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St. Teresa of Avila
The Way of Perfection
IntraText CT - Text
The Way of Perfection
CHAPTER 23 - Describes the importance of not turning back when one has set out upon the way of prayer. Repeats how necessary it is to be resolute.
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CHAPTER
23
-
Describes
the
importance
of not
turning
back
when one has
set
out upon the
way
of
prayer
.
Repeats
how
necessary
it is to be
resolute
.
Now, as I have
said
, it is most
important
that from the first we should be very
resolute
, and for this there are so many
reasons
that if I were to
give
them all I should have to
write
at
great
length
. Some of them are
given
in other
books
. I will
tell
you
just
two
or
three
of them,
sisters
. One is that when we
decide
to
give
anything -- such as this
slight
effort
of
recollection
88
-- to Him Who has
given
us so much, and Who is
continually
giving
, it would be
wrong
for us not to be
entirely
resolute
in
doing
so and to
act
like a
person
who
lends
something and
expects
to
get
it
back
again. (Not that we do not
receive
interest
: on the
contrary
, we
gain
a
great
deal
.) I do not
call
this "
giving
". Anyone who has been
lent
something always
feels
slightly
displeased
when the
lender
wants
it
back
again,
especially
if he is using it himself and has
come
to
look
upon it as his own. If the
two
are
friends
and the
lender
is
indebted
to the
recipient
for many
things
of which he has made him
free
gifts
, he will
think
it
meanness
and a
great
lack
of
affection
if he will
leave
not even the
smallest
thing
in his
possession
,
merely
as a
sign
of
love
.
What
wife
is there who, after
receiving
many
valuable
jewels
from her
husband
, will not
give
him so much as a
ring
-- which he
wants
, not because of its
value
, for all she has is his, but as a
sign
of
love
and a
token
that she will be his until she
dies
? Does the
Lord
deserve
less than this that we should
mock
Him by taking away the
worthless
gift
89
which we have
given
Him? Since we have
resolved
to
devote
to Him this very
brief
period
of
time
-- only a
small
part
of what we
spend
upon ourselves and upon
people
who are not
particularly
grateful
to us for it -- let us
give
it Him
freely
, with our
minds
unoccupied
by other
things
and
entirely
resolved
never to
take
it
back
again, whatever we
may
suffer
through
trials
,
annoyances
or
aridities
. Let me
realize
that this
time
is
being
lent
me and is not my own, and
feel
that I can
rightly
be
called
to
account
for it if I am not
prepared
to
devote
it
wholly
to
God
.
I
say
"
wholly
", but we must not be
considered
as taking it
back
if we should
fail
to
give
it Him for a
day
, or for a few
days
, because of
legitimate
occupations
or through some
indisposition
.
Provided
the
intention
remains
firm
, my
God
is not in the least
meticulous
;
90
He does not
look
at
trivial
details
; and, if you are
trying
to
please
Him in any
way
, He will
assuredly
accept
that as your
gift
. The other
way
is
suitable
for
ungenerous
souls
, so
mean
that they are not
large-hearted
enough to
give
but
find
it as much as they can do to
lend
. Still, let them make some
effort
, for this
Lord
of ours will
reckon
everything we do to our
credit
and
accept
everything we
want
to
give
Him. In
drawing
up our
reckoning
, He is not in the least
exacting
, but
generous
; however
large
the
amount
we
may
owe
Him, it is a
small
thing
for Him to
forgive
us. And, as to
paying
us, He is so
careful
about this that you
need
have no
fear
He will
leave
us without our
reward
if only we
raise
our
eyes
to
Heaven
and
remember
Him.
A
second
reason
why we should be
resolute
is that this will
give
the
devil
less
opportunity
to
tempt
us. He is very much
afraid
of
resolute
souls
,
knowing
by
experience
that they
inflict
great
injury
upon him, and, when he
plans
to do them
harm
, he only
profits
them and others and is himself the
loser
. We must not become
unwatchful
, or
count
upon this, for we have to do with
treacherous
folk
, who are
great
cowards
and
dare
not
attack
the
wary
, but, if they
see
we are
careless
, will
work
us
great
harm
. And if they
know
anyone to be
changeable
, and not
resolute
in
doing
what is
good
and
firmly
determined
to
persevere
, they will not
leave
him alone either by
night
or by
day
and will
suggest
to him
endless
misgivings
and
difficulties
. This I
know
very well by
experience
and so I have been
able
to
tell
you about it: I am
sure
that none of us
realize
its
great
importance
.
Another
reason
, very much to the
point
, is that a
resolute
person
fights
more
courageously
. He
knows
that,
come
what
may
, he must not
retreat
. He is like a
soldier
in
battle
who is
aware
that if he is
vanquished
his
life
will not be
spared
and that if he
escapes
death
in
battle
he must
die
afterwards. It has been
proved
, I
think
, that such a
man
will
fight
more
resolutely
and will
try
, as they
say
, to
sell
his
life
dearly
,
fearing
the
enemy
's
blows
the less because he
understands
the
importance
of
victory
and
knows
that his very
life
depends
upon his
gaining
it. We must also be
firmly
convinced
from the
start
that, if we
fight
courageously
and do not
allow
ourselves to be
beaten
, we shall
get
what we
want
, and there is no
doubt
that, however
small
our
gains
may
be, they will make us very
rich
. Do not be
afraid
that the
Lord
Who has
called
us to
drink
of this
spring
will
allow
you to
die
of
thirst
. This I have already
said
and I should like to
repeat
it; for
people
are often
timid
when they have not
learned
by
experience
of the
Lord
's
goodness
, even though they
know
of it by
faith
. It is a
great
thing
to have
experienced
what
friendship
and
joy
He
gives
to those who
walk
on this
road
and how He
takes
almost the whole
cost
of it upon Himself.
I am not
surprised
that those who have never made this
test
should
want
to be
sure
that they will
receive
some
interest
on their
outlay
. But you already
know
that even in this
life
we shall
receive
a
hundredfold
, and that the
Lord
says
: "
Ask
and it shall be
given
you."
91
If you do not
believe
His
Majesty
in those
passages
of His
Gospel
where He
gives
us this
assurance
, it will be of
little
help
to you,
sisters
, for me to
weary
my
brains
by
telling
you of it. Still, I will
say
to anyone who is in
doubt
that she will
lose
little
by
putting
the
matter
to the
test
; for this
journey
has the
advantage
92
of
giving
us very much more than we
ask
or shall even
get
so
far
as to
desire
. This is a
never-failing
truth
: I
know
it; though, if you do not
find
it so, do not
believe
any of the
things
I
tell
you. I can
call
as
witnesses
those of you who, by
God
's
goodness
,
know
it from
experience
.
88
Este
cuidadito
:
lit
., "this
little
attentiveness
" -- another
characteristic
diminuitive
.
89
Lit
.: "a nothing at all" (
una
nonada
).
90
No
es
nada
delicado
mi
Dios
. "
Fastidious
" might be
nearer
to the
characteristically
bold
adjective
of the
original
.
91
St
.
Luke
xi
,
9
.
92
Lit
.: "the
good
."
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