← [[appendix-c-f1a|Biographical Timeline — St. Teresa of Ávila]] | [[formation-I-a-handbook|Table of Contents]] | [[appendix-e-f1a|Our First Duties as Carmelites]] → # Meditation on the Song of Songs 7:3 — St. Teresa of Ávila In this suspension the soul would not want to come out of this sleep, nor would death be painful to it but great happiness, for this is what it desires. And how happy a death it would be, at the hands of this love! But sometimes His Majesty gives it light to see that living is good for it. However, the soul sees that its natural weakness will not be able to suffer that good for long if that delight lasts, and begs Him for another good so as to escape from that one that is so extraordinary, and thus it says: sustain me with flowers. The fragrance of these flowers is different from the fragrance of flowers we smell here below. I understand by these words that the soul is asking to perform great works in the service of our Lord and of its neighbor. For this purpose it is happy to lose that delight and satisfaction. Although a person’s life will become more active than contemplative, and one will seemingly lose if the petition is granted, Martha and Mary never fail to work almost always together when the soul is in this state. For in the active – and seemingly exterior – work the soul is working interiorly. And when the active works rise from this interior root, they become lovely and very fragrant flowers. For they proceed from this tree of God’s love and are done for Him alone, without any self-interest. The fragrance from these flowers spreads to the benefit of many. It is a fragrance that lasts, not passing quickly, but having great effect. --- **Source:** Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, *Formation I Year A: The Way of Perfection* (US National Formation Program, 2024).