The Interior Castle or The Mansions
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
Mansion 4 Chapter 3
|
Mansion 4 Chapter 3
Chapter Contents
• Of The Prayer Of Recollection
Which God Generally Gives The Soul
Before Granting It That Last Described.
◦ Its Effects:
• Also Those
Of The Prayer Of Divine Consolations
Described In The Last Chapter.
░░░░░░░░
1. The Prayer of recollection compared
to the inhabitants of the castle.
2. The Shepherd recalls His flock
into the castle.
3. This recollection supernatural.
4. It prepares us for higher favours.
5. The mind must act
until God calls it to recollection by love.
6. The soul should here abandon itself
into God's hands.
7. The prayer of recollection,
and distractions in Prayer.
8. Liberty of spirit gained by consolations.
9. The soul must be watchful.
10. The devil specially tempts such souls.
11. False trances and raptures.
12. How to treat those deluded in this way.
13. Risks of delusion in this mansion.
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Mansion 4 Chapter 3
1. The Prayer of recollection compared
to the inhabitants of the castle.
1.
THE effects of divine consolations
are very numerous:
before describing them,
I will speak of another kind of prayer
which usually precedes them.
I need not say much on this subject,
having written about it elsewhere. [132]
This is a kind of recollection
which, I believe,
is supernatural.
There is
- no occasion to retire
- nor to shut the eyes,
- nor does it depend on anything exterior;
Involuntarily the eyes suddenly close
and
solitude is found.
Without any labour of one's own,
the temple
of which I spoke
is reared for the soul in which to pray:
The senses and exterior surroundings
appear to lose their hold,
while the spirit
gradually regains its lost sovereignty.
Some say
the soul enters into itself;
Others, that it rises above itself. [133]
I can say nothing about these terms,
but had better speak of the subject
as I understand it.
You will probably grasp my meaning,
although, perhaps,
I may be the only person
although, perhaps,
I may be the only person
who understands it.
Let us imagine
that the senses and powers of the soul
(which I compared in my allegory
to the inhabitants of the castle)
have fled and joined the enemy outside.
After long days and years of absence,
perceiving how great
has been their loss,
they return to the neighbourhood
of the castle,
but cannot manage to re-enter it,
for their evil habits
are hard to break off;
still, they are no longer traitors,
and
they wander about outside.
2. The Shepherd recalls His flock
into the castle.
2.
The King,
Who holds His court within it,
sees their good will,
and
out of His great mercy,
desires them to return to Him.
Like a good Shepherd,
He plays so sweetly on His pipe,
that although scarcely hearing it,
they
recognize His call
and
no longer wander,
but return, like lost sheep,
to the mansions.
So strong is this Pastor's power
over His flock,
that they
- abandon the worldly cares
which misled them
and
- re-enter the castle.
3. This recollection supernatural.
3.
I think I never put this matter
so clearly before.
To seek God within ourselves
avails us far more
than to look for Him amongst creatures;
Saint Augustine tells us
how he found the Almighty
within his own soul,
after having long sought for Him elsewhere.
[134]
This recollection helps us greatly
when God bestows it upon us.
But do not fancy you can gain it
by thinking of God dwelling within you,
or
by imagining Him as present in your soul:
This is
a good practice
and
an excellent kind of meditation,
for it is founded on the fact
that God resides within us; [135]
It is not, however,
the prayer of recollection,
for by the divine assistance
every one can practise it,
but what I mean
is quite a different thing.
Sometimes,
before they have begun to think of God,
the powers of the soul find themselves
within the castle.
I know
not by what means they entered,
nor how they heard the Shepherd's pipe;
The ears perceived no sound
but the soul is keenly conscious
of a delicious sense of recollection
experienced by those
who enjoy this favour,
which I cannot describe more clearly.
4. It prepares us for higher favours.
4.
I think I read somewhere [136]
that the soul is then
like a tortoise or sea-urchin,
which retreats into itself.
