The Collected
Works of
St. Teresa
of Avila
Volume One
Translated by
Kierran Kavanaugh, O.C.D.
Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D.
Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites, Inc. 1976
Second Edition (Revised) 1987 by ICS Publications
ICS Publications
2131 Lincoln Road NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data (Revised)
Teresa, of Avila, Saint, 1515-1582
The collected works of St. Teresa of Avila.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Contents: v. 1. The book of her life.
Spiritual testimonies. Soliloquies. -- v. 2.
The way of perfection. Meditations on the song
of songs. The interior castle -- v. 3. The book
of her foundations. Minor works.
1. Catholic Church -- Collected works.
2. Theology -- Collected works -- 16th century.
BX890.T353 1976 248 75-31305
ISBN 0-9600876-2-1 (v. 1)
Table of Contents
The Book of Her Life
Treats of how the Lord began to awaken this soul to virtue in her childhood and of how helpful it is in this matter that parents also be virtuous.Treats of how she lost these virtues and of how important it is in childhood to associate with virtuous people.Treats of how good companionship played a part in the awakening once again of her good desires and how the Lord began to give her some light on the mistake she had been making.Tells how she was helped by the Lord to force herself to take the habit and of the many illnesses His Majesty began to send her.Continues to treat of her great illnesses, of the patience the Lord gave her, and of how He draws good out of evil, as is seen in something that happened to her in that place where she went for a cure.Treats of how much she owes the Lord for having given her conformity to His will in the midst of such severe trials, and how she took the glorious St. Joseph for her mediator and advocate, and of the great good he did for her.Treats of the ways by which she lost the favors the Lord had granted her and of how distracted a life she began to live. Speaks of the harm that results when monasteries of nuns are not strictly enclosed.Treats of the great good it did her not to turn from prayer completely and thereby lose her soul, and of what an excellent means prayer is for winning back what is lost. Urges all to this practice. Tells how it is so highly profitable and that even though one may abandon it again, there is great value in giving some time to so great a good.Treats of the means by which the Lord began to awaken her soul and give it light amid such thick darknesses and strengthen her virtues that she might not offend Him.Begins to tell about the favors the Lord granted her in prayer, of how we ourselves can help, and how important it is that we understand the graces the Lord gives us. Asks the one to whom this is sent to keep secret what she writes about from here on, for they commanded her to speak so personally about the favors the Lord grants her.Tells of the reason for the failure to reach the perfect love of God in a short time. Begins to explain through a comparison four degrees of prayer. Goes on to deal here with the first degree. The doctrine is very beneficial for beginners and for those who do not have consolations in prayer.Continues the discussion of this first stage. Tells how far we can get, with the help of God, through our own efforts, and about the harm that results when the spirit desires to ascend to supernatural things before the Lord grants them.Continues with this first stage and gives advice concerning some temptations the devil at times causes. The advice is very helpful.Begins to explain the second degree of prayer in which the Lord now starts to give the soul a more special kind of consolation. Explains how this experience is supernatural. This matter is worth noting.Continues on the same subject and gives some advice about how to act in this prayer of quiet. Discusses the fact that many souls reach this prayer but few pass beyond. Knowledge of the things touched on here is very necessary and beneficial.Treats of the third degree of prayer. Explains sublime matters and what the soul that reaches this stage can do and the effects produced by these great favors of the Lord. This prayer lifts the soul up in the praises of God and brings wonderful consolation to whoever reaches this stage.Continues the same subject, the explanation of this third degree of prayer. Concludes the discussion of its effects. Speaks of the harm caused by the imagination and memory.Discusses the fourth degree of prayer. Begins to offer an excellent explanation of the great dignity the Lord bestows upon the soul in this state. Gives much encouragement to those who engage in prayer that they might strive to attain so high a stage since it can be reached on earth, although not by merit but through God's goodness. This should be read attentively, for the explanation is presented in a very subtle way and there are many noteworthy things.Continues on the same subject. Begins to explain the effects this degree of prayer produces in the soul. Strongly urges souls not to turn back, even if they fall again after receiving this favor, and not to give up prayer. Speaks of the harm that results from abandoning prayer. This chapter is very important and most consoling for the weak and for sinners.Discusses the difference between union and rapture. Explains the nature of rapture and tells something about the good possessed by the soul that the Lord in His kindness brings to this prayer of rapture. Tells of its