Marie du jour, 12 May: St. Teresa of Avila

I remember that when my mother died I was twelve years old or a little less.

When I began to understand what I had lost, I went, afflicted, before an image of our Lady and besought her with many tears to be my mother.

It seems to me that although I did this in simplicity it helped me. For I have found favor with this sovereign Virgin in everything I have asked of her, and in the end she has drawn me to herself. It wearies me now to see and think that I was not constant in the good desires I had in my childhood.

Saint Teresa of Avila

The Book of Her Life, chap. 1, no. 7

Teresa of Avila, St. 1985, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K; Rodriguez, O, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Our Lady of Hope, 2018 Palm Sunday procession in Carmona, Spain. Image credit: Alem Sánchez / Pexels.com (Stock photo).

⬦ Reflection Question ⬦
How can I entrust myself more completely to Mary, as Teresa did in her sorrow?
⬦ Join the conversation in the comments.

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