Saint Teresa of Avila's

PRAYERS

as revealed in Sievernich
 

Saturday, 17 July 2004 -
Feast of Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary

JESUS, HIDDEN IN THE TABERNACLE

My Lord and my God, oh my Jesus, to You be praise and thanksgiving at all times. You, one and eternal, are hidden for me in the tabernacle. How much courage and humility it must take for You, Lord, the highest one, to become so small for us and to deliver Yourself into the hands of Your priests as a gift for us all.

Jesus, by concealing Yourself in the tabernacle, You overcome what is lacking in us to be close to You. I want to be still and abide with You in all my troubles and joys so that I can give myself to You. May Your heart beat within mine, may I feel Your love, and may what is mine be consumed in You.

The ardour of Your love gives me the strength I need to see Your way. Grant me, Jesus, the help of Your holy Mother so that I may find the strength to walk Your way without looking to the left or right or listening to the opinions of others. Jesus, my only desire is to see You.

All that is in You is lacking in me. Forgive me Lord, for being so imperfect. Show me what I lack, be my merciful teacher and lead me out of sin. I am nothing, yet with You, cradled in Your love, I can do anything.

Touch me, show me what I can do for You. Oh Jesus, I invite You to come to me. Come, oh come into my unworthy heart. Find Your home within it and grant that I may serve You completely. You can transform me in and through Your love - I beg you to do so!

Jesus, hidden in the tabernacle, priceless treasure from the Father to mankind, sanctify Your priests from whose hands we receive You, our gift. Grant them the courage and humility they need to see You. Show them the awesome divine power of the transubstantiation, the love which You bestow on them.

Touch them and touch young people so that they may follow You. Call them, Lord Jesus hidden in the tabernacle, call them for Yourself and for us, that we may not be alone. Amen.

 

23 August 2004

CONTEMPLATION OF THE 'OUR FATHER'

'Our Father who art in heaven...'

Remember that you have a Father in heaven who is almighty and who cares for you. He, the 'all', cares for you because you are His child. Call on the Father and speak with the Eternal One. God, our Father, loves you, you are His creature. The whole of creation rests in His hands.

'hallowed be Thy name...'

Laud, praise and sanctify the Name of our Father in heaven. He will gaze upon you and the Holy Spirit will fortify and guide you. God has created you for Himself, that you might find fulfilment in Him. The more a child converses lovingly and respectfully with his father, the more the father will shower him with his love.

'Thy kingdom come...'

Seek the heavenly Father's kingdom with longing. Regard that which is transient as mere necessity. However, to the kingdom of the Father - the eternal kingdom - you should open your heart wholly and respectfully.

'Thy will be done...'

Not my will, Father, Thy will be done! Father, I place myself into Your hands. They will shelter me if I surrender to You completely. What you desire for me is love alone. Yet only if I abandon myself to You fully, are You able to do Your will for me. Then can I serve You. My will is weak and I am wretched. Without you am I not totally trapped by sin? Therefore I say joyfully: not my, but Your will be done!

'on earth as it is in heaven...'

Heaven and earth - are these not two completely different worlds: the eternal and the temporal? Consider this: God our Father reigns on earth as in heaven. Everything has come from Him, everything is in Him and everything shall return to Him. Seek Him with your heart. Then, within your heart, heaven and earth shall meet.

'give us this day our daily bread...'

The Father cares for His children. Pray and work whilst not forgetting your neighbour!

'and forgive us our trespasses...'

God our Father is merciful when, fully contrite, we ask His forgiveness. Forgiveness is our liberation, our salvation. Seek it often so as not to draw judgement onto yourself.

'as we forgive those who trespass against us...'

Just as the Father shows you mercy, so you must not fail to show it to your neighbour. Do not bind him through blame. Instead free yourself and him through forgiveness.

By putting love into practice, you will place yourself and your 'debtor' into God's hands.

'and lead us not into temptation...'

God, who is love, does not tempt. God, our Father, allows you to experience trials. By these you must mature and recognise His greatness and your smallness. Such 'purifying' processes serve to make you holy. Accept them patiently!

'but deliver us from evil...'

Avoid evil and do not give in to darkness. If you have done something wrong, seek God's forgiveness. In this way you will be delivered from evil.

