Saint John of Avila was

St. John of Avila was born on January 6, 1499, in the Castile region of Spain. At the age of fourteen, he was sent to the University of Salamanca to study law. John later moved to Alcala, where he studied philosophy and theology before his ordination as a diocesan priest. After John's parents died and left him as their sole heir to a considerable fortune, he sold the family property and gave the proceeds to the poor. In 1526, John went to Seville to prepare for departure as a missionary to Mexico. The archbishop of Seville persuaded him to stay and spread the faith in Andalusia. 

During his priestly ministry there, he developed a reputation as an engaging preacher, a perceptive spiritual director, and a wise confessor. He would later be known affectionately as "the apostle of Andalusia."  John's preaching not only bore good fruit, but it also stirred up animosity. He lived a life of radical poverty and regularly preached about the dangers of excessive wealth. Some of the local clergy were offended by his preaching because of their lavish lifestyles, so John was reported to the inquisition, subsequently arrested, and imprisoned. The charge was that he had preached in a sermon that "the doors of Heaven are closed to the rich…" Though many would despair during such personal persecution, John did not. During his year-long imprisonment, he devoted himself to prayer, study, and writing. He translated the book 'Imitation of Christ' and wrote much of his most famous book 'Listen, O Daughter,' a spiritual masterpiece on Christian perfection and the universal call to holiness. After a year, the Inquisition found him not guilty of any crime, and he was released in 1533.  

He was friends with Saints Francis Borgia, Ignatius of Loyola, John of God, John of the Cross, Peter of Alcantara, and Teresa of Avila. John of Avila worked closely with members of the Society of Jesus and helped their growth within Spain and its colonies. For a brief period, there was a discussion with the Jesuits, including Ignatius of Loyola, of his possible entry into the Society. However, Avila's failing health prevented this move, and he spent the last years of his life in semi-retirement in Montilla in the diocese of Cordoba. John of Avila died on May 10, 1569, and, in accord with his wishes, was buried in the Jesuit Church in Montilla. John was canonized on May 31, 1970, by Pope Paul VI. 

John has inspired the Church through his teachings on simplicity, poverty, and the universal call to holiness, as well as through his vigorous attempts to reform the clergy, his devotion to the Holy Mass, and his passionate pleas for repentance from sin. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 2012. 

St. John of Avila, obtain for us the grace to open our hearts to the voice of God and allow His Word to renew our minds and transform our lives.

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Prepared and updated by:

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.