The Interior Castle or The Mansions
S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
Mansion 5 Chapter 4
|
Mansion 5 Chapter 4
Chapter Contents
Further Explanation Of The Same Subject;
• Explains This Prayer.
• The Importance Of Being
On One's Guard,
As The Devil Eagerly Desires
To Turn Souls Back
From The Right Path.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
1. The spiritual espousals.
2. The prayer of union
resembles a betrothal.
3. Before the spiritual nuptials,
temptations are dangerous.
4. The great good done
by souls faithful to these graces.
5. Religious subject
to the devil's deceptions.
6. Satan's strata-gems.
7. Why they are permitted.
8. Prayer and watchfulness
our safeguards.
9. God's watchfulness over such souls.
10. Progress in virtue.
11. Insignificance of our actions
compared with their reward.
12. St.Teresa's motives
for writing on prayer.
|
Mansion 5 Chapter 4
CHAPTER IV.
1. The spiritual espousals.
1.
You appear anxious to know
what has become of the little dove
and
where she obtains rest,
since obviously she can find it
neither in spiritual consolations
nor in earthly pleasures
but takes a higher flight.
I cannot tell you
until we come to the last mansion:
God grant
I may remember or have leisure to write it.
It is nearly five months
since I began this work,
and as my head is too weak
to read it again,
no doubt it will be
- very disconnected
and
- full of repetitions:
however,
as it is only for my sisters,
that will matter little.
Yet I should like
to express myself more fully
about the prayer of union
and
will make use,
to the best of my scanty wits,
of a comparison.
Later on we will speak
of the little butterfly,
which is never still,
for it can find no true repose,
yet always fertile,
doing good both to itself and others. [199]
You have often heard
that God spiritually espouses souls:
May He be praised for His mercy
in thus humbling Himself so utterly.
Though but a homely comparison,
yet I can find nothing better
to express my meaning
than the Sacrament of Matrimony
although the two things are very different.
In divine union everything is
spiritual
and
far removed from anything corporal:
All the joys our Lord gives
and
the mutual delight felt in it
being celestial
and very unlike human marriage,
which it excels a thousand times.
Here all is love united to love;
Its operations are more
pure, refined, and sweet
than can be described,
though our Lord knows
how to make the soul sensible of them.
2. The prayer of union
resembles a betrothal.
2.
I think this union does not attain
as far as the spiritual espousals
but resembles the preliminaries
that take place
when two people are contemplating
a betrothal.
- Their suitability and willingness
for the alliance are first discussed;
- then they may be allowed
to see one another sometimes
so as to come to a decision.
Thus it is in the spiritual espousals:
When
the preliminary agreement
has been made
and
the soul thoroughly understands
what great advantages she will gain,
having resolved
to fulfil the will of her Spouse
in all things
and
to do all she can to please Him,
His Majesty,
Who knows well
whether this is so in reality,
wishes in return to gratify His bride.
He, therefore,
bestows this favour upon her,
visits her
and
draws her into His presence,
as He wishes her
to know Him better.
to know Him better.
We might compare the prayer of union
to a visit,
for it lasts but a very little while. [200]
There is no longer
any question of deliberation,
but the soul in a secret manner sees
to what a Bridegroom it is betrothed;
The senses and faculties could not,
in a thousand years,
gain the knowledge
thus imparted in a very short time.
The Spouse,
being Who He is,
leaves the soul far more deserving
of completing the espousals,
as we may call them;
The enamoured soul,
in its love for Him,
in its love for Him,
makes every effort
to prevent their being frustrated.
Should it
grow neglectful
and
set its affections on anything
except our Lord,
it will forfeit everything:
This loss is as great
as are the favours
the soul has continually received,
which are precious beyond description.
[201]
3. Before the spiritual nuptials,
temptations are dangerous.
3.
O Christian souls!
You whom God has brought thus far!
I implore you for His dear sake
not to grow careless,
but to avoid all occasions of sin;
You are not strong enough yet
to undergo temptation,
as you will be
after the espousals
which take place in the next mansion.