'for Thine is the kingdom...'

There is only one royal, eternal kingdom - the kingdom of the heavenly Father.

'the power...'

What does God's power enable me to do? Everything. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are my strength.

'and the glory...'

My God, who can measure Your glory, who is able to endure it? Nobody could begin to grasp or portray it in any way.

'for ever and ever. Amen.'

You alone are eternal, my Lord and my God!

 

8 December 2004

OH JESUS, DIVINE CHILD

Oh Jesus, who are
both divine Child and sublime Majesty,
who, amongst us can understand You, who can comprehend Your love for us miserable ones?

So-called clever people consider Your love foolish
yet you simply look at them and love them.
The humble accept your love gratefully.
They are not unsettled by critical wordly eyes,
provided You are with them and love them.

Reveal Yourself to us, Lord Jesus, You who are the Son of God!
Do not forsake us, have mercy on us!

Your love is foolishness for the clever
because You surrender Yourself completely through Your priests.
Who has merited such love, Lord,
who can really claim to have done so?

Oh divine child,
In Your sweetness You come to us.
You shower us with gifts
the clever as well as the humble.
For us You become small
so that we may touch You.

Love is Your sceptre,
mercy is the globe in Your hand,
faithfulness is Your sublime garment
and Your trinitarian Father's omnipotence, oh heavenly child, is Your regal crown.

Peace is Your greeting,
and Your childlike words are a blessing for us.

Oh divine child,
whoever sees You
will recognise that it is You, oh Jesus,
who rules the church and guides it through the ages.

For in order to enrich the lowly
and rule the mighty, His Majesty approves that which is deemed foolish.

Oh heavenly Emperor, look upon us!
Oh divine child, reign among us! Amen.

 

Christmas Eve, 24 December 2004

CONTEMPLATION OF GOD'S LOVE

Savour the blessings of the holy night. Let yourself be consumed by the love of the Lord. Amazing, how much grace was and is continually being imparted to us. His sublime Majesty abandoned the divine throne and, out of love for us, chose poverty and lowliness - so far removed from any grandeur. Why did He do this for us?

Because He loves us, every single one of us; thus His divine Majesty, taking on human form as testimony to His unending love, desired to be close to us. Gaze upon the child in the manger. Can you comprehend what He would like to say to you personally?

'Love, just as I have and will always love. Look at me, take me into your arms so that I may gain access to your heart; grant me your love. Your faith must be a reflection of my living love. I don't want you to look at me, passionately calling to me: "Lord, Lord! I want to be totally loved by You!" Instead, love me! May your love be alive and ardent. May your words and deeds be a single expression of my love. May your faith be my love in action. In suffering, my love burns like fire. Consume yourself for me as I wish to be one with you!'

Thus the sublime divine Christ child spoke to me on that holy night; thus He speaks to you and to everyone. In a most special way, the divine King calls His priests and all those consecrated to Him to be living witnesses of His love. My friend, if this is how He calls you, His little one, imagine how much more ardently He must speak to His priests?

 

Christmas Eve, 24 December 2004

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Holy Spirit, sublime divine power,
open the doors of my heart for my Lord.

Holy Spirit, living power of God,
come to me and revive me.

Holy Spirit, loving Wisdom,
guide me on the path to the Lord.

Holy Spirit, consuming Love of God,
grant me a heart that gives more than it receives.

Holy Spirit, divine faithfulness,
stay with me, that I may follow my Lord Jesus.

Amen.
Feast of the Epiphany, 6 January 2005

ADORATION

Jesus, the divine Child, His sweetness and and sublime Majesty concealed from many, calls all nations to Himself. He wishes to give Himself to each nation.

Adore Him, you nations, pray to Him the King of Kings. The Magi presented Him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. You, however, give Him your heart and adore Him!

My Lord Jesus,
contemplating lost humanity
You Yourself became man,
at the same time retaining Your divine Majesty.

Sublime Saviour,
I want to adore You just as the Magi did
when they found You.

Hidden Godhead, Lord Jesus,
I adore You with my whole heart.
I entrust my entire being to You, oh Lord.

I give You my whole life, King of Kings.

Pleading, I approach You, hoping
that in Your mercy You might accept my gift.

