The Life of St Teresa of Avila

’It is those who are strong and true in the little things of life who are strong and true in the great trials.’

St Teresa of Avila has a special charm that is all her own. As a young child she convinced her brother that they should seek martyrdom in order to see God, and so they headed off that afternoon! Thwarted by an uncle who came upon them on their journey, God still asked of her the gift of her entire self, but on His terms. She entered the Carmelite convent of the Incarnation in Avila and discovered a deep calling to a life of prayer. After falling gravely ill she slipped into a certain laxness in her prayer life, recognising that she had ’more to give’ than she was then giving. After a deep conversion she found herself being drawn into a higher prayer life with ecstasies and visions. God used these to teach her absolute dependence on Himself and the renunciation of her own will. So often in her life incredible things happened simply because she was content to do only what was asked of her and be obedient.