 2015. And my prayer is that when the end of 2017 gets here I can look back and say that my New Year’s resolution – my resolution to be more like Christ – will have been accomplished.

The apostle Paul tells us that we should be, “a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15) Will I be a fragrance to others this year?

To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen!

The True Meaning of Christmas

It is a wonderful season of the year! We all love theChristmas carols! It almost seems a shame that we only sing some of them at this time of the year. How often do we pay attention to the lyrics? One hymn especially, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, by Charles Wesley, actually contains the true meaning about the coming of Christ.

At Christmas we think of Jesus in the manger. We can picture Mary and Joseph there. The shepherds come. The angels are gathered in the skies singing praise to God! What beautiful pictures of love, peace, and joy.

But why did God send His Son to earth? Why did Jesus have to be born in a lowly stable? Just what is the real meaning of Christmas?

In 1739, Charles Wesley wrote the lyrics to one of the most popular Christmas carols – “Hark! The Herald Angels sing”. The music was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840. Let us take a closer look at the words. Charles Wesley’s hymn contains the true meaning of Christmas.

Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”

The reason that Jesus came was to reconcile sinners to God. Jesus was sent “through the tender mercy of our God to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:78,79). When Jesus “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20), He made peace with God for us so that our sins may be forgiven.

Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King.”

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to register for the census. Bethlehem was a small town. Who would have thought that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would be born there? But Jesus showed us how much He loved us by being born in a lowly estate to save us who are not worthy of God’s love on our own. (Luke 1:52, I Corinthians 1:27).

Christ, by highest Heaven adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

In our day there are many other religions that do not recognize Jesus as fully God and fully man. Charles Wesley reminds us that Jesus is “incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell.” When we sing this beautiful song we are singing are affirmation of the basic truth that sets us apart from non-Christians – the full deity and humanity of Christ.

Hail, the heaven-born Prince of peace!
Hail the Son of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King.”

The most wonderful miracle of all is that God came in the flesh to save His people. Jesus is truly God and truly man. Jesus was found “in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). “Mild, He lays His glory by.” Jesus loved us so much that He was willing to live the life of a servant in order that we may be made right with God. Jesus gave us our example of how we should live also.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving pow’r,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

With the coming of Jesus is a promise that all things will be made new. One day there will be no more tears or pain. But even now, on this earth, Jesus gives us the power to live a holy life. We no longer have to fall to the whiles of the devil. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:2). Even ruined nature will be restored. What a joyful day to look forward to!!

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
Oh, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

This is our humble prayer as sinful humans. When we pray to Him, Jesus forgives and restores His full fellowship with us. What a wonderful privilege when Jesus restores His love in us and gives us joyful hearts to serve Him. We desire to show more of the image of Jesus and less of the image of “Adam” as we grow in our walk with the Lord. Jesus came not only to reconcile us to God, but to give us a holy life while we are on this earth.

It will really help us to bring back the true meaning of Christmas when we sing the wonderful hymns that God has blessed us with. Let us pay special attention to the words. Try singing and praying them at the same time.

Most of all, let us get back to worshipping Jesus at Christmas time.

Hark! The Herald angels sing
Glory to the Newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!

Merry Christmas!!

Silent Night, Holy Night

Millions of Christians around the world will sing this beloved hymn “Silent Night” during the Christmas season. This favorite Christmas carol has been translated into just about every language in the world. What a joyous thought to know that so many people will be remembering the real reason for Christmas on the day of Jesus’ birth.
The story of the hymn is beautifully told by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries – joyfulheart.com
Check out the page with the Christmas stories. You will be blessed! If you are looking for good stories to share with your children, you will find many heartwarming stories at this site!

The Story of “Silent Night” —–

The phrase repeats itself over and over again in his mind:

Silent night, holy night,
Stille nacht, heilige nacht.

Father Joseph Mohr, Parish Priest

It’s the first line from a poem this young Austrian priest had written two years before. Now he can’t get the phrase out of his mind. “Silent night, holy night.”

Tonight is Christmas Eve and St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, north of Salzburg, will be chock-full of people. Father Joseph Mohr has a homily in mind, a message for his flock on this sacred night, but he needs a carol, something special to cap off the service.

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright…

The words won’t go away. “I need a tune!” he says out loud, shaking his head. “I wonder if Franz can help me. I hope it’s not too late.” Franz Gruber is the schoolteacher in the nearby village of Arnsdorf — a gifted musician, organist at the Arnsdorf church, and occasional substitute organist at St. Nicholas. “Franz will help me!” he says to himself. “He can’t resist a musical challenge.”

