“Be on the alert and pray always.” (Luke 21:36)

The spiritual development of St Teresa of Avila, the founder of the Order of Discalced Carmelite, focuses on building a castle within our heart. In short, we should maintain a close relationship with God all the time. She believes that the practice of contemplation is the most important aspect of our life. By emphasizing on our spiritual enhancement, she hopes that we can witness the presence of Jesus Christ through others.

The biggest challenge for life in the convent is to love one another. It is not surprising that on top of health problems, St Teresa of Lisieux had to cope with the hostile attitude of some sisters.

The reason why Jesus expects us to “be on the alert and pray always” is to help us to develop a definite faith, in order to face the many challenges brought about by others and in our everyday life. In times of suffering, it is especially easy for us to realize that we are sacrificing with God.

Since the flesh is weak, we particularly need to set aside a regular time for prayers everyday.