QUOTATION: Mistakes

One who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.

--St. Teresa of Avila  

QUOTATION: Love

Love is the measure of our ability to bear crosses.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Humility

Pay very great attention, daughters, to this point, which I shall now tell you; for at one time it may be humility and virtue to consider ourselves to be bad, and at another time it may be a very great temptation; and because I have experienced this, I know it to be true. However great our humility may be, it does not disturb or disorder the soul, but brings peace, delight, and calmness. Should anyone, seeing herself to be wicked, clearly understand that she deserves to be in Hell, and can scarcely dare ask for mercy, if this be true humility, this grief has a certain sweetness and satisfaction attendant upon it, so that we would not wish to see ourselves without: it does not disturb nor straiten the soul, but rather enlarges her, and disposes her for serving God the more fervently. But the other kind of grief troubles and disorders everything, and quite throws the soul into confusion, and is very painful. I believe the devil tries to make us think we have humility, and at the same time (if he can) to make us distrust God. When you find yourselves in this state, avoid, as much as you can, thinking on your own misery, meditate on the mercy of God, and how He loves you, and how much He suffered for you.

--St. Teresa of Avila, Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer

QUOTATION: Perfection

It is evident that one who would merely aim at avoiding mortal sin would not be living according to the standard of moral conduct outlined in the Gospel. Our Lord proposes to us as the ideal of holiness the very perfection of Our Heavenly Father: "Be ye therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect." Hence, all having God for their Father must approach this divine perfection - which evidently cannot be accomplished without progress.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: The Lukewarm

The lukewarm do not embrace the cross; they merely drag it along.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Crosses

If you seek to carry no other crosses but those whose reason you understand, perfection is not for you.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: How God Speaks to Us

This Lord of ours is so anxious that we should desire Him and strive after His companionship that He calls us ceaselessly, time after time, to approach Him . . . 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 truths which 

God teaches us at times when we are engaged in prayer; however feeble such prayers may be, God values them highly.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Keep It to Yourself

Learn to suffer a little for the love of God without telling everyone about it.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Mental Prayer

He who neglects mental prayer needs no devil to carry him to hell. He brings himself there with his own hands.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: After Communion

After Communion let us be careful not to lose so good an opportunity of negotiating with God. His divine majesty is not accustomed to pay badly for his lodging, if he meets with a good reception.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Marian Devotion

The devotions we practice in honor of the glorious Virgin Mary, however trifling they be, are very pleasing to her divine Son, and He rewards them with eternal glory.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: God Has No Body on Earth But Yours

God has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Sense of Humour

A sad nun is a bad nun… I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits. What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Truth

Truth suffers, but never dies.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Physical Comfort

Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs and desires it finds.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Christ's Body

Christ has no body now but mine. He prays in me, works in me, looks through my eyes, speaks through my words, works through my hands, walks with my feet and loves with my heart.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Petitioning God

You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Obedience

I often thought my constitution would never endure the work I had to do, (but) the Lord said to me: ‘Daughter, obedience gives strength.’

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: No Servant is Greater than the Master

We should blush for shame to show so much resentment at what is done or said against us, knowing that so many injuries and affronts have been offered to our Redeemer and the saints.

--St. Teresa of Avila

QUOTATION: Judgement at the Hour of Death

It will be a great consolation for us at the hour of death to know that we are to be judged by Him whom we have loved above all things during life.

--St. Teresa of Avila