The Interior Castle or The Mansions
S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
Mansion 6 Chapter 9
|
Mansion 6 Chapter 9
Chapter Contents
This Chapter Speaks
▪ Of The Manner
In Which God Communicates
With The Soul By Imaginary Visions.
▪ Strong Reasons Are Given
For Not Desiring To Be Led In This Way
This Is Very Profitable Reading.
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
1. The jewel in the locket.
2. The simile explained.
3. The apparition explained.
4. Awe produced by this vision.
5. False and genuine visions.
6. Illusive visions.
7. Effects of a genuine vision.
8. Conviction left by a genuine vision.
9. Its effects upon the after conduct.
10. A confessor should be consulted.
11. How to treat visions.
12. Effects of seeing the face of Christ.
13. Reasons why visions
are not to be sought.
14. The second reason.
15. Third reason.
16. Fourth reason.
17. Fifth reason.
18. Sixth reason.
19. Additional reasons.
20. The virtues more meritorious
than consolations.
21. Fervent souls desire to serve God
for Himself alone.
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Mansion 6 Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
1. The jewel in the locket.
1.
Now we come to treat
of imaginary visions,
whereby it is held that the devil
is more liable to deceive people
than by the other visions
I have already described.
This is probably true.
Yet when imaginary visions are divine,
they seem, in a certain manner,
more profitable for us than the others,
as being more suited to our nature
--with the exception of the visions
sent by our Lord
in the seventh mansion
which far surpass all others.
The presence of our Lord
described in the last chapter
may thus be symbolized.
Let us suppose
that we have in our possession
a gold locket
containing a precious stone
of the highest value and powers,
which, though we have not seen it,
we are certain is in the case,
and
its virtues benefit us
when we wear the pendant.
Although we have never gazed on it
we value it highly,
knowing by experience
that it has cured us of maladies
for which it is remedial.
However, we dare not look at it
nor open the locket
nor could we do so
even if we wished,
for the owner of the jewel alone
knows the secret
of unfastening its casket.
Although he lent it us for our use,
yet he kept the key for himself;
he will
open the trinket
when he chooses
to show us its contents
and
close it again
when he sees fit to do so.
2. The simile explained.
2.
Our Lord treats us here in this way.
Now, suppose the owner of this locket
suddenly opened it at times
for the benefit of the person
to whom he has entrusted it;
Doubtless the latter would value
the diamond more highly
through remembering its wonderful lustre.
This may be compared to what happens
when our Lord is pleased
to caress the soul.
He shows it in vision
His most sacred Humanity
under whatever form He chooses;
Either as He was
during His life on earth [357]
or
after His resurrection. [358]
The vision passes as quickly
as a flash of lightning,
yet this most glorious picture makes
an impression on the imagination
that I believe can never be effaced
until the soul at last sees Christ
to enjoy Him for ever.
Although I call it a 'picture,'
you must not imagine
that it looks like a painting;
Christ appears as a living Person
Who sometimes speaks
and reveals deep mysteries.
You must understand
that though the soul sees this
for a certain space of time,
it is no more possible
to continue looking at it
than to gaze for a very long time
on the sun;
Therefore this vision passes very quickly,
although its brightness
does not pain the interior sight
in the same way
as the sun's glare
injures our bodily eyes.
3. The apparition explained.
3.
The image is seen
by the interior sight alone;
but of bodily apparitions
I can say nothing,
for the person I know so intimately
never having experienced anything
of the kind herself
could not speak about them with certainty.
[359]
The splendour of Him
Who is revealed in the vision
resembles an infused light
like that of the sun covered with a veil
as transparent as a diamond,
if such a texture could be woven,
while His raiment looks like fine linen.
The soul to whom God grants this vision
almost always falls into an ecstasy,
nature being too weak
to bear so dread a sight.
I say 'dread,'
though this apparition
is more lovely and delightful
than anything that could be imagined
even though any one should
live a thousand years
and
spend all that time in trying to picture it,
for it far surpasses
our limited imagination and understanding;
Yet the presence of such surpassing majesty
inspires the soul with great fear.
4. Awe produced by this vision.
4.
There is no need to ask
how the soul knew
Who He was
or
Who declared with absolute certainty
that He was the Lord of heaven and earth.
This is not so with earthly kings;
Unless we
were told their names
or
saw their attendant courtiers,
they would attract little notice.
O Lord,
how little do we Christians know Thee!
