Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582)
For many years, I desired more that the hour of meditation would end, and I waited for the striking of the hour, than to engage in useful thoughts. Many days I would have preferred to do what I do not know how to be difficult penance than to collect myself to prayer. Everyone says that I am very brave: it has been shown more than once that God has given me more courage than a woman usually has, but I then applied it rather poorly.
Nevertheless, the devil and my twisted inclinations evoked in me such a resistance to prayer and overwhelmed me with such sadness, hardly had I entered the oratory, that I had to gather all my strength to overcome myself, and in the end, the Lord helped me. However, after these struggles, I experienced more joy and peace than when I was drawn to prayer.
(Life 8,7)
I return to those who wish to follow this path and do not stop until they reach the living water and drink from it. It is very important to know how to begin, and therefore I say that it is necessary to make a firm and resolute determination that the person will not stop until they reach that spring. Whatever happens, no matter what is happening, whether anyone complains, it is necessary to strive as much as needed: even at the cost of dying in the middle of the journey, when our courage wanes before so many obstacles, let us aim for the goal, even if the whole world is rushing into destruction.
(The Way of Perfection 21,2)
