Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions: The Interior Castle: Mansion 6 - Chapter 7 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila

The Interior Castle or The Mansions

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

Discussion of Mansion 6 - Chapter 7

Discussion of Mansion 6 Chapter 7

█ Summary or Highights

█ The Soul's Sorrow For Sin

■ "Sorrow for sin increases

in proportion to the divine grace received."

■ Sorrow Not from Fear of Punishment

■ But Sorrow for its Offense and Ingratitude

to her Loving God

▀ The Soul's Great Fear

■ Is Not A Fear of Punishment

■ But Fear of Offending God in the Future

▀ St. Teresa Recommendations:

■ Benefiting from the Remembrance

of Past Sins

• Humility

• Self Knowledge

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ St. Teresa's Teaching regarding Meditation

▄ The Importance of Meditation on

the Sacred Humanity of Christ

▄ St. Teresa shows How to Meditate on

the Sacred Humanity of Christ

▀ Regarding Inability to Meditate Discursively

by the Intellect

■ When a soul, by nature, lacks the ability

to reason with the Intellect in prayer

■ When, if, the soul is led by God

to Passive prayer (Contemplation)

■ When, if, After Contemplation,

the Intellect is "less apt for meditation"

▪ Yet, St. Teresa advises that

although the Intellect

can not cogitate and scrutinize

it can dwell with gratitude and love

on these mysteries

• With a Simple Gaze

▪ Recruiting the Ardor of the Will

▄ The Importance of returning to

the Meditation on the Sacred Humanity

when the soul is able to reason.

■ Contemplation is not a continuous state

▪ St. Teresa advises:

◦ Detachment from Consolations

◦ Beware of self-deception

◦ Active Prayer and Good Works

◦ With Humility,

Follow Where God Leads

■ Contemplation

is a Supernatural Gift of God:

One can neither prolong it or initiate it again

by their own efforts

■ The Need to Resume Discursive Meditation

so that the Intellect may enkindle the Will

in Prayer

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Her Former Mistakes Regarding Meditation

▀ Error: She, for a short time, did not meditate

on the Sacred Humanity of Christ

But rather practiced a non-corporeal

meditation on the Divinity

▀ Her Refutation of non-corporeal Meditation

■ Her Refutation of its inclusion of Christ

as a corporal object

from which to abstain in meditation.

■ Her Refutation of attempting to meditate

on the infinite with our limited capacity

■ She Refutes it by reason

of its Lack of Humility

■ She Refutes it because

it withdraws the attention and ardor

from Christ,

separating the soul

from His loving support

■ She Refutes it because

it Hinders Progress in Prayer

■ She Refutes it because the soul

seeks its own will

rather than await the Will of God

█ The Soul's Sorrow For Sin

■ "Sorrow for sin increases

in proportion to the divine grace received."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #1 ]

"This soul

wonders at its former temerity

and

weeps over its irreverence"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #2 ]

"The thoughts dwell on this

more than on the favours received"

"the sins...dwell constantly in the memory,

making a heavy cross to bear.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #2 ]

Similarly, St. Teresa spoke of

St. Paul and St. Mary Magdalene,

who had

"received many mercies

and

realized the greatness and the majesty of God

and so

must have found it very hard

to bear the remembrance of their sins,

which they must have regretted

with a most tender sorrow.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #5 ]

■ This Sorrow is not from fear of punishment

"A soul so advanced

does not think

• of the punishment

threatening its offences"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #1 ]

■ But is because of the offense and ingratitude

to her loving God

"A soul so advanced...
"but (does think)

• of its great ingratitude towards Him

to Whom it owes so much

and

Who so justly deserves

that it should serve Him,

for the sublime mysteries revealed

have taught it much

about the greatness of God."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #1 ]

"it never ceases to lament

as it remembers

for what vile things it forsook

so great a Sovereign.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #2 ]

▪ Although confessed and forgiven,

the sins remain in memory,

a reminder to the soul of its ingratitude

to the mercy and love of God.

"This pain is not lessened by reflecting

that our Lord has already

forgiven and forgotten our faults;

Our grief is rather increased

at seeing such kindness and favours

bestowed on one

who deserves nothing but hell."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #5 ]

▪ Her Wish for death is now

◦ not in order to see God

◦ but to be freed from her regret

"of her past ingratitude towards" God.

