Friday, October 15, 2010

Santa Teresa de Jesús

St. Teresa of Avila Writing by Antonio Acisclo Palomino

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"I know of a person to whom Our Lord wished to show what a soul was like when it committed mortal sin.  That person says that, if people could understand this, she thinks they would find it impossible to sin at all, and , rather than meet occasions of sin, would put themselves to the greatest trouble imaginable..." -excerpt from First Mansions Chapter Two

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"Humility must always be doing its work like a bee, making its honey in the hive:  without humility all will be lost." - excerpt from First Mansions Chapter Two


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On God calling us:  "...His appeals come through the conversations of good people, or from sermons, or through the reading of good books; and there are many other ways, of which you have heard, in which God calls us.  Or they come through sicknesses and trials, or by means of truth that God teaches us at times when we are engaged in prayer;  however feeble such prayers may be God values them highly..." excerpt Second Mansions Chapter One


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"Oh, humility, humility!  I do not know why I have this temptation, but whenever I hear people making so much of their times of aridity, I cannot help thinking that they are somewhat lacking in it..." - excerpt from Third Mansions, Chapter Three


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"...If we have not progressed as far as this, then, as I have said, let us practice humility, which is the ointment for our wounds; if we are truly humble, God, the Physician, will come in due course, even though He tarry, to heal us." - excerpt from Third Mansions, Chapter Two


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..."Perhaps we do not know what love is:  it would not surprise me a great deal to learn this, for love consists not in the extent of our happiness, but in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything and to endeavor, in allpossible ways, not to offend Him, and to pray Him ever to advance the honor and glory of His Son and the growth of the Catholic Church..." excerpt from Fourth Mansions, Chapter One



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..."The really essential thing, sisters, is that you should speak to your confessor very plainly and candidly- I do not mean here in confessing your sins, for of course you will do so then, but in describing your experiences in prayer.  For unless you do this, I cannot assure you that you are proceeding as you should or that it is God Who is teacing you.  God is very anxious for us to speak
St. Teresa protecting the 21 Carmelite Nuns
by Juan Pedro López



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Source: Interior Castles by Teresa de Ávila

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