Brief Background:
St. Teresa of Jesus (St. Teresa of Ávila) was born in Spain in 1515. She was a Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer of the Church. Although she struggled with prayer early in her religious life, she eventually discovered that prayer was about developing a deep friendship with Jesus.

She became known for her teachings on prayer, holiness, and the importance of joy in the spiritual life. In 1970, she became the first woman declared a Doctor of the Church.

Patron Saint of: People suffering from headaches and migraines, those experiencing illness, and people seeking a deeper life of prayer.

REFLECTION:

So today, on the Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, otherwise known as St. Teresa of Ávila, we at Maryknoll School will be celebrating a beautiful tradition that began more than 100 years ago with Mother Mary Joseph Rogers, the foundress of the Maryknoll Sisters.

Back in 1915, Mother Mary Joseph wanted to do something special for the sisters on the Feast of St. Teresa. So she arranged for them to enjoy ice cream sodas and sundaes. They gathered together, played games, laughed, and simply enjoyed one another's company.

And that became a tradition that we continue to celebrate at Maryknoll today.

Now, you might wonder, what does eating ice cream have to do with holiness? Actually, I think quite a lot. Because one of the beautiful things about St. Teresa of Ávila was her understanding of holiness.

For St. Teresa, holiness was not about being serious all the time. It was about growing in friendship with Jesus and allowing that friendship to fill our lives with love and joy.

Sometimes we have this idea that being holy means always being serious, always praying, always following rules, and never having fun. We imagine saints as people who never laughed, never struggled, and never enjoyed the simple pleasures of life.

But St. Teresa reminds us that holiness is not about becoming less human. It's about allowing God's love to make us more loving, compassionate, and joyful. St. Teresa herself struggled with prayer for many years. But eventually, she came to understand that prayer was not simply about saying the right words or fulfilling a religious obligation. She described prayer as spending time with someone whom we know loves us.

Think about that. When you're with someone you love, whether it's your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, or a good friend, you don't spend the entire time being serious. You laugh together. You share stories. You enjoy one another's company.

And that's the kind of friendship St. Teresa invites us to develop with Jesus.

But here's where today's Gospel challenges us. Jesus is upset with the religious leaders because they knew so much about God, yet their attitudes and actions were making it difficult for others to encounter Him. They knew the laws and the Scriptures, but they were missing something essential. They knew about God, but their lives were not always reflecting God's love.

And perhaps that's a danger for us too.

We can become so focused on doing everything correctly, following traditions, or making sure things are done a certain way that we forget the joy, mercy, and love that should be at the heart of our faith.

Sometimes we can even make our faith feel like a burden rather than an invitation to encounter Jesus.

And that's why I love the Maryknoll Sisters' ice cream tradition.

It reminds us that faith is not simply about what we do for God. It's also about receiving and celebrating the goodness of God in our lives.

Sometimes holiness looks like spending time in prayer. Sometimes it looks like forgiving someone who has hurt us. Sometimes it looks like helping someone in need. And sometimes it can be as simple as sharing ice cream, laughing together, and reminding someone that they are loved and that they belong.

My friends, holiness is not the absence of joy. Holiness is allowing the love of Jesus to become the source of our joy.

So today, as we celebrate St. Teresa of Jesus, perhaps we can ask ourselves: Does my faith bring joy and hope to the people around me? Does my relationship with Jesus make me more loving, welcoming, and compassionate? Or have I become so focused on the obligations of faith that I've forgotten the joy of knowing Christ?

May St. Teresa teach us to grow in friendship with Jesus, not simply through our prayers, but through the way we live and love.

And may we remember that sometimes the simplest moments of friendship, laughter, and joy can become beautiful reminders of God's presence.

Because holiness is not simply about getting to heaven someday. It's also about allowing others to experience a little bit of heaven through the love and joy we share with them today.

And you all know I love ice cream so go and celebrate St. Theresa today with a scoop of ice cream.