The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, of the Order of Our Lady of CarmelTeresa, of Avila, Saint
Religion
The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel
Teresa, of Avila, Saint
Avila (Spain) -- Biography; Christian saints -- Spain -- Avila -- Biography; Teresa, of Avila, Saint, 1515-1582
3. St. John iii. 34: "Non enim ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum."
4. Ch. xxviii. §§ 1-5.
5. See ch. xl. § 24; Way of Perfection, ch. vii. § 1; but
ch. iv. of the previous editions.
6. See ch. xx. § 14.
7. See ch. xxx. § 19.
8. See ch. xxx. §§ 18, 25.
Chapter XXXVIII.
Certain Heavenly Secrets, Visions, and Revelations. The Effects
of Them in Her Soul.
1. One night I was so unwell that I thought I might be excused
making my prayer; so I took my rosary, that I might employ myself
in vocal prayer, trying not to be recollected in my
understanding, though outwardly I was recollected, being in my
oratory. These little precautions are of no use when our Lord
will have it otherwise. I remained there but a few moments thus,
when I was rapt in spirit with such violence that I could make no
resistance whatever. It seemed to me that I was taken up to
heaven; and the first persons I saw there were my father and my
mother. I saw other things also; but the time was no longer than
that in which the Ave Maria might be said, and I was amazed at
it, looking on it all as too great a grace for me. But as to the
shortness of the time, it might have been longer, only it was all
done in a very short space.
2. I was afraid it might be an illusion; but as I did not think
so, I knew not what to do, because I was very much ashamed to go
to my confessor about it. It was not, as it seemed to me,
because I was humble, but because I thought he would laugh at me,
and say: Oh, what a St. Paul!--she sees the things of heaven; or
a St. Jerome. And because these glorious Saints had had such
visions, I was so much the more afraid, and did nothing but cry;
for I did not think it possible for me to see what they saw.
At last, though I felt it exceedingly, I went to my confessor;
for I never dared to keep secret anything of this kind, however
much it distressed me to speak of them, owing to the great fear I
had of being deceived. When my confessor saw how much I was
suffering, he consoled me greatly, and gave me plenty of good
reasons why I should have no fear.
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