St. John of Ávila (1499—1569) was known by all as a devout and humble priest. Reportedly, he spent two hours in prayer before Mass to anticipate receiving the Holy Eucharist and another hour after Mass in thanksgiving. This humble spiritual father counseled and consoled hundreds of souls through his sermons, letters, and spiritual direction. His spiritual guidance was much sought after. Yet, he was never quick to give an answer. Instead, he would often commend other people’s questions and intentions to God first. Only after he received a response in prayer would he report back to the souls in need. St. John of Ávila was a mentor and spiritual guide to his fellow Doctors of the Church, Saints Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross. His own life was not without troubles as he was imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition and later battled multiple sicknesses. In 1532, he was falsely accused of preaching that the rich could not get into heaven and was subsequently thrown in jail. However, he always maintained a great love for Our Lord in the Eucharist, and even his year-long imprisonment was spiritually fruitful as he studied the works of St. Paul and began one of his most well-known writings, Audi, filia (Listen Daughter). On October 7, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared St. John of Ávila a Doctor of the Church.
