The Path of Self-Knowledge

Today the great mystic and church reformer, St. Theresa of Avila, addresses us with wise words about walking a path of truth, which is also the path of self-knowledge.

God is everlasting Truth.

I am reminded of how Pilate, when questioning our Lord, asked "What is truth?"

How little we understand about the Supreme Truth!

Let us conclude that in order to live in conformity with our God,

it will be well if we always study diligently how to walk in the Truth.

Especially, there should be no desire that others consider us better than we are.

And in our works we should attribute to God what is God's

and to ourselves what is ours, and strive to draw out the Truth in everything.

Once I was pondering why our Lord was so fond of this virtue of humility

and this thought came to me, not as a result of reflection, but suddenly.

It is because God is supreme Truth; and to be humble is to walk in the Truth.

For it is a very deep truth that apart from God we have nothing good

but only emptiness and nothingness.

Whoever does not understand this walks in falsehood.

The more anyone understands it, the this pleases the supreme Truth

because the person is walking in truth.

Please God, we will be granted the favor never to leave this path of self-knowledge.

People will tell you that you do not need friends on this journey, that God is enough.

But to be with God's friends is a good way to keep close to God in this life.

You will always draw great benefit from them.

This is to love in truth:

Bear with a fault and do not be astonished.

Relieve others of their labor and take upon yourselves tasks to be done.

Be cheerful when others have need of it.

Be grateful for you strength when others have need of it.

Show tenderness in love and sympathize with the weakness of others.

Friends of God love others with a true, ardent, and helpful love.

My prayer of response:

God of Truth, how true it is that I am dependent upon You in every way for everything,

including walking on the path of self-knowledge.

You know me far better than I know myself. You know others far better than I do.

Give me your perspective and wisdom so that I may know myself as I really am,

and others for who they really are,

and love both them and myself as You do.

Amen.