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object:CHAPTER 33 - Treats of our great need that the Lord should give us what we
ask in these words of the Paternoster "Panem nostrum
quotidianum da nobis hodie."116
book class:The Way of Perfection
author class:Saint Teresa of Avila
class:chapter

The good Jesus understands, as I have said, how difficult a thing He is offering on our behalf,
for He knows our weakness, and how often we show that we do not understand what the will of
the Lord is, since we are weak while He is so merciful. He knows that some means must be found
by which we shall not omit to give what He has given on our behalf, for if we did that it would be
anything but good for us, since everything we gain comes from what we give. Yet He knows that
it will be difficult for us to carry this out; for if anyone were to tell some wealthy, pampered person
that it is God's will for him to moderate his eating so that others, who are dying of hunger, shall
have at least bread to eat, he will discover a thousand reasons for not understanding this but
interpreting it in his own way. If one tells a person who speaks ill of others that it is God's will that
he should love his neighbour as himself, 117he will lose patience and no amount of reasoning will
convince him. If one tells a religious who is accustomed to liberty and indulgence that he must be
careful to set a good example and to remember that when he makes this petition it is his duty to
keep what he has sworn and promised, and that not in word alone; that it is the will of God that he
should fulfil his vows and see that he gives no occasion for scandal by acting contrarily to them,
even though he may not actually break them; that he has taken the vow of poverty and must keep
it without evasions, because that is the Lord's will-it would be impossible, in spite of all this, that
some religious should not still want their own way. What would be the case, then, if the Lord had
not done most of what was necessary by means of the remedy He has given us? There would have

116
117

"Give us this day our daily bread."
Lit.: "should want as much for himself as for his neighbour, and for his neighbour as for himself." The italicized phrase is found
in E. only.

107


The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

been very few who could have fulfilled this petition, which the Lord made to the Father on our
behalf: "Fiat voluntas tua." Seeing our need, therefore, the good Jesus has sought the admirable
means whereby He has shown us the extreme love which He has for us, and in His own name and
in that of His brethren He has made this petition: "Give us, Lord, this day our daily bread."
For the love of God, sisters, let us realize the meaning of our good Master's petition, for our
very life depends on our not disregarding it. Set very little store by what you have given, since there
is so much that you will receive. It seems to me, in the absence of a better opinion, that the good
Jesus knew what He had given for us and how important it was for us to give this to God, and yet
how difficult it would be for us to do so, as has been said, because of our natural inclination to base
things and our want of love and courage. He saw that, before we could be aroused, we needed His
aid, not once but every day, and it must have been for this reason that He resolved to remain with
us. As this was so weighty and important a matter, He wished it to come from the hand of the
Eternal Father. Though both Father and Son are one and the same, and He knew that whatever He
did on earth God would do in Heaven, and would consider it good, since His will and the Father's
will were one, yet the humility of the good Jesus was such that He wanted, as it were, to ask leave
of His Father, for He knew that He was His beloved Son and that He was well pleased with Him.
He knew quite well that in this petition He was asking for more than He had asked for in the others,
but He already knew what death He was to suffer and what dishonours and affronts He would have
to bear.
What father could there be, Lord, who, after giving us his son, and such a Son, would allow
Him to remain among us day by day to suffer as He had done already? None, Lord, in truth, but
Thine: well dost Thou know of Whom Thou art asking this. God help me! What a great love is that
of the Son and what a great love is that of the Father! I am not so much amazed at the good Jesus,
because, as He had already said "Fiat voluntas tua", He was bound, being Who He is, to put what
He had said into practice. Yes, for He is not like us; knowing that He was carrying out His words
by loving us as He loves Himself, He went about seeking how He could carry out this commandment
more perfectly, even at His own cost. But how, Eternal Father, couldst Thou consent to this? How
canst Thou see Thy Son every day in such wicked hands? Since first Thou didst permit it and
consent to it, Thou seest how He has been treated. How can Thy Mercy, day by day and every day,
118
see Him affronted? And how many affronts are being offered to-day to this Most Holy Sacrament?
How often must the Father see Him in the hands of His enemies? What desecrations these heretics
commit!
O Eternal Lord! How canst Thou grant such a petition? How canst Thou consent to it? Consider
not His love, which, for the sake of fulfilling Thy will and of helping us, would allow Him to submit
day by day to being cut to pieces. It is for Thee to see to this, my Lord, since Thy Son allows no
obstacle to stand in His way. Why must all the blessings that we receive be at His cost? How is it
that He is silent in face of all, and cannot speak for Himself, but only for us? Is there none who

118

Lit.: "each day, each day."

108


The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

will speak for this most loving Lamb? Give me permission to speak for Him, Lord, since Thou hast
been pleased to leave Him in our power, and let me beseech Thee on His behalf, since He gave
Thee such full obedience and surrendered Himself to us with such great love.
I have been reflecting how in this petition alone the same words are repeated: first of all the
Lord speaks of "our daily bread" and asks Thee to give it, and then He says: "Give it us to-day,
Lord." 119He lays the matter before His Father in this way: the Father gave us His Son once and for
all to die for us, and thus He is our own; yet He does not want the gift to be taken from us until the
end of the world but would have it left to be a help to us every day. Let this melt your hearts, my
daughters, and make you love your Spouse, for there is no slave who would willingly call himself
by that name, yet the good Jesus seems to think it an honour.
O Eternal Father, how great is the merit of this humility! With what a treasure are we purchasing
Thy Son! How to sell Him we already know, for He was sold for thirty pieces of silver; but, if we
would purchase Him, no price is sufficient. Being made one with us through the portion of our
nature which is His, and being Lord of His own will, He reminds His Father that, as our nature is
His, He is able to give it to us, and thus He says "our bread". He makes no difference between
Himself and us, though we make one between ourselves and Him through not giving ourselves
daily for His Majesty's sake.



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CHAPTER_33_-_Treats_of_our_great_need_that_the_Lord_should_give_us_what_we, #The Way of Perfection, #Saint Teresa of Avila, #Christianity
  object:CHAPTER 33 - Treats of our great need that the Lord should give us what we
  ask in these words of the Paternoster "Panem nostrum

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