There is no affliction, trial, or labor difficult to endure, when we consider the torments and sufferings which Our Lord Jesus Christ endured for us.
Teresa Of AvilaRead
I say the same of humility and of all the virtues; the wiles of the devil are terrible, he will run a thousand times round hell if by so doing he can make us believe that we have a single virtue which we have not. And he is right, for such ideas are very harmful, and such imaginary virtues, when they come from this source, are never unaccompanied by vainglory; just as those which God gives are free both from this and from pride.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the dangers of false humility and the importance of genuine virtues granted by a higher power.
Teresa of Avila warns against the perilous deception of pride hidden beneath the guise of false virtues, such as humility. She argues that self-deception can lead individuals to mistakenly believe they possess virtues they do not actually have, which ultimately fosters harmful pride and vainglory, contrasting such illusions with the true virtues that God imparts, which are free from pride and distortion.
Themes
HumilityVirtuePrideDeceptionSelf-Awareness
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal growth, this quote can highlight the importance of recognizing true virtues over false perceptions.
More from Teresa Of Avila
All quotes →How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.
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What friends or kindred can be so close and intimate as the powers of our soul, which, whether we will or no, must ever bear us company?
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To converse with You, O King of glory, no third person is needed, You are always ready in the Sacrament of the Altar to give audience to all. All who desire You always find You there, and converse with You face to face
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If we do not use great care to mortify our will, there are many things which can deprives us of the holy freedom of spirit that we are seeking in order to fly more freely to our Creator, without always being bogged down with the clay of this earth. Moreover, there can never be solid virtue in a soul that is attached to its own will.
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Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.
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