Those, who said this, no doubt understood
what they were talking about;
but these creatures
can withdraw into themselves at will,
while here it is not in our power
to retire into ourselves,
unless God gives us the grace.
In my opinion,
His Majesty only bestows this favour
on those who have renounced the world,
in desire at least,
if their state of life does not permit
their doing so in fact.
He thus specially calls them
to devote themselves to spiritual things;
If they allow Him power to act freely,
He will bestow still greater graces
on those whom He thus begins calling
to a higher life.
Those who enjoy this recollection
should thank God fervently:
It is of the highest importance for them
to realize the value of this favour,
gratitude for which would prepare them
to receive still more signal graces.
Some books advise that
as a preparation for hearing
what our Lord may say to us,
we should
keep our minds at rest,
waiting to see
what He will work in our souls. [137]
But unless His Majesty has begun
to suspend our faculties,
I cannot understand
how we are to stop thinking,
without doing ourselves
more harm than good.
This point has been much debated
by those learned in spiritual matters;
I confess my want of humility
in having been unable to yield
to their opinion. [138]
5. The mind must act
until God calls it to recollection by love.
5.
Some one told me of a certain book
written on the subject
by the saintly Friar Peter of Alcantara
(as I think I may justly call him);
I should have submitted to his decision,
knowing that he was competent to judge,
but on reading it,
I found he agreed with me
that the mind must act
until called to recollection by love,
although he stated it in other words. [139]
Possibly I may be mistaken,
but I rely on these reasons.
Firstly,
he who
reasons less
and
tries to do least,
does most in spiritual matters.
We should make our petitions
like beggars
before a powerful and rich Emperor;
then, with downcast eyes,
humbly wait.
When He secretly shows us
(that) He hears our prayers,
it is well to be silent,
as He has drawn us into His presence;
There would then be no harm
in trying to keep our minds at rest
(that is to say, if we can).
If, however,
the King makes no sign
of listening
or
of seeing us,
there is no need to stand inert,
like a dolt,
which the soul would resemble
if it continued inactive.
In this case
its dryness would greatly increase,
and
the imagination would be made
more restless than before
by its very effort to think of nothing.
Our Lord wishes us at such a time
to offer Him our petitions
and
to place ourselves in His presence;
He knows what is best for us.
6. The soul should here abandon itself
into God's hands.
6.
I believe
that human efforts avail nothing
in these matters,
which His Majesty appears
to reserve to Himself,
setting this limit to our powers.
In many other things,
such as penances, good works, and prayers,
with His aid,
we can help ourselves
as far as human weakness will allow.
The second reason is,
that these interior operations being
sweet and peaceful, [140]
any painful effort does us
more harm than good.
By 'painful effort',
I mean any forcible restraint
we place on ourselves,
such as holding our breath. [141]
We should
rather abandon our souls
into the hands of God,
leaving Him to do
as He chooses with us,
as He chooses with us,
as far as possible
forgetting all self-interest
and
resigning ourselves entirely to His will.
The third reason is,
that the very effort to think of nothing
excites our imagination the more.
The fourth is,
because we render God
the most true and acceptable service by
- caring only for His honour and glory
and
- forgetting ourselves, our advantages,
comfort and happiness.
How can we be self-oblivious,
while keeping ourselves
under such strict control
that we are afraid
to move,
or even
to think,
or
to leave our minds enough liberty
to desire God's greater glory
and
to rejoice in the glory
which He possesses?
When His Majesty wishes the mind
to rest from working,
He employs it in another manner,
- giving it a light and knowledge
far above any obtainable
by its own efforts
and
- absorbing it entirely into Himself.
Then, though it knows not how,
it is filled with wisdom
such as it could never gain for itself
by striving to suspend the thoughts.
God gave us faculties for our use;
Each of them will receive its proper reward.
Then
do not let us try to charm them to sleep,
but permit them to do their work
until divinely called to something higher.