What will that day be
in which Thou comest as our Judge,
since now, when Thou comest as a Friend
to Thy spouse,
the sight of Thee strikes us with such awe?
O daughters!
what will it be when He says in wrath:
Go, accursed of my Father?' [360]
Let this impression be the result of this favour
granted by God to the soul
and
we shall reap no little benefit from it,
since St. Jerome, saint as he was,
ever kept the thought of the last judgment
before his eyes. [361]
Thus we shall care nothing
what sufferings we endure
from the austerities of our Rule,
for long as they may last,
the time is but a moment
compared to this eternity of pain.
I sincerely assure you that,
wicked as I am,
I have never feared the torments of hell
[362]
for they have seemed to me as nothing
when I remembered
that the lost would see
the beautiful, meek and pitiful eyes
of our Lord
turned on them in wrath. [363]
I have thought all my life
that this would be
more than my heart could bear.
5. False and genuine visions.
5.
How much more
must any one fear this
to whom our Lord so revealed Himself
in vision here
as to overcome her feelings
and produce unconsciousness!
This must be the reason
that the soul remains in a rapture:
Our Lord strengthens its weakness
so as to unite it to His greatness
in this sublime communion with God.
When any one can contemplate
this sight of our Lord for a long time,
I do not believe it is a vision
but rather some overmastering idea
which causes the imagination to fancy
it sees something;
But this illusion is
only like a dead image
in comparison with
the living reality of the other case.
6. Illusive visions.
6.
As not only three or four,
but a large number of people
have spoken to me on the subject,
I know by experience
that there are souls which,
either because they possess
vivid imaginations or active minds,
or for some other reason
of which I am ignorant,
are so absorbed in their own ideas
as to feel certain they see
whatever their fancy imagines.
If they had ever beheld a genuine vision,
they would recognize the deception
unmistakably.
They themselves fabricate,
piece by piece,
what they fancy they see:
No after effects are produced on the mind,
which is less moved to devotion
than by the sight of a sacred picture.
It is clear
that no attention should be paid
to such fancies,
which pass more quickly than dreams
from the memory.
7. Effects of a genuine vision.
7.
In the favour of which I speak,
the case is very different.
A person is far from thinking
of seeing anything,
no idea of which has crossed the mind,
when suddenly
the vision is revealed in its entirety,
causing within
the powers and senses of the soul
a fright and confusion
soon changed into a blissful peace.
Thus,
after St. Paul was thrown to the ground,
a great tempest and noise
followed from heaven; [364]
so, in the interior world of the soul,
there is a violent tumult followed instantly,
as I said,
by perfect calm.
Meanwhile certain sublime truths
have been so impressed on the mind
that it needs no other master,
for with no effort of its own,
Wisdom, Himself, has enlightened
its former ignorance.
8. Conviction left by a genuine vision.
8.
The soul for some time afterwards
possesses such certainty
- that this grace comes from God
- that whatever people may say
to the contrary
it cannot fear delusion.
Later on,
when her confessor suggests doubts to her,
God may allow such a person
to waver in her belief for a time
and
to feel misgivings
lest, in punishment for her sins,
she may possibly have been left
to go astray.
However, she does not give way
to these apprehensions,
but (as I said in speaking of other matters)
[365]
they only affect her in the same way
as the temptations of the devil
against faith,
which may disturb the mind
but do not shake the firmness of belief.
In fact, the more severe the assault, [366]
the more certain is she
that the evil one could never have produced
the great benefits
she is conscious of having received,
because he exercises no such power
over the interior of the soul.
He may present a false apparition
but it does not possess
such truth, majesty, and efficacy.
9. Its effects upon the after conduct.
9.
As confessors cannot see these effects,
which perhaps the person
to whom God has shown the vision,
is unable to explain,
they are afraid of deception,
as indeed they have good reason to be.
Therefore
caution is necessary
and
time should be allowed
to see what effects follow.
Day by day,
the progress of the soul
in humility
and
in the virtues
should be watched:
If the devil is concerned in the matter,
he
will soon show signs of himself
and
will be detected in a thousand lies.
If the confessor is
experienced
and
has received such favours himself,
he will not take long in discovering the truth.
In fact, he will know immediately,
on being told of the vision,
whether it is
- divine
or
- comes from the imagination
or
- the demon:
more especially if he has received
the gift of discerning spirits
--then, if he is learned,
he will understand the matter at once
even though he has
not personally experienced the like.
