October 15 is the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila (1515- 1582). She is a saint that everyone should know. She is a Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa is a master of the spiritual life. She is a great teacher on mental prayer and contemplation. One of her most influential works is, “The Interior Castle”.

Here are two of her profound prayers that I have always found helpful.

"Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices."

"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, No hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people. Amen."

“The devil frequently fills our thoughts with great schemes, so that instead of putting our hands to what work we can do to serve our Lord, we may rest satisfied with wishing to perform impossibilities.”

“God has borne with thousands of foul and abominable sins which you have committed against Him, yet even they have not been enough to make Him cease looking upon you. Is it such a great matter, then, for you to avert the eyes of your soul from the outward things and sometimes to look at Him?”