Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions: Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 2 - 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

Mansion 7 Chapter 2

Chapter Contents

Treats

Of The Same Subject:

Explains

By Some Delicately Drawn Comparisons,

The Difference Between

Spiritual Union And Spiritual Marriage.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

1. The Spiritual Nuptials introduced

by an imaginary vision.

2. Spiritual Betrothal and Marriage

differ.

3. Spiritual Marriage lasting.

4. Not so Spiritual Betrothal.

5. Spiritual Marriage permanent.

6. St. Paul and Spiritual Marriage.

7. The soul's joy in union.

8. Its conviction of God's indwelling.

9. Its peace.

10. Christ's prayer

for the divine union of the soul.

11. Its fulfilment.

12. Unalterable peace of the soul

in the seventh Mansion.

13. Unless it offends God.

14. Struggles outside the seventh Mansion.

15. Comparisons explaining this.

Mansion 7 Chapter 2

CHAPTER II.

1. The Spiritual Nuptials introduced

by an imaginary vision.

WE now come to speak

of divine and spiritual nuptials,

although this sublime favour

cannot be received in all its perfection

during our present life,

for by forsaking God

this great good would be lost.

The first time God bestows this grace,

He, by an imaginary vision

of His most sacred Humanity,

reveals Himself to the soul

so that it may understand and realize

the sovereign gift it is receiving.

He may manifest Himself in a different way

to other people;

The person I mentioned,

after having received Holy Communion

beheld our Lord,

full of splendour, beauty, and majesty,

as He was after His resurrection. [403]

He told her that henceforth

she was to care for His affairs

as though they were her own

and

He would care for hers:

He spoke other words

which she understood

better than she can repeat them.

This may seem nothing new,

for our Lord had thus revealed Himself

to her at other times; [404]

yet this was so different

that it left her bewildered and amazed,

both on account of the vividness

of what she saw

and

of the words heard at the time,

also

because it took place

in the interior of the soul

where, with the exception

of the one last mentioned,

no other vision had been seen.

2. Spiritual Betrothal and Marriage differ.

You must understand

that between the visions seen

in this

and

in the former mansions

there is a vast difference;

There is the same distinction between

spiritual espousals and spiritual marriage

as between people

who are only betrothed

and others

who are united for ever

in holy matrimony.

I have told you [405]

that though I make this comparison

because there is none more suitable,

yet this betrothal is no more related

to our corporal condition

than if the soul were a disembodied spirit.

This is even more true

of the spiritual marriage,

for this secret union takes place

in the innermost centre of the soul

where God Himself must dwell:

I believe

that no door is required to enter it.

I say, 'no door is required,'

for all I have hitherto described

seems to come

through the senses and faculties

as must the representation

of our Lord's Humanity,

but what passes in the union

of the spiritual nuptials

is very different.

Here God appears in the soul's centre,

not by an imaginary

but by an intellectual vision

far more mystic than those seen before,

just as He appeared to the Apostles

without having entered through the door

when He said:

'Pax vobis.' [406]

3. Spiritual Marriage lasting.

So mysterious is the secret

and

so sublime the favour

that God thus bestows instantaneously

on the soul,

that it feels a supreme delight,

only to be described by saying

that our Lord vouchsafes for the moment

to reveal to it His own heavenly glory

in a far more subtle way

than by any vision or spiritual delight.

As far as can be understood,

the soul,

I mean the spirit of this soul,

is made one with God [407]

Who is Himself a spirit,

and

Who has been pleased

to show certain persons

how far His love for us extends

in order that we may praise His greatness.

He has thus deigned

to unite Himself to His creature:

He has bound Himself to her

as firmly as two human beings

are joined in wedlock

and

will never separate Himself from her.

4. Not so Spiritual Betrothal.

Spiritual Betrothal

is different

and

like the grace of union is often dissolved;

For though two things are made one by union,

- separation is still possible

and

- each part then remains a thing by itself.

