The Way of Perfection - Discussion of Chapter 15 - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus

TheWay of Perfection          Discussion of Chapter 15

In chapter 15, St. Teresa starts by saying  
  that her writing is disconnected

     because she has little time and opportunity 
         to write, 
         much less organize her thoughts - 

 but then she catches herself  while making this "excuse".

She uses this as an opportunity for a lesson 
   regarding the virtue of:  

     "suffering  ( blame or criticism) without making excuses".

      There is "no gain 
            in our trying to free ourselves from blame"

      With God's help, this can lead 
            to "true humility" and self-knowledge.

◊ It brings self-knowledge 
            -  a realization of our faults:

     Teresa said 
       that even if  the accusations were inaccurate, 

           she often benefited 
       because she gained insight into her faults:

      ▫▫▫ "I never heard anything bad said of me 

                    which I did not clearly realize 
                  fell short of the truth."

      ▫▫▫ "If I had not …offended God 
                      in the ways they referred to, 

                   I had done so in many others"

      ▫▫▫ "realize how…we can never be blamed unjustly, 

                  since we are always full of faults"

      ▫▫▫ "If, then, we are not to blame 
                     for the thing that we are accused of, 

                  we are never wholly without blame 
                     in the way that our good Jesus was".

      ▫▫▫ "...so that it would be a falsehood for us 
                   to say we have no sin".

◊ It also brings Humility; 

      ▫▫▫  the realization 
                  "that if there is anything good in me 

                it comes from no other hands than (God's)"

       ▫▫▫  "to (practice these virtues) is to imitate the Lord" 

◊ It also brings Detachment:

      ▫▫▫  "What does it matter to us 
                     if we are blamed by them all, 

                           provided we are without blame 
                     in the sight of the Lord?"

      ▫▫▫ "...with the Lord's help, 
                     the gradual attainment 
                               of this freedom, and 

                               of renunciation and self-detachment, 
                         is quite possible"

◊ It Strengthens the soul:

       ▫▫▫ Teresa associates this  humility 
                      with an  opportunity for Penance.

                Rather than  "selective" penances (that we choose), 
                      or excessive penances,  

                St. Teresa extols the opportunity 
                      of  accepting  as penances, 
                  those undeserved misunderstandings and blames,  
                      that might befall us in the course of our day.

         ▫▫▫ "to make (this)  our penance"  

                     "they strengthen the soul; and...

                       they can be applied to very little things"

□□ But St. Teresa warned, 

            there may be some conditions 

               when the denial of  and defense against 
                         unfounded accusations is necessary:

                    - when the  truth will further 
                              the correction of an offense or scandal    

                   - when accepting unfounded or undeserved blame 
                              will delay a problem's correction

                   - when accepting unfounded blame 
                              will jeopardize persons, jobs, or safety

           "There are times 
                      when (submitting an excuse or defense ) is lawful, and 

                      when not to do it would be wrong... 

                      where hiding the truth might cause offence or scandal"

End of Discussion Of Chapter 15