Teresa Of Ávila
Teresa Of Ávila Quotes about Prayer
Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.
Mental prayer is nothing else but being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him.
Contemplative prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.
It is of great importance, when we begin to practise prayer, not to let ourselves be frightened by our own thoughts.
Much more is accomplished by a single word of the Our Father said, now and then, from our heart, than by the whole prayer repeated many times in haste and without attention.
The life of prayer is just love to God, and the custom of being ever with Him.
Before prayer, endeavour to realise Whose Presence you are approaching and to Whom you are about to speak, keeping in mind Whom you are addressing. If our lives were a thousand times as long as they are we should never fully understand how we ought to behave towards God, before Whom the very Angels tremble, Who can do all He wills, and with Whom to wish is to accomplish.
Don't imagine that, if you had a great deal of time, you would spend more of it in prayer. Get rid of that idea; it is no hindrance to prayer to spend your time well.
Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed.
One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying. He is offering up his sufferings to God, and many a time he is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and meditates his head off, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that is prayer.
A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord's pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.
Souls without prayer are like bodies, palsied and lame, having hands and feet they cannot use.
Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.
Prayer is a friendly conversation with the One we know loves us.