[142]
7. The prayer of recollection,
and distractions in Prayer.
7.
In my opinion,
when God chooses to place the soul
in this mansion,
it is best for it
- to do as I advised,
and then
- endeavour, without force or disturbance,
to keep free from wandering thoughts.
No effort, however, should be made
to suspend the imagination entirely
from arming, (roaming ?, wandering ? )
from arming, (roaming ?, wandering ? )
for it is well
to remember God's presence
and
to consider Who He is.
If transported out of itself by its feelings,
well and good;
but let it not try to understand
what is passing within it,
for this favour is bestowed on the will
which should be left to enjoy it in peace,
only making loving aspirations occasionally.
Although, in this kind of prayer,
the soul makes no effort towards it,
yet often, for a very short time,
the mind ceases to think at all.
I explained elsewhere
why this occurs during this spiritual state.
[143]
On first speaking of the fourth mansions,
I told you
I had mentioned divine consolations
before the prayer of recollection.
The latter should have come first,
as it is far inferior to consolations,
of which it is the commencement.
Recollection does
- not require us to give up meditation,
- nor to cease using our intellect.
In the prayer of quiet,
when the water flows
from the spring itself
and
not through conduits,
the mind ceases to act;
It is forced to do so,
although it does not understand
what is happening,
and so
wanders hither and thither in bewilderment,
finding no place for rest.
Meanwhile the will,
entirely united to God,
is much disturbed by the tumult
of the thoughts:
No notice, however,
should be taken of them,
or (else) they would cause the loss
of a great part of the favour
(that) the soul is enjoying.
Let the spirit
- ignore these distractions and
- abandon itself in the arms of divine love:
His Majesty will teach it
how best to act,
which chiefly consists in its
- recognizing its unworthiness
of so great a good
and
- occupying itself in thanking Him for it.
8. Liberty of spirit gained by consolations.
8.
In order to treat of the prayer of recollection,
I passed over in silence
the effects and symptoms
to be found in souls
thus favoured by God.
Divine consolations evidently cause
a dilation or enlargement of the soul
that may be compared to water
flowing from a spring into a basin
which has no outlet,
but is so constructed
as to increase in size and proportion
to the quantity poured into it.
God seems to work the same effect
by this prayer,
besides giving many
other marvellous graces,
so preparing and disposing the soul
to contain all He intends to give it.
After interior sweetness and dilation,
the soul is not so restrained
as formerly in God's service,
but possesses much more liberty of spirit.
It is no longer distressed
by the terror of hell,
for though more anxious than ever
not to offend God,
it has lost servile fear
and
feels sure that one day
it will possess its Lord.
It does not dread the loss of health
by austerities; [144]
believing
that there is nothing it could not do
by His grace,
it is more desirous
than before of doing penance.
Greater indifference is felt for sufferings
because faith being stronger,
it trusts
that if borne for God,
He will give the grace to endure them patiently.
Indeed, such a one
at times even longs for trials,
having a most ardent desire
to do something for His sake.
As the soul better understands
the Divine Majesty,
it realizes more vividly
its own baseness.
Divine consolation shows it
how vile are earthly pleasures;
By gradually withdrawing from them,
it gains greater self-mastery.
In short,
its virtues are increased
and
it will not cease to advance in perfection,
unless it turns back and offends God.
Should it act thus,
it would lose everything,
however high the state
it may have reached.
9. The soul must be watchful.
9.
It is not to be supposed
that all these effects are produced
merely by God's having shown these favours
once or twice.
They must be received continually,
for it is on their frequent reception
that the whole welfare of the soul depends.
I strongly urge those
who have reached this state
to avoid most carefully
all occasions of offending God. [145]
The soul is
not yet fully established in virtue,
but is like a new-born babe
first feeding at its mother's breast: [146]
If it leaves her, what can it do but die?