Here the betrothed are,
as they say,
only acquainted by sight, [202]
and
the devil will spare no pains
to oppose and prevent their nuptials.
Afterwards,
when he sees
the Bride is wholly given to her Bridegroom,
he is afraid to interfere,
having learnt by experience
that if he molests her,
while he loses much,
she will gain greatly in merit.
4. The great good done
by souls faithful to these graces.
4.
I can assure you, my daughters, [203]
that I have known
people far advanced in the spiritual life
who had reached this state of prayer
yet whom the devil reclaimed
by his subtlety and wiles:
as I have often said,
all hell leagues together
against such souls
because the loss of one of them
entails the perdition of many more,
as Satan is well aware.
If we considered
how many men God draws to Himself
by means of one,
we should praise Him fervently.
Think of the multitudes converted
by the martyrs
or
by one young maiden like St. Ursula!
Again, of how many victims
the evil one was deprived
by St. Dominic, St. Francis,
and other founders of religious orders.
How many more he loses,
even now,
through Father Ignatius [Loyola],
who founded the Company [of Jesus]!
As we read their lives,
we learn
that they received such graces from God.
How was this great good done
except by their efforts not to forfeit,
through any fault of theirs,
these divine espousals?
Oh, my daughters,
how willing our Lord is
to grant us the same graces!
In fact,
there is even more urgent need now
for persons to prepare for such favours,
since there are fewer
who care for His honour.
We love ourselves too much
and
are too prudent to give up
any of our rights.
What a deception!
May God in His mercy
give us light,
lest we sink into such darkness.
5. Religious subject
to the devil's deceptions.
5.
You may question or be in doubt
on two points.
Firstly:
if the soul is entirely united
with the will of God,
as I have stated,
how can it be deceived,
since it ever seeks to follow His pleasure ?
Secondly,
how can the devil enter and work such havoc
as to destroy your soul
while you
are so utterly withdrawn from the world
and
constantly frequent the Sacraments ? [204]
At the same time you enjoy
the society of angels
(as we might call them)
and by the mercy of God
you desire nothing
but to serve and please Him in all things?
[205]
It is not surprising
that people in the world should run such risks.
I admit you have the right to say this,
for God has shown us signal mercy;
but, as I said above,
knowing as I do
- that Judas was amongst the Apostles
and
- that he held constant intercourse
with God Himself,
to Whose words he listened,
I learn that the state of religion
does not make us safe.
6. Satan's strata-gems.
6.
To your first question,
I reply
I reply
that doubtless
if such a soul is always faithful
to the will of God,
it cannot be lost;
The evil one, however,
comes with his keen subtlety
and,
under the pretext of good,
leads it astray in some trivial matter
and
causes it to commit small defects
which he makes it believe are harmless.
Thus, little by little,
the reason is obscured
and
the will is weakened
while the devil fosters his victim's self-love,
until, by degrees, he
succeeds in withdrawing it
from union with the will of God
and
makes it follow its own will.
7. Why they are permitted.
7.
The answer to your first inquiry
will serve for the second.
No enclosure can be too strict
for Satan to enter
nor any desert too remote
for him to visit.
for him to visit.
Besides,
God may permit him to tempt the soul
to prove its virtue;
for as He intends it
to enlighten others,
it is better for it to fail
in the beginning
in the beginning
than when it might do them great harm.
8. Prayer and watchfulness
our safeguards.
8.
We must beg God constantly
in our prayers
to uphold us by His hand;
We should keep ever in our minds
the truth that
if He leaves us,
most certainly we shall fall at once
into the abyss,
for we must never be so foolish
as to trust in ourselves.
After this,
I think the greatest safeguard is
to be very careful
and
to watch how we advance in virtue;
We must notice
▪ whether we are
making progress
or
falling back in it,
especially as regards the love
of our neighbour,
▪ the desire to be thought the least of all
and
▪ how we perform our ordinary,
everyday duties.
If we
attend to this
and
beg Our Lord to enlighten us,
we shall at once perceive our gain or loss.
9. God's watchfulness over such souls.
9.
