Saint Teresa of Avila

"I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible."

"It is no small misfortune and disgrace that, through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin."

"Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."

"Our souls may lose their peace and even disturb other people's, if we are always criticizing trivial actions - which often are not real defects at all, but we construe them wrongly through our ignorance of their motives."

"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."

"The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit."

"To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that."

"To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience."

"We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us."

"What value is there in faith without works? And what are they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good?"

"While the soul is in mortal sin, nothing can profit it; none of its good works merit an eternal reward, since they do not proceed from God as their first principle, and by Him alone is our virtue real virtue."