Carmelite Quote

Today's Quote from St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila)

Speaking of the great benefits we reap in prayer by meditating on the humanity of Christ, she states:

As a rule, our thoughts must have something to lean upon, though sometimes the soul may go out from itself and very often may be so full of God that it will need no created thing to assist it in recollection. But this is not very usual: when we are busy, or suffering persecutions or trials, when we cannot get as much quiet as we should like , and at seasons of aridity, we have a very good Friend in Christ. We look at him as a man; we think of his moments of weakness and times of trial; and He becomes our companion. Once we have made a habit of thinking of him in this way, it becomes very easy to find Him at our side, though there will come times when it is impossible to do either the one thing or the other.For that reason it is advisable to do as I have already said: we must not show ourselves to be striving after spiritual consolations; come what may, the great thing for us to do is to embrace the Cross. The Lord was deprived of all consolation; they left Him alone in His trials.

(The Life, Chap. 22)

From the Secular Carmelite Rule (Article 6):

The Secular Carmelite highly esteems the invitation of the Lord to deny himself and willingly take up his cross daily and follow Him; he will therefore gladly mortify himself in union with the sacrifice of Christ, remembering too our Holy Mother Teresa's remark that "prayer cannot be accompanied by self-indulgence." (Way of Perfection 4,2).

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS