500th Birthday and Feast of St. Teresa of Avila!

Today is the feast of St. Teresa of Avila! Her spirituality and witness continues to help for the prayer life of millions! Here is one of my favorite prayers of St. Teresa:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things pass away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

The following comes from the Irish Carmelites:
Teresa was born in Avila in Spain in 1515. She entered the Carmelites and made great progress in the way of perfection and was granted mystical revelations. Wishing to share in the spiritual renewal of the Church of her time, she began to live her religious life more ardently and soon attracted many companions, to whom she was like a mother. She also helped in the reform of the friars, and in this had to endure great trials. She wrote books which are renowned for their depth of doctrine and which showed her own spiritual experiences. She died at Alba in 1582. After her death the reform she began eventually separated from the Carmelite Order to become the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

To learn more about St. Teresa check out the Patron Saints Index.