Do not suppose
that after advancing the soul to such a state,
God abandons it so easily
that it is light work for the devil to regain it.
When His Majesty sees it leaving Him,
He feels the loss so keenly
that He gives it
in many a way
a thousand secret warnings
which reveal to it
the hidden danger. [206]
10. Progress in virtue.
10.
In conclusion,
let us strive to make constant progress:
we ought to feel great alarm
if we do not find ourselves advancing,
for without doubt
the evil one must be planning to injure us
in some way;
it is impossible for a soul
that has come to this state
not to go still farther,
for love is never idle.
Therefore,
it is a very bad sign
when one comes to a stand-still in virtue.
She who
aspires to become the spouse
of God Himself,
and
has treated with His Majesty
and
come to such an understanding with Him,
must not leave off and go to sleep.
[207]
11. Insignificance of our actions
compared with their reward.
11.
To show you, my daughters,
how Christ treats the souls
(that) He takes for His brides,
I will now speak of the sixth mansions.
You will then see
how little in comparison
is all that we can do or suffer in His service
to prepare ourselves
for the reception of such immense favours.
Perhaps our Lord decreed
that I should write this
in order that the knowledge
of the great reward to come,
and
of His infinite mercy in seeking
to give
and
to manifest Himself
to such worms as we are,
might make us
- forget our wretched, petty,
earthly pleasures
and
- run on our way with eyes fixed
on His grandeur,
inflamed with love for Him.
12. St.Teresa's motives
for writing on prayer.
12.
May He enable me
to explain some of these difficult matters;
if our Lord and the Holy Ghost
do not guide my pen,
I know the task will prove impossible.
I beg Him to prevent my saying anything
unless it will profit you.
His Majesty knows that,
as far as I can judge,
I have no other wish
but
that His Name may be glorified
and
that we may strive to serve a Lord
Who thus recompenses our efforts
even in this world.
What, then, will be our joy in heaven
where it will be continuous,
without the interruptions,
labours, and dangers
of this tempestuous sea of life?
Were it not for the fear
of losing or offending Him,
we should wish to live
until the end of the world [208]
in order to work for so great a God
--our Lord and our Spouse.
May His Majesty enable us
to render Him some service
free from the many faults
we always commit,
free from the many faults
we always commit,
even in good works!
Amen.
Foot Notes:
[199]
Compare:
habebit fructum
in respectione animarum sanctarum'
(Breviar. Rom. Ant.
ad Laudes de Com. Virg.);
quasi apis argumentosa
Domino deservisti'
(Ibid. Feast of St. Ceacilia.)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #1 's
Footnote reference #199
"little butterfly...
doing good both to itself and others."
"habebit fructum
in respectione animarum sanctarum"
"she shall have fruit in the visitation
of holy souls"
[Wisdom 3:13 ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"quasi apis argumentosa Domino deservisti"
"like a busy bee, serves the Lord"
________________
[200]
Life, ch. xviii.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #2's
Footnote reference #200
"We might compare the prayer of union
to a visit,
for it lasts but a very little while. [200]"
Life, ch. xviii.
The truth is,
it passes away so quickly
in the beginning--
...it passes so quickly away.
...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."
[ Life: Ch. 18: #16
Translation: D. Lewis ]
________________________
[201]
Way of Perf. ch. xxxi. 10.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #2's
Footnote reference #201
"Should it
grow neglectful
and
set its affections on anything
except our Lord,
it will forfeit everything:
This loss is as great
as are the favours
the soul has continually received,
which are precious beyond description."
[201]
Way of Perf. ch. xxxi. 10.
"This, sisters, is the reason I want us
to say the Pater Noster and other prayers
with care and
to think about what we ask for in them.
..When once God has shown us this favour,
we ought to forget all worldly things...
I do not mean that all
who have enjoyed the prayer of quiet
must necessarily be detached
from every thing in this world;
but I wish them
to know what they ought to be,
and
to try to mortify themselves in every way,
otherwise they will stop here.
They should not ask for so precious a gift
as if it were worthless,
and
if God grants it them,
let them not throw it back at Him.