This favour generally passes quickly,

and

afterwards the soul,

as far as it is aware,

remains without His company.

5. Spiritual Marriage permanent.

This is not so in the spiritual marriage

with our Lord,

where the soul always remains in its centre

with its God.

Union may be symbolized

by two wax candles,

the tips of which touch each other

so closely that there is but one light;

or again, the wick, the wax, and the light

become one,

but the one candle can again be separated

from the other

and the two candles remain distinct;

or the wick may be withdrawn

from the wax.

But Spiritual Marriage is like rain

falling from heaven into a river or stream,

becoming one and the same liquid,

so that the river and rain water

cannot be divided;

or it resembles a streamlet flowing

into the ocean,

which cannot afterwards
be disunited from it.

This marriage may also be likened to a room

into which a bright light enters

through two windows

--though divided when it enters,

the light becomes one and the same.

6. St. Paul and Spiritual Marriage.

Perhaps when St. Paul said,

'He who is joined to the Lord

is one spirit,' [408]

he meant this sovereign marriage,

which presupposes His Majesty's

having been joined to the soul by union.

The same Apostle says:

'To me,

to live is Christ

and

to die is gain.' [409]

This, I think, might here be uttered

by the soul,

for now the little butterfly,

of which I spoke,

dies with supreme joy,

for Christ is her life.

7. The soul's joy in union.

This becomes more manifest

by its effects as time goes on,

for the soul learns

that 'it is God Who gives it life,'

by certain secret intuitions

too strong to be misunderstood,

and

keenly felt,

although impossible to describe.

These produce such over-mastering feelings

that the person experiencing them

cannot refrain from amorous exclamations,

such as:

O Life of my life,

and

Power which doth uphold me!'

with other aspirations of the same kind.

[410]

For from the bosom of the Divinity,

where God seems

ever to hold this soul fast clasped,

issue streams of milk,

which solace the servants of the castle.

I think He wishes them to share,

in some way,

the riches the soul enjoys;

Therefore from the flowing river

in which the little streamlet

is swallowed up,

some drops of water flow

every now and then

to sustain the bodily powers,

the servants of the bride and Bridegroom.

8. Its conviction of God's indwelling.

A person

who was unexpectedly plunged into water

could not fail to be aware of it;

Here the case is the same,

but even more evident.

A quantity of water could not fall on us

unless it came from some source

--so the soul feels certain

there must be some one within it

who

lances forth these darts and

vivifies its own life,

and

that there is a Sun

whence this brilliant light streams forth

from the interior of the spirit

to its faculties.

9. Its peace.

The soul itself, as I said,

never moves from this centre,

nor loses the peace He can give

Who gave it to the Apostles

when they were assembled together.

[411]

I think this salutation of our Lord

contains far deeper meaning

than the words convey,

as also His bidding the glorious Magdalen

to 'go in peace.' [412]

Our Lord's words act within us, [413]

and in these cases

they must have wrought their effect

in the souls already disposed

to banish from within themselves

all that is corporal

and

to retain only what is spiritual,

in order to be joined in this celestial union

with the uncreated Spirit.

Without doubt,

if we

- empty ourselves of all

that belongs to the creature,

- depriving ourselves of it

for the love of God,

that same Lord will fill us with Himself.

10. Christ's prayer

for the divine union of the soul.

10.

Our Lord Jesus Christ,

praying for His Apostles,

(I cannot remember the reference),

asked that they might be made one

with the Father

and

with Himself;

as Jesus Christ our Lord is in the Father

and

the Father in Him! [414]

I do not know

how love could be greater than this!

Let none draw back from entering here;

For His Majesty also said:

'Not only for them do I pray,

but for them also

who through their word shall believe in Me'

[415]
and He declared:

'I am in them.' [416]

11. Its fulfilment.

11.

God help me!

How true these words are,

and

how clearly are they understood by the soul

which in this state of prayer finds them

fulfilled in itself!

