Saturday, October 15, 2005

The Feast of St. Teresa of Avila

The ecstasy of St. Teresa by Bernini, in the Church of
Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome

One of my favorite saints, and a Doctor of the Church to boot.

Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing scare you.
All is fleeting.
God alone is unchanging.
Patience everything obtains.
Who possess God
Nothing wants.
God alone suffices

One of the most powerful memories I have of this poem is a beautiful rendition of the Spanish original, sung during Holy Communion at the outdoor Mass with Pope John Paul II, that closed World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002. A million people slowly inching forward to the various Communion stations scattered around the field, not a murmur or whisper from the crowd, under a bright sun and a blue sky, and the speakers carrying a deep, quiet, resonant voice chanting the above poem. Nada te turbe, nada te espante; quien a Dios tiene, nada le falta. Sólo Dios basta.

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