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5080
T413
1910
328
Co\\. Chnsti
H.
ST.
TERESA S
OWN WORDS
St.
Teresa
Own Words
Or, Instructions on
The Prayer of
Recollection
BISHOP OF
JAMES,
HEXHAM & NEWCASTLE
RLGIS
BffiL.
MAJ.
COLLEGE
LONDON BURNS
:
6r
OATES
NEW YORK,
CINCINNATI, CHIGAGO
BENZIGER BROTHERS
5>C
igiO
Coil.
Chiisii
Bibl.
Regis S.J.
Phil.
T
OU
St.
Teresa
Own Words.
i.
the
Prayer
Recollection.
IT
is
St.
Teresa
besides.
for
Own Words
ourselves.
II.
You know
that
God
is
everywhere
Now
(therefore
it is clear that wherever the King is,
there the Court is too
therefore,
wherever God is, there is heaven
and you can readily, believe that
He
is
in
our interior.)
;
wherever
glory
is
this
with
Divine Majesty
Him.
Then
is,
all
consider
St. Teresa s
what
St.
Augustine
God
"
Own Words
sought
found Him at
in
says
many
last within
7
he
that
places,
and
himself."
Lord
is
within
us,
On
me
to
in
forth
from every
St. Teresa
Own Words
heavenly substance, so
to
embrace within
Persons.
was admonished
the
it
that though
Divinity within
my
soul,
had
yet
Him
in
He contains every
Himself.
I
do not
to describe this
but it has
thing
within
know how
St.
Teresa
sOwn Words
this
sublime truth.
The
io
St.
sOwn Words
Teresa
which a
in
i.
St. Teresa
sOwn Words
capacity of a soul.
God
to
1 1
has
how
St. Teresa s
12
Own Words
Him who
or
such
shameful
member
sins, that
so they might re
whatever we do and
to behave with such
yet
before His eyes
irreverence
insulting
I
saw how richly hell is deserved for
any one single mortal sin for it is an
clearly beholds
we presume
purity.
I
was given
when
soul
is
to
in
understand
mortal sin,
that,
this
St. Teresa
nor seen
in
it,
Own Words
although
He
is
still
seeing
words
this
for
describe.
it
and expressing
is
very
However,
it
it
difficult
in
to
has been of
when
this
Sovereign
Majesty
will
we
we
14
St.
Teresa
Own Words
fallen
III.
Method and
Practice of the
Prayer
of Recollection.
It
may,
perhaps,
seem
it would be
folly to
a person to enter a room when he
ourselves, just as
tell
St.
more
Teresa
sOwn Words
troop of guards,
walk round this castle of their souls,
and never care to enter it at all, and
than,
like
it contains.
the gate whereby we have to
enter this precious dwelling of our
souls is by prayer and consideration.
I do not
say mental prayer only, but
vocal as well, provided it be accom
Now
may move
i.
his lips.^
minds
that
of
sur
palace
:
within
own
it
soul
*
great
King who
resides
in
part,
Castle of the
the cause
Sottl,
chap.
i.
why
St.
this
Teresa
palace
is
sOwn Words
so
beautiful.
For
it
building can
be compared, in beauty and magnifi
cence, with a soul that is pure and
and the higher
filled with virtues
these virtues are, the larger and more
is
2.
full
over to
made
this
an essential condition
and
certainly His
Divine Majesty
quite in the right
us
to do so. Let
not, then, refuse Him
what He asks. At the same time He
to
the
bargain,
is
St.
to give
Teresa
Him
nevej-_give
sOwn Words
only remember,,. //
will
entirely to us until
ourselves entirely to
Himself
we have given
works those
He
well.
Did we
St.
Teresa
Own Words
Give no place
to thoughts of what
think
of you, for though
may
but
a slight matter at
seem
they may
first, yet by degrees they will come
to give you much disquiet.
Banish
at
them, therefore,
once, remembering
that your kingdom is not of this world,
others
upon yourselves,
your own
have described, and there you
find your Heavenly Master, who
never desert you.
