When St. Theresa of Jesus founded the convent of St. Joseph of the discalced carmelites in Avile, it was not only for contemplative reasons but it was her apostolic yearn that forced her to further openings of convents. Especially after she heard the alarming news of the surounding countries who where engaged in religious stormy reformations and also when she came in contact with American missionaries; the preyers of the sisters of the reformed convents had to have an apostolic character. They preyed for priests and preachers and for those whose faith was threatened. . .

St. John of the Cross , her associate reformer of the Order showed, on his long travels and his life's work, similar motivations. They both where led by the spirit of the profet Elisah, who called: "I desided on the Lord, God of Hosts."

St. Theresa of Jesus was born on March 28th 1515 in Avila. After her parents she was called Ceped. When she was 14 years of age her mother died and her father placed her with the Augustine Sisters for education. She entered the Carmelite convent in 1536, but at first suffered a bout of sicknesses and interior struggles. In 1557 she decided to rule out anything from her life, that would withdraw her from the Lord in any way. She started a life of deep interior prayer. At that time she was longing for the return to the original rules with severe seclusion. After establishing the first reformed Carmelite Convent in 1562, she formed further such convents. When she met St. John of the Cross, she suggested to start reforming the monasteries.

Her writings became a school of deep prayer. She died in Alb de Tormes on October 1582. Because of current Gregorian reforms of the calendar, it fell on October 15th. In 1622 she was beatified and in 1970 together with St. Catherine of Siena declared a Doctor of the Chuch.

The Theresian Mystic is noted mainly for its sense of reality in the spiritual life and a personal friendship with Christ. St. Theresa greatly influenced the spiritual development of her time. Through her writings she inspired many later spiritual writers, and not only those. Her heritage is alive today also.

Saint John of Cross had a rich and multi-faceted personality. Mystic and theologian, reformer and spiritual master, he was moreover a poet and writer. These talents lead us to expect from him a great deal of direct information about his life, surroundings, vocation, and experience of God. I do not want to write his life story now, because it may be found in other places. John writes - God's pedagogy is...

"It should be known, then, thet God nurtures and caresses the soul, after it has been resolutely converted to his service, like a lovingmother who warms her child with the heat of her bosom, nurses it with good milk and tender food, and carries and caressed it in her arms. But as the child grows older, the mother withholds her caresses and hides her tender love. She rubs bitter aloes on her sweet breast and sets the child down from her arms, letting it walk on its own feet, so that it may put aside the habits of childhood and grow accustomed to greater and more important things. The grace of God acts just as a loving mother by reengendering in the soul new enthusiasm and fervor in the service of God. With no effort on the soul's part, this grace causes it to taste sweet and delectable milk and to experience intense satisfaction in the performace of spiritual exercises, because God is handing the breast of his tender love to the soul, just as if it were a delicate child." (Dark night 1. 1. 2)