"though she had ceased to wish for death

in order to see God,

yet desired (death)

that she might be freed

from her continual regret

for her past ingratitude towards Him

to Whom she owed,

and always

would owe, so much.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #3 ]

▀ The Soul's Great Fear

■ Is Not A Fear of Punishment

"Souls that have reached

the state I speak of (the 6th mansion)

have ceased to fear hell."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #4 ]

"At times, though very rarely,

they grieve keenly over the possibility

of their losing God"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #3 ]

■ But Fear of Offending God in the future

"Their sole dread is

lest He should withdraw His hand,

allowing them to offend Him,

and so

they might return

to their former miserable condition."

▀ St. Teresa Recommendations:

■ Benefit from Past Sins by their Remembrance

"Whatever favours

God may have shown a soul,

I think it is dangerous for it to forget

the unhappy state it was once in;

Painful as the remembrance may be,

it is most beneficial."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #4 ]

St. Teresa frequently wrote of the importance

of profiting from one's errors.

The remembrance of one's sins would engender

Humility and Self-Knowledge,

as well as, Gratitude for the mercy of God.

• Humility

"which seems to bring all the rest

(of the virtues)

in its train" [ Life: Ch. 38 ]

"if we serve God with a lowly heart,

He will succour us at length in our needs.

But if we are not really humble,

He will let us slip at every step...

He thus shows great kindness,

for He does so to make us

- value His grace

and

- thoroughly...realize

that we possess nothing

which we have not received" (from Him)

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 38: # 7

Translation:

Benedictines of Stanbrook ]

"Always try to be humble...

believe that you are unworthy of these gifts

and
do not seek them."

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 38: # 3

Translation:

Benedictines of Stanbrook ]

• Self Knowledge:

The realization that we are powerless

without the help of God

"Let us constantly beg of God...

in the Pater Noster, to deliver us,

that we may not be deluded by…temptations...

and

that light may not be withdrawn from us

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 38: # 2

Translation:
Benedictines of Stanbrook ]

"When God gives us some virtue,

we must understand that it is only a loan

and that He may take it away again"

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 38: #6

Translation:
Benedictines of Stanbrook ]

█ St. Teresa's Teaching regarding Meditation

▄ The Importance of Meditation on

the Sacred Humanity of Christ

▪ For the Honor of God

"He is well pleased

if we grieve at His pains,

even though sometimes at the cost

of our own consolations and joys. "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

▪ To provide us a Model for Love,

Perseverance, and all the Virtues

"Life is long and full of crosses

and

we have need to look on Christ, our pattern,

to see how He bore His trials,

and even

to take example by His Apostles and saints

if we would bear our own trials perfectly.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #16 ]

"Our good Jesus and His most blessed Mother

are too good company to be left"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:
Ch. 7: #16 ]

"We need

to study,

to meditate upon

and

to imitate those who,

mortals like ourselves,

performed such heroic deeds for God.

How much less

should we willfully endeavour

to abstain from thinking

of our only good and remedy,

the most sacred Humanity

of our Lord Jesus Christ? "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #8 ]

"Our Lord, Himself, tells us

that He is 'the Way';

He also says

that He is 'the Light';

that no man cometh to the Father

but by Him; and

that 'He that seeth Me,

seeth the Father also.' "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #8 ]

"...in all its exercises, acts and works,

the soul must make use

of good meditations and remembrances,

so as to experience the greater devotion

and profit,

most of all with respect to the life, passion

and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ,

so that its actions, practices and life

may be made like to His.

[ Ascent of Mt Carmel

Bk 3: Ch. 1: #1

St John of the Cross

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

Regarding 'leav(ing) the memory

free and disencumbered for God"

St. John of the Cross wrote:

"Of all the things that he sees, hears, smells,

tastes or touches

he must make no particular store

in the memory... or dwell upon them...

save when necessary for some good

reflection or meditation.

And this care to forget and forsake

knowledge and images

is never applicable to Christ

and His Humanity.

For, although occasionally, at the height

of contemplation and simple regard

of the Divinity,

the soul may not remember

this most sacred Humanity,

because God, with His own hand,

has raised the soul to this...

yet it is in no wise seemly

to study to forget it,

since looking and meditating lovingly

upon it,

will aid the soul to [attain] all that is good,

and it is by its means

that the soul will most readily rise

to the most lofty state of union.

And it is clear that,

although other bodily and visible things

are a hindrance

and

ought to be forgotten,

we must not include among these Him

Who became man for our salvation,

and

Who is the truth, the door, the way

and the guide to all good things."

[ Ascent of Mt Carmel

Bk 3: Ch. 3: #2

Foot Note # 487[487]

St John of the Cross

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

▄ St. Teresa shows How to Meditate on

the Sacred Humanity of Christ

St. Teresa seemed to emphasize

the active involvement of the Intellect

rather than just the recall of images

from the Memory.