Franz Gruber, Schoolteacher and Organist

Quickly now he slings on his heavy coat, dons a fur cap and gloves, and ventures into the brisk December morning. The snow is crunchy underfoot as he makes his way across the churchyard towards Arnsdorf, just a 20 minute walk. “Silent night, holy night … silent night, holy night.” The rhythm of the words echoes with each step.

Elizabeth opens the door at his knock. “Father Mohr, how nice of you to stop by. Franz will be glad to see you.” She takes his coat and ushers him in. Franz is picking something out on his guitar.

“Franz, remember that poem I told you about: ‘Silent Night’?” says Mohr. “I know it’s too late to ask, but could you help put a tune to it? I want to sing it tonight for Christmas Eve.”

Gruber’s face lights up. A challenge. A song. He takes the lyrics from the priest and begins to say them over and over, looking for a cadence. Then he hums a line and scratches it down.

Mohr soon tires of the process and begins to play with the children. But within an hour or so, Gruber seems to have a melody and is working out the chords on his guitar. “Father, how does this sound?” he calls and begins to sing the words:

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm all is bright…

He stops to make a correction in the manuscript, and then continues:

…’Round yon virgin, Mother and Child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Father Mohr is ecstatic. On the second verse Gruber’s deep voice is joined by Mohr’s rich tenor. Elizabeth, baby on her hip, who has been humming along, now joins them on the last verse. The song fills their home with its gentle words and memorable melody.

Christmas Eve at St. Nicholas Church, Oberndorf, 1818

That night, December 24, 1818, the song fills St. Nicholas Church at Midnight Mass. Mohr sings tenor, Gruber bass, and the church choir joins the refrain of each verse, while Mohr accompanies on the guitar. By the time the last notes die away, the worshipers are a-buzz with joy and wonder at the song. On Christmas Day, the song is being hummed and sung in dozens of homes around Oberndorf. “Silent night, holy night.”

And in Oberndorf, they would sing their beloved carol again and again each Christmas. The song might have stayed right there had it not been for an organ builder named Karl Mauracher, who came to repair the pipe organ at Arnsdorf in 1819 and made several trips to Oberndorf over the next few years, finally building a new organ for St. Nicholas in 1825.

The Song Finds Its Way to Emperors and Kings — and to America

Whether Mauracher found the music and lyrics on the organ or they were given to him by Gruber, we don’t know. But he carried the song to the Ziller Valley east of Innsbruk, where he shared it with two local families of travelling folk singers, the Rainers and the Strassers, who began to sing it as part of their regular repertoire. The following Christmas of 1819, the Rainer Family Singers sang “Stille Nacht” in the village church of Fügen (Zillertal).

Three years later they sang it for royalty. Emperor Francis I of Austria and his ally Czar Alexander I of Russia were staying in the nearby castle of Count Dönhoff (now Bubenberg Castle). The Rainer Family performed the carol and were invited to Russia for a series of concerts.

In 1834 the Strasser Family Singers sang “Silent Night” for King Frederick William IV of Prussia. He was so taken with what the Strassers called their “Song of Heaven,” that he commanded it to be sung by his cathedral choir every Christmas Eve. It spread through Europe and in 1839 the Raniers brought the song to America as the “Tyrolean Folk Song.” Since then it has been translated into over 300 languages and dialects.

Various English translations blossomed, but the definitive English version of the song was penned by Rev. John Freeman Young and first published in The Sunday-School Service and Tune Book (1863).

Why Is “Silent Night” So Popular?

Why has “Silent Night” become our most beloved carol? Is it the words — tender, intimate, gentle? Or the tune — so peaceful, so memorable, so easy to play or pick out with one hand on the piano?

It is not a joyous, fast-paced carol like Handel’s “Joy to the World.” Nor theologically-rich like “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” by Charles Wesley. Nor does it have a complex tune like “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Rather, “Silent Night” is quiet and reflective, calling us to meditate on the scene. It is the ambience conveyed by both the gentle words and melody that create from this carol an oasis of peace.

“All is calm, all is bright.”

It calls us to dwell on the Madonna and Child —

“‘Round yon Virgin, mother and Child,
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.”

You feel as the “shepherds quake at the sight.” You can imagine as “heavenly hosts sing Alleluia.” And you begin to sing “Alleluia to the King” right along with them.