10. A confessor should be consulted.
10.
The great point is, sisters,
that you should be
perfectly candid and straightforward
with your confessor:
I do not mean in declaring your sins
that is evident enough
--but in giving him
an account of your prayer. [367]
Unless you do this,
I cannot assure you of your safety
nor that you are led by God.
Our Lord desires
- that we should be as truthful and open
with those who stand in His place
as we should with Himself;
- that we should wish them to know
not only our thoughts
but especially all relating to our actions,
however insignificant.
Then you need feel
no trouble nor anxiety [368]
because even if your vision
were not from God,
it could do you no harm
if you are
humble
and
possess a good conscience,
for His Majesty knows
how to glean good from evil.
What the devil intended to injure you
will benefit you instead:
Believing that God has granted you
such signal favours,
you
will strive to please Him better
and
will keep His image
ever before your memory.
11. How to treat visions.
11.
A great theologian once said [369]
that he should not trouble himself
though the devil,
who is a clever painter,
should present before his eyes
the living image of Christ,
which would only
kindle his devotion
and
defeat the evil one with his own weapons.
However wicked an artist may be,
we should reverence his picture
if it represents Him
Who is our only good.
This great scholar held
that it was very wrong
to advise any one
who saw a vision of our Lord
to advise any one
who saw a vision of our Lord
to offer it signs of scorn, [370]
because we are bound to show respect
to the portrait of our King
wherever we see it.
I am sure that he was right,
for even in the world
any one who was on friendly terms
with a person
would take it as an offence
were his portrait treated with contempt.
How much more
should we always show respect
to a crucifix
or a picture of our heavenly Sovereign
wherever it meets our gaze!
Although I have written about this elsewhere,
I am glad of the opportunity
of saying it now
for I know some one
who was deeply pained
at being bidden to behave in this way.
I know not who can have invented
such a torture for one who felt bound
to obey the counsel given by her confessor,
for she would have thought
her soul was at stake
had she disobeyed him.
My advice is,
if you are given such an order,
that humbly alleging the reasons
I have set before you to your confessor,
you should not carry it out.
I am perfectly satisfied
with the motives given for doing so by him
who counselled me on this subject.
12. Effects of seeing the face of Christ.
12.
One great advantage gained by the soul
from this favour shown by our Lord
is that when thinking
of Him or of His life and Passion,
the remembrance of His most meek
and beautiful face
brings with it the greatest consolation.
In the same way, we feel happier
after having seen a benefactor
than if we had never known him personally.
I can assure you
that the remembrance of the joy
caused by this vision
gives us the greatest comfort and assistance.
13. Reasons why visions
are not to be sought.
13.
Many other advantages result;
But as I have written elsewhere at length
[371]
about the effect these visions produce,
and must do so again later on,
I will say no more now
lest I weary us both.
But I most earnestly advise you,
when you know or hear
of God's bestowing these graces on others,
never to pray nor desire
to be led by this way yourself
though it may appear to you to be very good;
Indeed, it ought to be
highly esteemed and reverenced,
yet no one should seek to go by it
for several reasons.
Firstly,
as it is a want of humility to desire
what you have never deserved,
I do not think any one
who longs for these graces
can be really humble:
A common labourer never dreams
of wishing to be made a king
-- the thing seems impossible
and
he is unfit for it;
A lowly mind has the same feeling
about these divine favours.
I do not believe
God will ever bestow these gifts
on such a person,
as before doing so
He always gives thorough self-knowledge.
How can that soul,
while filled with such lofty aspirations,
realize the truth
that He has shown it great mercy
in not casting it into hell?
14. The second reason.
14.
The second reason is
that such a one
is certain to be deceived
or at least
is in great danger of delusion,
for an entrance is thus left open to the devil,
who only needs to see the door left ajar
to slip in at once
and
play us a thousand tricks.
15. Third reason.
15.
Thirdly:
when people strongly desire a thing,
the imagination makes them fancy
they see or hear it,
just as when a man's mind is set
upon a subject all day
he dreams of it at night.
16. Fourth reason.
16.
Fourthly:
It would be very presumptuous of me
to choose a way for myself
without knowing what is good for me. [ 372]
I should leave our Lord,
Who knows my soul,
to guide me as is best for me
so that His will may be done in all things.
17. Fifth reason.
17.
Fifthly:
Do you think people
on whom our Lord bestows these favours
have little to suffer?
