St. Teresa
St. Teresa
commit cure daily flower grow however ourselves plant shall spade tall time uproot water
If we plant a flower or a shrub and water it daily it will grow so tall that in time we shall need a spade and a hoe to uproot it. It is just so, I think, when we commit a fault, however small, each day, and do not cure ourselves of it.
although believe commit corners cute-love fail found gain hidden love midst occasions small sweet-love
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.
beauty bodies carefully consider dwells faith good heard living possess precious preserving qualities seldom tells trouble vague within
We know only that we are living in these bodies and have a vague idea, because we have heard it, and because our faith tells us so, that we possess souls. As to what good qualities there may be in our souls, or who dwells within them, or how precious they are, those are things which seldom consider and so we trouble little about carefully preserving the soul's beauty.
company favor god good great places
What a great favor God does to those He places in the company of good people!
bear fertile however mind
Untilled soil, however fertile it may be, will bear thistles and thorns; and so it is with man's mind.
aids god help
God aids the valiant...both to you and to me He will give the help needed.
caused excessive intense lose pain several sharp sweetness utter wish
the pain was so sharp that it made me utter several moans; and so excessive was the sweetness caused me by this intense pain that one can never wish to lose it.
alone attains dismay disturb finds god lacks patience strives
Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing:God alone suffices.
advantage apply bees call clearly countless disposes gain gather god learn perceive perfect persevere rest return seem senses shut soon state themselves thus utter work
Learn to self-conquest, persevere thus for a time, and you will perceive very clearly the advantage which you gain from it. As soon you apply yourself to orison, you will at once feel your senses gather themselves together: they seem like bees which return to the hive and there shut themselves up to work at the making of honey. At the first call of the will, they come back more and more quickly. At last, after countless exercises, of this kind, God disposes them to a state of utter rest and of perfect contemplation.
friends-or-friendship treat wonder
(said of God):If this is the way you treat your friends, it's no wonder you have so few!
advice friendship prayer terms
Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.
alone endurance god patient
Patient endurance attaineth to all things; who God possesseth in nothing is wanting; alone God sufficeth.
fulfill learn ourselves self-knowledge surrender
We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can -- namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us.
comparison consider cost divine gain greatness high number paid precious realize road royal seems setting shall taking time treasures wonder
Do not dismayed daughters, at the number of things which you have to consider before setting out on this divine journey, which is the royal road to heaven. By taking this road we gain such precious treasures that it is no wonder if the cost seems to us a high one. The time will come when we shall realize that all we have paid has been nothing at all by comparison with the greatness of our prizes.