Rays of backlit brilliance highlight many a religious painting, but here the picture of light is painted in words:

“Glories stream from heaven afar….”
“Son of God, love’s pure light,
Radiant beams from Thy holy face….”

Just Who is in this manger? What is the significance of this birth? What is Christmas about — really? Perhaps most of all, “Silent Night” is beloved because it reminds us in its simple, but exceedingly clear way, the truth behind it all — the truth that changes everything:

“Christ, the Savior is born!”

Sing it again this Christmas and let its gentle peace wash over you and its bold assertion renew your soul.

“Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!

“Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!”

—– While the first few paragraphs of this story have been fictionalized, the historical events are true. Joseph Mohr (1792-1848) wrote the words to “Silent Night” in 1816 while priest at Mariapharr. On Christmas Eve 1818, he asked his friend Franz Gruber (1787-1863) to write the tune for Mass that evening at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf where Mohr had been assigned in 1817. I’ve been careful to rely on recent historical research into the origin of the carol, much of it gathered since 1995, when a manuscript of the carol in Mohr’s hand was found, dated 1820-1825. Some of the most helpful (and accurate) information sources are: Bill Egan’s Silent Night Museum, Egan’s article “Silent Night: The Song Heard ‘Round The World,” “Silent Night, Holy Night — Notes,” Hyde Flippo’s “Silent Night and Christmas,” the Stille Nacht Gesellschaft by Manfred Fischer, director of the Silent Night Museum and Chapel in Oberndorf, Austria.

God bless you all this Christmas!!

Joy to the World! – Christmas 2016

Let’s put aside some of the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and other preparations and think about the love of our Savior Who came to give us peace, hope and joy.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Isaac Watts, who wrote hundreds of hymns, wrote the popular Christmas carol, “Joy to the World”. The lyrics are based Psalm 98:4-9.

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout joyfully before the King, the Lord.
Let the sea roar and all it contains,
The world and those who dwell in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy
Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth; ”He will judge the world with
righteousness
And the peoples with equity.

In comparing the hymn “Joy to the World” to Psalm 98 you will notice that the Psalm does not mention the shepherds or angels or even Joseph and Mary. The angels on the night of Jesus’ birth may possibly have sung Psalm 98 when they worshipped Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. The heavenly host was praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14). Because of the overwhelming amount of praise in both the psalm and the carol, we can see the reason that “Joy to the World” is a favorite Christmas carol today.

Isaac Watts had not intended for “Joy to the World” to be a Christmas carol. The famous composer had included it in his book “Psalms of David Imitated” published in 1719. “Imitated” meant that Isaac Watts rewrote the Psalms so that the words rhymed and people could sing them. For hundreds of years many congregations sang only the Psalms. Also many congregations used to sing “A Cappella” (meaning using no instruments). The emphasis was intended to be on the beautiful words of praise to the Lord from the Bible.

This hymn was sung to various tunes for many years. Then in 1839 the melody and lyrics were arranged by Lowell Mason into the song that we sing today. The tune is attributed to George Frederick Handel who wrote the famous Messiah. Parts of the tune to “Joy to the World” do remind us of the great oratorio, Messiah.

Isaac Watts wrote over 600 hymns. He is considered to be the father of Christian hymnody. His hymns include such favorites as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed, I Sing the Mighty Power of God, and “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” But the most loved of all is “Joy to the World”.

It is not known exactly when this song began to be sung as a Christmas carol. But the words seem to apply to Christmas, when we celebrate the coming of Jesus.

Psalm 98 also reminds us of Christ’s second return. That will be the time when “the Savior reigns” and when “He rules the world with truth and grace.” Jesus will judge the whole earth “with righteousness and all the peoples with equity.”

Though we sing this song at Christmas time, we could sing it any time during the year. We can always praise God who “makes His blessings flow far as the curse is found.” We can praise Him for the “wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.”

God bless you all this Christmas.

Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton – “Faith lifts the soul”

It is the very nature of love to make us seek the presence of the person we love, and to delight in their company and conversation. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton

We have spent the last few months on a journey through the Middle Ages looking at the lives of Christian Women Mystics. It is time to turn to the stories of many other saints in other times in the history of the church.

