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" A soul which gives itself to prayer, either much or little, should on no account be kept within narrow bounds. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

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" Don't let your sins turn into bad habits. "

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" The custom of speaking to God Almighty as freely as with a slave - caring nothing whether the words are suitable or not, but simply saying the first thing that comes to mind from being learnt by rote by frequent repetition - cannot be called prayer: God grant that no Christian may address Him in this manner. "

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" It is no small misfortune and disgrace that, through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin. "

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" When I took the habit, the Lord immediately showed me how He favours those who do violence to themselves in order to serve Him. No one saw what I endured... At the moment of my entrance into this new state I felt a joy so great that it has never failed me even to this day; and God converted the dryness of my soul into a very great tenderness. "

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" Anyone who truly loves God travels securely. "

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" My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that he never could be persuaded to keep slaves, for he pitied them so much: and a slave belonging to one of his brothers being once in his house, was treated by him with as much tenderness as his own children. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" How friendly all men would be one with another, if no regard were paid to honour and money! I believe it would be a remedy for everything. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" It is here, my daughters, that love is to be found - not hidden away in corners but in the midst of occasions of sin. And believe me, although we may more often fail and commit small lapses, our gain will be incomparably the greater. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" Whoever has not begun the practice of prayer, I beg for the love of the Lord not to go without so great a good. There is nothing here to fear but only something to desire. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" 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? "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" 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. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" While the soul is in mortal sin, nothing can profit it; none of its good works merit an eternal reward, since they do not proceed from God as their first principle, and by Him alone is our virtue real virtue. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" 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. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" 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. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" I was living an extremely burdensome life, because every time I prayed, I became more clearly aware of my faults. On the one hand, God was calling me. On the other, I was following the way of the world. Doing what God wanted made me happy; but I felt bound by the things of this world. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" Those who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner have always a devotion to St. Joseph; for I know not how any man can think of the Queen of the angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the services he rendered them then. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" My good works, however wretched and imperfect, have been made better and perfected by Him Who is my Lord: He has rendered them meritorious. As to my evil deeds and my sins, He hid them at once. The eyes of those who saw them, He made even blind; and He has blotted them out of their memory. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" It is a most certain truth, that the richer we see ourselves to be, confessing at the same time our poverty, the greater will be our progress, and the more real our humility. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" May God protect me from gloomy saints. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" I had a father and mother, who were devout and feared God. Our Lord also helped me with His grace. All this would have been enough to make me good, if I had not been so wicked. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" When the soul, through its own fault... becomes rooted in a pool of pitch-black, evil smelling water, it produces nothing but misery and filth. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" I had many friends to help me to fall; but as to rising again, I was so much left to myself, that I wonder now I was not always on the ground. I praise God for His mercy; for it was He only Who stretched out His hand to me. May He be blessed for ever! Amen. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

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

Saint Teresa of Avila

" O my God, what must a soul be like when it is in this state! It longs to be all one tongue with which to praise the Lord. It utters a thousand pious follies, in a continuous endeavor to please Him who thus possesses it. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" I have often thought with wonder of the great goodness of God; and my soul has rejoiced in the contemplation of His great magnificence and mercy. May He be blessed for ever! For I see clearly that He has not omitted to reward me, even in this life, for every one of my good desires. "

Saint Teresa of Avila

" 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. "

Saint Teresa of Avila