Saturday, July 19, 2008

A prayer to God the lover

The mystics of the Church often used very erotic language when trying to verbalize their prayer experiences. Teresa of Avila was a prime example. Here is one of her prayers which is clearly meant to offer great consolation:

O true Lover,
with how much compassion,
with how much gentleness,
with how much delight,
with how much favor,
and with what extraordinary signs of love
You cure these wounds,
which with the same darts
of this same love
You have caused!
O my God
and my rest from all pains,
how entranced I am!

— Saint Teresa of Avila

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