Have you ever noticed?

Everyone and their dog – if, for some reason, they talk to animals like Saint Francis and Saint Anthony – talks about Saint Teresa as is she’s their aunt. Probably older sister on the mother’s side: in Thai we’d say ป้า (bpa). What people say just have that feel to it.

With the Carmelite saints, this isn’t surprising. So Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity talks, a bit cheekily and amusingly, about aunt Teresa going into ecstasy while in the kitchen: no surprise there.

But it goes beyond Carmel. Saint Francis de Sales loves to talk about her as someone well known to him. Saint Alphonsus – no doubt about it! – talks as if Teresa is this big aunt, watchful, considerate, compassionate, wise, but adventurous, who will watch over his whole life; his view of her permeates too many of his writings to name. Later, Blessed Charles de Foucauld went back to her writings, saying very little about them but knowing something about a special relationship to her.

It’s like Saint Teresa’s place in heaven is to be a busy and carefree, but wise, aunt to anyone with an eye for the contemplative life. Have you every noticed?