This week I would like to share some writings of Elizabeth Ann Seton. Though “Mother” Seton lived well after the Middle ages, (she was born in 1774 and died in 1821), her writings show a strong desire to have union with Christ and therefore we can place Elizabeth Seton among the Christian Mystic saints. Mother Seton comforted many thousands of Christians who looked to her as an inspiration in contemplating Christ. Her closeness and utter dependence on Christ place her among mystic saints. Mother Seton said, “This union of my soul with God is my wealth in poverty and joy in deepest affliction.” Elizabeth was so completely aware of God’s presence at all times that she inspired everyone around her.

I have already done a post on Mother Seton (August 3, 2015). There you will find the details of her life – her happy marriage, motherhood, and the founding of the American order of the Sisters of Charity. You will also see the tragedies she suffered – the deaths of her mother at an early age, her father, her husband, and her two daughters. Through all of life Elizabeth trusted and depended on God. She never let troubles get her down. Through all heartaches, deaths of loved ones, poverty, and the many challenges as she started her charitable work she turned to God Who did not let her down but provided for her and often in unexpected ways.

Elizabeth was raised as an Episcopalian. After her husband’s tragic early death, she was introduced to Catholicism by her husband’s Catholic relatives. Elizabeth was also influenced by Abbe Louis William Valentine Dubourg, a member of the Sulpician Fathers. The Sulpicians went to North America around 1800 as refugees escaping from the Reign of Terror that occurred in France in the 1790’s. Elizabeth was inspired by the goals of the Sulpicians to start religious schools in North America. She longed to start a school for the poor also.

Elizabeth’s love for Christ and for the poor was all that mattered to her. Founding a religious order similar to other Catholic Religious orders was the method she chose to fulfill her dream of free education for the poor. She joined the Catholic church and began her order with just a few sisters. The American Sisters of Charity adopted the rules written by St. Vincent de Paul for the Daughters of Charity in France. (See related post on Louise de Marillac, November 15, 2016.)

After founding the Sisters of Charity, Elizabeth worked tirelessly for twenty years and then slowly and painfully succumbed to tuberculosis. On her deathbed she offered prayers for the sick and dying. She was unselfish in her devotion to Christ and others right up to the end of her life. She died surrounded by Sisters on January 4, 1821.

At the time of her death there were more than twenty communities of Sisters of Charity. The sisters opened schools, built orphanages, boarding schools, and hospitals in 8 states and the District of Columbia.

During Elizabeth’s final years she spent much time ministering to the elderly. Because of her vibrant faith and anticipation of life in Heaven after death, she was able to comfort many who were dying. Here is something she shared with one friend who was at death’s door, “In the course of the day, while you work or pray, sometimes think: “Oh, how happy I am! Jesus, my dear Jesus, is coming to me. Oh, dearest Lord, prepare me for Yourself.”

Following are quotes from her many letters to family and friends (Taken from “The Collected Writings of Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton”.)

“What was the first rule of our dear Savior’s life? You know if was to do his Father’s will. Well, then, the first purpose of our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will. We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.”

“Faith lifts the soul, Hope supports it, Experience says it must and Love says … let it be!”

“The gate of heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.”

From a letter to Cecilia, October 7, 1805 – “and in every disappointment great or small let your dear heart fly direct to Him your dear Saviour throwing yourself in his arms for refuge against every pain and sorrow ‘He will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

“We must pray literally -without ceasing – in every occurrence and employment of our lives – that prayer of the heart which is independent of place or situation, or which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.

“The accidents of life separate us from our dearest friends, but let us not despair. God is like a looking glass in which souls see each other. The more we are united to Him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to Him.”

“Our God loves us; this is our comfort.”

“He gives us every grace … this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.”

“How liable we are to err in our judgments respecting others, unless we thoroughly know the motives of their actions.”

“Trust all, indeed, to Him my dear one; put all in His hands…”

“Cheerfulness prepares a glorious mind for all the noblest acts.”

“Live simply so that others may simply live.”

“Blessed, blessed Lord, keep us always in your company and press our weak hearts forever in your service.”

“Oh my God, forgive what I have been, correct what I am, and direct what I shall be.”

“Without prayer I should be of little service.”

And last, but not least, a prayer we all should say every day:

“How gracious is the Lord who strengthens my poor soul!”

Madame Jeanne Guyon – Intimacy With Christ

Dear child of God, your Father has His arms of love open wide to you. Throw yourself into His arms. You who have strayed and wandered away as sheep, return to your Shepherd. You who are sinners, come to your Savior. Jeanne Guyon

Jeanne Marie Bouvieres de la Mothe Guyon (known as Madame Guyon) was born April 13, 1648. She was a French mystic and is also known for her involvement in the “Quietist” movement. Her chief contribution to the Kingdom of God is her writing on prayer. Madame Guyon believed that Christians should pray all the time no matter where they are or what they are doing. The most beautiful, satisfying part of the Christian life is to spend time with God. Jeanne Guyon proved with her own life just how important intimacy with Christ is for the believer.