"You know that it is

one thing to reason

and

another thing for the memory

to bring certain truths before the mind."

"Using the understanding much

in this manner

is what I call meditation."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #12 ]

▲ Preparation

" the first things must be

• examination of conscience,

• confession of sin and

• the signing of yourself with the Cross.

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 26: #1

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

• She teaches us to think of:

- Whom we are praying to, and

- who we are, that are praying to Him

- what we are saying

"When you speak...with so great a Lord,

it is well that you should think of

• Who it is that you are addressing,

and

• what you yourself are,

if only that you may speak to Him

with proper respect.

How can you address a king

with the deference due to him...

unless you are clearly conscious

of the nature of his position

and

of yours?

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 22

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

• Imagine that this Lord Himself

is at your side

and

see how lovingly and how humbly

He is teaching you"

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 26: #1

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

• "You will find it very helpful

if you can get an image

or a picture of this Lord...

to use regularly

whenever you talk to Him, and

He will tell you what to say."

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 26:

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

• "It is also a great help

to have a good book,

written in the vernacular,

simply as an aid to recollection."

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 26:

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

"I have always been fond of

the words of the Gospels

and

I have found more recollection

in them

than in the most carefully planned books"

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 21

Translation: E.Allison Peers ]

• "the good of the soul

does not consist in its thinking much,

but in its loving much."

[Bk of Foundations: Ch. 5: #2 ]

▲ Meditation

■ "Let us begin by considering

• the mercy God showed us

by giving us His only Son;

...go on to reflect upon

• all the mysteries of His glorious life;

■ Let us first turn our thoughts to

• His prayer in the garden,

...continue the subject until they reach

▪ the crucifixion.

Or...

■ Take some part of the Passion

such as

▪ Christ's apprehension

and

□ dwell on this mystery,

□ considering in detail the points

to be pondered and thought over,

such as,

▪ the treachery of Judas,

▪ the flight of the Apostles,

and

▪ all that followed.

This is an admirable and very meritorious

kind of prayer."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #13 ]

In Chapter 26 of the Way of Perfection,

St. Teresa also gives detailed instruction

of Meditation

on the Sacred Humanity of Christ:

"If you are suffering trials, or are sad,

▪ look upon Him on His way to the Garden.

What sore distress

He must have borne in His soul...

▪ Or look upon Him

bound to the Column,

full of pain,

His flesh all torn to pieces

by His great love for you.

How much He suffered,

persecuted by some,

spat upon by others,

denied by His friends, and

even deserted by them,

with none to take His part,

frozen with the cold

and

left so completely alone

that you may well comfort eachother!

▪ Or look upon Him

bending under the weight of the Cross

and

not even allowed to take breath:

He will look upon you

with His lovely and compassionate eyes,

full of tears,

and in comforting your grief

will forget His own

because you are

- bearing Him company

in order to comfort Him and

- turning your head to look upon Him.

'O Lord of the world, my true Spouse!"

you may say to Him,

if seeing Him in such a plight

has filled your heart

with such tenderness

that you

not only desire to look upon Him

but love to speak to Him,

not using forms of prayer,

but words issuing

from the compassion

of your heart,

which means so much to Him:

"Art Thou so needy,

my Lord and my Good,

that Thou wilt accept

poor companionship like mine?

Do I read in Thy face

that Thou hast found comfort,

even in me?

...

"If Thou, Lord,

art willing to suffer all this for me,

what am I suffering for Thee?

What have I to complain of?

I am ashamed, Lord,

when I see Thee in such a plight, and

if in any way I can imitate Thee

I will

suffer all trials that come to me

and

count them as a great blessing.

Let us go both together, Lord:

whither Thou goest,

I must go;

through whatsoever Thou passest,

I must pass."

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 26

Translation: EA Peers ]

▀ Inability to Meditate Discursively

by the Intellect

■ When a soul, by nature, lacks the ability

to reason with the Intellect in prayer

"Some souls imagine they cannot meditate

even on the Passion,

still less

on the most blessed Virgin

on the saints,

the memory of whose lives

greatly benefits and strengthens us.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #8 ]

"those of you

whose minds cannot reason for long

whose thoughts

cannot dwell upon God

but are constantly wandering

must, at all costs, form this habit."

...

"for many years I endured this trial

of being unable to concentrate

on one subject...

But I know the Lord does not leave us

so devoid of help

that if we

approach Him humbly

and

ask Him to be with us

He will not grant our request.

...

I am sure we can

form this habit

and

strive to walk at the side

of this true Master.

I am not asking you now

to think of Him,

to form numerous conceptions of Him,

to make long and subtle meditations

with your understanding.

