Thursday, May 3, 2012

Teresa of the Andes Part 6

VEE:  THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!  I keep thinking of the scene after she dies and is laying in the choir surrounded by flowers and all the nuns.  The family is permitted to enter the sanctuary and walk right up to the grille.  They stand there waiting facing the dark curtain when suddenly the curtain is drawn back and they can see that beautiful scene.  She was not alone as her brother earlier cried thinking about.  What thoughts went through their minds upon seeing that?  Seeing the beauty and glory of a holy life, a life we all are called to live wherever we are, yet many of those close to her were caught up in a tepid faith or worldly ways.  

Apparently her sister Rebecca entered that same Carmel within the year but I wonder what became of the other family members?  One would think that with a saint in the family the other family members would easily change their ways and get to heaven but we do have free will so who knows.

I cant believe Ive turned into such a nerd watching nun movies.  It was only several years ago that I was watching shows like Jackass.  God does interesting things to people.


DS:  The movie is over.  All I can say after watching the final episode is "wow."  It hit me emotionally and spiritually.  We witness the death of a saint, in all its drama, joy, sadness, glory.  St. Teresa of the Andes "heard" the Blessed Virgin tell her that within one months time, she would be gone from her mortal entrapment.  At first, this is too much to bear for Teresa, and the first and only person she shares this information is with her chaplain.  His only response for her is to live for Christ "even if that means living here for another 50 years."  (He doesn't believe her.)  On Good Friday, the other sisters notice how faint Teresa looks, and she is taken to her cell, never to leave it again.  The actress, Paulina Urrutia, gives a convincing portrayal of the saint in all her sufferings... this is where I just lost it...what we witness next, is the beautiful love the sisters have for their sister-in-Christ.  They take care of her, stay by her bedside, and try their best to relieve her suffering.  Try as they might, the suffering remains.  Teresa is an offering, an oblation to the Lord.  She struggles as typhus rages through her boddy.  There is no relief.  The relief only comes when the Lord comes to take her to Him forever. 

Many have said the movie moves at a very slow pace.  I agree, but at the same time, I remained very entertained with the characters.  You get to see what environment Teresa grew up in, her family and her experiences that led her to Carmel.  We see a depth in Teresa that we rarely get to see in most Saint movies.  I believe it is a very beautiful depiction of the saint, one that left me inspired to do everything I can to move closer to Jesus.   I highly recommend this movie. 

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