Jeanne Guyon came into this world during the very corrupt seventeenth century in France. At this time the French nation was well-known for its degeneracy. The church was as bad as the world. Even at the time, many people believed that Jeanne Guyon was one of the most spiritual women who ever lived, yet the corrupt Roman Catholic Church burned her books, condemned her principles of Quietism, and cruelly imprisoned her. Jeanne even spent several years in the Bastille.

Because Jeanne’s family was in French high society, she had the privilege of getting an education in a prosperous convent. Early in her life it became obvious what a gifted child Jeanne was. She began to read the Bible at age ten and decided to devote her life to God.

Jeanne wanted to enter a cloister, but her parents married her off to Jacques Guyon, a man of weak health. Jeanne was not quite sixteen years old; Jacques was twenty-two years her senior. Though Jeanne developed a love for her spouse, and claimed that he loved her, her mother-in-law was a severe trial to her for most of her life. The maid that was provided for Jeanne also put on airs and gave Jeanne a lot of grief.

No matter what happened, Jeanne turned to God in prayer. “It was in a condition so deplorable, O my God, that I began to perceive the need I had of Thy assistance… Thou didst draw me to Thyself.” Jeanne knew that her only hope was in the Savior.
Jacques died when Jeanne was twenty-eight years old, leaving her with three young children. He left Jeanne very well off and Jeanne spent the next 40 years of her life serving God by giving away money to the poor. She also began her career as an evangelist and a writer.

Jeanne spent a few years in Geneva and returned to Paris in 1686. When she arrived home, she was imprisoned for her opinions. With the help of Madame de Maintenon, she was released. Now Jeanne began to teach and write about Quietism.

Quietism is a form of mysticism that teaches devotional contemplation and the surrender of the will to God’s will. Quietists calmly accept things as they are without complaining. Madame Guyon exemplified this in her life. She refused to retaliate against her husband or mother-in-law no matter how badly they treated her. Many Christians learned from her example and imitated her ways.

Madame Guyon began traveling throughout France and Switzerland teaching people to pray more and live holy lives. She met with individuals and tried to avoid “preaching”. Many people found comfort in her words.

Why would the Roman Catholic Church oppose this? The church taught that it was the business of the priests to pray. Believers could not approach God on their own. They must go through the priest. Jeanne was especially offensive to the church because she was a woman.

Jeanne continued to teach people to pray from their hearts. She taught that they could achieve intimacy with God apart from the need for a priest. In 1685, Jeanne wrote a book called “A Short and Very Easy Method of Prayer”.

The book became so popular that groups of Roman Catholic priests went about confiscating them to destroy them. They came into the town of Dijon, France, and gathered up a total of 300 copies and burned them! One Frenchman was known to have taken over 1500 copies and passed them out. The church saw Jeanne’s book as going too far against their authority so they arrested her.

Madame Guyon spent seven years in prison, the last two in solitary confinement in the Bastille. She continued to write while in prison. Jeanne produced a 20-volume commentary on the Bible, an autobiography, and many short works. There are precious collections of letters, especially those shared with Archbishop Francois de Fenelon, the most celebrated churchman of the day. Jeanne and Archbishop Fenelon were friends for twenty- five years.

Eventually, Jeanne was released from prison. She lived for another fifteen years in retirement with her daughter. She entertained many visitors from all over the world.

Madame Guyon died quietly in Blois, June 9, 1717, age sixty-nine.

Many have admired Jeanne Guyon very much. Shortly after Jeanne’s death the Quakers began using her book on prayer. It is said to have affected the Quaker movement more than any other single piece of literature. Others who were influenced by Jeanne Guyon were Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians.
John Wesley said of her, “How few such instances do we find of exalted love to God, and our neighbor; of genuine humility; of invincible meekness and unbounded resignation.”

One of the greatest persons influenced by Madame Guyon was Watchman Nee. Along with Madame Guyon’s autobiography the book on prayer also became an indirect influence on many of Watchman Nee’s co-workers.