I greatly fear that
when a soul
to whom God has granted this favour
discontinues prayer,
except under urgent necessity,
it will,
unless it returns to the practice at once,
go from bad to worse.
10. The devil specially tempts such souls.
10.
I realize the danger of such a case,
having had the grief
of witnessing the fall of persons I knew
through their withdrawal from Him
Who sought, with so much love,
to make Himself their friend,
as He proved by His treatment of them.
I urgently warn such persons
not to run the risk of sinning,
for the devil would
rather gain one of these souls
than many to whom our Lord
does not grant such graces, [147]
as the former
may cause him severe loss
by leading others to follow their example,
and
may even render great service
to the Church of God.
Were there no other reason
except that he saw the special love
(which) His Majesty bears these people,
it would suffice to make Satan
frantic to destroy God's work in them,
so that they might be lost eternally.
Therefore
they suffer grievous temptations,
and
if they fall,
they fall lower than others.
11. False trances and raptures.
11.
You, my sisters, are free from such dangers,
as far as we can tell:
God keep you from pride and vainglory!
The devil sometimes offers
counterfeits of the graces
I have mentioned:
This can easily be detected
--the effects being exactly contrary
to those of the genuine ones. [148]
Although I have spoken of it elsewhere, [149]
I wish to warn you here
of a special danger to which those
who practise prayer are subject,
particularly women,
whose weakness of constitution
makes them more liable to such mistakes.
On account of their
penances, prayers, and vigils,
or even
merely because of debility of health,
some persons cannot
receive spiritual consolation
without being overcome by it.
On feeling any interior joy,
their bodies being languid and weak,
they fall into a slumber
--they call it spiritual sleep--
which is a more advanced stage
of what I have described;
they think the soul shares in it
as well as the body,
and abandon themselves
to a sort of intoxication.
The more they lose self-control,
the more do their feelings
get possession of them,
because the frame becomes more feeble.
They fancy this is a trance
and call it one,
but I call it nonsense;
it does nothing but
waste their time
and
injure their health.
12. How to treat those deluded in this way.
12.
This state lasted with a certain person
for eight hours,
during which time she was
neither insensible,
nor had she any thought of God. [150]
She was cured by being made
to eat and sleep well
and
to leave off some of her penances.
Her recovery was owing to some one
who understood her case;
Hitherto she had unintentionally deceived
both her confessor and other people,
as well as herself.
I feel quite sure
(that) the devil had been at work here
to serve his own ends
and
he was beginning to gain a great deal from it.
It should be known
that when God bestows such favours
on the soul,
although there may be languor
both of mind and body,
it is not shared by the soul,
which feels great delight
at seeing itself so near God,
nor does this state ever continue
for more than a very short time. [151]
Although the soul may become
absorbed again,
yet, as I said,
unless already feeble,
the body suffers neither exhaustion nor pain.
I advise any of you
who experience the latter
to tell the Prioress,
and
to divert your thoughts
as much as possible from such matters.
The Superior
should prevent such a nun
from spending more
than a very few hours in prayer,
and
should make her eat and sleep well
until her usual strength is restored,
if she has lost it in this way. [152]
If the nun's constitution is so delicate
that this does not suffice,
let her believe me
when I tell her
that God only calls her to the active life.
There must be such people in monasteries:
Eemploy her in the various offices
and
be careful that she is never left
very long alone,
otherwise she will entirely lose her health.
This treatment will be
a great mortification to her:
Our Lord tests her love for Him
by the way in which she bears His absence.
He may be pleased, after a time,
to restore her strength;
If not,
she will
make as much progress,
and
earn as great a reward
by vocal prayer and obedience
as she would have done
by contemplation,
and perhaps more.
13. Risks of delusion in this mansion.
13.
There are people,
some of whom I have known,
whose minds and imaginations are so active
as to fancy they see
whatever they think about,
which is very dangerous. [153]
Perhaps I may treat of this later on,
but cannot do so now.
