St.Teresa of Avila - "If you wish to be perfect"

  • Thread starter Thread starter BarbaraTherese
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BarbaraTherese

Guest
http://dailygospel.org/www/popup-comments.php?language=AM&id=968

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-82), Spanish Carmelite nun, Doctor of the Church
Interior Castle, Mansion 3, Chapter 1
"If you wish to be perfect”
Yet do not suppose that our Lord has need of any works of ours; he only expects us to manifest our goodwill…if we continue in it… doubtless, by persevering in this poverty and detachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark this - it must be on one condition - that we `hold ourselves for unprofitable
Click to expand...
 
… he must proportion the reward to our love for him. This love, my daughters, must not be the fabric of our imagination; we must prove it by our works. Yet do not suppose that our Lord has need of any works of ours; he only expects us to manifest our goodwill…if we continue in it… doubtless, by persevering in this poverty and detachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark this - it must be on one condition - that we hold ourselves for unprofitable servants.’ (Lk 12:48)
Click to expand...
The Saint was saying that one’s love for the Lord cannot be lip service or love feelings only remain in the heart. The love of the Lord has to be reflected in action.

Humility and obedience goes hand by hand.

Without obedience, humility can only go so far, like the young man in the Gospel.
He was humble to certain degree by asking the question to Jesus. However, due to his disobedience, even received the answer, the young man was not able to follow the instruction.
Without humility, there is no possibility of obedience. An arrogant person won’t hear or see anything but what he wants to hear and see. This self-centeredness blinds a person’s mind and halts his progress.

If one makes good progress in humility and obedience and his action (work) bears fruits, be careful not to boast, not to take credit, but keep in mind that all good things are given from above. This is to be consistent in the virtue of humility and obedience. By striving so, one is receiving God’s grace and taking right steps toward perfection that is way down the road.
 
Very true…and that when all is done and all - one is merely an unprofitable servant in total detachment and poverty of spirit. This work is of Grace granted and glory is to God. All this is not a work of the intellect, but a disposition of the whole self accomplished by Grace - to sight oneself truly as unprofitable. Blessings - Barb:)
 
I guess one of the keys of the progress to perfection is detachment. Detachment from many ‘things’ is profitable for sure. But detachment from oneself is ultimately the clincher for me. Detaching myself from what makes up my ‘ego’ as opposed to the ‘self’ which is inhabited by the God. Being detached by God or beginning the process yourslef will bring one into a purgation and Ias I see it the most difficult. When we become so detached from ourselves (this will always be a struggle throughout our lives) then we can do works for God with only God in mind. Self-knowledge is a great asset here (st Igantius). Sometimes, our works are mingled with egotism and a touch of love for God. Until one is detached from any sense of well-being in doing anything good for God, well, we must continue to ask God to grace us with the blessing of total self-abnegation. One way I see it this: doing good for others when one only encounters criticism…and possibly hate and still one renders one’s service with the love of god with a smile on one’s face while quietly praying a prayer of blessing. This is when I believe one is working for God.

And this slow detachment step by step will allow us to become more humble and more obedient…we become less the center of our lives. Good works sometimes becomes a ‘need’ for a lot of people, saying it is for God, and yet fulfilling a great need to just be with others. God is in the pciture but a very small part of the picture.
 
Hi Shoshana and thank you for your post. What you have to say I agree with. The final work of detachment is a work of God alone through Grace - a passive purgation of detaching from self and on a level where only passive purgation can effect…which I think is simply another way of stating what you have posted. Certainly St. Teresa put both humility and self knowledge high on the scale of matters.

Blessings and regards…Barb
 
Can any of you give me an online resource for reading about St. Teresa?

A good one.

It can be long, I’ll print it out.

All I have is a book on saints and a little paragraph.

Thanks! 👍
 
DJgang said:
Can any of you give me an online resource for reading about St. Teresa?

A good one.

It can be long, I’ll print it out.

All I have is a book on saints and a little paragraph.

Thanks! 👍
Click to expand...
Dear Dana…the following will take you to online texts of each of the works of St. Teresa of Avila…Blessings - Barb
Teresa of Avila, St. (Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, 1515-1582) (Author Info)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top