So should we all

but for our own fault,

for the words of Jesus Christ,

our King and our Lord,

cannot fail.

It is we

who fail by

not disposing ourselves fitly,

nor removing all that can obstruct this light,

so that we do not behold ourselves

in this mirror

wherein our image is engraved. [417]

12. Unalterable peace of the soul

in the seventh Mansion.

12.

To return to what I was saying.

God places the soul

in His own mansion

which is in the very centre of the soul itself.

They say the empyreal heavens,

in which our Lord dwells,

do not revolve with the rest:

So the accustomed movements

of the faculties and imagination

do not appear to take place in any way

that can injure the soul or disturb its peace.

13. Unless it offends God.

13.

Do I seem to imply

that after God has brought the soul thus far

- is certain to be saved

and

- cannot fall into sin again? [418]

I do not mean this.

Whenever I say

that the soul seems in security,

I must be understood to imply

for as long as

- His Majesty thus holds it in His care

and

- it does not offend Him.

At any rate I know for certain

that though such a person realizes

the high state she

is in

and

has remained in it for several years,

she does not consider herself safe,

but is more careful than ever

to avoid committing the least offence

against God.

As I shall explain later on,

she

- is most anxious to serve Him

and

- feels a constant pain and confusion

at seeing how little she can do for Him

compared with 'all she ought.'

This is

no light cross

but a severe mortification;

For the harder the penances

she can perform,

the better is she pleased.

Her greatest penance

is to be deprived by God

of health and strength to perform any.

I told you elsewhere

what keen pain this caused her,

but now it grieves her far more.

This must be

because she is like a tree

grafted on a stock

growing near a stream

which makes it greener and more fruitful.

[419]

Why marvel at the longings of this soul

whose spirit has truly become one

with the celestial water I described?

14. Struggles outside the seventh Mansion.

14.

To return to what I wrote about.

It is not intended

that the powers, senses and passions

should continually enjoy this peace.

The soul does so, indeed,

but in the other mansions

there are still times

of struggle, suffering, and fatigue,

though as a general rule,

peace is not lost by them.

This 'centre of the soul' or 'spirit'

is so hard

to describe

or even

to believe in,

that I think, sisters,

my inability to explain my meaning

saves your being tempted to disbelieve me;

It is difficult to understand

how there can be crosses and sufferings

and

yet peace in the soul.

15. Comparisons explaining this.

15.

Let me give you one or two comparisons--

God grant they may be of use;

If not, I know that what I say is true.

A king resides in his palace;

Many wars and disasters take place

in his kingdom

but he remains on his throne.

In the same way,

though tumults and wild beasts

rage with great uproar

in the other mansions,

yet

nothing of this enters the seventh mansions,

nor drives the soul from it.

Although the mind regrets these troubles,

they

- do not disturb it

- nor rob it of its peace,

for the passions are too subdued

to dare to enter here

where they would only suffer

still further defeat.

Though the whole body is in pain,

yet the head,

if it be sound,

does not suffer with it.

I smile at these comparisons

--they do not please me--

but I can find no others.

Think what you will about it

--I have told you the truth.

Foot Notes:

[403]

Rel. iii. 20;

ix. 8 and 25.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #1's

Footnote reference #403

"after having received Holy Communion

beheld our Lord,

full of splendour, beauty, and majesty,

as He was after His resurrection.

[403]

He told her that henceforth

she was to care for His affairs

as though they were her own

and

He would care for hers "

Rel. iii. 20;

Then appearing to me...

in an imaginary vision, most interiorly,

He held out His right hand and said:

"Behold this nail!

it is the pledge of thy being My bride

from this day forth.

Until now thou hadst not merited it;

From henceforth thou shalt

regard My honour,

not only as of one

who is Thy Creator, King, and God,

but as thine, My veritable bride;

My honour is thine, and thine is Mine."