I have dwelt at length on this mansion,
as I believe it to be
the one most souls enter.
As the natural is combined
with the supernatural,
the devil can do
more harm here
than later on,
when God does not leave him
so many opportunities.
May God be for ever praised!
Amen.
Foot Notes:
[132]
Life, ch. xiv. 2.
The Saint says in the second chapter
of this mansion, # 5,
and also in letters dated
Dec. 7, 1577 (Vol. II) and
Jan. 14, 1580,
that when writing the Interior Castle,
she had more experience
in spiritual things
than when she composed her former works.
This is fully borne out by the present chapter.
In the corresponding part of her 'Life',
she practically confounded
'the prayer of recollection'
with
'the prayer of quiet'
(the second state of the soul).
Likewise,
in the 'Way of Perfection', ch. xxviii.,
she speaks of
but one kind of prayer of recollection
and then passes on to the 'prayer of quiet'.
Here, however,
she mentions a second form
of the prayer of recollection.
See
Philippus a SS. Trinitate,
pars iii. tract. i, disc. iii. art. 1,
De oratione recollectionis'
( page 81 of the third vol.
of the edition of 1874);
de secundo modo recollectionis'
(ibid. p. 82.); and art. 2:
De oratione quietis' (ibid. p. 84.)
Antonius a Spiritu Sancto, Direct. Mystic.
tract. iv. n. 78:
Duo sunt hujus recollectionis modi,
primus quidem activus
[reference to the Way of Perfection, l.c.],
secundus autem passivus,
[reference to this chapter
of the Fourth Mansion].'
The former is not supernatural,
in the sense
that with special grace from above,
it can be acquired;
the second is altogether supernatural
and more like gratuitous grace
(ibid. no. 80 and 81).
On the meaning of Solitude,' Silence,' etc.,
see Anton. a Sp. S. l.c., tract. i, n. 78-82.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Life, ch. xiv. 2.
2. Herein the soul
- begins to be recollected; - it is now touching on the supernatural - for it never could by any efforts of its own attain to this. True, it seems at times to have been wearied at the wheel, labouring with the understanding, and
filling the buckets;
but in this second degree - the water is higher, and - accordingly the labour is much less than it was when the water had to be drawn up out of the well; I mean, that the water is nearer to it, for grace reveals itself more distinctly to the soul. [ Life: Ch. 14 # 2]
________________________
[133]
The edition of Burgos
(vol. iv, P. 59)
refers appropriately to the following passage
in the 'Tercer Abecedario'
(See Life, ch. iv, 8)
by the Franciscan friar,
Francisco de Osuna,
a work which exercised
a profound influence on St. Teresa:
'Entering within oneself;
and
rising above oneself,
are the two principal points
in this exercise,
those which, above all others,
one ought to strive after,
and
which give the highest satisfaction
to the soul.
There is less labour
in 'entering within oneself'
than
in 'rising above oneself'
and therefore it appears to me
that when the soul is
ready and fit for either,
you ought to do the former,
because the other
will follow without any effort,
and
will be all the more pure and spiritual;
However,
follow what course your soul prefers
as this will bring you
more grace and benefit,'
(Tr. ix, ch, viii).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
"...'Tercer Abecedario'
by the Franciscan friar,
Francisco de Osuna..."
This refers to the
"Third Spiritual Alphabet"
by the Franciscan friar,
Francisco de Osuna
________________________
[134]
Some editors of the Interior Castle think
that St. Teresa refers
to the following passage
taken from the Confessions of St. Augustine:
'Too late have I loved Thee,
O Beauty, ever ancient yet ever new!
too late have I loved Thee!
And behold, Thou wert within me
and I abroad,
and there I searched for Thee,
and, deformed as I was,
I pursued the beauties
that Thou hast made.
Thou wert with me,
but I was not with Thee.
Those things kept me far from Thee,
which, unless they were in Thee,
could have had no being'
(St. Augustine's Confessions,
bk. x, ch. xxvii.).
