ST TERESA OF AVILA PRAYERS

DAY SIX

Now we reach the essence – the sine qua non of the spiritual life.  For the way to love God is love for our neighbor and to take on sincerely and humbly his problems, his fears and grievances and to try to alleviate them as best we can.  For there is no loving God in a vacuum, sealed off from community.  We should be prepared to give all for our neighbor, even life itself, for God, in his love for us, sacrificed his most precious possession, his only beloved son, Jesus Christ.  Without sacrifice and loving service to our neighbor, we can achieve nothing.   Bharti

PRAYER:  If we fail to love our neighbor,

we are deceiving ourselves

if we think we love God.

But if we possess a true love of neighbor

we will certainly attain to union with our Lord.

Beg God to grant you true love of others

and you will be rewarded with more

than you know how to desire.

God will insist that you surrender your self-interests

for those of your neighbor,

taking upon yourself their burdens. 

Do not believe that this will cost you nothing

And that you will find it all done for you by God.

Never forget what the love God bore for all of us

cost the Son of God.

To free others – his neighbors – from death,

he suffered the most painful death of all,

the death of the cross. 

MANTRA:   Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 

EVENING PRAYER:   For if I do not love others

I cannot fool myself into believing

that I love you.

I am, I know, as this day ends

very far from such a love.

But hear my prayer.

When I see others,

let me see you.

If I love them,

I will love you,

and I will want for nothing.