I am asking you

only to look at Him.

...

You are capable of looking

at very ugly and loathsome things:

can you not, then, look

at the most beautiful thing imaginable?

Your Spouse never takes His eyes off you...

...

See,

He is only waiting for us to look at Him,

you will find Him.

[ Way of Perfection Ch. 26

Translation: EA Peers ]

"I am not saying

that it is not a grace from our Lord

that a person should be always able

to persevere in meditation on His works"

"it is right to make an effort to do so;

but it must be understood

♦ that not every imagination is

by nature able to do it,

♦ but every soul is able to love Him,

and

♦ perfection lies in that (loving God)

rather than in thinking .

[Bk of Foundations: Ch. 5: #2 ]

■ When, if, the soul is led by God

to Passive prayer (Contemplation)

"the signs which the spiritual person

will find in himself

whereby he may know at what season

it behooves him to

- leave meditation and reasoning and

- pass to the state of contemplation."

"certain signs (by) which the

spiritual person will find in himself,

whereby he may know

whether or not it will be meet for him...

to lay aside the task of discursive meditation

as carried on through the imaginations...

in order that he may lay them aside

neither sooner

nor later

than when the Spirit bids him."

[ Ascent of Mount Carmel,

Bk. 2: Ch 13: # 1

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

"The first sign is his realization

that he can no longer meditate or reason

with his imagination...

But, for as long as

he finds sweetness in meditation,

and

is able to reason,

he should not abandon this,

save when his soul is led

into the peace and quietness..."

[ Ascent of Mount Carmel,

Bk. 2: Ch 13: # 2

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

"The second sign is a realization

that he has no desire to fix his meditation

...upon other particular objects,

exterior or interior...

that the soul has no pleasure in fixing it

of set purpose upon other objects.

[ Ascent of Mount Carmel,

Bk. 2: Ch 13: # 3

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

"The third and surest sign is that the soul

takes pleasure in being alone,

and

waits with loving attentiveness upon God..."

[ Ascent of Mount Carmel,

Bk. 2: Ch 13: # 4

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

"These three signs, at least,

the spiritual person must observe in himself,

all together,

before he can venture safely

to abandon the state of meditation...

and

to enter that of contemplation and spirit.

[ Ascent of Mount Carmel,

Bk. 2: Ch 13: # 5

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/ascent.html

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/ascent.v.xiii.html

"If formerly it was supplied with matter for

meditation and it did meditate,

now that matter must be withheld and

meditation must cease because,

it can not meditate, do what it will,

Souls in this state are

not to be forced

to meditate or

to apply themselves to discursive reflections

laboriously effected,

neither are they to strive after...fervour,

for if they did so,
they would be thereby hindering the principal agent,

Who is God Himself,

for He is now secretly and quietly

infusing wisdom into the soul...

The soul then must be lovingly intent upon God

...so that knowledge may be joined to knowledge

and love to love;

because it is necessary here

that the recipient should be adapted

to the gift, and not otherwise,

and

that the gift may be accepted and preserved

as it is given.

[ Living Flame of Love

Stanza 3: #35, 36

St. John of the Cross

Translation: David Lewis ]

http://archive.org/details/a588512100johnuoft

■ When, if, After Contemplation,

the Intellect is "less apt for meditation" :

▪ When the Will's Love and Attachment to God

are still active

"I think it must be because,

(since) the one end of meditation

is to seek God,

after He has once been found

and the soul is accustomed to seek Him again

by means of the will,

it no longer wearies itself

by searching for Him with the intellect."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #9 ]

"...as the will

is already inflamed with love,

this generous faculty would, if it could,

cease to make use of the reason.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #10 ]

▪ And the Intellect "cannot reason as before"

"Still, the grace of this state

remains in their souls in such a way

that they cannot reason as before

on the mysteries

of the Passion and the Life of Christ."

"...it is very usual for the mind thus

to remain less apt for meditation.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #9 ]

"Some may answer

that their mind refuses to dwell

on these subjects...

this to a certain extent is true.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #12 ]

"Souls

- led by God in supernatural ways

and

- raised to perfect contemplation

are right in declaring

they cannot practice this kind of meditation.

...as a rule,

they are unable to do so"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #14 ]

"This...cannot be done

when a higher state of prayer is attained.

It may be otherwise in some cases,

for God leads souls in many different ways.

