Saint Teresa of Avila, a prominent Spanish mystic and Catholic saint, left a profound spiritual legacy through her inspiring quotes. Her contemplative insights are encapsulated in the quote, “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away: God never changes.” Teresa’s emphasis on inner reflection is evident in her words, “The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.” She beautifully articulates the essence of prayer with, “Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed.” Saint Teresa’s timeless quotes continue to guide and uplift individuals on their spiritual journeys, reflecting her enduring impact on Christian mysticism.
Saint Teresa of Avila Quotes
Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.
The important thing is not to think much, but to love much; and so, do that which best stirs you to love.
It is love alone that gives worth to all things.
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.
There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.
God save us from gloomy saints!
To have courage for whatever comes in life — everything lies in that.
Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
All the troubles of the Church come from people thinking they are something.
We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us.
May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.
Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.
When you cannot recollect yourself, let your intellect go after your will and not before it.
The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.
Accustom yourself to the continual practice of loving God, and of referring all to Him, in such a way that you neither do nor say anything, nor even think anything, which is not purely for the love and glory of God.
The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.
Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you alone; and there is only one Glory which is eternal. If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.
The tree that is beside the running water is fresher and gives more fruit.
To reach something good, it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.
Let your words be the genuine picture of your heart.
All difficulties in prayer can be traced to one cause: praying as if God were absent.
The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much.
Our body has this defect that, the more it is provided care and comforts, the more needs and desires it finds.
It is not so important to think much as to love much; do, then, whatever most arouses you to love.
It is love alone that gives worth to all things.
A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord’s pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds in weeds. His Majesty roots up the weeds and will put in good plants instead. Let us reckon that this is already done when the soul decides to practice prayer and has begun to do so.
There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the world.
Let him never cease from prayer who has once begun it, be his life ever so wicked. For prayer is the way to amend it, and without prayer such amendment will be much more difficult.
The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.
All the troubles of the Church come from people thinking they are something.
Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.
The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.
Pain is never permanent.
It is an illusion to think that God is pleased only with our intellect and with the acts of our will.
God has no need of men.
The whole earth is full of his glory, but in the interests of your own salvation, my daughters, be on the watch for this..
Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
It is humility that brings it about that we are not attached to comforts.
For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.
He who does not practice the presence of God in times of prosperity will not be able to find Him in times of adversity.
You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.
If we practice love of neighbor with great perfection, we will have done everything.
May God protect me from gloomy saints.
It is not in knowing much, but in loving much, that we are to resemble God.
To have courage for whatever comes in life — everything lies in that.
In times of dryness and desolation in prayer, God is doing some of His deepest work in the soul.
While in the body, we cannot help but have some trouble and grief; but we should not add to them by keeping our eyes on the ground and complaining.
Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away: God never changes.
The devil is very desirous of having his works not known, and that is why, when we resolve to declare them, he employs so many wiles to make us keep silence.
All the troubles of the Church come from people thinking they are something.
When you are offended or annoyed by others, do not let your thoughts dwell on them or on anything relating to them. Turn to God and think of Him.
The most potent and acceptable prayer is the prayer that leaves the best effects. I don’t mean it must immediately fill the soul with desire. The best effects are those left by a prayer in which we find ourselves detatched from the things of the world.
Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God. God alone suffices.
The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.
True perfection consists in the love of God and our neighbor; the further you advance in these, the more perfect you will be.
If we have a true love for our neighbor, we will be sorry for any evil he falls into, and we will pray to God for him.
We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us.
Let your speech be so, that your simple words may be as nails holding fast the door of the sepulcher. Practice silence.
God, deliver me from sullen saints.
He who does not advance goes backward, and the further we advance, the more we see how far behind we are.
Do not be a trifle disheartened if you do not succeed in prayer immediately, for it is not always granted at once, and the devil is anxious that we should be discouraged at the very beginning.
There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers.
We may not get what we ask for, but we never fail to get what we expect.
Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.
Let us desire to be occupied in prayer not for the sake of our enjoyment but so as to have the strength to serve.
To have courage for whatever comes in life — everything lies in that.
Humility must always be doing its work like a bee making its honey in the hive: without humility all will be lost.
May we all be courageous enough to ask for crosses and trials for ourselves and for others.
There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the world.
Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.
Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.
To reach something good, it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.
God save us from gloomy saints!
