Two Saints and Susannah

[Susan Peabody]

What I have in common with Saint Teresa of Avila . . . We both have headaches. We are both writers. We're both reformers. We both founded organizations. We both believe that hell is the absence of God not fire and brimstone. We both believe that obedience is more important than our suffering. We both believe that our suffering is part of our walk with Jesus. We are both happy to be near the end of our journey. We both lack confidence in ourselves, but she has more humility than I do.

I also identify with Mother Theresa because I like working with the poor. We both have a temper. I am also very organized like Mother Theresa. She did not just work with the poor she organized a new order of nuns, the Missionaries of Charity. My contribution to the world s Love Addicts Anonymous with over 7,000 members. Mother Theresa carried on despite her depression. I carry on despite my headaches. Saints are on the scale from 1 to 10 a ten. I am maybe, on a good day, a 4. But I say with all candor that I'm think I'm on the same path with them. I feel the same adoration for God. I share the same passion for service. Jesus is my husband. We are all three women ahead of our times.

The seven mansions of the Interior Castle . . .


www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/H%20-%20World%20Religions%20and%20Poetry/World%20Religions/Christianity/Books/St.%20Teresa%20of%20Avila/The%20Interior%20Castle/The%20Seven%20Mansions%20of%20the%20Interior%20Castle.htm

[Susan Peabody]

Dear Danna:

I just googled the book, Interior Castle, by St. Teresa Avila and it took me to a summary. It is irrelevant who prepared the summary.

I like all faiths as long as their center is love and the one true God. I am not a Buddhist, but they have a good philosophy about life. They do not, however, believe in God.

St. Teresa had a vision like John who wrote Revelations. In it she saw a diamond-like castle with 7 mansions prepared for us by God. While we are alive we may enter each mansion one by one. Each one represents a deep understanding of self and of God. The seventh mansion is where a marriage takes place. For women it is a marriage to Christ. To men it is the marriage to the Holy Spirit.

I do understand why you cannot accept this. It is very Catholic and it sees the Holy Spirit as feminine. Rach, which means spirit, is a feminine word. So this is where I assume we part company because the Holy Spirit herself revealed this to me. The Bible is only one of the rooms in the castle. The other rooms are accessed by prayer, meditation, suffering, and obedience.

I am going to research Catholicism because I agree with them about purgatory. They are also less homophobic. I am on a journey like in my allegory Where Love Abides. The book you read was only Part I.