Let not those be blamed, however,

who are unable to discourse much in prayer"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #15 ]

▪ Yet, St. Teresa advises that

although the Intellect

can not cogitate and scrutinize

it can dwell with gratitude and love

on these mysteries

"Yet they would be wrong in saying

that they

cannot dwell on these mysteries

nor frequently think about them,

especially when these events

are being celebrated by the Catholic Church.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #14]

"...nor should they be judged incapable

of enjoying the great graces

contained in the mysteries of Jesus Christ,

our only Good,

which no one...can persuade me

it is well to omit contemplating.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #15 ]

Nor is it possible for the soul

which has received so much from God

to forget these precious proofs of His love

which are living sparks

to inflame the heart

with greater love for our Lord,

nor can the mind fail to understand them.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #14]

Since these mysteries are

"stamped on the memory …

"the mere (recall) of the Lord"…

will furnish the intellect with them

and allow the thoughts to dwell on them

for several days:

Such a soul comprehends these mysteries,

which are

brought before the mind

and

stamped on the memory

in a more perfect way

than with other people,

so that the mere sight of our Lord

prostrate in the garden,

covered with His terrible sweat,

suffices to engross the thoughts

not merely for an hour

but for several days.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #14]

• With a Simple Gaze

"The soul looks with a simple gaze upon

◦ Who He is

and

◦ How ungratefully we treat Him

in return for such terrible sufferings.

▪ Recruiting the Ardour of the Will

Then the will,

although perhaps

without sensible tenderness,

- desires to render Him some service

for such sublime mercies

and

- longs to suffer something for Him

Who bore so much for us,

employing itself in similar considerations

in which the memory and understanding

also take their part.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #14 ]

I am certain that this way of acting is

- most helpful to the soul

and

- not the hindrance it would become,

were great efforts made

to use the intellect.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #15 ]

▄ The Importance of Returning to

the Meditation on the Sacred Humanity

When the Soul is again Able To Reason.

"Those who do not meditate on this subject

had better begin to do so;

for I know that

it will not impede the most sublime prayer

nor is it well

to omit praising this often.

If God then sees fit to enrapture them,

well and good;

even if they are reluctant,

He will make them cease to meditate.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #15 ]

■ Contemplation is not a continuous state

Since Contemplation

is not a continuous state

and

is often of brief duration,

especially "before the soul

has reached the last two mansions",

St. Teresa urges the practice of

of Meditation on the Sacred Humanity of Jesus

when one is again able.

"consolations are not so frequent in prayer

that we have no time for (Meditation) as well"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

"we ought during our whole life,

to act in this manner,

however sublime our prayer may be."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #11 ]

• Attachment to Consolations

"Some people...

after our Lord has once raised them

to perfect contemplation,

wish to enjoy it continually.

This is impossible"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #9 ]

There are souls who

having made a beginning,

advanced half-way,

when they begin

to experience the prayer of quiet

and

to taste the sweetness and consolations

God gives,

think it is a great thing to enjoy

these spiritual pleasures continually.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

▪ St. Teresa advises:

◦ Detachment from Consolations

"Let them...cease to give themselves up

so much

to this absorption."

"...to the utmost of your power

stop yourselves

from being constantly immersed

in this intoxication.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

◦ Beware of self-deception

"If any one should tell me

(that) she continually enjoys them,

and

that she is one of those

who can never meditate

on the divine mysteries,

I should feel very doubtful about her state."

"Keep free from this deception"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

◦ Active Prayer and Good Works

"...employ (yourself) ....busily

for you to think of the matter;

thus you will be free from this danger

which, if it does no more,

when it lasts long,

greatly injures the health and brain.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

◦ With Humility, Follow Where God Leads

"God leads souls in many different ways"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #15 ]

"let the rest be as God chooses."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #12 ]

"God will work them for this soul

when He chooses."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #10 ]

This soul

"would, if it could,

cease to make use of the reason.

This would be well,

were it not impossible,

especially before the soul

has reached the last two mansions."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #10 ]

"Those whom our Lord admits

into the seventh mansion...

are constantly in the company

of Christ our Lord

both in His Humanity and His Divinity."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #11 ]

■ Contemplation is a Supernatural Gift of God:

One can neither prolong it nor initiate it again

by their own efforts

"Such a soul

desires to spend all its time in loving God

and

wishes to do nothing else;

but it cannot succeed"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #10 ]

▪ The need for Humility

To Wait passively for contemplation

- when not led by God

into passive prayer,

- when the intellect is capable

of meditation

is not Humility

and

is a waste of time

"Ought the soul to remain quiescent

in this aridity,

waiting...?

Certainly not;

It is not right to expect miracles"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #10 ]

"Thus we shall not stand like blockheads,

wasting our time in waiting

for what we before enjoyed.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #11 ]

God will work them for this soul

when He chooses.

