![]() Quickly convincing herself otherwise, she continued to suffer the consequences. Convalescing, she decided to take the advice of a friend and commit more firmly to mental prayer. She was dissatisfied with the laxity of her initial years in religious life and suffered again from fits of ill health. The Carmel that Teresa entered was not conducive to the life of prayer she truly desired. She entered the local Carmelite convent in her hometown of Ávila, Spain, intent only on trying it because she was desperate for peace and contentment following something of a mental breakdown and a lengthy period of illness.Īs with many saints, Teresa hit a spiritual low point before she could identify and pursue the true greatness for which she was longing in the depths of her soul. Ambivalent about marriage and religious life, she experienced restlessness. Teresa came from a family of means, but their wealth was unable to help her find the greatness for which she longed. ![]() ![]() ![]() It meant struggle and pain, but once she found the answer, she was able to show others how to find true greatness and how to live it. She wanted greatness, but only had to figure out the means to achieve it. As a young adult, she was taken up with vanities and worldly concerns. ![]() Teresa of Ávila (1515-82) wanted to become a martyr slaughtered at the hands of the Moors. ‘To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that.’Īs a small girl, St. ![]()
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