Teresa of Avila Quotes
Teresa of Avila was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer of religious life. Together with John of the Cross, she founded the Discalced Carmelite reform, which spread rapidly across Spain despite intense official resistance. The quotes below are attributed to Teresa of Avila, organized by topic.
Browse Teresa of Avila by topic
Teresa of Avila on God
-
Attributed to Teresa of Avila:
“Christ has no body now but yours; no hands, no feet on earth, but yours.”
-
Attributed to Teresa of Avila:
“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes.”
-
Attributed to Teresa of Avila:
“More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.”
-
Attributed to Teresa of Avila:
“Mental prayer is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends.”
-
“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee: All things pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.”
Poem IX", in Complete Works St. Teresa of Avila (1963) edited by E. Allison Peers, Vol. 3, p. 288 -
“God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but permit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher.”
Interior Castle(1577) | Fourth Mansions, Ch. 3: Prayer of Quiet, as translated by the Benedictines of Stanbrook (1911), revised and edited by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman
Teresa of Avila on Knowledge
-
“V: Loving complaints and petitions; Martha's complaint," in The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Vol. 1, p. 379.”
It is love alone that gives value to all things. -
“Pain is never permanent.”
The Book of Positive Quotations (2007) edited by John Cook, Steve Deger, and Leslie Ann Gibson, p. 333 -
“The Way of Perfection , p. 41”
He who cares nothing for the good things of the world has dominion over them all. -
“Ch. I "Childhood and early Impressions" ¶ 4”
One of my brothers was nearly of my own age; and he it was whom I most loved, though I was very fond of them all, and they of me. He and I used to read Lives of Saints together. When I read of martyrdom undergone by the Saints for the love of God , it struck me that the vision of God was very cheaply purchased; and I had a great desire to die a martyr's death , — not out of any love of Him of whic -
“Reflect upon the providence and wisdom of God in all created things and praise Him in them all.”
Maxims for Her Nuns (1963) | Maxim 35, p. 258 -
“We shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God ; for, beholding His greatness we realize our own littleness ; His purity shows us our foulness; and by meditating upon His humility we find how very far we are from being humble.”
Interior Castle(1577) | First Mansions, Ch. 2 : The Human Soul, as translated by the Benedictines of Stanbrook (1911), revised and edited by Fr. Benedict Zimmerman
Teresa of Avila on Life
-
“To have courage for whatever comes in life — everything lies in that.”
As quoted in The Little Lamp (1981) by Eknath Easwaran, p. 80
Teresa of Avila on Love
-
“It is love alone that gives worth to all things.”
V: Loving complaints and petitions; Martha's complaint," in The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Vol. 1, p. 379. -
“Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love , for they enkindle and melt the soul .”
Maxims for Her Nuns (1963) | Maxim 52, p. 259
Teresa of Avila on Mind
-
“Always think of yourself as everyone's servant; look for Christ Our Lord in everyone and you will then have respect and reverence for them all.”
Maxims for Her Nuns (1963) | Maxim 25, p. 257
Teresa of Avila on Nature
-
“He who cares nothing for the good things of the world has dominion over them all.”
The Way of Perfection , p. 41
Teresa of Avila on Truth
-
“Never affirm anything unless you are sure it is true .”
Maxims for Her Nuns (1963) | Maxim 15, p. 256
Teresa of Avila on Virtue
-
Attributed to Teresa of Avila:
“Patience obtains all things.”
Things actually not said by Teresa of Avila
A number of widely-shared lines are circulated as Teresa of Avila but are in fact from someone else. Did Teresa of Avila say these? No. Each entry below pairs the line with the person who actually wrote it.
-
Did Teresa of Avila say this? No.
“Christ has no body [...] but yours. [...] Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. [...] Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.”
W:Annie Johnson Flint (25 December 1866 - 8 September 1932) wrote a hymn The World's Bible , which goes Christ has no hands but our hands, To do His work each day; He has no feet but our feet, To lead men in his way; He has no tongues but our tongues, To tell men how he died; He has no help but our help, To bring them to His side. (Disputed.)
-
Did Teresa of Avila say this? No.
“W:Annie Johnson Flint (25 December 1866 - 8 September 1932) wrote a hymn The World's Bible , which goes”
Christ has no hands but our hands, To do His work each day; He has no feet but our feet, To lead men in his way; He has no tongues but our tongues, To tell men how he died; He has no help but our help, To bring them to His side. (Disputed.)