Thought for the Day – 15 October – ‘He is a true friend.’

Thought for the Day – 15 October – The Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church “Doctor of Prayer”

Let us Always be Mindful of Christ’s Love

Saint Teresa of Jesus of Avila
Doctor of the Church

An excerpt from her On the Book of Life

If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us.   He is a true friend. And I clearly see, that if we expect to please Him and receive an abundance of His graces, God desires, that these graces, must come to us from the hands of Christ, through His most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight.

Many, many times I have perceived this through experience.   The Lord has told it to me. I have definitely seen, that we must enter by this gate if we wish His Sovereign Majesty to reveal to us, great and hidden mysteries.   A person should desire no other path, even if he is at the summit of contemplation, on this road he walks safely.   All blessings come to us through our Lord.  He will teach us, for in beholding His life we find that He is the best example.

What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side?   Unlike our friends in the world, He will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed.   Blessed is the one who truly loves Him and always keep Him near.   Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul – it seems that no other name fell from his lips than that of Jesus, because the name of Jesus was fixed and embedded in his heart.   Once I had come to understand this truth, I carefully considered the lives of some of the saints, the great contemplatives and found that they took no other path – Francis, Anthony of Padua, Bernard, Catherine of Siena.   A person must walk along this path in freedom, placing himself in God’s hands.   If God should desire, to raise us, to the position of one who is an intimate and shares His secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.

Whenever we think of Christ, we should recall the love that led Him to bestow on us so many graces and favours and, also, the great love God showed, in giving us in Christ, a pledge of His love, for love calls for love in return.   Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love Him.   For, if at some time, the Lord should grant us the grace, of impressing His love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.

Jesus, What a True Friend You are
By St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)

Jesus, what a true friend You are
and how powerful.
May You be blessed forever, Lord,
for offering Your hand of love
in my darkest,
most lonely moments,
for loving me
more than I love myself
and for putting up with
such a stubborn soul as mine.
Amen

St Teresa, Pray for Us!