Saint Theresa: Ecstasy in the Interior Castle

 Ecstasy in The Interior Castle 

“It is foolish to think that we will enter heaven without entering into ourselves.” -St. Teresa of Avila

The Name Theresa

Christians, in general, name their children with the Faith as a guide. Drawing on biblical names and saint names male and female, we name our kids Matthew, Peter and Sebastian or Mary, Sarah and Catherine. Some names however are unmistakebly Catholic names. Theresa is definitely one of those. If you know any Theresas chances are their parents are Catholic.There are two reasons for that, actually two great Saints.

Many are surprised to find out that before Saint Therese of Lisieux there was Saint Theresa of Avila. Both were European. Both were Carmelite nuns, both were mystics, both are Doctors of the Church and both have a feast day in October. Therese, the Little Flower was named after Theresa of Jesus  (Honorable mention to Saint Theresa of Calcutta aka Mother Teresa). 

Personally, I feel more connected to Therese of Lisieux. Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, gives us a glimpse into a spirituality that seems doable. The little way is, it seems, attainable and open to all. After all, her great virtue is in being small, hidden and humble. In her autobiography Therese gives us many anecdotal stories about 'the little way' in her family life and her life in Carmel that resonate with the average Catholic.

Regarding her prayer life she said, “In a word, prayer is something noble, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites it to God. For me, prayer is a burst from my heart, it is a simple glance thrown toward heaven, a cry of thanksgiving and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy. Frequently, only silence can express my prayer.” The average Catholic could probably relate to that description of prayer.

The Interior Castle

Out in the deep end of Catholic spirituality, there is the Interior Castle; the book written by Saint Theresa of Avila covering the vast, seemingly impenetrable levels of the mystical prayer in the life of Theresa that the average Catholic can only dream of attaining. This is because Saint Theresa of Avila spent her time in prayer on the other side of the veil in mystical ecstasy. 

She had a vision of the human soul as a radiant diamond-like castle containing seven mansions, which she interpreted as the journey of faith through seven stages, ending with mystical union with God. This great contribution to spiritual literature is called, The interior Castle. 

Ecstasy

She once wrote about a time that she encountered an angel with a sharp spear tip that he repeatedly plunged into her heart.

"I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying”. (The Life of Teresa of Jesus. Chapter XXIX; Part 17.)

"In this deepest level of prayer, one’s “will is fully occupied with Him” and “fully awake to the things of God.” It is so deep that the soul will never forget the experience after it happens. She describes the “bodily energies” like seeing, hearing, and touching disappearing. This can be either gradual and quick. In certain moments and for a short time, the soul even loses the faculties of the intellect and memory. Ecstatic prayer can lost for hours and can happen often, without any control over when." 1

The Catholic Church proudly enshrined her extraordinary prayer life and her experience described above with a famous statue, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa,  (above). Sculpted by Bernini and completed in 1652, it is located in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and stands as a monument to contempletive prayer.      .

It stands under rays of golden light surrounded by an elaborate canopy, as if to say, ‘If you live out the Faith and practice it with devotion to prayer, loving service and supernatural sacraments then this kind of ecstasy could happen to you. You could reach these heights of holiness.’ (if not in this world than eventually in heaven).

For Theresa of Avila, as a passionate bride of Christ, heaven was experienced while on earth. 

So today, in spite of all the other Theresa’s we know, we remember Saint Theresa of Avila. Because of her and because of that marble ode to mystical union with God sculpted by Bernini, what many of us first think of when we hear the name Theresa is 'ecstasy'.