The Confessions of St. Augustine
were first translated into Spanish
by Sebastian Toscano,
a Portuguese Augustinian.
This edition, which was published
at Salamanca in 1554,
was the one used by St. Teresa.
However, it is more probable
that here and elsewhere
( Life, ch. xli. 10;
Way of Perf. ch. xxviii. 2 )
St. Teresa quotes a passage
which occurs in a pious book,
entitled Soliloquia,
and
erroneously attributed to St. Augustine:
' I have gone about
the streets and the broad ways
of the city of this world
seeking Thee,
but have not found Thee
for I was wrong
in seeking without
for what was within.'
(ch. xxxi.)
This treatise which is also quoted
by St. John of the Cross,
Spiritual Canticle, stanza i. 7,
Ascent of Mount Carmel,
bk. i. ch. v. 1,
appeared in a Spanish translation
at Valladolid in 1515,
at Medina del Campo in 1553,
and
at Toledo in 1565.
________________________
[135]
Life, ch. xiv. 7, 8; 20.
________________________
[136]
St. Teresa read this in
'the Tercer Abecedario'
of Francisco de Osuna
(tr. vi, ch, iv):
This exercise concentrates
the senses of man
in the interior of the heart
where dwells the daughter of the king';
that is, the Catholic soul;
thus recollected,
man may well be compared
to the tortoise or sea-urchin
which rolls itself up and
withdraws within itself,
disregarding everything outside.'
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
"...'Tercer Abecedario'
by the Franciscan friar,
Francisco de Osuna..."
This refers to the
"Third Spiritual Alphabet"
by the Franciscan friar,
Francisco de Osuna
________________________
[137] Life. ch, xii. 8.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
[137] Life. ch, xii. 8.
8. In mystical theology...
the understanding ceases from its acts,
because God suspends it... We must neither imagine nor think that we can of ourselves bring about this suspension. That is what I say must not be done; Nor must we allow the understanding to cease from its acts; for in that case
we shall be stupid and cold,
and the result will be neither the one nor the other. For when our Lord suspends the understanding, and makes it cease from its acts, He puts before it that which astonishes and occupies it: so that without making any reflections, it shall comprehend in a moment more than we could comprehend in many years with all the efforts in the world. [ Life: Ch. 12: #8 ]
________________________
[138] Life, ch. xiv, 10.
________________________
[139]
'A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer'
by St. Peter of Alcantara,
translated by Rev. G. F. Bullock M.A. and
edited by Rev. George Seymour Hollings
S.S.J.E. London, Mowbray, 1905,
p. 117. Eighth Counsel.
"Let the last and chiefest counsel be
that in this holy exercise
we should endeavour to unite
Meditation with Contemplation
making of the one a ladder
for attaining to the other.
For this we must know (p. 118)
that the very office of Meditation
is to consider Divine things
with studiousness and attention
passing from one to another,
to move our hearts
to some affection and deep feeling for them,
which is as though
one should strike a flint
to draw from it the spark.
For Contemplation is
to have drawn forth this spark:
I mean
- to have now found
this affection and feeling
which were sought for,
and
- to be in peace and silence,
enjoying them;
- not with many discursive
and intellectual speculations
- but with simple gaze upon the truth.
Wherefore, says a holy teacher,
Meditation
goes its way and
brings forth fruit, with labour,
but
Contemplation
bears fruit without labour.
The one seeketh,
the other findeth;
the one consumeth the food,
the other enjoys it;
the one discourseth,
and maketh reflections,
the other is contented with a simple gaze
upon the things,
for it hath in possession
their love and joy.
Lastly,
the one is as the means,
the other as the end;
the one as the road and journeying along it,
the other as the end
of the road and
of the journeying.