No, indeed!
Their trials are
- most severe
and
- of many kinds.
How can you tell
whether you would be able to bear them?
18. Sixth reason.
18.
Sixthly:
Perhaps what you think
would be your gain
might prove your loss,
as happened to Saul
when he was made king. [373]
In short, sisters,
there are other reasons besides these;
Believe me,
it is safer to wish only what God wishes,
Who knows us better
than we know ourselves
and
Who loves us.
Let us place ourselves
entirely in His hands
so that His will may be done in us;
entirely in His hands
so that His will may be done in us;
We can never go astray
if our will is ever firmly fixed on this.
19. Additional reasons.
19.
Know that for having received
many favours of this kind,
you will
- not merit more glory
- but will be the more stringently
obliged to serve,
since you have received more.
God does not deprive us of anything
by which we merit more,
for this remains in our own control.
There are many saints who never knew
what it was to receive one such favour,
while others who have received them
are not saints at all.
Do not imagine
that these gifts are continually bestowed;
Indeed,
for one that is granted,
the soul bears many a cross,
so that instead of longing
to receive more favours,
it only strives to use them better.
20. The virtues more meritorious
than consolations.
20.
True,
such a grace is a most powerful aid
towards practising the virtues
in their highest perfection,
but it is far more meritorious to gain them
at the cost of one's own toil.
I was acquainted with some one, [374]
indeed with two people
(of whom one was a man),
on whom our Lord had bestowed
some of these gifts.
They were both
- so desirous of serving His Majesty
at their own cost
without these great consolations
and
- so longed to suffer for His sake,
that they remonstrated with Him
for giving them these favours,
and
if it had been possible
would have refused to receive them.
When I say 'consolations',
I do not mean these visions
which greatly benefit the soul
and
are highly to be esteemed,
but the delights given by God
during contemplation.
21. Fervent souls desire to serve God
for Himself alone.
21.
I believe
that these desires are
supernatural
and
proper to very fervent souls
supernatural
and
proper to very fervent souls
who wish to prove to God
that they do not serve Him for pay;
So as I said,
such people do not urge themselves
to work harder for Him
by the thought of the glory they will gain,
but rather labour to satisfy their love,
of which the nature is
to toil for the Beloved in a thousand ways.
Such souls would fain find a way
to consume themselves in Him,
and
were there need that,
for the sake of God's greater glory,
they should be annihilated for ever,
they would count it great gain.
May He be for ever praised
Who, in abasing Himself
to hold converse with us miserable creatures,
vouchsafes to manifest His greatness!
Amen.
Foot Notes:
[357]
Life, ch, vii, 11.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #2's
Footnote reference #357
"in vision
His most sacred Humanity
...as He was
during His life on earth [357]"
Life, ch, vii, 11
Christ stood before me, stern and grave,
giving me to understand
what in my conduct
was offensive to Him
I saw Him
with the eyes of the soul
more distinctly than I could have seen Him
with the eyes of the body.
[ Life: Ch. 7: # 11 ]
Sometimes I saw Him
on the cross,
in the Garden,
crowned with thorns,
[ Life: Ch. 29: # 4 ]
____________________
[358]
Ibid. xxix, 4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #2's
Footnote reference #358
"in vision
His most sacred Humanity
...as He was
after His resurrection. [358]"
Ibid. xxix, 4
Our Lord showed Himself to me
almost always as He is
after His resurrection.
...
but always in His glorified body.
[ Life: Ch. 29: # 4 ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On one of the feasts of St. Paul,
when I was at Mass,
there stood before me
the most Sacred Humanity,
as painters represent Him
after the resurrection,
in great beauty and majesty"
[ Life: Ch. 28: # 4 ]
_____________________
[359]
Life, ch, vii. 11, 12.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #3's
Footnote reference #359
"but of bodily apparitions
I can say nothing,
for the person I know so intimately
never having experienced anything
of the kind herself
could not speak about them with certainty.
[359]"
Life, ch, vii. 11, 12.
[ See Foot note #357
Life: Ch. 7: # 11 12 ]
_____________________
[360]
St. Matt. xxv. 41:
Discedite a me, maledicti,
in ignem aeternum.'
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #4's
Footnote reference #360
"what will it be when He says in wrath:
Go, accursed of my Father?' [360]"
Depart from me, you cursed,
into everlasting fire
which was prepared for the devil
and his angels.
