St. Teresa of Jesus, one of the most outstanding figures of Christian spirituality, found in St. Augustine a powerful inspiration that influenced both her life and her work. This bond was forged at two key moments in her life: first, during her youth in the convent of the Augustinian nuns in Avila, and later, when she read the Confessions of St. Augustine, a book that decisively marked her path towards full surrender to God. Despite the differences between their personal trajectories, the spiritual legacy of St. Augustine left an indelible mark on the soul of Teresa, both on a vital and doctrinal level.
An early encounter with Augustinian spirituality
St. Teresa’s first exposure to St. Augustine occurred during her adolescence, when she was sent to the Augustinian convent of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Grace in Avila. This period of a year and a half, between 1531 and 1532, was key for the young Teresa to begin to recover the religious devotion she had neglected during her youth. Although she did not experience a radical conversion at that time, it was in this Augustinian environment that Teresa began to cultivate a love for the spiritual life that would later prove decisive.
“The spiritual legacy of St. Augustine left an indelible mark on Teresa’s soul, both on a vital and doctrinal level.”
A key figure in this process was Mother Maria de Briceño, who had a notable influence on the young Teresa. The education received in this convent and the spirituality that breathed in her environment were decisive so that, although still without fully understanding the depth of Augustinian spirituality, Teresa began to have a firmer and more determined approach to God through the life of prayer and contemplation.
The reading of the Confessions and Teresa’s conversion
The real impact of St. Augustine on Teresa’s life came in 1554, when, at the age of 39, she read the Confessions of the saint. This reading marked one of the most important moments in her spiritual life. Encountering the words of St. Augustine, especially the account of his conversion, Teresa experienced a profound personal resonance, feeling herself reflected in the inner struggles of the bishop of Hippo. In chapter IX of her Book of Life, St. Teresa describes how, upon reaching the passage where St. Augustine hears a voice calling him to conversion, she felt that the same voice was for her.
“St. Teresa describes how, upon arriving at the passage where St. Augustine hears a voice calling him to conversion, she felt that this same voice was for her.”
This encounter with the Confessions led Teresa to a radical conversion, to a “determined determination,” in her own words, to give her life completely to God. Although she was already a nun in the convent of the Incarnation in Avila, Teresa recognized that her fidelity to her vocation had not been complete. The reading of St. Augustine gave her the necessary impulse to resolve her doubts and face her vocation with determination.