I hope you will get some of Jeanne Guyon’s books. They are beautifully written and inspiring. Here are some excerpts from Chapter 1 of “Intimacy with Christ”. This “chapter” is a letter written in response to some correspondence she received. In this example you will see her earnest desire for prayer and for Quietism.

It makes me happy to see Jesus Christ inwardly reigning in the heart of one of God’s children. Thank you for your good letter….

Many pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” but have no intention of giving up their own ways, nor of allowing the cross to deal with their most deeply held desires. God wants to take each one of us, although we naturally resist it, through a desert time of experiencing the cross. He does not want to make it hard on us for no reason, but only so that we might enter the quiet rest of the promised land with Him….

The Lord gave you no strict rituals to follow. He teaches you to “enter into your closet,” that is, to quiet yourself, open your heart, and without many words, to touch your Lord who is within you.

The Sabbath is not just a day of outward rest, but the continual rest that you are privileged to enjoy when you are in union with God. How I wish that all Christians would know this deep, restful union with God; to live in God and have God live in them!

Louise de Marillac – Patron of Social Workers

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

In our continuation of the series on Medieval Christian Women Mystics we come to the life of Louise de Marillac of France, foundress of the Daughters of Charity.

Louise de Marillac stands as a model for all women. Wife, mother, teacher, nurse, social worker, mentor, spiritual leader, mystic, and foundress of charitable organizations, Louise let her light shine in the darkness.

In her excellent book, “Louise de Marillac: A Light in the Darkness”, Kathryn LaFleur explains that Louise was born in a very dark time in France’s history. Unless we understand just how bad the times were, we may miss how amazing Louise’s life of spirituality and devotion to the poor was. Louise’s life, a span of sixty-nine years (1591 – 1660) witnessed the “drama of three kings, two Queen-Regents, two powerful political cardinals and forty years of unrelenting war with its resultant destruction of the social, economic, political and religious fabric of the country.” Louise was born when Protestant Henri IV was struggling to keep his throne. Henry IV would convert to Roman Catholicism in order to appease the French people. “Paris is worth a Mass,” he famously said. The throne was contested with much war and destruction over Louise’s lifetime. This caused many of the people to become destitute, displaced, sick, or abused. Louise would be given ample opportunity to serve the poor.

Louise not only had to face perilous times, but she also overcame personal obstacles – illegitimate birth, early death of her husband, a sickly son, and a season of doubts – before she was able to finally live her dream of dedicating her life to Christ in service to the poor.

Louise was born on August 12, 1591, an illegitimate daughter to Louis de Marillac, Louise never knew who her mother was. Her father loved her very much and saw to it that she was educated at the Royal Abbey of Poissy, a school for those of noble birth. Louise was in the care of her great aunt, the Dominican nun, Mere Catherine Louise de Marillac. Louise received a liberal education, but she was also well-grounded spiritually. She learned the importance of the love of God, love of neighbor, and prayer. Louise sought to enter a cloister, but events intervened. Her father died and her support ended.

Through her de Marillac relatives, Louise met Antoine Le Gras. They had a short courtship and then were married on February 5, 1613 in the church of Saint-Gervais. Louise and Antoine had one son, Michel, on October 18, 1613.

Louise’s marriage was happy but short. Antoine grew gravely ill in 1621 and died four years later. A strong love had grown between Louise and Antoine. Their closeness was based on a mutual life of prayer, their devotion to the poor, their shared sorrows and struggles with their families, and the bond that grew during the four years that Louise nursed Antoine attentively.

During the years that Louise was nursing Antoine, she experienced some doubts. Louise had always wanted to join a cloister and spend her life ministering to the poor. She wondered if she would ever be able to realize her desire. Then one day while praying at church, Louise had a “Lumiere” or illumination. In this enlightenment she was told to continue to nurse her husband. A time would come when she would be able to be in a small community where others would vow to work among the poor. She believed that God was speaking to her and telling her to be patient, assuring her that the day would come when she could reach out to the poor full time.

Antoine died in 1625. Louise coped with her loss by praying and seeking advice from spiritual directors. She received sympathetic counseling from Saint Francis de Sales and the Bishop of Belley, France. Later, Louise met Vincent de Paul.

In 1629 Vincent de Paul invited Louise to assist him with his work in many parishes in France. Working among the poor helped Louise with her grief over Antoine’s death. While seeking God’s will for her life, Louise poured her efforts into the service of her less fortunate neighbors. Working as an assistant to Vincent de Paul, Louise learned how to organize and supervise visits. She reviewed financial accounts for stewardship reports. She learned what the actual needs of the poor were.