If You but reign in me, all my actions shall be
in Your honour.

I have nothing else to give You.
I ask You that my wretchedness might be transformed in You.

When I gaze upon You and adore You Lord,
I am enriched.

I do not wish to adorn myself with worldly riches;
my soul desires to be adorned with Your love and friendship.

I adore You,
You will bestow on me the the pure gold of Your kingdom.

I adore You,
You will adorn me with precious jewels,
the virtues of heaven.

I adore You, Lord Jesus,
You will look at me and put divine jewellery on me, the jewels of
eternal faithfulness.

I adore You,
though I am poor, You adorn me and
provide me with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

I adore You, my Jesus,
kneeling before You, wretched, unworthy
yet precious in Your eyes.
Your wish is for you to be wholly united to me and me to You.

I adore You, unending, utterly self-giving Love.


 

Monday, 17 January 2005

SILENT PRAYER

As You gaze in silence upon the Lord, you are safe in His hands. It is He who wishes for your soul to be cradled in Him. He wants to transform your heart. He, love personified, desires to make your heart into His throne. Bid Him enter, pray and seek silence, so that what He wills be done to you.

In Silence I am safely cradled in You,
oh Lord Jesus, my Saviour.

Silence stills my yearning for You,
in silence you dwell.

Silence stills the thirst of my soul,
You are my living water.

Silence stills the hunger of my heart,
You are my living bread.

Silence stills my thoughts,
I abandon myself to You.

Silence stills my deeds,
You act within me.

Silence stills my hearing,
I desire to hear only Your word.

Silence stills my seeing,
I want to see You and abide with You.

Silence stills me in You!


 

28 January 2005

PRAYER FOR AN OPEN HEART

My Lord Jesus,
take my heart into Your hands.

Plant Your love therein.

Grant me the confidence and trust necessary
for Your love to grow in me.

To allow Your love to grow,
I need an open heart.

Lord, I want to be a fertile ground for You.

You plant, You are my living water
and my eucharistic sunshine.

Grant me an open heart
to break down the constraints of the first Adam.

Thus liberated, I can walk freely in Your loving realm
confidently loving You and my neighbour.

 

Easter Sunday, 28. 03. 2005

Betrachtung von Kreuz und Auferstehung

„Contemplate Our Lord Jesus, the Crucified One, with me and His suffering and cross. How powerful and hard ... yet how shortlived is this time when measured against the immense joy which the Lord continuously gives us.

Halleluja, He is truly risen and has overcome the world with its sorrow and its pain. It is by joining the cross to Our Lord Jesus that humanity shall experience salvation. (Comment: It is only through uniting our activities, sacrifices and sufferings to the merits of Jesus and offering these to the heavenly Father, that they bring salvation for our souls. Without Christ there is no salvation. John 15, 4-6: Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; nor can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: he who abides in me, and I in him brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.)

Contemplate the Risen One with me. How much joy He places into our hearts with His good news. We may follow Him and rise in Him. Jesus does not abandon us, He remains with us in together with the Holy Spirit because He is risen.

All this He has done for you, dear reader, do not forget this! You are loved by Him from the beginning, you are a part of Him and He desires that you find the way to Him, as it is destined for you. Rejoice, for His resurrection is also ours! Never tire in your love for Him; follow Him with gladness!“

 

Easter Sunday, 28. 03. 2005

Durch das Kreuz zur Auferstehung

„Should I walk through darkness and pain,

You have walked before me.

I know Your way, You know mine.

You, Lord will not let me step into the unknown,

you will catch me.

I contemplate Your cross,

though not without You, my Lord.

You have risen in glory,

and with You victorious light

You have brought us joy.

My heart is on fire for You, the Risen One!

Permit me, oh Lord,

to rise in You each day,

show me your victorious Easter light.“

 

Sunday, 17. 04. 2005, World day of prayer for vocations to the religious life and the priesthood

„God gave man his most important tool, namely hands which are raised to Him in prayer. Praying hands are loving hands. Loving hands are helping hands. Your hands, extended to Him in prayer, are the bridge, the link to the Lord. They are a bridge without a beginning or an end, one which transcends all barriers; a bridge which is firm and strong in the Lord, for it leads to Him and it is He who has taught us to build it. Deo gratias!“

 


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