From this, is to be inferred
a very common thing,
which all masters of the spiritual life teach,
although it is little understood (p. 119)
of those who learn it;
which is this,
that, as the means cease
when the end has been attained,
as the voyaging is over
when the port has been touched,
so when,
through the working
out of our Meditation,
we have come
to the repose and sweet savour
of Contemplation,
we ought then
- to cease
from that pious and laborious searching
and
- being satisfied with
the simple gaze upon God and
thought of God
--as though we had Him there
present before us--
we should rest in the enjoyment
of that affection then given,
whether it be of love, or of admiration,
or joy, or other like sentiment.
The reason why this counsel is given is this,
that as
the aim of this devotion is
love and the affections of the will
rather than
the speculations of the understanding,
when the will has been
caught and taken by this affection,
we should put away all those
discursive and intellectual speculations,
so far as we can,
in order that our soul
with all its forces
may be fastened upon this affection
without being diverted
by the action of other influences.
A learned teacher, therefore,
counsels us
that as soon as anyone feels himself
fired by the love of God,
he should first put aside (p. 120.)
all these considerations and thoughts
--however exalted they may seem--
not because
they are really not good in themselves,
but because they are then hindrances
to what is better. and more important.
For this is nothing else than that,
having come to the end and purpose
of our work,
we should
stay therein, and
leave Meditation
for the love of Contemplation.
This may especially be done
at the end of any exercise,
that is,
after the petition for the Divine love
of which we have spoken,
for one reason,
because then it is supposed
that the labour of the exercise
we have just gone through
has produced some divine devotion
and feeling,
since, saith the wise man,
Better is the end of prayer
than the beginning':
and for another reason,
that, after the work of Prayer and Meditation,
it is well
that one should
give his mind a little rest,
and
allow it to repose
in the arms of Contemplation.
At this point, then,
we should
- put away all other thoughts
that may present themselves,
and,
- quieting the mind and
stilling the memory,
- fix all upon our Lord;
and
- remembering
that we are then in His presence,
- no longer dwell upon the details
of divine things.
Ibidem p. 121.
And not only at the end of the exercise
but in the midst of it,
and
at whatever part of it,
this spiritual swoon should come upon us,
when the intellect is laid to sleep,
we should
make this pause,
and
enjoy the blessing bestowed;
and then,
when we have finished the digestion of it,
turn to the matter we have in hand,
as the gardener does,
when he waters his garden-bed;
who, after giving it (p. 122)
a sufficiency of water,
holds back the stream,
and
lets it soak and spread itself
through the depths of the earth;
and then
when this hath somewhat dried up,
he turns down upon it again
the flow of water
that it may receive still more,
and be well irrigated.'
________________________
[140]
Sap. viii. i:
Disponit omnia suaviter.'
"and orders all things sweetly"
[ Wisdom: 8:1 ]
________________________
[141]
Life, ch. xv. i.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Life, ch. xv. i.
"...It dares not move nor stir,
because it thinks
that this blessing it has received
must then escape out of its hands...
it could wish it did not even breathe.
The poor little soul is not aware that,
- as of itself it could do nothing
to draw down this blessing on itself,
- it is still less able to retain it a moment
longer than our Lord wills
it should remain.
[ Life: Ch. 15: #1 ]
________________________
[142]
'The whole of the time
in which our Lord communicates
the simple, loving general attention
of which I made mention before,
or when the soul, assisted by grace,
is established in that state,
we must contrive
◦ to keep the understanding
- in repose,
- undisturbed by the intrusion
of forms, figures,
or particular knowledge,
unless it were slightly
and for an instant,
and
◦ that with sweetness of love,
to enkindle our souls the more.
At other times, however,
in all our acts
of devotion and good works,
we must make use
of good recollections and meditations,
so that we may feel
an increase of profit and devotion;
most especially applying ourselves
to the life, passion, and death
of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
that our life and conduct
may be an imitation of His.'
(St. John of the Cross,
Ascent of Mount Carmel,
bk. ii. ch. xxxii. 7.)
