A Reminder

And He Shall Lead

Our Gain is Eternal

Where You Are Meant To Be

To Be Content

Painting: John George Brown, Resting in the Woods

Mental Prayer Is

Except God

Of You, Of Me

Painting by Waterhouse

No Other Road

Painting used: Briton Rivière, The Temptation in the Wilderness

An Awakening

Painting used: John William Waterhouse, St. Cecilia

And Fair Weather Returns

'Storms, like a wave, pass quickly. And the fair weather returns.'

St. Teresa of Avila

Painting: Winslow Homer, Summer Squall

Will I Walk With Him?

'O Christians, it is time to defend your King
and to accompany Him in such great solitude.'

St. Teresa of Avila

Painting: James Tissot 

Daily Sainthood

'Jacob did not cease to be a saint because he had to attend to his flocks.'

St. Teresa of Avila

Painting: Joseph Farquharson, in US public domain due to age

Oh, What a Serious Thing

'Oh, what a serious thing sin is, 

for it was enough to kill God with so many sorrows!  

And how surrounded You are by them, my God!  

Where can You go that they do not torment You? 

Everywhere mortals wound You... 

what extraordinary ingratitude, my King!'

St. Teresa of Avila 

 Painting:  Colijn de Coter, The Mourning Mary Magdalene

40 Day Road

'O Jesus, Who were obedient unto death, You would not have one

that loves You well take any other road than that which You Yourself took.'  

St.  Teresa of Avila

Painting: David Friedrich Caspar

Give Us A Smile

'God deliver me from sullen saints!'

St. Teresa of Avila

Painting: Dos Niñas, Pere Borrell Del Caso

In All Things Give Him Thanks

'In all created things discern 

the providence and wisdom of God, 

and in all things give Him thanks.'

St. Teresa of Avila

Monet painting

Awakening

'Often when a soul is distracted and forgetful of God, His Majesty will awaken it.'

St. Teresa of Avila

Painting:  The Sleeping Princess, Duncan, 1915; cropped

No Changes in Weather

'Blessed be God, we shall find no changes in weather in eternity!'

St. Teresa of Avila

This Sweetest Water

Into my basic spiritual formation (which is Scripture) have been stirred the 'flavorings' of various saints.  These bring more than mere flavor to my personal spiritual stew.  They provide nourishment of their own.

Such richness is always consistent with Scripture and the teaching of the Church.  Is it important that there be this kind of complimenting?  Absolutely.  Just as we would not toss marshmallows into beef stew, we don't ladle conflicting teachings onto our storehouse of treasured scriptures.  Such mixtures could result in everything from an unpleasant taste to (depending on the added ingredient) something harmful to our physical or spiritual health.

Looking back over my mix of holy influences is turning out to be a marvelous exercise - sort of like tracing my spiritual family tree.

Taking stock of some of the saints whose writings first formed me, I find (very close to the 'base')  St. Teresa of Avila.  When I discovered her Spiritual Autobiography and Soliloquies in the 1980s, I felt I had found a friend for life.  

'O Lord my God,' wrote this wise, mystical, practical Doctor of the Church, 'how You possess the words of eternal life, where all mortals will find what they desire if they want to seek it!  But what a strange thing, my God, that we forget Your words in the madness and sickness our evil deeds cause!  O my God, God, God, author of all creation!... bring it about... that my thoughts not withdraw from Your words.'  (Soliloquies)

'Lazarus did not ask You to raise him up.  You did it for a woman sinner; behold one here,  my God and a much greater one; let Your mercy shine.  I although miserable, ask life for those who do not want to ask it of You.'  (Soliloquies)

'O Life, Who gives life to all!  Do not deny me this sweetest water that You promise to all who want it.  I want it, Lord, and I beg for it, and I come to You.  Don't hide Yourself, Lord, from me, since You know my need and that this water is the true medicine for a soul wounded with love for You.' (Soliloquies)