Saint Teresa of Avila on Wedding Garments

Mention of the rough garment of offenses in Saint Cyril's catechesis brought to mind another prayer of repentance. Saint Teresa of Avila felt the need to repent for time lost in her vocation, time in which she had been insincere and sought comfort rather than serving God.

In my life, I have experienced that no time is lost to God; when at last we turn to him, there is a grace to see that he was leading us all along and that the "time lost" was time he used for formation and teaching, to turn this loss to gain. Repentance is a continual process that is first the awareness of our need for God and his desire for us to receive every grace he wants to give, even the smallest of which contains him in his fullness.

O my God! Source of all mercy! I acknowledge Your sovereign power. While recalling the wasted years that are past, I believe that You, Lord, can in an instant turn this loss to gain. Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe that You can do all things. Please restore to me the time lost, giving me Your grace, both now and in the future, that I may appear before You in "wedding garments." 
Amen.