Quotes from Teresa of Avila

How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.

Let nothing disturb you, / Nothing dismay you; / All things are passing: / God never changes.

God aids the valiant...both to you and to me He will give the help needed.

It is a great folly to be willing to violate the friendship of God, rather than the law of human friendship.

Discontent with this world gives such a painful longing to quit it that, if the heart finds comfort, it is solely from the thought that God wishes it to remain here in banishment.

Nothing is small if God accepts it.

Do you suppose that God has any need of our works? What God needs is the resoluteness of our will.

The best thing must be to flee from all to the All.

Thank God for the things that I do not own.

Lord, how Thou dost afflict Thy lovers!

Holy church-that mother who is also a queen because she is a king's bride.

God, deliver me from sullen saints.

God has no hands or feet or voice except ours and through these He works.

We are always in the presence of God, yet it seems to me that those who pray are in His presence in a very different sense.

How is it, Lord, that we are cowards in everything save in opposing thee?

God never changes; Patient endurance Attains to all things; Who God possesses In nothing is wanting; Alone God suffices.

It will be as well, I think, to explain these locutions of God, and to describe what the soul feels when it receives them.

Who God possesseth In nothing is wanting; Alone God sufficeth.

...Since in the centre of the soul there is a mansion reserved for God Himself...

What a great favor God does to those He places in the company of good people!

It is impossible for human tongue to exaggerate the riches which a vision from God brings to the soul: it even bestows health and refreshment on the body.

Never do anything which you could not do in the sight of all.

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. Everything passes away except God. God alone is sufficient.

Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed.