. . Discussion Of Chapter 1 and Prologue . The Way of Perfection . |
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In the Prologue, St. Teresa describes the contents of this book about which she proposes to write: ▲ Prayer St. Teresa writes that the Dominican Father, Fr. Domingo Banes, "who at present is my confessor" has allowed her "to write certain things about prayer" ▲ Her Life Experiences, especially regarding her experiences of prayer "A few days ago I was commanded - to write an account of my life - in which I also dealt with certain matters concerning prayer. ▲ The Way of Life of Perfection She prayes tht God will help her in her attempts to write "concerning the way and method of life which it is fitting should be practised in this house" in order - "to help the souls of my sisters - to make great progress in the service of the Lord". ▲ Temptations and their remedies: "My intent is to suggest a few remedies for a number of small temptations which come from the devil, and which, because they are so slight, are apt to pass unnoticed" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In order to do this, she prays" "May the Lord lay His hand on all that I do so that it may be in accordance with His holy will; She admits: "...how useless I am when His Majesty does not help me". "May the Lord direct this, as I have begged Him to do, and order it for His greater glory. Amen. . |
. End of Discussion of The Prologue of The Way of Perfection . |
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St. Teresa said that she discerned it was God's will that she found a convent based on the primitive rule, the original rule. [ The convent where she previously resided followed a mitigated rule where there were many distractions to prayer.] "because of certain wonderful revelations... the Lord showed me how well He would be served in this house" And because, also, at this time, especially in France, many were leaving the church, St. Teresa wanted to found this cloistered community of nuns who would devote themselves to prayer and fidelity to God. "I wept before the Lord and entreated Him to remedy this great evil" "I determined... to follow the evangelical counsels as perfectly as I could, and to see that these few nuns who are here should do the same, confiding in the great goodness of God" "and I should thus be able to give the Lord some pleasure, and all of us, by busying ourselves in prayer for those who are defenders of the Church". And as St. Teresa writes of her concerns regarding the state of her soul, the convent life, and the state of the world, We see her how her life, as she reviews it, is a continual prayer to God. She emphasized the importance of Prayer, Humility, and Detachment: "I wish that some of these people would entreat God to enable them to trample all such things beneath their feet". "Who never fails to help those who resolve to forsake everything for His sake". . |
| . End of Discussion of Chapter 1 The Way of Perfection |
. . End of Discussion Of Chapter 1 and Prologue . . |
