St. Teresa of Ávila: A Doctor of the Church with a Sense of Humour

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Today, Oct. 15,  is the Feast of St. Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus. I love this woman. Although she is a doctor of the Church and  one of the three great 16th century Spanish mystics (along with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross), she is funny.

 St. Teresa is down-to-earth with a wonderful sense of humour which is always a sign of holiness for me. Her humourous quotes tell me that she was real, humble enough to laugh at herself and that she lived in the joy of the Lord. Thank heaven she did not take herself too seriously.
Famous  HUMOUROUS Quotes
  • Even the first line of her autobiography is amusing.
 “Having virtuous and God-fearing parents would have been enough for me to be good if I were not so wicked.”
  • After a donkey threw her into a cold river
“If this is how You treat Your friends, then it is no wonder You have so few of them.”
You’ve gotta love that level of practicality and annoyance in a mystic.

  • On false piety
“From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us!” 
Teresa of Avila was fully, deeply, unapologetically herself.  read more

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