Saint Teresa of Avila Quotes
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Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.
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Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.
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Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.
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If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.
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For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.
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There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.
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The devil put before me that I could not endure the trials of the religious life, because of my delicate nurture. I defended myself against him by alleging the trials which Christ endured, and that it was not much for me to suffer something for His sake; besides, He would help me to bear it.
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To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that.
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If I should say anything that is not in conformity with what is held by the Holy Roman Catholic Church, it will be through ignorance and not through malice. This may be taken as certain, and also that, through God's goodness, I am, and shall always be, as I always have been, subject to her.
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Don't let your sins turn into bad habits.
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To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.
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Pain is never permanent.
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All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.
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I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him.
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Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.
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I am more afraid of those who are terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself.
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We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us.
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What friends or kindred can be so close and intimate as the powers of our soul, which, whether we will or no, must ever bear us company?
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Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul: it seems that no other name fell from his lips than that of Jesus, because the name of Jesus was fixed and embedded in his heart.
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If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend.
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What value is there in faith without works? And what are they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good?
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All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding His life we find that He is the best example.
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May God protect me from gloomy saints.
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A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord's pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.