Midieval Art in Vatican Museum, taken 2012 by Martha Wiggins
In March we celebrate the birth of Saint Teresa of Avila. Living in the 1500’s she often struggled with prayer distractions and attractions to the world with its flattery and gossip. She later overcame her struggles and through her prayers gained many consolations from God. She left us many writings on the subject of prayer and has been given the title ‘Doctor of The Church.”
One of the most beautiful prayers given to us by St. Teresa of Avila is the following:
Christ has no body on earth now but ours: no hands but ours, no feet but ours.
Ours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look upon the world.
Ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.
Ours are the hands with which he is to bless others now.
Below is a prayer known as The Grail Prayer. It is not written by St. Teresa of Avila but beautifully complements it. It is a great prayer for Lent when we are stretching beyond ourselves to be of service to others.
Lord Jesus,
I give you my hands- to do your work.
I give you my feet- to go your way.
I give you my eyes- to see as you do.
I give you my tongue- to speak your words.
I give you my mind- that you may think in me.
I give you my spirit- that you may pray in me.
Above all, I give you my heart that you may love, in me,
your Father and all mankind.
I give you my whole self that you may grow in me,
so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.
Amen.
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