And the
external
consolation
you
find,
will
will
less
the
sOwn Words
St. Teresa
greater will
which
He
He
most
is
affliction."
not
_If_
)o
you believe
you do
so,
torment yourselves ?
O, God of my heart,
Thee
truly
this,
we only knew
if
Thou
art liberal
those
who wish
or
why do you
in the
us, for
beyond expression
to
Thee.
Believe me,
to understand this
a great point
and to see
honours here
it is
truth,
all
favours and
below are nothing but deceit when
they turn away the soul from this
that
interior recollection.
shall
tainly not
more bound
to
though no one
understand it than
for
is
I
2O
St. Teresa
sOwn Words
own
interior.
with
these occupations, we should often
turn our thoughts within ourselves, if
it be
The
only for a single moment.
mere act of calling to mind what a
Companion we have within us, is of
5.
great importance.
We
6.
must try to use our external
senses so as to promote the interests
of our interior.
For example, if we
to
let us call to mind
one,
speak
any
that there is One with whom we may
converse in the interior of our souls.
If we hear others speak of us, let us
remember that there is One to whom
us far
Shut
Teresa
St.
7.
But,
sOwn Words
above
all
Him
and remain
things,
that,
want
when we
we should
21
to
are
look at
And
be
if
far
Him.
off
enough
we had
to
God,
go
is
He
would
heaven
to see
indeed
to
beauty
Thy countenance that it is
not worth looking at when Thou art
so near us ?
When we speak to men
we think they are not listening to us
if we do not see that their
eyes are
upon us and shall we be so blind as
in
Thee
It
is,
then, of no small im
22
St.
Teresa
sOwn Words
though
He
were afar
off.
No
how
we
can,
many
times
in
the day
if
St. Teresa
Own Words
23
Speak
Him
He
is
Him
to treat
we have
Our
say a number of
He will let us know that
Fathers,"
He has heard us by the time we have
He is
got through a single one.
to
lessen
our
labours
always very glad
so that if, during a whole hour, we
were to say but one "Our Father,"
yet, provided we (a) bear in mind that
we are with Him, and
remember
to
"
(<$)
that
we
Him, and
Coll.
Christi
(c)
Re,
24
Teresa
St.
how
glad
ask,
and
He
(d)
sOwn Words
is
how
to give us
delighted
what we
He
is
to
company, He is quite
satisfied, and does not wish us to
split our heads by trying to make
be
our
in
long
discourses.
8. The soul thus recollected within
herself can also think of the Passion,
He
No
of charity.
10.
Whoever wishes
habit
to acquire this
before, it is
entirely
as
within
not
to exercise himself
fail
for,
said
our power
let
him
daily in
Teresa
St.
the
way
him,
give
sOwn Words
have described.
little
by
little,
25
will
It
perfect
He
it is
must
true
made
for
having
is
and
all
his
in spite of trouble.
ii. At the same time
we must never
true
and
sincere, our
Lord
will
never
us, for
to the
it
26
St. Teresa s
Own Words
IV.
Advantages of Using
the
Prayer of
Recollection.
It is a great help to a distracted
1.
for in order to
soul (as said before)
her
Father and to
to
Eternal
speak
;
St. Teresa s
Own Words
Those who
27
much sooner
practise
it
may
to
rest
very
ship
For they
will
advance much
in
It is like sailing in a
short time.
If the
to one s journey s end.
by
Admirable indeed
it
best to
for
they
very
path
secure from the dangers which sur
round them.
Divine love is
8. And the fire of
within
them for they
easily enkindled
7.
who
travel
by
this
is,
are
28
St.
Teresa
sOwn Words
this
heavenly fire
understanding do but
breathe upon it, the least spark that
touches them inflames their whole
that,
if
their
souls at once.
For
my
trouble
we should
I
(St. Teresa)
never
knew what
acknowledge
it was to
with
satisfaction
till our
pray
Lord taught me this method and the
great profit I have always found from
this habit of recollecting myself in
my own interior has induced me to
part,
that
speak of
11.
it
so
When
much
our
at length.
shall
Lord
have
St. Teresa
Own Words
29
know
will
God s
desire.
great object.
V.
Notanda Regarding
the
Prayer of
Recollection.
