October 15th is the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila. Most if not all of the posts written about her tend to focus on her mystical experiences. I want to focus on the Saint who had much common sense and kept both feet firmly on the ground. After all, she was the Saint that told the depressed sisters under her charge to go out for a walk rather than sit in chapel meditating –likely on their sufferings.
Here are some words of St. Teresa of Avila. I took the liberty to apply her wisdom to those struggling with depression.
When we think depressingly all of life can seem like one long unremitting painful day and we can easily fall into the trap of thinking depression is our life. We say things like, “I will always feel this way,” “I’ll never get well,” and “I am destined to be lonely.” St. Teresa of Avila would tell you, “Pain is never permanent.”
When we think depressively we tend to beat ourselves up over real and imagined mistakes, sins. St. Teresa of Avila’s comment to you would be, “To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience.” How’s that for turning a negative to a positive.
When we think depressively we tend to want to escape to new places, and new situations. We forget that God is wherever we happen to be NOW and speaks to us regardless of whether we are happy or unhappy with the way our lives are going. St. Teresa of Avila would remind you, “All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.”
When we can’t concentrate or form thoughts because we are depressed and so think we don’t have it in us to pray, Teresa of Avila would say, “Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the WILL to love.”
Here is a brief biography of St. Theresa of Avila. It is my favorite brief biography. http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=208
Quotes from brainyquotes.com; Picture is public domain by Francois Gerar, 1826
This is a repost. All rights reserved.
I so deaperately needed this tonight. I’ve allowed fear to over-whelm me. Feelings of being without a direction to move.
I’m barely reading this! Some people say it’s depression some say its anger some say is lonelyness, hopelessness. I say they are no words to describe what the soul is feeling when it’s suffering this much. VanGoughs Starry Night would be the closest definition to my suffering. It’s a dark chaotic night above yet when you look down you see glimbs of flickering lights in every home in the village. God is the light that provides peace to my suffering soul.