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object:1.27 - Describes the great love shown us by the Lord in the first words of the Paternoster and the great importance of our making no account of good birth if we truly desire to be the daughters of God.
book class:The Way of Perfection
author class:Saint Teresa of Avila
class:chapter

"Our Father, which art in the Heavens." O my Lord, how Thou dost reveal Thyself as the Father
of such a Son, while Thy Son reveals Himself as the Son of such a Father! Blessed be Thou for
ever and ever. Ought not so great a favour as this, Lord, to have come at the end of the prayer?
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The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

Here, at the very beginning, Thou dost fill our hands and grant us so great a favour that it would
be a very great blessing if our understanding could be filled with it so that the will would be occupied
and we should be unable to say another word. Oh, how appropriate, daughters, would perfect
contemplation be here! Oh, how right would the soul be to enter within itself, so as to be the better
able to rise above itself, that this holy Son might show it the nature of the place where He says His
Father dwells-namely, the Heavens! Let us leave earth, my daughters, for it is not right that a
favour like this should be prized so little, and that, after we have realized how great this favour is,
we should remain on earth any more.
O Son of God and my Lord! How is it that Thou canst give us so much with Thy first word? It
is so wonderful that Thou shouldst descend to such a degree of humility as to join with us when
we pray and make Thyself the Brother of creatures so miserable and lowly! How can it be that, in
the name of Thy Father, Thou shouldst give us all that there is to be given, by willing Him to have
us as His children-and Thy word cannot fail? [It seems that] Thou dost oblige Him to fulfil Thy
word, a charge by no means light, since, being our Father, He must bear with us, however great
our offences. If we return to Him, He must pardon us, as He pardoned the prodigal son, must comfort
us in our trials, and must sustain us, as such a Father is bound to do, for He must needs be better
than any earthly father, since nothing good can fail to have its perfection in Him. He must cherish
us; He must sustain us; and at the last He must make us participants and fellow-heirs with Thee.
Behold, my Lord, with the love that Thou hast for us and with Thy humility, nothing can be an
obstacle to Thee. And then, Lord, Thou hast been upon earth and by taking our nature upon Thee
hast clothed Thyself with humanity: Thou hast therefore some reason to care for our advantage.
But behold, Thy Father is in Heaven, as Thou hast told us, and it is right that Thou shouldst consider
His honour. Since Thou hast offered Thyself to be dishonoured by us, leave Thy Father free. Oblige
Him not to do so much for people as wicked as I, who will make Him such poor acknowledgment.
O good Jesus! How clearly hast Thou shown that Thou art One with Him and that Thy will is
His and His is Thine! How open a confession is this, my Lord! What is this love that Thou hast for
us? Thou didst deceive the devil, and conceal from him that Thou art the Son of God, but Thy great
desire for our welfare overcomes all obstacles to Thy granting us this greatest of favours. Who but
Thou could do this, Lord? I cannot think how the devil failed to understand from that word of Thine
Who Thou wert, beyond any doubt. I, at least, my Jesus, see clearly that Thou didst speak as a
dearly beloved son both for Thyself and for us, and Thou hast such power that what Thou sayest
in Heaven shall be done on earth. Blessed be Thou for ever, my Lord, Who lovest so much to give
that no obstacle can stay Thee.
Do you not think, daughters, that this is a good Master, since He begins by granting us this
great favour so as to make us love to learn what He teaches us? Do you think it would be right for
us, while we are repeating this prayer with our lips, to stop trying to think of what we are saying,
lest picturing such love should tear our hearts to pieces? No one who realized His greatness could
possibly say it would be. What son is there in the world who would not try to learn who his father
was if he had one as good, and of as great majesty and dominion, as ours? Were God not all this,

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St. Teresa of Avila

it would not surprise me if we had no desire to be known as His children; for the world is such that,
if the father is of lower rank than his son, the son feels no honour in recognizing him as his father.
This does not apply here: God forbid that such a thing should ever happen in this house-it would
turn the place into hell. Let the sister who is of the highest birth speak of her father least; we must
all be equals.
O College of Christ, in which the Lord was pleased that Saint Peter, who was a fisherman,
should have more authority than Saint Bartholomew, who was the son of a king! His Majesty knew
what a fuss would be made in the world about who was fashioned from the finer clay-which is
like discussing whether clay is better for bricks or for walls. Dear Lord, what a trouble we make
about it! God deliver you, sisters, from such contentions, even if they be carried on only in jest; I
hope that His Majesty will indeed deliver you. If anything like this should be going on among you,
apply the remedy immediately, and let the sister concerned fear lest she be a Judas among the
Apostles. Do what you can to get rid of such a bad companion. If you cannot, give her penances
heavier than for anything else until she realizes that she has not deserved to be even the basest clay.
You have a good Father, given you by the good Jesus: let no other father be known or referred to
here. Strive, my daughters, to be such that you deserve to find comfort in Him and to throw
yourselves into His arms. You know that, if you are good children, He will never send you away.
And who would not do anything rather than lose such a Father?
Oh, thank God, what cause for comfort there is here! Rather than write more about it I will
leave it for you to think about; for, however much your thoughts may wander, between such a Son
and such a Father there must needs be the Holy Spirit. May He enkindle your will and bind you to
Himself with the most fervent love, since even the great advantage you gain will not suffice to do
so.



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IN CHAPTERS TITLE
1.27_-_Describes_the_great_love_shown_us_by_the_Lord_in_the_first_words_of_the_Paternoster_and_the_great_importance_of_our_making_no_account_of_good_birth_if_we_truly_desire_to_be_the_daughters_of_God.

IN CHAPTERS CLASSNAME

IN CHAPTERS TEXT
1.27_-_Describes_the_great_love_shown_us_by_the_Lord_in_the_first_words_of_the_Paternoster_and_the_great_importance_of_our_making_no_account_of_good_birth_if_we_truly_desire_to_be_the_daughters_of_God.

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Wikipedia - Guru Yoga
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1838889.Guru_Yoga
https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Tantra_techniques_(Vajrayana)#Guru_yoga
https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Vajrayana#Guru_yoga


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