His Majesty

wishes us to hold ourselves unworthy

of their being wrought on our account

and

desires us to help ourselves

to the best of our abilities."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #10 ]

"At first, it may be

that our Lord will not renew His gift again

for a year or even for many years;

His Majesty knows the reason

which we should not try to discover

since there is no need for us

to understand it.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #11 ]

■ The Need to Resume Discursive Meditation

so that the Intellect may enkindle the Will

in Prayer

"Using the understanding

much in this manner

(... meditating on His life and death

and all we owe Him...)

is what I call meditation.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #12 ]

"for though the will is not dead

yet the flame which kindled it,

is dying out

and

the spark needs fanning into a glow.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #10 ]

"Thus,

when the fire in our hearts...

does not burn in the will,

nor do we feel the presence of God,

must search for Him

as He would have us do,

like the Bride in the Canticles"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #11 ]

"I will seek him whom my soul loveth:

I sought him..."

[ Canticles: 3:2 ]

"the way to please God is

to keep the commandments and counsels,

let us do so diligently,

while meditating on

His life and death

and

all we owe Him;

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #12 ]

"Then let the rest be as God chooses."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #12 ]

█ Her Former Mistakes Regarding Meditation

"The mistake I formerly made...

• (not) meditating on our Lord Jesus Christ,

• preferring to remain absorbed,

• awaiting spiritual consolations."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #18 ]

"The mistake I formerly made....

I did not care so much

about meditating on our Lord Jesus Christ,

preferring to remain absorbed,

awaiting spiritual consolations."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #18 ]

Regarding her previous mistakes,

St. Teresa wanted others to learn

from her experience

in order that they would not be hindered in prayer.

"I think it important...

it will serve for a lesson

that possibly may be necessary"

The Lord

"by showing Thyself to me so many times…

that I might

- clearly perceive

how great my delusion was,

and also

- tell it to many persons;

which I have done,

as well as

- describe it as I am doing now.

"I believe myself that this is

the reason why so many souls,

after advancing to the prayer of union,

make no further progress,

and

do not attain to very great liberty of spirit."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 5]

"Thus I

- lost much time and

- did not advance in virtue

- nor make progress in prayer."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch.7: #18]

"I did not understand the reason,

and
as I believed that I was acting wisely,

I think I should never have learnt it

but for the advice of a servant of God

whom I consulted about my mode of prayer.

Then I perceived plainly

how mistaken I had been

and

I have never ceased regretting

that there was a time when I did not realize

how difficult it would be

to gain by so great a loss.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #19]

"And so it pleased Thee, in Thy goodness,

to succour me,

by sending me one who has delivered me

from this delusion;

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 5]

"I consider this a most dangerous idea

whereby the devil might end

by robbing us of our devotion

to the most blessed Sacrament.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #17 ]

"I never think of this opinion,

which I then held,

without pain;

I believe it was an act of high treason,

though done in ignorance."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 4 ]

"I will not think that I was blamable,

for I was very sorry for it,

and

it was certainly done in ignorance.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 5]

▀ Error: She, at one time, did not meditate

on the Sacred Humanity of Christ

But rather practiced a non-corporeal

meditation of the Divinity

"I have been...told...

that our Lord guides souls in such a way

that after having made progress

it is best

to exercise oneself

in matters concerning the Godhead

and

to avoid what is corporeal;

Yet nothing will make me admit

that this latter is a good way."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #6 ]

St. Teresa said that in books

regarding prayer methods,

she found the advice

which she later held "to be a delusion".

[ Life: Ch. 22: #2 ]

This advice

which she now described as

"a most dangerous idea" [ Paragraph #17]

consisted of :

~ Her Error: Meditating on the Divinity of God

When, "after some years

spent in a purgative life,

and

advancing in the illuminative..."

" they advise us...to....

- draw near to the contemplation

of the Divinity"

"They say that

the contemplative should regard

- himself as being within a definite space

- God everywhere around,

and

- himself absorbed in Him.

This is what we should aim at".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

According to these writers

- "the soul...cannot in its own strength

attain to this (contemplative) state,

because it is altogether

a supernatural work

wrought in it by our Lord"

- "but may nevertheless succeed, by

-- lifting up the spirit

above all created things,

and

-- raising it upwards in humility"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

~ Her Error: Avoiding meditation of sacred mysteries

including the Gospels, the Passion,

and "even the Sacred Humanity itself"

"They think that,

as this work of contemplation

is wholly spiritual,

any bodily object whatever

can disturb or hinder it.