________________________
[143]
Life, ch. xv. 2.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Life, ch. xv. 2.
2. I have already said that,
in the prior recollection and quiet, - there is no failure of the powers of the soul; - but the soul is so satisfied in God that, although two of its powers be distracted, ( Understanding/Intellect and Memory/Imagination) yet, while the recollection lasts, as the will abides in union with God, so its peace and quiet are not disturbed; on the contrary,
the will by degrees
brings the understanding
and the memory back again;
for though the will is not yet altogether absorbed, it continues still occupied
without knowing how,
so that, notwithstanding all the efforts of the memory and the understanding, they cannot rob it of its delight and joy
yea, rather, it helps without any labour at all
to keep this little spark of the love of God from being quenched. [ Life: Ch. 15: #2 ]
________________________
[144]
Life, ch. xxiv. 2.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Life, ch. xxiv. 2.
2. I began with a renewed love
of the most Sacred Humanity...
I was inclined to practise greater penance,
having been negligent in this matter
hitherto because of my great infirmities.
The holy man who heard my confession
(? Fr Juan de Padrano) told me
- that certain penances would not hurt me
and
- that God perhaps
sent me so much sickness
because I did no penance;
His Majesty would therefore
impose it Himself.
He ordered me to practise
certain acts of mortification
not very pleasant for me.
I did so, because I felt
that our Lord was
-- enjoining it all, and
-- giving him grace to command me
in such a way
as to make me obedient unto him.
[ Life: Ch 24: #2 ]
________________________
[145]
Way of Perf. ch. xvi. 5.
Castle, M. v. ch. i, 2, 3;
ii. 4, 5;
iii. 2, 6, 12.
________________________
[146]
Way of Perf. ch. xxxi. 7.
Concept. ch. iv. 6.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Concept. ch. iv. 6.
6. This metaphor is most appropriate,
for the soul is upraised
without using the powers of the mind,
much in the same way as a babe,
who when he is thus feasted and pleased,
yet has not the intelligence
to grasp the reason why.
But the soul was not quite so passive
in the preceding state
of slumber and intoxication,
for it was not entirely quiescent,
but both thought and acted
to a certain extent.
[ Concept: Ch. 4: # 6 ]
________________________
[147]
Way of Perf. ch. xl. 3.
________________________
[148]
Life, ch. xx. 31.
________________________
[149]
Found. ch. vi.
________________________
[150]
Found. ch. vi. 15.
________________________
[151]
Life ch. xviii. 16, 17.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Life ch. xviii. 16, 17.
"...the period of time,
however long it may have been,
during which the faculties of the soul
were entranced,
is very short;
if half an hour,
that would be a long time.
I do not think
that I have ever been so long.
The truth of the matter is this:
it is extremely difficult
to know how long,
because the senses are in suspense;
but I think that at any time
it cannot be very long before
some one of the faculties recovers itself.
It is the will that persists in the work;
the other two faculties quickly
begin to molest it.
As the will is calm,
- it entrances them again;
- they are quiet for another moment, and
- then they recover themselves once more.
17. In this way, some hours may be,
and are, passed in prayer;
for when the two faculties begin
to drink deep, and
to perceive the taste of this divine wine,
they give themselves up
with great readiness,
in order to be the more absorbed:
they follow the will, and
the three rejoice together.
But this state of complete absorption,
together with the utter rest
of the imagination,--
for I believe that even the imagination
is then wholly at rest,--
lasts only for a short time;
though the faculties do not
so completely recover themselves
as not to be for some hours afterwards
as if in disorder:
God, from time to time,
drawing them to Himself.
[ Life: Ch. 18: # 16, 17 ]
_______________________
[152]
Letter of Oct. 23, 1576. Vol. II.
________________________
[153]
Found. ch. viii. 7-8.
|
End of
of Mansion 4 Chapter 3
The Interior Castle
or
The Mansions
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
|