[Way of Perfection: Ch. 31: #10
Translation: Benedictines of Stanbrook ]
_______________________ _
[202]
Phil. a SS. Trinit.
l.c. p. iii. tract. i. disc. ii. art. 2.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Refers to "Summa Theologiae Mysticae"
of the Carmelite, Philip of the Holy Trinity
________________________
[203]
Contrast with this paragraph
what the Saint says
in her Life, ch. xix. # 8.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #4's
Footnote reference #203
"I can assure you, my daughters, [203]
that I have known
people far advanced in the spiritual life
who had reached this state of prayer
yet whom the devil reclaimed
by his subtlety and wiles:"
Life, ch. xix. # 8.
8. In this the devil turned his batteries
against me,
and I suffered so much
because I thought
it showed but little humility
if I persevered in prayer
when I was so wicked,
O my God, was there ever blindness
so great as this?
How well Satan prepares his measures
for his purpose,
when he pursues us in this way!
The traitor knows
that he has already lost that soul which
- perseveres in prayer,
and
- that every fall which he can bring about
helps it, by the goodness of God,
to make greater progress in His service...
[ Life: Ch. 19: #8
Translated by D. Lewis ]
9. ...what a sight that must be a soul
so highly exalted falling into sin,
and raised up again by Thee;
Who, in Thy mercy,
stretchest forth Thine hand to save!
[ Life: Ch. 19: #9
Translated by D. Lewis ]
________________________
[204]
Life ch xxxvi. 26;
Life ch xxxix. 14.
Found. ch. i. 1-4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #5's
Footnote reference #204
"if the soul is entirely united
with the will of God....
how can it be deceived,
since it ever seeks to follow His pleasure?
"how can the devil enter and work such havoc
as to destroy your soul
while you
are so utterly withdrawn from the world
and
constantly frequent the Sacraments? [204]"
Life ch xxxvi. 26;
"those who are so detached.
Their occupation is to learn
how they may advance
in the service of God.
Solitude is their delight...
Their conversation is of God only"
[ Life: Ch. 36: # 26
Translated by D. Lewis ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Life ch xxxix. 14.
"...God touches their hearts, and
gives them a little light and love.
...that brief interval
in which He gives them
sweetness in prayer, and
then they
wait for nothing further, and
make light of every difficulty,
forgetting the necessity
even of food;
for they shut themselves up for ever
in a house that is unendowed,
as persons
who make no account of their life,
for His sake,
who, they know, loves them.
They give up everything,
even their own will;
They offer themselves wholly
in sacrifice to God.'
[ Life: Ch. 39: #14
Translated by D. Lewis ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Found. ch. i. 1 - 4.
1"...Our Lord very quickly
set them free from their vanities,
...whose only anxiety was
to praise and serve our Lord.
... disregard of everything
but His service."
2. "...our Lord would never fail those
who had no other care
but that of pleasing Him.
... the virtue of obedience...
I knew not how to observe it
till these servants of God taught me..."
3. " ...the great faith and resolution"
4. "...The love of solitude.
...Their joy was in being alone..."
[Bk of Foundations: Ch. 1: # 1-4
Translation: D. Lewis ]
________________________
[205]
Way of Perf. ch. i, 2;
Way of Perf. ch xiii. 3.
Found. ch. i. 3.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #5's
Footnote reference #205
"and by the mercy of God
you desire nothing
but to serve and please Him in all things?
[205]"
Way of Perf. ch. i, 2;
"...it was impossible for me to serve God
in the way I wished...
Therefore I determined to do
what little was in my power,
which was to follow
the Evangelical counsels
as perfectly as I could...
Trusting in the great mercy of God
which never fails those
who resolve to leave all things
for His sake, I hoped...
that I might be able
to bring some comfort to our Lord..."
[Way of Perfection: Ch. 1: #2
Translation: Benedictines of Stanbrook ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Way of Perf. ch xiii. 3.