"And they advise us much to

- withdraw from all bodily imagination"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

"for they say that those

who have advanced so far

would be embarrassed or hindered

in their way

to the highest contemplation,

if they regarded

even the Sacred Humanity itself."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

▀ Her Refutation of non-corporal Meditation

■ Her Refutation of its postulated scriptural basis

St. Teresa disagreed with this advice

by refuting what the authors claimed to be

its scriptural basis:

▫ Its Postulated Scriptural Basis

"They defend their opinion

by bringing forward the words

of our Lord to the Apostles,

concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit

...after the Ascension."

"But I tell you the truth:

it is expedient to you that I go:

for if I go not,

the Paraclete will not come to you;

but if I go, I will send him to you"

[ John 16;7 ]

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

"People allege, in defense,

that our Lord told His disciples

that it was expedient for them

that He should go from them."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #17 ]

▫ St. Teresa's Rebuttal

"If the Apostles had believed,

as they believed

after the Coming of the Holy Ghost,

that He is both God and Man,

His bodily Presence

would...have been no hindrance;

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

Also, she felt that since

Mary, His mother,

(whose love of God

and prayer to God

was greater than any saint)

was not present when Jesus said

these words to the Apostles,

then theses words were not meant

as instruction for prayer.

"for those words were not said

to the Mother of God,

though she loved Him more than all."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

"This I cannot admit.

He did not say so

to His blessed Mother,

for her faith was firm.

She knew He was both God and man;

and

although she loved Him

more dearly than did His disciples,

it was in so perfect a way

that His bodily presence was a help to her.

The faith of the Apostles

must have been weaker

than it was later on,

and

than ours has reason to be."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #17 ]

■ Her Refutation of its inclusion of Christ

as a corporal object

from which to abstain in meditation.

Since they advise that

"any bodily object whatever

can... hinder" progress in prayer,

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 1 ]

St. Teresa can not bear

to combine Christ's Humanity

with that of worldly objects

under the classification of "bodily objects"

as if they were comparable

in attributes or value.

"to withdraw altogether from Christ and

to compare His divine Body

with our miseries or

with any created thing whatever,

is what I cannot endure".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 2 ]

"Let this be clearly understood."

"that the most Sacred Humanity of Christ

is not to be counted among the objects

from which we have to withdraw.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 11 ]

"although other bodily and visible things

are a hindrance

and

ought to be forgotten,

we must not include among these Him

Who became man for our salvation,

and

Who is the truth, the door, the way

and the guide to all good things."

[ Ascent of Mt Carmel

Bk 3: Ch. 3: #2

Foot Note # 487[487]

St John of the Cross

Translation: E. A. Peers ]

Conversely, St. Teresa said:

"I wish I could have His picture and image

always before my eyes,

since I cannot have Him graven in my soul

as deeply as I wish.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 4 ]

■ Her Refutation of attempting to meditate

on the infinite with our limited capacity

"I cannot think

what such persons are to meditate upon,

for to withdraw the thoughts

from all corporeal things

like the angelic spirits

who are always inflamed with love,

is not possible for us

while in this mortal flesh;"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #6 ]

"In general, our thoughts

must have something to rest on

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 14 ]

"it is making the soul...

to walk in the air;

for it has nothing to rest on,

how full so ever of God

it may think itself to be."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 12 ]

"We are not angels,

for we have a body;

to seek to make ourselves angels

while we are on the earth...

is an act of folly".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 14 ]

"I recognized clearly

that I was going wrong,

for as I could not always keep in this state,

my thoughts wandered hither and thither

and

my soul seemed like a bird,

ever flying about

and

finding no place for rest.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #18 ]

■ She Refutes it by reason of its Lack of Humility

She describes a presumptuousness,

an attachment to consolations and a

lack of Humility in this method:

"there is a little absence of humility"

[ Life: Ch. 22: #7 ]

"we must not show ourselves

as labouring after spiritual consolations"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 15 ]

"it is a little failure in humility,

in that the soul

- desires to rise of itself

before our Lord raises it, and

- is not satisfied with meditation

on so excellent a subject,

(the Sacred Humanity of Christ)

- seeking to be Mary

before it has laboured with Martha"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 13 ]

( desiring to be contemplative

and receive spiritual consolations

without having to persevere in prayer

and meditating on Our Lord)

"If our Lord will have a soul

to be Mary,

even on the first day,

there is nothing to be afraid of;

but we must not be

self-invited guests"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 13 ]

"This little mote of want of humility,

though in appearance a mere nothing,

does a great deal of harm to those

who wish to advance in contemplation".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 13 ]

"God is greatly pleased when He beholds

a soul in its humility

- making His Son a Mediator

between itself and Him,

and yet
- loving Him so much

as to confess its own unworthiness,

even when He would raise it up

to the highest contemplation,

and
- saying with St. Peter:

"Go Thou away from me, O Lord,

for I am a sinful man."

