October 2, 2020

Never do anything that you cannot do in the presence of all. - ST. TERESA OF ÁVILA

I try not to use words like ‘always’ and ‘never.’ Let’s face it, when we say “I always do that” or “I will never do that,” we put ourselves on the hook either way. How can we predict what we will always or never do?  St. Teresa challenges us to check ourselves before everything we do, and never do something we wouldn’t do in front of ‘all.’ As I see it, St. Teresa reminds us that God sees and knows all. God understands us and knows what our motivation is in every situation—He made us, after all.

This is a great reminder to really think before we act; to stop and ask ourselves the hard questions—Is this beneficial for others or is it just for me? Does this advance the cause of love in this broken world or will it just make me feel good? How would I feel about what I am about to do or say if I were to do it or say it in front of others? Or if I were to do or say it in front of Jesus?

Gosh, that’s a high bar to reach, isn’t it? When I look inside myself, I see that I have a long way to go. Let’s not get deflated, though. Let’s remember that with God’s grace and by God’s mercy, we can be life-givers. We can be lovers in the way Jesus loved, by sacrificing our desires and needs for the common good. “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) All praise and glory be to God!

Jesus, I trust in you.



©Mary V. Pribbenow