Finally, in 1633, Louise was ready to start her own ministry. She began to train young women in her home to address the needs of the poor. The girls were encouraged to form communities where they would live simply and dedicate their lives to Christ. This was how the Daughters of Charity began.

Louise provided the leadership by example. She worked among the poor herself. Louise trained her Daughters to seek first a life of solid virtue before they could serve the poor. Prayer and humility were essential to the religious life. The women were to consecrate their lives to serve the poor both spiritually and temporally in imitation of Christ for the glory of God. They endeavored to meet the physical needs of the poor while protecting their dignity and sharing the love of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

The Daughters began by going into the homes of the sick and nursing them there. They also visited hospitals, worked among galley slaves, orphans, soldiers on battlefields, the poor in war-torn villages, and the insane. During this time of social and political upheaval in France the needy were everywhere. Louise’s Daughters sought to liberate the poor from all of the calamities and injustices in which they lived.

The communities of the Daughters of Charity were unique for their time. In 1633 in France, the religious were cloistered. Both Louise and Vincent wanted the Daughters to be able to have the freedom to serve the poor without the restrictions that existed in cloisters, so they formed communities in villages and towns. Here the women would take simple annual vows of dedication. They would remember that their calling was to serve the poor. They lived modestly, virtuously, and in dependence on God. They gladly gave everything they had to the poor.

Louise spent her last years supporting, guiding and encouraging her Daughters.

In 1650, Michel married and had a daughter, Louise-Renee. Louise’s granddaughter was a joy not only to Louise but also to the Daughters of Charity.

In the last moments of her life, March 15, 1660, Louise could only think of the poor and her Daughters. She prayed that though her earthy light was going out, their light would still shine in their vocation of service to the poor and love for God. Vincent de Paul died only a few months later. Today Louise’s light shines throughout the world in many communities.

Louise’s case for sainthood was first introduced in 1895. In 1911 Pius X proclaimed Louise’s virtues as a great woman of prayer, mysticism, and works of mercy. In 1920 Benedict XV beatified her; in 1934 Pius XI canonized her; and in 1960 Pope John XXIII proclaimed Louise de Marillac the Patroness of All Those Devoted to Christian Social Works.

From a small house with four women in 1633 to 65 houses in 1660, Louise had witnessed the grace of God. She had indeed come to realize the fulfillment of her vision of work among the poor. Louise de Marillac was a prophetic witness during a dark time in France. We live in dark times too and Louise speaks to us today. She had a strong spiritual life both in contemplation and in social action. Louise is a model for us of the virtues of faith, hope and charity.

Teresa of Avila – Prayer and Contemplation

(Chapter 1) Treats of the beauty and dignity of our souls; makes a comparison by the help of which this may be understood; describes the benefit which comes from understanding it and being aware of the favours which we receive from God; and shows how the door of this castle is prayer.*

Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada was born on March 28, 1515 in Avila, Spain to mother Beatriz, a member of the nobility, and Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda who was a successful merchant. Don Alonso had two children from a previous marriage. He and Beatriz had ten more children. The children were all highly educated; Beatriz loved to read and Don Alonso had an extensive library that included many classics as well as theological books. Teresa took advantage of this library and became very learned. In November, 1528, when Teresa was thirteen, her mother died.

By the late fifteenth century the Spanish Inquisition had started. Ferdinand and Isabella (the king and queen who later gave Christopher Columbus his ships) were trying to unite Spain on ethnic and religious purity of blood. Teresa’s paternal grandfather, Juan Sanchez, was a Jew who had been forced to convert to Christianity. In 1485 he was accused of backsliding and was forced to endure humiliating punishment. In order to get away from this conflict Teresa’s family moved to Avila. There they were very financially successful.

Teresa was a vivacious and precocious child. When she was seven years old she and her brother ran away to try to convert Muslims. This was quite dangerous but fortunately a relative saw them and returned them home. During her teen years she gave up her piety and turned to frivolity. She engaged in such flirtatious behavior that her father sent her to an Augustinian convent for eighteen months. When she became ill in 1532 she returned home to recover. Afterwards she decided to enter the Carmelite house of the Encarnation, taking the veil in 1536.

This convent was very popular with the daughters of the wealthy. Teresa was able to live there with family members and friends and servants. She lived in some of the best quarters and ate good food. She was free to come and go. She could return home to visit family or recuperate from illness. This is not our usual picture of convents with their solitude, silence and prayer. Later Teresa would question the laxness of her convent and become desirous of reform for Encarnation.