_____________________
[361]
'Whenever I ponder
on the Day of Judgment,
I am overwhelmed by the thought
and tremble from head to foot.'
(St. Jerome).
The following saying is by some
attributed to St. Jerome,
though not to be found in his works:
Whether I eat or drink, or
whatever else I do,
the dreadful trumpet of the last day
seems always sounding in my ears:
Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment.'
(Alban Butler, Life of St. Jerome).
The Life of Christ by Ludolf of Saxony
gives this quotation with the word
'vox' instead of 'tuba'
(part ii. ch. lxxxvii. 9).
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #4's
Footnote reference #361
"St. Jerome, saint as he was,
ever kept the thought of the last judgment
before his eyes. [361]"
_____________________
[362]
Life, ch. iii.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #4's
Footnote reference #362
"I sincerely assure you that,
wicked as I am,
I have never feared the torments of hell
[362]
for they have seemed to me as nothing
( compared to the loss of our Lord )"
Life, ch. iii.
I also began to be afraid
that, if I were then to die,
I should go down to hell...
I saw that the religious state was the best
and the safest.
And thus, by little and little,
I resolved to force myself into it.
[ Life: Ch. 3: # 6 ]
...The trials and sufferings of living as a nun
cannot be greater than those of purgatory,
and I have well deserved to be in hell.
It is not much to spend the rest of my life
as if I were in purgatory,
and then go straight to Heaven
which was what I desired.
I was more influenced by servile fear,
I think, than by love, to enter religion.
[ Life: Ch. 3: # 7 ]
_____________________
[363]
Excl. xiii, 3.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #4's
Footnote reference #363
"when I remembered
that the lost would see
the beautiful, meek and pitiful eyes
of our Lord
turned on them in wrath. [363]
I have thought all my life
that this would be
more than my heart could bear."
Excl. xiii, 3.
"Thou knowest, my Lord,
that the thought of seeing Thy divine gaze
turned on me in wrath
in that last terrible day of judgment
has often terrified me far more than all
I have heard of the tortures and furies
of hell,
and I besought Thee of Thy mercy
to save me from such misery
...Let me not lose my God,
nor the peaceful contemplation
of Thy beauty:
Thy Father gave Thee to us, Lord;
Let me not lose so precious a Jewel ! "
[ Exclamations or Meditations of the Soul
on its God: 13: # 3 ]
St. Teresa of Avila
Translated: Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]
_____________________
[364]
Acts ix. 3, 4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #7's
Footnote reference #364
"after St. Paul was thrown to the ground,
a great tempest and noise
followed from heaven; [364]
so, in the interior world of the soul,
there is a violent tumult followed instantly,
...by perfect calm.
Meanwhile certain sublime truths
have been so impressed on the mind..."
Acts ix. 3, 4.
And as he went on his journey,
it came to pass that he drew nigh
to Damascus;
and suddenly a light from heaven shined
round about him.
And falling on the ground,
he heard a voice saying to him:
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Who said: Who art thou, Lord?
And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
...And he trembling and astonished, said:
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
[ Acts: 9: 3 - 7 ]
_____________________
[365]
Castle, M. vi. ch. iii. 12.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #8's
Footnote reference #365
"when her confessor suggests doubts to her,
God may allow such a person
to waver in her belief for a time...
However, she does not give way
to these apprehensions... [365]
they only affect her in the same way
....
which may disturb the mind
but do not shake the firmness of belief. "
Castle, M. vi. ch. iii. 12
...convinced the soul at the moment
that they came from God.
Afterwards, however, doubts arise
as to whether the locutions came
from the devil
or
from the imagination,
although while hearing them
the person would have died
to defend their truth.
...these misgivings must be suggested
by the evil one
to afflict and intimidate her,
[Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 3: #12 ]
_____________________
[366]
Way of Perf ch, xl. 4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #8's
Footnote reference #366
"In fact, the more severe the assault, [366]
the more certain is she
that the evil one could never have produced
the great benefits she is conscious
of having received,
because he exercises no such power
over the interior of the soul."
Way of Perf ch, xl. 4
But if you feel the love for God,
... besides the fear...
you may feel happy and at peace.
In order to disturb the soul and to prevent
its enjoying these great graces,
the evil one will himself suggest...
a thousand false fears,
for if he cannot win you for himself
at least he will try to snatch something
from you...
