Learning to Pray with St. Teresa of Avila

Oct 15, 2025: On October 15, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Teresa of Avila, also known as St. Teresa of Jesus — the great Carmelite mystic, reformer, and teacher of prayer. Born in Ávila, Spain, in 1515, she entered the Carmelite Order and, through her deep union with God, renewed religious life from within. She died at Alba in 1582 and was later proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope St. Paul VI, who fittingly called her Doctor of Prayer.

St. Teresa’s teaching on prayer came not from theory but from lived experience. She began writing at the age of forty-seven, after years of struggle, conversion, and grace. Her three great works — The Life, The Way of Perfection, and The Interior Castle — have become spiritual classics. In them, she shows that prayer is not a technique but a loving friendship with God that transforms the soul.

The Four Grades of Prayer

In The Life, St. Teresa uses the image of watering a garden to describe how prayer develops in the soul.

The Well – In the beginning, prayer requires effort and discipline. Like drawing water from a well, we must persevere even when it feels dry or difficult.

The Water Wheel – Gradually, prayer becomes easier and more interior. The soul begins to recollect itself, and joy arises as one becomes aware of God’s presence.

The Flowing Stream – Here, God becomes the active one. The soul rests more in His presence, experiencing peace and quiet union.

The Rain – Finally, prayer becomes pure gift. Like rain that falls freely, God fills the soul with His grace, and we simply receive in silent love.

These “four waters” reveal that the more we grow in prayer, the less we rely on our own effort, and the more God works within us.

When Prayer Becomes Life

Prayer and contemplation, for St. Teresa, are never ends in themselves. They overflow into love, service, and fidelity to the Gospel. Genuine prayer must make us more compassionate, more faithful, and more

Christlike. St. Teresa reminds us that prayer shapes not only our inner life but also how we act in the world — supporting others, sharing God’s love, and living the Gospel daily.

An Invitation to Deeper Prayer

St. John Paul II encouraged all Christians to learn the art of prayer from the Carmelite saints — St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross. St. Teresa teaches us that the measure of our spiritual life is our union with God.

On her feast day, she invites us to open our hearts to the transforming friendship of Christ. Prayer may begin with effort, but it always leads to grace.

She asks each of us a simple question:

Are we willing to let God water the garden of our soul?

By Br. Malvino Alfonso, OCD