"the whole foundation of prayer

must be laid in humility...

"the more a soul humbles itself in prayer,

the more God lifts it up".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 16 ]

■ She Refutes it because it

withdraws the attention and ardor from Christ,

separating the soul from His loving support

"....that we should carefully and laboriously...

not to strive with all our might

to have always the most Sacred Humanity

before our eyes,

is what seems to me not to be right:

it is making the soul...

to walk in the air;

for it has nothing to rest on,

how full so ever of God

it may think itself to be."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 12 ]

"In the most Holy Sacrament,

He is our companion"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 8 ]

"With so good a Friend...ever present,

Himself the first to suffer,

everything can be borne.

He helps,

He strengthens,

He never fails,

He is the true Friend."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 9]

"What more can we want

than so good a Friend at our side,

Who will not forsake us

when we are in trouble and distress"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 10 ]

"It is a great matter for us

to have our Lord before us

as Man

while we are living and in the flesh."

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 13 ]

"for

when we have many things to do,

when we are persecuted and in trouble..

when we have our seasons of dryness,

Christ is our best Friend;

for we regard Him

as Man,

and behold Him faint and in trouble,

and He is our Companion; and

when we shall have accustomed ourselves

in this way,

it is very easy to find Him near us"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 14 ]

■ She Refutes it because

it Hinders Progress in Prayer

"if a soul attempts to advance

to the prayer of union,

by its own efforts

◦ it will quickly fall back because

the foundations were not duly laid"

( even if at first,

it appears to make progress )

◦ it "will never attain

to true poverty of spirit"

which consists of

-- seeking solace in their trials /sorrows

for the love of God

-- abandoning the consolations

of the world

and

-- in being calm in the midst

of sorrows and aridities.

-- rather than seeking consolation or

pleasure in prayer.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 17 ]

◦ "...does a great deal of harm to those

who wish to advance in contemplation".

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 13 ]

"and if I had continued in it...

I should never have reached

the state I am in now.

I hold it to be a delusion"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 2 ]

"Of this at least I can assure them:

They will never thus enter

the last two mansions of the castle.

If they lose their Guide, our good Jesus,

they cannot find the way

and

it will be much if they have stayed safely

in the former mansions."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 7: #8 ]

Conversely, she teaches that

to meditate on the Sacred Humanity of Christ

is the path

toward God and advancement in prayer.

The Sacred Humanity of Christ

"... is the door

by which we are to enter,

if we would have His supreme Majesty

reveal to us His great secrets.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 9 ]

"Our Lord is He

by whom all good things come to us;

He will teach you."

[ Life: Ch. 22: #10 ]

"I would seek for nothing save by Him

through Whom comes all the good we possess"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #19 ]

"I have said enough to prove...

that, however spiritual their state,

it is an error to avoid thinking

of corporeal things

as to imagine that meditation

on the most sacred Humanity

can injure the soul.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 7: #16 ]

■ She Refutes it because the soul
seeks its own will

rather than await the Will of God

God (not ourselves) knows

what will be beneficial

for each particular soul.

"God is

- more careful of us

than we are ourselves,

and

- knows what each one of us is fit for"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 18 ]

St. Teresa teaches us:

To conform to His will and plan for us

rather than try to have Him follow our plan

"to embrace the cross is the great thing"

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 15 ]

"We must

- walk in liberty on this road,

- committing ourselves

into the hands of God.

If it be His Majesty's good pleasure to

raise us and

place us among His secret councillors...

- we must go willingly;

if not, we must

- serve Him in the lower offices

of His house, and

- not sit down on the upper seats.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 18 ]

"...still more difficult and hard

for our spirit to rise upwards,

if God does not raise it,

seeing that it is burdened with earth,

and hindered in a thousand ways.

Its willingness to rise

is of no service to it;

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 4 ]

"Let us, then, pray (to) Him always

to show His mercy upon us,

with a submissive spirit,

yet trusting in the goodness of God.

And now that the soul is permitted

to sit at the feet of Christ,

let it contrive

- not to quit its place,

- but keep it anyhow.

Let it follow

the example of the Magdalene;

and
when it shall be strong enough,

God will lead it into the wilderness.

[ Life: Ch. 22: # 19 ]

End of the Discussion of

Mansion 6 Chapter 7

The Interior Castle

The Mansions

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions

Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Interior Castle: Mansion 6 - Chapter 7 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus