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object:CHAPTER 37 - Describes the excellence of this prayer called the Paternoster,
and the many ways in which we shall find consolation in it.
book class:The Way of Perfection
author class:Saint Teresa of Avila
class:chapter
The sublimity of the perfection of this evangelical prayer is something for which we should
give great praise to the Lord. So well composed by the good Master was it, daughters, that each of
us may use it in her own way. I am astounded when I consider that in its few words are enshrined
all contemplation and perfection, so that if we study it no other book seems necessary. For thus far
in the Paternoster the Lord has taught us the whole method of prayer and of high contemplation,
from the very beginnings of mental prayer, to Quiet and Union. With so true a foundation to build
upon, I could write a great book on prayer if only I knew how to express myself. As you have seen,
Our Lord is beginning here to explain to us the effects which it produces, when the favours come
from Him.
I have wondered why His Majesty did not expound such obscure and sublime subjects in greater
detail so that we might all have understood them. It has occurred to me that, as this prayer was
meant to be a general one for the use of all, so that everyone could interpret it as he thought right,
ask for what he wanted and find comfort in doing so, He left the matter in doubt;130 and thus
contemplatives, who no longer desire earthly things, and persons greatly devoted to God, can ask
for the heavenly favours which, through the great goodness of God, may be given to us on earth.

130

Lit.: "He left it thus confused." Here follows in E., in place of the rest of this paragraph, a passage which interrupts the trend of
the thought, and therefore, in the text above, is printed in italics and in brackets at the end of this paragraph.

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St. Teresa of Avila

Those who still live on earth, and must conform to the customs of their state, may also ask for the
bread which they need for their own maintenance and for that of their households, as is perfectly
just and right, and they may also ask for other things according as they need them.
(Blessed be His name for ever and ever. Amen. For His sake I entreat the Eternal Father to
forgive my debts and grievous sins: though no one has wronged me, and I have therefore no one
to forgive,131I have myself need for forgiveness every day. May He give me grace so that every day
I may have some petition to lay before Him.)
The good Jesus, then, has taught us a sublime method of prayer, and begged that, in this our
life of exile, we may be like the angels, if we endeavour, with our whole might, to make our actions
conform to our words-in short, to be like the children of such a Father, and the brethren of such
a Brother. His Majesty knows that if, as I say, our actions and our words are one, the Lord will
unfailingly fulfil our petitions, give us His kingdom and help us by means of supernatural gifts,
such as the Prayer of Quiet, perfect contemplation and all the other favours which the Lord bestows
on our trifling efforts-and everything is trifling which we can achieve and gain by ourselves alone.
It must be realized, however, that these two things- surrendering our will to God and forgiving
others-apply to all. True, some practise them more and some less, as has been said: those who
are perfect will surrender their wills like the perfect souls they are and will forgive others with the
perfection that has been described. For our own part, sisters, we will do what we can, and the Lord
will accept it all. It is as if He were to make a kind of agreement on our behalf with His Eternal
Father, and to say: "Do this, Lord, and My brethren shall do that." It is certain that He for His own
part will not fail us. Oh, how well He pays us and how limitless are His rewards!
We may say this prayer only once, and yet in such a way that He will know that there is no
duplicity about us and that we shall do what we say; and so He will leave us rich. We must never
be insincere with Him, for He loves us, in all our dealings with Him, to be honest, and to treat Him
frankly and openly, never saying one thing and meaning another; and then He will always give us
more than we ask for. Our good Master knows that those who attain real perfection in their petitions
will reach this high degree through the favours which the Father will grant them, and is aware that
those who are already perfect, or who are on the way to perfection, do not and cannot fear, for they
say they have trampled the world beneath their feet, and the Lord of the world is pleased with them.
They will derive the greatest hope of His Majesty's pleasure from the effects which He produces
in their souls; absorbed in these joys, they wish they were unable to remember that there is any
other world at all, and that they have enemies.
O Eternal Wisdom! O good Teacher! What a wonderful thing it is, daughters, to have a wise
and prudent Master who foresees our perils! This is the greatest blessing that the spiritual soul still
on earth can desire, because it brings complete security. No words could ever exaggerate the
importance of this. The Lord, then, saw it was necessary to awaken such souls and to remind them
that they have enemies, and how much greater danger they are in if they are unprepared, and, since

131

The words "though . . . forgive" are crossed out in the manuscript, as is the following sentence "May He . . . before Him."

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St. Teresa of Avila

if they fall it will be from a greater height, how much more help they need from the Eternal Father.
So, lest they should fail to realize their danger and suffer deception, He offers these petitions so
necessary to us all while we live in this exile: "And lead us not, Lord, into temptation, but deliver
us from evil."



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CHAPTER 37 - Describes the excellence of this prayer called the Paternoster,
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CHAPTER_37_-_Describes_the_excellence_of_this_prayer_called_the_Paternoster,, #The Way of Perfection, #Saint Teresa of Avila, #Christianity
  object:CHAPTER 37 - Describes the excellence of this prayer called the Paternoster,
  and the many ways in which we shall find consolation in it.

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