2 "...you must not consider the defects
I have spoken of as insignificant,
for, if you do not check them carefully,
what seems a trifle to-day
will become a venial sin to-morrow;
this is a thing of such evil growth
that if left alone it will spread...
for the devil takes care
the evil habit is kept up,
while the infirmity of human nature
destroys our virtues
4 "...we must be detached
from all created things. "
[Way of Perfection: Ch. 13: #2,4
Translation: Benedictines of Stanbrook ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Found. ch. i. 3.
1"...Our Lord very quickly
set them free from their vanities,
...whose only anxiety was
to praise and serve our Lord.
... disregard of everything
but His service."
2. "...our Lord would never fail those
who had no other care
but that of pleasing Him..."
[Bk of Foundations: Ch. 1: # 1,2
Translation: D. Lewis ]
________________________
[206]
Life, ch. xix. 9.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #9's
Footnote reference #206
"Do not suppose
that after advancing the soul to such a state,
God abandons it so easily
that it is light work for the devil to regain it.
When His Majesty sees it leaving Him,
He feels the loss so keenly
that He gives it
in many a way
a thousand secret warnings
which reveal to it
the hidden danger. [206]"
Life, ch. xix. 9.
9. "...what a sight that must be a soul
so highly exalted falling into sin,
and raised up again by Thee;
who, in Thy mercy,
stretchest forth Thine hand to save!
How such a soul confesses
Thy greatness and compassion and
its own wretchedness!
...how much it oweth unto Thee.
...Thou seemest now
to be too bountiful in Thy gifts,
because it feels itself to be unworthy
of the earth it treads on.
It has recourse
- to the Sacraments,
- to a quickened faith,
which abides in it
...which Thou hast lodged in them.
It praises Thee
because Thou hast left us
such medicines...for our wounds, which
not only heal them on the surface,
but remove all traces...of them."
[ Life: Ch. 19: #9
Translated by D. Lewis ]
________________________
[207]
Life, ch. xix. 7.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #10's
Footnote reference #207
"it is a very bad sign
when one comes to a stand-still in virtue.
She who
aspires to become the spouse
of God Himself...
and
come to such an understanding with Him,
must not leave off and go to sleep. [207"
Life, ch. xix. 7.
"let no one
who has begun to give himself to prayer
be discouraged, and say:
'If I fall into sin,
it will be worse for me
if I go on now with the practice of prayer'
...but if he does not give up prayer,
let him be assured of this prayer
will bring him to the haven of light.
[ Life: Ch. 19: #7
Translated by D. Lewis ]
"...if the occasions of sin be not avoided;
if it be an ungrateful soil,
unfitted for so great a grace,
it will be parched up again."
[ Life: Ch. 19: #5
Translated by D. Lewis ]
"that they may
never despair,
nor cease to trust in the power of God;
- even if they should fall
after our Lord has raised them
to so high a degree of prayer as this is,
they must not be discouraged,
unless they would lose themselves utterly.
[ Life: Ch. 19: #6
Translated by D. Lewis ]
________________________
[208]
Rel. ix. 19.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #12's
Footnote reference #208
"Were it not for the fear
of losing or offending Him,
we should wish to live
until the end of the world [208]
in order to work for so great a God
--our Lord and our Spouse."
Rel. ix. 19.
"I was thinking how hard it was
to remain alive,
seeing that it was living on
that robbed us
of that marvellous companionship;
and so I said to myself:
"O Lord, show me some way
whereby I may bear this life!"
He said unto me:
"Think, my child,
when life is over,
thou canst not
serve Me
as thou art serving Me now, and
eat for Me, and
sleep for Me.
Whatsoever thou doest,
let it be done for Me
as if thou wert no longer living,
but I;
for that is what St. Paul said."
[ Relations 9: #19
Translated by D. Lewis ]
And I live, now not I;
but Christ liveth in me.
[Gal 2:20 ]
"He filled me with a desire
not to die so soon,
that I might have the time
to occupy myself therein; and
I remained with
a great resolution to suffer."
[ Relations 9: #9
Translated by D. Lewis ]
|
End of
Mansion 5 Chapter 4
The Interior Castle
or
The Mansions
of S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
|
