Way of Perfection - Discussion of Chapter 12 - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus

Discussion of Chapter 12         The Way of Perfection

Recall in  chapter 10, St. Teresa said:

"Once we have detached ourselves from the world

 ... it must look as if  we have done everything…"

 But there is more to do. 

And here in chapter 12, 
St. Teresa exhorts interior mortification:
      the need for further "warring against ourselves"

in order to "gradually reach… 
       the summit of the mountain"

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She describes the benefits of interior mortification:

◊ One disposes oneself to God's graces

     "But once we begin to work,  

         God, too, 

          - works in our souls and

          - bestows such  favors on them"

         "what consolations and delights,

              this renunciation brings in its train,...

          what a great gain it is, even in this life"

          Without detachment and humility, 

             "they will never 

                 - make great progress or... 

                 - enjoy the real fruit of prayer.

◊ It increases the merit and 
         facilitates the frequency and ease 

            of further acts of mortification.

      "this is the means 
           by which every other kind of mortification 
              may become much more meritorious and perfect, 
           so that it can then be practiced 
              with greater  tranquillity and ease

   

St. Teresa describes 
  How to acquire interior mortification:

     "This...is acquired  
          - by gradual progress and 
          - by never indulging our own will and desire, 
                   even in small things, 

             until we have succeeded 
                   -- in subduing the body to the spirit…
                   -- ceasing to care about 
                          ourselves and our own pleasures…

                   -- "to subdue our wills in everything; 
                   --  to "surrender...(our) will to Him

                   -- "we must take pleasure in nothing"

    
          - being "very careful about your prayer"

         - "Be very careful about your interior thoughts,    

              especially if they have to do with precedence" 

For us, in the world, 

    St. Teresa's practical examples are applicable and valuable:

    Thoughts about precedence appear in the guise of :
        comparisons, 
        competition,

        claims of unfairness, 
        sensitivity to insult, or 
        readiness to feel slighted.

     "May God…keep us from dwelling upon, 
         such thoughts as these:

          'But I have worked harder' (than she); 
          'But (she) is...better treated  than I am'


      To those who think

          "that these are little things which 

            - have to do with human nature and 

            - are not worth troubling about"

      She warns:

          "there is no small matter 

              so extremely dangerous...

              so fatal to perfection...as are:
               - punctiliousness about honour and
               - sensitiveness to insult.

     If we offer up the  'fancied injustices' 

     but remain attached to
               'our rights' and 
                what we think we deserve,

        "We will imagine we are doing something virtuous, and 

          begin to feel sorry for ourselves" 

        "The devil (also can) put...his deceitfulness
                into our mouth" 
        when we  "think it a real charity...to show pity 
                for another (for) these fancied insults"

         "if you allow yourselves to dwell on them",
                they will reinforce the disturbance in peace".

Instead, She extolls Humility and Detachment.

And by her acknowledgement 
    of the difficulty of living in the world,

she gives special  encouragement to us.

◊   The soul “will find detachment 
         harder in the world, 

        however, for worldly trappings

           will be a great impediment to it”.

◊  "the soul that is perfect 

           can be detached and humble anywhere. 

◊  Let each of you ask herself  
             how much humility she has 

       and she will see what progress she has made. 

What She recommends  
        regarding temptations to precedence:

(Her advice regarding desires for recognition, 
        status, and being esteemed)

◊ Humility "cannot fail to bring her 
          more fortitude and greater profit"

◊ "to look into (one's)  life 

       to compare the services 
               (one) has rendered the Lord 

           with what (one) owes Him and 

           with the marvelous way 
                in which He abased Himself 

              to give us an example of humility, and 

       to think over her sins and 

       remember where she deserves to be 
             on account of them".

◊ “If you want to...free yourselves 
             more quickly from temptation, 
       - do some such thing, as best you can, 
             on our own initiative, 
       - studying as you do it 
             how to bend your will 
                   to perform tasks you dislike”

End of Discussion of Chapter 12