Way Of Perfection For The Laity

All who wear the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are called to be Carmelites, at least of the Third Order. The author explains: “Those who are not specially interested in our Carmelite Tertiaryship, but desire to obtain a knowledge of Carmelite spirituality, are advised to read from chapter xi to chapter xv of this book. By Carmelite spirituality we mean the methods and principles of prayer and the interior life which inspire the lives and counsels of the three great saints, Teresa of Jesus, John of the Cross and Teresa of the Child Jesus. We trust readers will find in those pages in simple language all that is necessary to give them such an appreciation of the spirit of those saints as will make them resolve to take the means to acquire it. This book is devoted to the explanation of those means.” Thus this book is dedicated to all of us who should have a Carmelite spirituality, following the great masters, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and Teresa of Lisieux.Chapter 11 begins with this from the Third Order Rule, which applies al all sincere Christians: “Tertiaries, following the advice of St. Paul, should be sober and earnest in the practice of piety, and avail themselves of all means calculated to foster it in their souls.” The author explains: “In the language of the Apostles the word 'sober' has not the restricted meaning it bears in the English language. It rather means a calm." The Apostle then exhorts us to be temperate, deliberate, prudent, gentle and calm in all our actions. Tertiaries can best follow the advice of St. Paul and of their Rule in being sober and earnest in the practice of piety by striving after that active purgation or purification of which we have written in dealing with mental prayer.They will "avail themselves of all means calculated to foster it in their souls" by the greatest fidelity to the various points of their holy Rule, to their vows, vocal and mental prayer, spiritual reading, examination of conscience, hearing of Holy Mass and the frequentation of the Sacraments.”We pray this book will help all to acquire the true spirit of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and her humble devotees.

St. Teresa of Avila is an unsurpassed teacher of Christian prayer, and in The Way of Perfection she is at her best. Now with the help of this study edition and its helpful commentary and explanations by Teresian expert Fr. Kieran Kavanaugh, everyone can enjoy the benefits of her wisdom. More Information A Study Edition, with Introduction, Commentary, Discussion Questions, and Glossary. St. Teresa of Avila is an unsurpassed teacher of Christian prayer and spirituality, and in The Way of Perfection she is at her best. Now, with the help of this study edition, everyone can enjoy the benefits of her wisdom. In The Way of Perfection, St. Teresa gives practical counsels and advice on prayer, destined originally for the few nuns who embraced the reformed Carmelite life she established. As a handbook for spiritual formation, it presented them with the basic Christian spirituality undergirding their Constitutions and Rule. Over the centuries, the book's appeal has reached far beyond the walls of Carmelite monasteries, and The Way of Perfection has become a spiritual classic. More and more today, Teresa's instructions speak to all those interested in prayer, providing them with basic guidelines for praying and showing how to avoid potential pitfalls. But as the readership and interest grow, so does the need for some help in working with this sixteenth-century text. The principles and teachings in Teresa's book, first presented within the limited horizons of her own situation, clearly lend themselves to broader applications, and can work well in all walks of life. This study edition-with its introduction, commentary, notes, discussion questions, and glossary-provides what is needed to assist contemporary readers in making these applications and delving more deeply into the text's spiritual riches.

A Study Edition, with Introduction, Commentary, Discussion Questions, Glossary, and a fully linked Index. St. Teresa of Avila is an unsurpassed teacher of Christian prayer and spirituality, and in The Way of Perfection she is at her best. Now, with the help of this study edition, everyone can enjoy the benefits of her wisdom. In The Way of Perfection, St. Teresa gives practical counsels and advice on prayer, destined originally for the few nuns who embraced the reformed Carmelite life she established. As a handbook for spiritual formation, it presented them with the basic Christian spirituality undergirding their Constitutions and Rule. Over the centuries, the book's appeal has reached far beyond the walls of Carmelite monasteries, and The Way of Perfection has become a spiritual classic. More and more today, Teresa's instructions speak to all those interested in prayer, providing them with basic guidelines for praying and showing how to avoid potential pitfalls. But as the readership and interest grow, so does the need for some help in working with this sixteenth-century text. The principles and teachings in Teresa's book, first presented within the limited horizons of her own situation, clearly lend themselves to broader applications, and can work well in all walks of life. This study edition-with its introduction, commentary, notes, discussion questions, glossary, and a fully linked Index-provides what is needed to assist contemporary readers in making these applications and delving more deeply into the text's spiritual riches.

“A tireless communicator of the gospel…[Teresa of Ávila] opens new horizons for us, she calls us to a great undertaking, to see the world with the eyes of Christ, to seek what He seeks and to love what He loves.” —Pope Francis Although Teresa of Ávila lived five centuries ago, her superbly inspiring classic on the practice of prayer is as fresh and meaningful today as it was when she first wrote it. Teresa’s strong desire throughout is to lead readers into a deeper and prevailing life of prayer. She begins with a treatment of the three essentials of the prayer-filled life—fraternal love, detachment from created things, and authentic humility. Building on that foundation, she then teaches on the cherished practices of prayer and contemplation. Finally, she provides a detailed and moving discourse on the Lord’s Prayer. Experience the fervent devotion of St. Teresa, and allow her to help you explore the rewarding discipline of contemplative prayer.

In this book St. Teresa teaches a simple form of mental prayer. She discusses spiritual life and how to begin a life of prayer.

God will always give us more than we ask for Millions have read and benefited from this book since it was first written nearly 500 years ago. St. Teresa's message of humility, simplicity, persistence, and faith is replete with language that is at times earthy, and full of self deprecating humor. Rendered here into contemporary English, St. Teresa's words, with their warm-hearted approach to Christian transformation, will help you look deeply into what it really means, sometimes in the smallest of details, to have a relationship with Jesus. "Teresa lays out the time-tested path of Christian tranformation and union with God for those of us who will never be monastics, much less desert-dwelling hermits. Who among us does not need to know how to turn trouble into spiritual good, how to lovingly bear minor slights and major wounds, how to forgive and offer compassion?" Paula Huston, from the Foreword