St. Teresa of ávila

On October 15th, the Church celebrated the feast of St. Teresa of ávila. She played a major role in the Counter-Reformation, reformed the Carmelites, and taught us about prayer. The Church even recognized this by giving her the title "Doctor of Prayer."

Here is her guide to meditative prayer:

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Step 1: Preparation

Find a quiet place, preferably in a chapel, free from outside distractions. Then, put your body in a posture that isn't so relaxing that you fall asleep and not too painful that you can't pray.

Give yourself time to put yourself in the presence of God. Recognize the beautiful truth that He is there with you. This is a special time. Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to pray well during this time.

Then bring out a reading for your meditation, one that opens up an important truth of the faith. The Gospels are always a great option, but it can also be a separate spiritual text.

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Step 2: Read and Reflect

Read the passage slowly and deliberately. There's no need to rush! This step uses your intellect to wrestle with the material. Reading can sometimes stir up emotions that lead us closer to God, too.

If a word or phrase sticks out, calmly pause on it and reflect:

• Why did it stick out?
• What might God want to speak to you about?
• What in it inspires you to love God more?
• What in it grows your conviction that God loves you?
• Does it inspire you to change?

Bringing a prayer journal to write about what is sticking out can help keep track of your thoughts.

As you read, reflect on your own life. Have you done well? Not so well? Write it down with honesty, in God's presence.

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Step 3: Conversation with God

Now comes the most important part of your prayer time. This when you speak and listen to God. In this conversation, your earlier preparation can be the conversation "topic."

As you have this conversation, here are some potential supplemental topics:

• Thanksgiving
• Petition (ask God for help)
• Adoration
• Contrition

During this step, it's tempting to do all the talking. Be sure to allow times of silence to try to listen to what God may want to say to you.

Distractions may pop up. It's important to not let them run rampant in your mind. When they first come up peacefully move your mind back to God. If they come up again, mention them to God and go back to Him. If they come up yet again, try praying about them with God!

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Step 4: Conclusion

As your prayer time comes to a close, don't forget to thank God for the gift of this prayer time.

During this reflection and conversation, did you have any desires to change? Now is a great time to create a concrete resolution. What is something specific you can do different today?

Further Resources

Video - Men: 5 Crucial Tips and 4 Key Mistakes When Discerning Your Vocation

Fr. Benedict Croell, O.P. - former vocations director for the Dominicans, has crucial advice for men discerning their vocations.

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Article - How to Pray Like a Mystic in College

Mystical graces, like those experienced by great saints, always originate in God. They are pure gifts of supernatural grace. This means that we can’t force God to give us these graces. But does this mean that only a few are called to be mystics? Not at all!

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Article - Get a (Prayer) Life: How to Actually Live Your Best Life

There was this woman, Teresa—you may have heard of her—from ávila, Spain. When she first joined the Carmelite convent, at least externally, she seemed like a pretty decent nun. Not only was she charming, beautiful, and hospitable, she also adequately fulfilled the ordinary duties that nuns typically do (disclaimer: I can’t say I know what those are, seeing as I’ve never lived in a convent before, and I’m not exactly allowed inside). Then something happened.

The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.

- St. Teresa of ávila