SAINTS OF CARMEL TEACHING

MAXIMS OF ST TERESA OF AVILA
Part four

51. Never cease to humble and mortify thyself in all things, even unto death.
52. Habitually make many acts of love, for they set the soul on fire and make it gentle.
53. Make acts of all the other virtues.
54. Offer every thing to the Father Everlasting, in union with the merits of His Son Jesus Christ.
55. Be kind to all and severe to thyself.
56. On the days kept in honor of the saints consider their virtues, and beg the like of God.
57. Be very exact every night in thy examination of conscience.
58. The morning of communion remember in thy prayer that thou art about to receive God, notwithstanding thy wretchedness; and in thy prayer at night that thou hast received Him.
59. Never when in authority rebuke any one in anger, but only when anger has passed away; and so shall the rebuke bring forth good fruit.
60. Strive earnestly after perfection and devotion, and by the help thereof thou shalt do all things.
61. Exercise thyself much in the fear of our Lord, for that will make the soul contrite and humble.
62. Consider seriously how quickly people change, and how little trust is to be had in them; and cleave fast unto God, who changeth not.
63. As to the affairs of thy soul, labor to have a confessor who is spiritual and learned, make them known unto him, and abide by his judgment throughout.
64. Each time of communion beg some gift of God, by the compassion wherewith He has entered thy poor soul.
65. Though thou hast recourse to many saints as thine intercessors, go specially to St. Joseph, for he has great power with God.
66. In time of sorrow and of trouble cease not from the good works of prayer and penance which thou art in the habit of doing, for Satan is striving to make thee uneasy, and then to abandon them; on the contrary, do thou apply thyself thereunto more earnestly than before, and thou shalt see quickly our Lord will come to thy succor.
67. Never make thy temptations and imperfections known to those in the community whose progress is the least, for that will hurt thyself and the others, but only to those most advanced in perfection.
68. Remember that thou hast but one soul; that thou canst die but once; that thou hast but one life, which is short, and peculiar to thyself; that there is but one blessedness, and that for ever; and thou wilt despise many things.
69. Let thy desire be the vision of God, thy fear the loss of Him, thy sorrow His absence, and thy joy in that which may take thee to Him; and thy life shall be in great peace.