The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself Quotes

“I am quite sure I am more afraid of people who are themselves terrified of the devil than I am of the devil himself.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“It is of great importance, when we begin to practise prayer, not to let ourselves be frightened by our own thoughts.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“For if the will has nothing to employ it and love has no present object with which to busy itself, the soul finds itself without either support or occupation, its solitude and aridity cause it great distress and its thoughts involve it in the severest conflict.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“I know a person who, though no poet, composed some verses in a very short time, which were full of feeling and admirably descriptive of her pain: they did not come from her understanding, but, in order the better to enjoy the bliss which came to her from such delectable pain, she complained of it to her God. She would have been so glad if she could have been cut to pieces, body and soul, to show what joy this pain caused her. What torments could have been set before her at such a time which she would not have found it delectable to endure for her Lord's sake?”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“Mental prayer is, as I see it, simply a friendly intercourse and frequent solitary conversation with Him who, as we know, loves us.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“I used unexpectedly to experience a consciousness of the presence of God, or such a kind that I could not possibly doubt that He was within me or that I was wholly engulfed in Him. This was in no sense a vision: I believe it is called mystical theology. The soul is suspended in such a way that it seems to be completely outside itself. The will loves; the memory, I think, is almost lost; while the understanding, I believe, thought it is not lost, does not reason—I mean that it does not work, but is amazed at the extent of all it can understand; for God wills it to realize that it understands nothing of what His Majesty represents to it.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“But always when I was without a book, my soul would at once become disturbed, and my thoughts wandered. As I read, I began to call them together again and, as it were, laid a bait for my soul”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“I cannot think why we should be astonished at all the evils which exist in the Church, when those who ought to be models on which all may pattern their virtues are annulling the work wrought in the religious Orders by the spirit of the saints of old.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“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, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated

“Reading is of great service towards procuring recollection in any one who proceeds in this way; and it is even necessary for him, however little it may be that he reads, if only as a substitute for the mental prayer which is beyond his reach.”
― St. Teresa Of Avila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated

“O infinite goodness of my God! It is thus that I seem to see both myself and Thee. O Joy of the angels, how I long, when I think of this, to be wholly consumed in love for Thee! How true it is that Thou dost bear with those who cannot bear Thee to be with them! Oh, how good a Friend art Thou, my Lord! How Thou dost comfort us and suffer us and wait until our nature becomes more like Thine and meanwhile dost bear with it as it is! Thou dost remember the times when we love Thee, my Lord, and, when for a moment we repent, Thou dost forget how we offended Thee. I have seen this clearly in my own life, and I cannot conceive, my Creator, why the whole world does not strive to draw near to Thee in this intimate friendship. Those of us who are wicked, and whose nature is not like Thine, ought to draw near to Thee so that Thou mayest make them good. They should allow Thee to be with them for at least two hours each day, even though they may not be with Thee, but are perplexed, as I was, with a thousand worldly cares and thoughts. In exchange for the effort which it costs them to desire to be in such good company (for Thou knowest, Lord, that at first this is as much as they can do and sometimes they can do no more at all) Thou dost prevent the devils from assaulting them so that each day they are able to do them less harm, and Thou givest them strength to conquer. Yea, Life of all lives, Thou slayest none of those that put their trust in Thee and desire Thee for their Friend; rather dost Thou sustain their bodily life with greater health and give strength to their souls.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“What is it we buy with this money we desire? Is it something valuable? Is it something lasting? Oh, why do we desire it? Miserable is the rest achieved that costs so dearly.”
― St. Teresa Of Avila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated

“In fact, all of your theological concepts may only serve to cool the fire of love in the will.”
― Teresa of Ávila, Teresa of Avila: The Book of My Life

“for mental prayer is nothing else, in my opinion, but being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him Who, we know, loves us.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated

“We should pray most regularly for those who give us light.”
― Teresa of Ávila, Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila

“This good companionship began to root out the habits which bad companionship had formed, and to bring my thoughts back to the desire of eternal things.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“The love of God does not consist in tears or in this delight ad tenderness, which for the greater part we desire and find consolation in; but it consists in serving with justice and fortitude of soil and in humility. Without such service it seems to me we would be receiving everything and giving nothing.”
― St. Teresa Of Avila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila

“If I were to give advice, I would say to parents that they ought to be very careful whom they allow to mix with their children when young; for much mischief thence ensues, and our natural inclinations are unto evil rather than unto good.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“I saw an angel close by me, on my left side, in bodily form. This I am not accustomed to see, unless very rarely. Though I have visions of angels frequently, yet I see them only by an intellectual vision, such as I have spoken of before. It was our Lord's will that in this vision I should see the angel in this wise. He was not large, but small of stature, and most beautiful -- his face burning, as if he were one of the highest angels, who seem to be all of fire: they must be those whom we call cherubim. Their names they never tell me; but I see very well that there is in heaven so great a difference between one angel and another, and between these and the others, that I cannot explain it.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“...aconsejaría yo a los que tienen oración, en especial al principio, procuren amistad y trato con otras personas que traten de lo mismo. Es cosa importantísima, aunque no sea sino ayudarse unos a otros con sus oraciones, ¡cuánto más que hay muchas más ganancias!
Y no sé yo por qué no se ha de permitir que quien comenzare de veras a amar a Dios y a servirle, deje de tratar con algunas personas sus placeres y trabajos, que de todo tienen los que tienen oración.”
― St. Teresa of Ávila, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself

“Men think it lacking in humility and suppose that it is trying to teach those from whom it should learn, especially if the person in question is a woman.”
― St. Teresa of Avila, The Life of the Holy Mother Teresa of Jesus: The Reader's Digital Edition

“determined to ask those of heaven to heal me--for I wished, nevertheless, to be well, though I bore my illness with great joy. Sometimes, too, I used to think that if I recovered my health, and yet were lost for ever, I was better as I was. But, for all that, I thought I might serve God much better if I were well. This is our delusion; we do not resign ourselves absolutely to the disposition of our Lord, Who knows best what is for our good.”
― Teresa of Ávila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated

“The soul lets out some sighs — not great ones — because it can do no more; they are felt within.”
― St. Teresa Of Avila, The Autobiography of St. Teresa Of Avila: By St. Teresa Of Avila - Illustrated