Way of Perfection - Discussion of Chapter 11 - St. Teresa of Avila

                     Discussion of Chapter 11

St. Teresa discusses the importance of mortification 
     pertaining to the complaining 
of minor aliments and discomfort.

We know it is important 
    since she dedicated the whole of chapter 11 to it:

She said:

"this resolution (of mortification)

     is much more important 

than we may think; 

    for, if we continually make it, day by day, 
       by the grace of the Lord, 

    we shall gain dominion over the body".

"To conquer such an enemy 
    is a great achievement in the battle of life".

"No one will regret having gone through trials

      in order to attain 
this tranquillity and self-mastery".

                    _______

St. Teresa discusses 
   how our complaints of  discomfort 
affect us spiritually:

She warns it is a "sign 
    of  imperfection" and self-love 

which, if indulged, will 

  ◊ preoccupy "the poor soul...and 

  ◊ prevent...(it) from making progress".

-  "the devil sometimes makes you imagine them"

- Minor ailments and discomforts 
      -- focus our attention on ourselves and

      -- often cascade into a habitual preoccupation, 
    leaving  little time for God.

Complaining reinforces our own self-attachment.

                             ________

St. Teresa discusses 
    how one's complaints of  discomfort 
          affect others.

◊ The adverse effects  of  complaining of  minor ailments 
      can be that:

        ▫▫▫ some suffer on account of others, and

        ▫▫▫ nobody who says she is ill 
                will be believed, 
              however serious her ailment

   - Silence regarding our bodily complaints is 

      -- in addition to an act of  mortification and love of God, 

      --it is also an act of charity toward others.

  - "if one of you gets into this habit, 
          she will worry all the rest"

  - "...worrying everybody else to death over them"

  -  It makes claim 
           on the emotion, time, attention, and action of others.
                                   ________

She advises:  Prayer, Self-detachment,  Attachment to God

◊ "if one of you is really ill,  

     she should say so and  take the necessary remedies"

    Even with "serious illnesses…
           to observe moderation and to have patience"

◊ "if you can bear a thing, say nothing about it"

◊ Pray and Strive to get rid of your self-love, 

    then "you will so much regret 
          having  to indulge yourselves in any way"

◊ "For this body of ours has one fault: 

      ▫▫▫ the more you indulge it, 

      ▫▫▫ the more things it discovers to be essential to it".

◊ The minor ailments  "come and go"

    □ "Unless you get rid of the habit of 

          ▫▫▫ talking about them and  

          ▫▫▫ complaining of everything (except to God) 

                      you will never come to the end of them".

    □ "once we begin  to subdue 
                these miserable bodies of ours, 

         they give us much less trouble"

◊  Learn to suffer a little for the love of God 
        without telling everyone

◊  Through "the ailments 
         which He sends us  because of our sins",

     perhaps we can come closer to God.

     ▫▫▫ to offer any discomfort and worry to God.   

     ▫▫▫ to pray to accept suffering  
                   as His will and 
                   as interior mortification, 

             using the saints as our model.

◊ Try not to fear these…
      commit yourselves wholly to God, 
    come what may