BURGOS, Spain.
On the occasion of the V Centenary of the birth of Saint Teresa of Jesus, the Teresian Association in Burgos, member of the Diocesan commission for this Centenary, organized a series of lectures and a prayer-concert which took place from January 28-30.
Teresa of Jesus, yesterday and today
On January 28, Itziar Aguinagalde Madariaga gave the first talk, titled "Teresa of Jesus, yesterday and today."
The speaker presented different aspects of this Saint: Woman, Writer, Mystic, and Creator of Culture. Through these, she presented the turbulent time Teresa had to live through, the difficulties she had to face, both inside and outside the Church, and her decision to reform the Carmelite Order, all of which is reflected in her final statement "I finally die a daughter of the Church".
She was a Saint who promoted living a prayer-action, contemplative that went from being a vocal prayer to deep meditation, which led her to her radical conversion to the Gospel.
Itziar Aguinagalde invited those present in this wide audience to read Saint Teresa’s books, which, even today, have a great message for us.
Teresa of Jesus, fully human and all God’s
On January 29 Pilar Concejo Álvarez spoke on the topic: "Teresa of Jesus, fully human and all God’s” She began by recalling the importance of Teresa ‘s last founding in Burgos on January 26, 1582, "in which the Lord had real interest, because there were many difficulties surrounding this time." "I am with you". "Do not stop making this foundation," was the response Teresa receives to her complaints to the Lord for what was happening.
The speaker focused on these three points: Who is Teresa of Jesus? What time did she live in and how did she live? What does Teresa tell us today, men and women of the XXI century to live our own time, no less tough than the one she lived in?
Pilar Concejo recalled, "that Teresa is a reference that offers an experience of life for our journey." She presented her as a woman with the heart and mind centered on the times she had to live through: "do the little that I could."
Referring to the present time, she stated that today Teresa tells us that "times of social, cultural and ecclesial crisis demand strong friends of God, believers committed to the transformation of reality." “The world is in flames and there is no time to deal with things of little importance".
Finally, Pilar Concejo recalled that Saint Pedro Poveda found in Santa Teresa the model for his collaborators in the Teresian Association.
For You I was born
The third day of the meeting was spent in the church of Madres Carmelitas, the last foundation of St. Teresa. The reason was a prayer-concert directed and animated by Elia Fleta Mallol. The title was: For You I was born.
Throughout the various songs Elia Fleta promoted a prayerful and participatory environment to ask the Lord, as Teresa did, that we may know how to go forth today to be witnesses of his love and transformers of history.
The evaluation of the event was positive, so the Teresian Association in Burgos is grateful.
Text: Loly Ruera
Photos: Maria Cruz Bendaña