Ruminations of an Irascible Hermit.: St Teresa of Avila

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

St Teresa of Avila - Doctor of Prayer

This is why St Teresa is recognised as an expert on prayer by the Church and honoured as a Doctor of the Church.

Often we Catholics can get caught up in focusing in the “big things” like commiting to daily Mass, rosary, reading the Bible, meditation etc .. all are wonderful things in and of themselves, but then we forget about the “little things”

The goal is for us to be habitually in the Presence of God all day. The best way to do this is to make little acts of love throughout the day. Making the sign of the cross, kissing a statue or icon, or little prayers said under your breath throughout the day. The Desert Fathers called these “arrow prayers” - little prayers that we shoot up to God throughout the day.

In Eastern Christianity the most common form of this is praying the Jesus prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”.

Other people like to pray a Hail Mary regularly throughout the day, or a Glory Be when struggling at work. Personally I like to often pray “Come Holy Spirit, come by the means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well beloved spouse”. Or it can be as simple as “God help me/Lord I love you” - whatever helps you be in God’s presence through the day.

These little acts of love throughout the day help to enkindle your soul for God and improve your prayer life. I highly recommend it. You will find that it will help you grow spiritually to keep the fire of charity burning through the hard times.

**please note - I am not downgrading the importance of structured prayer, the Rosary, Lectio Divina or daily Mass. These are all wonderful grace filled and highly recommended by the Church and Saints to us.

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Disclaimer

Please note. I am a Catholic layman, not a qualified theologian or philosopher. What I say and write here are my own personal thoughts and ideas, although I always try to conform my writings to the Magisterium of the Church.

I- with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the symbol of faith: namely,

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith I believe as well everything contained in God's word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the church--whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal Magisterium--as divinely revealed and called for faith.

I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals.

What is more, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.