After another serious illness in 1538, Teresa’s spiritual life deepened. She spent her time reading spiritual books while convalescing at the uncle’s home. She began to take her relationship with God seriously. She thought of God now in terms of friendship and love. She would later say that the presence of God within the human person was as a taste of heaven on earth.

She returned to the convent but then experienced such a serious illness that she was in a coma. Everyone thought she was dying. She recovered gradually, living with partial paralysis for three years. Again Teresa used her time to grow deeper in her relationship with God. She then went home to nurse her father until his death in 1543.

For the next ten years Teresa experienced tremendous spiritual growth. She began to have mystic visions. She tried to be cautious about telling others; some people assumed that all visions were demonic. But Teresa’s visions led her to do something about reforming the Encarnation. She desired to turn the convent into a place of piety, prayer, and community. Teresa’s visions also led to love for the poor and a willingness to serve others in Christian service.

Teresa’s first reformed convent, St. Joseph’s, opened up in 1562. The same year Teresa started writing “The Book of Her Life”. She also completed a Constitution to be used by the reformed convents.

Another problem that Teresa had to surmount was the fact that she was a woman. The Jesuit men confiscated her book during the Inquisition and held onto it until after her death, where it eventually found its way into the library of Philip II. Many people who loved her made copies and circulated them.

Like Catherine of Siena for Italy, Bridgett of Sweden, and Julian of Norwich, Teresa was an innovator for Spain. She was one of the first to write modern Spanish literature. She was a creative theologian; beatified by Pope Paul V in 1614; canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622; and made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI in 1970, the first woman to be given that honor in the Roman Catholic Church.

Teresa’s works include: “The Book of Her Life”; “Spiritual Testimonies and Soliloquies”; “Constitutions and On Making the Visitation”; “The Way of Perfection”; “The Interior Castle”; “Meditations on the Song of Songs”; and ”The Book of Her Foundations”.

Teresa wrote “The Interior Castle” in 1577. This book is well regarded by Protestants and Catholics alike as one of the most celebrated books on mystical theology in existence. It is considered to be Teresa’s most mature work and expresses the depth of her experience in guiding souls to a deeper relationship with God through prayer.

Besides the mystical content, Teresa writes an abundance of good advice on how to live as a human being in relation to God and others. She encourages the spiritual traits of self-examination, humility, progress in virtue, and grace. She aspired to evermore closeness to the Father and Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit, and longs for her sisters to know the same joy.

The central motif of “The Interior Castle” is that of a “castle made of a single diamond … in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions.”

The door by which one enters the castle is prayer and meditation. Once inside, the seeker is called to cultivate self-knowledge and humility before entering the rooms. It is the only way to spiritual progress. Pride will keep the soul from experiencing deeper fellowship with God.

The first set of mansions begins with a meditation on the excellence and dignity of the human soul, because it is made in the image and likeness of God. The souls are encouraged to spend as long as needed here in the Mansions of Humility.

In the second set of mansions, the soul matures as it seeks every opportunity to grow spiritually. Sermons, edifying conversation and good company are resources for maturing. Much time should be spent in the Mansion of Prayer.

In the third set of mansions, the Mansions of Exemplary Life, the soul learns to trust more in God and not to lean on their own strength and the virtues they have already acquired. Discipline, penance and charitable works are enjoined on the seekers.

In the fourth set of mansions, the soul learns to make God’s part increase more and more in their lives. Their soul is like a fountain built near a source of water. God gives the water of life.

In the fifth set of mansions the soul is able to reach a new level of prayer and contemplation. In the sixth set of mansions, a deep intimacy with the Lord is developed. In the seventh mansion, the soul reaches the “Spiritual Marriage” with the King. There is complete transformation and perfect peace. No higher state is conceivable until one reaches Heaven.

Teresa invited her sisters to enter the Interior Castle to move toward a life of prayer and contemplation, love and closeness to the Savior. Today we are invited to be in awe of the truth that God can make His presence real to us. We are in this castle together and as we become transformed by a life of prayer and love for God it should lead to works of charity and social action.

“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.” (Teresa of Avila)

*St. Teresa of Avila applied the figure of a castle to the life of prayer, which is also the life of virtue. She illustrates this in her “Interior Castle” (Written in 1577). This quote is the heading to chapter 1, “First Mansions”.

Author: Mary Walker