[ Way of Perfection: Ch 40: #4
Translated: Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]
_____________________
[367] Life, ch. xxvi. 5;
xxviii. 21.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #10's
Footnote reference #367
" you should be
perfectly candid and straightforward
with your confessor:
I do not mean in declaring your sins
that is evident enough
--but in giving him
an account of your prayer. [367]"
Life, ch. xxvi. 5;
"The safest course in these things is to
- declare, without fail,
-- the whole state of the soul,
-- together with the graces
our Lord gives me,
to a confessor who is learned, and
- obey him. "
[ Life: Ch. 26: # 4 ]
I ought never to hide
from my confessor;
for I should find great security
if I told everything;
and if I did otherwise,
I might at any time fall into delusions.
[ Life: Ch. 26: # 5
Translated: David Lewis ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Life, ch. xxviii. 21.
He (her Confessor ) bade me
never to conceal
anything from him;
and I never did.
He used to say that,
so long as I did this,
the devil, if it were the devil,
could not hurt me;
[ Life: Ch. 28: # 21
Translated: David Lewis ]
_____________________
[368]
Way of Perf. ch. xl. 3.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #10's
Footnote reference #368
"Then you need feel
no trouble nor anxiety [368]
because even if your vision
were not from God,
it could do you no harm
if you are
humble
and
possess a good conscience,
for His Majesty knows
how to glean good from evil."
Way of Perf. ch. xl. 3.
The illusions and temptations the devil plots
against contemplatives are numerous...
They must be very humble and must ask
God not to lead them into temptation,
into which I fear they will fall
if they have not this token.
But if they are lowly
and try to find out the truth
if they submit to their confessor
and are frank and outspoken with him,
then God is faithful.
Let them feel assured
that, if there is neither, malice nor pride
in them,
the devil will gain them life
by the means
whereby he sought to kill them.
There is no need for fear
while they keep to the guidance
of the Church
[ Way of Perfection: Ch 40: #3
Translated: Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]
nobody will be deceived
if only they are humble;
[ Foundation: Ch. 8: #2
Translated: David Lewis ]
_____________________
[369]
This was Father Dominic Banez.
Found. ch. viii. 3.
Life, ch. xxix. 6, 7 and note.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #11's
Footnote reference #369
"A great theologian once said [369]
that he should not trouble himself
though the devil,
who is a clever painter,
should present before his eyes
the living image of Christ,
which would only
kindle his devotion
and
defeat the evil one with his own weapons"
Found. ch. viii. 3.
It was very hard for her,
when she beheld His image in a vision,
to make the sign of the cross and
treat that image with contempt;
for so she had been commanded to do.
At a later time she spoke of it
to a deeply learned Dominican,
the master Fray Dominic Banez,
who told her
that it was wrong, and
that nobody ought to do that,
because it is right to venerate
the image of our Lord
wherever we may see it,
even if the devil himself
had been the painter
— and he is a great painter:
on the contrary,
he is doing us a service,
though seeking to do us a mischief,
if he paints a crucifix or an image
so life-like
as to leave an impression of it
behind in our hearts.
[ Foundation: Ch. 8: #3
Translated: David Lewis ]
Life, ch. xxix. 6, 7 and note.
He bade me, now
that I had no power of resisting,
always to make the sign of the cross
when I had a vision, to
- point my finger at it
by way of scorn, and
- be firmly persuaded
of its diabolic nature.
If I did this, the vision would not recur...
[ Life: Ch. 29: #6 ]
It was to me a most painful thing
to make a show of contempt
whenever I saw our Lord in a vision;
for when I saw Him before me,
if I were to be cut in pieces,
I could not believe it was Satan.
This was to me, therefore,
a heavy kind of penance;
and accordingly,
that I might not be so continually
crossing myself,
I used to hold a crucifix in my hand.
This I did almost always;
but I did not always make signs of contempt,
because I felt that too much.
[ Life: Ch. 29: #7 ]
_____________________
[370]
Letters of Blessed John of Avila
(translated by the Benedictines
of Stanbrook),
i. 5, p. 19.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #11's
Footnote reference #370
"However wicked an artist may be,
we should reverence his picture
if it represents Him
Who is our only good.
This great scholar held
that it was very wrong to advise any one
who saw a vision of our Lord
to offer it signs of scorn, [370]
because we are bound to show respect
to the portrait of our King
wherever we see it."
Letters of Blessed John of Avila
(translated by the Benedictines
of Stanbrook),
i. 5, p. 19.
