Perspective

Keeping things in perspective.  This is not the usual thought that comes to mind when we talk about St. Teresa of Avila, whose Memorial we observe today; it is usually her love and joy of contemplation.  True, she is a Doctor of the Church for her writings on prayer, but she also was a very practical woman, who set up 16 monasteries under her reformed Rule.  This doesn't happen by sitting in the chapel, though, deep prayer is probably the most effective means of "getting things done", for it helps keep things in perspective.  We realize that what we are doing is God's work, not ours;  we remind ourselves that we are laboring out of love for God, not love of ourselves or the desire for popularity, or to leave a hefty legacy for future generations to brag about.  Deep prayer helps us find strength when our own doubts and weaknesses are overwhelming us, and we feel that we cannot continue.  St. Teresa experienced much opposition, detraction and criticism, that would have made the ordinary person give up.  But no, not her, for her focus was on God, the God with whom she could argue and blame for having so few friends because he treated them so roughly.  She kept things in perspective and her example invites us to do the same.
Bro. Rene