effects. There is much to marvel over.Continues and concludes the discussion of this last degree of prayer. Tells about what the soul that experiences this prayer feels upon returning to life in the world and about the light the Lord gives it concerning the world's illusions. It contains good doctrine.Treats of how safe a path it is for contemplatives not to raise the spirit to high things unless the Lord raises it and of how the humanity of Christ must be the means to the most sublime contemplation. Tells about a mistaken theory she once tried to follow. This chapter is very beneficial.Returns to the account of her life, of how she began to seek greater perfection, and by what means. For persons trying to guide souls that practice prayer it is helpful to know how these souls must proceed in the beginning. How she profited from knowing about this.Continues on the same topic. Tells how her soul made progress after she began to obey, how little it helped her to resist God's favors, and how His Majesty began giving her more perfect ones.Discusses the nature of these locutions the Lord grants to the soul without the use of the sense of hearing, some of the delusions that can result from these locutions, and how one can discern when they come from God. This chapter is most helpful and gives much doctrine for those who find themselves in this degree of prayer since the matter is explained very well.Continues on the same subject. Tells and explains about things that happened to her, which both caused her to lose the fear and confirmed that it was the good spirit speaking to her.Treats of another way in which the Lord instructs the soul, and without speaking to it, makes His will known in a wonderful manner. Explains also a non-imaginative vision and great favor the Lord granted her. This chapter is very noteworthy.Deals with the great favors the Lord granted her and how He appeared to her the first time. Explains what an imaginative vision is. Tells about the remarkable effects and signs this vision leaves behind when it is from God. This is a very instructive chapter and well worth noting.Continues the topic begun and tells of some great favors the Lord granted her and of some things His Majesty told her for her own assurance and so that she could answer those who contradicted her.Returns to the account of her life and tells how the Lord removed many of her trials by bringing to the city in which she lived the saintly Friar Peter of Alcntara, of the order of the glorious St. Francis. Discusses the great temptations and interior trials she sometimes underwent.Deals with some exterior temptations and representations of the devil and the torments he inflicted on her. Treats also of some matters very beneficial for advising persons who journey on the path of perfection.Discusses how the Lord desired to put her spirit in a place in hell she had deserved because of her sins. Gives a brief account of what was shown her there. Begins to deal with the way in which the monastery of St. Joseph, where she now is, was founded.Continues on the same subject, about the foundation dedicated to the glorious St. Joseph. Tells how she was ordered not to become involved with the project, of the time she abandoned it, of some trials she had, and of how the Lord consoled her.Discusses how at this time it was opportune for her to leave the city. Tells about the reason and how her superior ordered her to go to console a lady of the nobility who was very distressed. Begins to deal with what happened there and the great favor the Lord granted her in making her the means by which he awakened a very eminent person to serve Him wholeheartedly, and how afterward she had this person's support and favor. The chapter is most important.Continues on the same subject: the foundation of this house of our glorious father St. Joseph. Tells of the means the Lord provided by which holy poverty would be observed in it, the reason why she left the lady she was staying with and returned, and of some other things that happened to her.Continues the same subject. Tells how this monastery of the glorious St. Joseph was finally founded and of the strong opposition and persecution the nuns had to undergo after taking the habit. Tells also of the great trials and temptations she suffered and how the Lord brought her out of them all victoriously to His own praise and glory.Discusses the effects of a certain favor the Lord granted her. Some very good doctrine accompanies this discussion. Tells how one should strive for a greater degree of glory, and esteem it highly, and that we shouldn't neglect everlasting goods for any difficulty.Deals with some great favors the Lord granted her by showing her certain heavenly secrets, and with other great visions and revelations that His Majesty wanted her to see. Tells of the effects they had on her and of the great profit her soul derived from them.Continues on the same subject, telling of the great favors the Lord granted her. Treats of how He promised to answer her prayers for other persons. Tells of some remarkable instances in which His Majesty granted her this favor.Continues with the same subject, telling of the great favors the Lord granted her. Good doctrine can be deduced from some of these favors; for, in addition to obeying, her main intention, as she said, has been to write about those favors that will be of benefit to souls. With this chapter the written account of her life comes to an end. May it be for the glory of the Lord, amen.