"Visions, whether imaginary
or corporeal, are the most deceptive :
they are never to be desired,
and, should they come uninvited,
they should, as far as possible, be resisted.
Unless, however, it is certain that
they proceed from an evil spirit,
this should not be done
by making signs of contempt.
I was pained and shocked to hear
of its having been done in your case.
We should beg of God not to allow us
to walk by sight,
but to defer the revelation of Himself
and His Saints
until we reach Heaven,
and we should ask Him to guide us
whilst on earth along the common path
by which He leads His faithful friends."
Letters of Blessed John of Avila
Translated by the Benedictines
of Stanbrook),
Letter I
To Saint Teresa,
Discussing Her Account
Of Her Spiritual Life.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
See also Foot note 369
and Foundation: Ch. 8: #3
_____________________
[371]
Life, ch. xxviii. 13, 4.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #11's
Footnote reference #371
"Many other advantages result;
But as I have written elsewhere at length
[371]
about the effect these visions produce"
Life, ch. xxviii. 13, 14
Here we learn true humility,
imprinted in the soul
by the sight of its own wretchedness,
of which now it cannot be ignorant.
Here, also, is...
true repentance for sins;
for though the soul sees
that our Lord shows
how He loves it,
[Life: Ch. 28: #13 ]
It is true
that afterwards the vision is forgotten;
but there remains so deep an impression
of the majesty and beauty of God,
that it is impossible to forget it...
The soul is itself no longer,
it is always inebriated;
it seems as if a living love of God,
of the highest kind,
made a new beginning within it;
[Life: Ch. 28: #14 ]
_____________________
[372]
St. Teresa, when led in this way,
always asked to be delivered
from favours so dangerous as visions, etc.
See Life, ch. xxv. 20;
xxvii. 3.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #16's
Footnote reference #372
"It would be very presumptuous of me
to choose a way for myself
without knowing what is good for me.
[ 372]"
Life, ch. xxv. 20;
I, too, with all my might...
prayed that His Majesty
would be pleased to lead me
by another way.
...this was the subject
of my continual prayer to our Lord.
[ Life: Ch. 25: #20 ]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Life, ch. xxvii. 3.
At the end of two years
spent in prayer by myself and others
for this end,
namely, that our Lord would
either lead me by another way,
or show the truth of this,
[ Life: Ch. 27: #3 ]
_____________________
[373]
I. Reg. xv. 26-28.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #1's
Footnote reference #373
"Perhaps what you think
would be your gain
might prove your loss,
as happened to Saul
when he was made king. [373] "
I. Reg. xv. 26-28.
10 And the word of the Lord came
to Samuel, saying:
11 It repenteth me
that I have made Saul king:
for he hath forsaken me, and
hath not executed my commandments
24 And Saul said to Samuel:
I have sinned because I have transgressed
the commandment of the Lord,
25But now bear, I beseech thee, my sin,
and return with me,
that I may adore the Lord.
26 And Samuel said to Saul:
I will not return with thee,
because thou hast rejected the word
of the Lord, and
the Lord hath rejected thee
from being king over Israel.
[ 1 Samuel: 15 ]
_____________________
[374]
Life, ch. xl. 27.
She herself was one,
and the other, no doubt,
was St. John of the Cross.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blog Addition:
Regarding Paragraph #20's
Footnote reference #374
"I was acquainted with some one, [374]
indeed with two people
(of whom one was a man),
on whom our Lord had bestowed
some of these gifts.
They were both
- so desirous of serving His Majesty
at their own cost
without these great consolations
and
- so longed to suffer for His sake,
that they remonstrated with Him
for giving them these favours,
and
if it had been possible
would have refused to receive them. "
Life, ch. xl. 27.
I have never known real pain
since I resolved
to serve my Lord and my Consoler
with all my strength...
And it seems to me
there is nothing worth living for
but this,
and suffering is
what I most heartily pray to God for.
I say to Him sometimes,
with my whole heart:
"O Lord, either to die or to suffer!
I ask of Thee nothing else for myself.
[ Life: Ch. 40: #27 ]
|
End of
Mansion 6 Chapter 9
The Interior Castle
or
The Mansions
S. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of our Lady of Carmel
St. Teresa of Avila
|
Note:
Attempt was made to display the quotes
of the other books being cited
by the editor's foot notes.
But, they may not be the actual intended passages
that were cited by the editor
since the editions/translations used by the editor
may have different paragraph numbering
than those available to this blog.
|
