Teresa of Avila: Let nothing disturb you

Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada - known as Teresa of Avila by millions over the last 500 years - lived in the 16th century, a time much like our own.  It was the beginning of the modern era, and it saw a revolution in almost every aspect of life.

Teresa, a looming figure in the historic church,  was one of the foremost writers on  prayer.   Her definition of prayer has been used for centuries by followers of Jesus:

Mental prayer [oración mental] is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.

I find comfort in her most popularly known writing, a brief poem is known as her “Bookmark” (it was found in her prayer book after her death in 1582):

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things pass away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Comments

[silver mist]

i miss my teacher in college... emcv
she just passed away last year. she shared me this poem that really helped me to cope with the hardest times in my life then.
thank you mam. you were God sent.
now you're home with God.
i know with what's happening right now, please ask Him to help me cope.
i know it would take time but i believe in this prayer you gave me. God never changes... i just need courage and strength to be patient until things be OK.

[Denise]

Long story about how I found this blog...

I love that poem and it brings to mind Sir Francis Drake's:

"Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope and love."

-- Sir Francis Drake

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