Our life is the life of heaven. St John of the Cross has said that the contemplative has no task here below that she will not have in heaven. The difference is that on earth that task is done in the obscurity of faith; in heaven there will be no…
And when the soul suffers the direct assault of this Divine light, its pain, which results from its impurity, is immense; because, when this pure light assails the soul, in order to expel its impurity, the soul feels itself to be so impure and miserable that it believes God to…
For years I have not belonged to myself, I have surrendered myself wholly to Jesus, and He is free to do with me whatsoever He pleases. -St. Therese
It should be noted here that, when we desire anyone’s affection, we always seek it because of some interest, profit or pleasure of our own….When this truth is put to them, they laugh at the distress which had been assailing them in the past as to whether their affection was…
How serious life is: each minute is given us in order to “root” us deeper in God, as Saint Paul says, so the resemblance to our divine Model may be more striking, the union more intimate. But to accomplish this plan, which is that of God Himself, here is the…
Beg our Lord to grant you perfect love of neighbor and leave the rest to Him. -St. Teresa of Avila
Don’t be troubled, little sisters, if I suffer very much and if you see in me, as I’ve already said, no sign of happiness at the moment of my death. Our Lord really dies as a Victim of Love, and you see what His agony was! -St. Therese
Let your desire be to see God; your fear lest you lose Him; your joy in that which will take you to Him, and thus shall you live in great peace. – St. Teresa of Avila
Some there are who call the Bridegroom their Beloved, but He is not really beloved, because their heart is not wholly with Him. Their prayers are, therefore, not so effectual before God, and they shall not obtain their petitions until, persevering in prayer, they fix their minds more constantly upon…
…Jesus has taken command of my ship and has protected it from encountering other vessels. He has kept me in solitude with Himself. Consequently, my heart, by knowing this Captain, has fallen under the spell of His love, and here He keeps me captive. Oh, I love this prison and…