O St Teresa of Avila,
You who have been a model of prayer and contemplation,
You who have walked the path of holiness with courage,
Today we come before you to ask you to guide us in our own spiritual quest.
Like you, we long to meet God in the depths of our souls,
Where peace, light and love come together in perfect communion.
St. Teresa, master of interior prayer,
Help us to enter into the silence of our hearts,
To listen there for the gentle voice of the Lord who calls each of us to a life of love and service.
Help us to overcome the distractions of the world, doubts and temptations,
And always to turn our gaze towards the One who loves us with infinite love.
May we, in the tumult of our daily lives, find moments of calm,
Where we can withdraw into ourselves to speak to God, our Father,
To Him entrust our joys, our sorrows, our hopes and our trials.
Saint Thérèse, you who went through times of spiritual dryness and suffering,
Show us how to persevere in faith,
Even when we do not feel God's presence,
Even when we feel we are alone or abandoned.
May your example teach us to trust,
To believe that God is always with us,
Even in times of silence and trial.
You who said, "Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you, everything passes away, God does not change",
Give us that same trusting abandonment into the Lord's hands.
Teach us to lay aside our fears and worries,
To believe in the divine benevolence that guides all things,
And to trust in God's wisdom, who knows what is best for each of us.
Saint Teresa, you who reformed the Carmelite order with boldness and determination,
Inspire us to be instruments of renewal and peace in our communities,
To work with love for the good of the Church and those around us.
Help us to recognise the spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters,
To bring them comfort, light and encouragement,
Following the example of Christ, gentle and humble of heart.
We pray to you, Saint Thérèse, that you intercede for us with the Lord,
That we may receive the graces we need to grow in holiness.
May your spirit of prayer, humility and love permeate our lives,
And may we, in turn, be faithful witnesses of God's love in the world.
Saint Teresa, you who were touched by the sufferings of souls,
We entrust to you all those who are far from God,
Those who seek the truth but do not know where to find it,
Those who are going through moments of doubt, confusion or despair.
Intercede for them, that they may discover peace and light in Christ.
O Saint Teresa,
You who have known mystical union with God,
Guide us on the path that leads us to that same intimacy with Him.
Help us to overcome the trials of earthly life,
And to strive ever towards that ultimate encounter with our Creator,
Where we will be filled with perfect joy and love in eternity.
Lord, in union with Saint Teresa of Avila,
We ask You to strengthen our faith,
To kindle in us the fire of Your love,
And to guide us in the way of Christian perfection.
We thank You for this saint, a model of virtue and daring,
Who, by her life and writings, shows us the way to You.
Through the intercession of Saint Therese,
May we be led to a life of love,
And may we in turn pass on to others the beauty of Your presence in our lives.
We pray to You, Lord,
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
This prayer, inspired by the life and work of Saint Teresa of Avila, invites us to follow her path of prayer and union with God.