Let
me warn you
mental,
will
not to imagine
whether vocal or
serve as
foundation
For unless
spiritual edifice.
with this you obtain solid virtues and
for
your
30
St.
Teresa
sOwn Words
God
the
He
will
find
humility,
when
it.
fine
the Lord of
into
my
St.
Teresa
receive what
sOwn Words
3 1
He
Him
Him
thing
to
more
unlearned,
to
all
this
is
who
are
quite necessary
that there
out.
are
bear
in
hold it to be
should give our-
32
St.
sOwn Words
Teresa
within ourselves.
them and us
Now perhaps
who
will
particular
and
laugh
in
say,
there are
11
at
me
some people
for
being so
insisting upon
clear enough.
is all
all
this,
"
Well,
but yet
St.
have
Teresa
sOwn Words
33
Him
He
He
left
will;
littleness.
in
is
but
not
beginning,
may
be disturbed by seeing how very
little
she is to contain One who
is so
great, He does not allow her,
at
first,
little
to
understand
He
all
this,
till,
has
by little,
enlarged
and expanded the soul, according
to the measure of those gifts which
He designs to bestow upon her.
For this reason, I said that He is
free
to
do whatsoever He will,
for
He
St. Teresa s
34
which
in
palace
Own Words
He
is
pleased
to
dwell.
be real and
soon shows itself very
clearly, for then a certain effect is
produced in the soul, which I do not
Now,
genuine,
if
this recollection
it
know
exactly
which
is
how
describe,
but
who
to
it.
The soul sees that all the
of
this
world are a mere game,
things
an idle pastime, and joyfully abandons
the distracting scene, and then, like
one who retires into a strong castle to
be out of the reach of his enemies,
she withdraws her senses from these
external things, and so completely
turns her back upon them that, with
out thinking of it, the eyes of the body
close of themselves, that she may see
them no longer, but may be better
able to attend to what is going on in
has
her
felt
own
interior.
whosoever practises
Hence
this
it
is
that
method almost
since
it
some violence
away our eyes
St. Teresa
sOwn Words
35
However,
effort
is
desires.
Now
there
you
must
understand
that
are
its own
we only per
it
is
36
St. Teresa
Own Words
We
shall
the fruit of our exertions.
find, as soon as we begin to pray, that
the bees will all flock into the hive
and set to work to make the honey,
and this without any trouble on our
For it has pleased our Lord to
part.
ordain that, in reward for the little
trouble we take at the beginning,
once,
with them.
And
although, after
many
captives
and cannot do
us the harm they would have done
before; and when the will turns round
and calls them all in again, they come
back much more quickly. And, at
last, after they have thus many times
deserted and been brought back again
to their post, it pleases our Lord to
and conquered
subjects,
St. Teresa s
Own Words
37
at rest for
Amen.
PARTICULAR EXAMEN
As
how we Use
to
the
Prayer of
Recollection*
1.
Do
I,
God
my
in
in the
presence
interior?
2. Do I humble
myself before
and ask His help ?
3.
Do
make
powers of
my
exterior senses,
and the other
interior,
take off
my
to turn both
one
to
soul,
and
on
by looking
*
Him
our Lord
at
and
in
my
listening to
By Bishop Chadwick.
38
St.
Teresa
sOwn Words
my
interior,
and
i.e.,
on
affections
my
heart,
I
often declared to Him
desire to give myself entirely to
Have
5.
that
my
will
Him, and do I
so
give myself?
Do
treat
ask,
with
7.
in
Do
need
He
and that
me
to
delights
be
?
I
ask
of,
Him
for
and speak
what
to
Him
stand
with
blessing on
them
St. Teresa
Do
9.
tion daily
give
way
to distractions
If so,
Am
Own Words
Do
10.
resolved
to
off?
11.
Do
negligence
12.
Is
Do
my
prayer fruitful?
I increase in a desire to
(a)
in solid virtue and in
Do
perfection
i.e. :
advance
?
(b]
lessen the
number of my
Do
faults
and
imperfections?
endeavour
(c]
to practise the solid virtues?
(d] Is
I
Do
I,
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