This grace had such an effect on me,

that I could not contain myself:

...

Afterwards I became conscious of

great progress, and

greater shame and distress to see

that I did nothing in return

for graces so great.

[ Relation 3: #20 ]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rel. ix. 8 and 25.

calling to mind

that I

had given up nothing for Him, and

had never served Him in anything,

as I was bound to do...

and our Lord said to me:

"Thou knowest of the betrothal

between thee and Myself,

and

therefore all I have is thine;

and

so I give thee

all the labours and sorrows I endured,

and thou canst therefore

ask of My Father

as if they were thine."

...

The Father seemed to ratify the gift;

and from that time forth

I look at our Lord's Passion

in a very different light,

as on something that belongs to me"

[ Relation 9: #8 ]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Our Lord said to me one day,

in the monastery of Veas,

that I was to present my petition to Him,

for I was His bride.

He promised to grant

whatever I might ask of Him,

and, as a pledge,

gave me a very beautiful ring...

which He put on my finger.

I write this to my own confusion,

considering the goodness of God,

and my wretched life;

for I have deserved hell.

Ah! my daughters,

pray to God for me, and

be devout to St. Joseph,

who can do much.

[ Relation 9: #25 ]

____________________

[404]

Life, ch. xxxix. 29.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #1's

Footnote reference #404

"This may seem nothing new,

for our Lord had thus revealed Himself

to her at other times; [404]"

Life, ch. xxxix. 29.

"...His Majesty, further showing

His great love for me,

said to me very often:

'Thou art Mine, and I am thine.'

I am in the habit of saying myself,

and I believe in all sincerity:

'What do I care for myself?

I care only for Thee, O my Lord.'

[ Life: Ch. 39: #29 ]

These words of our Lord,

and the consolation He gives me,

fill me with the utmost shame,

when I remember what I am. ..."

[ Life: Ch. 39: #30 ]

_____________________

[405]

Castle, M. v. ch. iv. 1.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #2's

Footnote reference #405

There is the same distinction between

spiritual espousals and spiritual marriage

as between people

who are only betrothed

and others

who are united for ever

in holy matrimony.

I have told you [405]

that though I make this comparison

because there is none more suitable,

Castle, M. v. ch. iv. 1

"You have often heard

that God spiritually espouses souls:

...

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.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 4: #1 ]

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.

We might compare the prayer of union

to a visit,

for it lasts but a very little while.

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;

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 4: #2 ]

_____________________

[406]

St. John xx. 19.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #2's

Footnote reference #406

Here God appears in the soul's centre,

not by an imaginary

but by an intellectual vision

far more mystic than those seen before,

just as He appeared to the Apostles

without having entered through the door

when He said:

'Pax vobis.' [406]

St. John xx. 19

19 Now when it was late that same day,

the first of the week,

and the doors were shut,

where the disciples were gathered together,

...

Jesus came and stood in the midst,

and said to them:

Peace be to you.

20 And when he had said this,

he shewed them his hands and his side.

The disciples therefore were glad,

when they saw the Lord.

21 He said therefore to them again:

Peace be to you

[ John 20: 19-21 ]

_____________________

[407] Rel. xi. 1. sqq.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #3's

Footnote reference #407

" the soul,

I mean the spirit of this soul,

is made one with God [407]

Who is Himself a spirit,

and

Who has been pleased

to show certain persons

how far His love for us extends

in order that we may praise

His greatness.

Rel. xi. 1. sqq.

Oh, that I could clearly explain

to your Lordship

the peace and quiet

my soul has found!

for it has so great a certainty

of the fruition of God,

that it seems to be

as if already in possession,

though the joy is withheld.

...

it wishes only to serve Him,

even if in great suffering,

and at times it thinks

it would be very little

if, till the end of the world,

it had to serve Him

who has given it this right;

for, in truth,

it is in some measure

no longer subject, as before,

to the miseries of this world;

though it suffers more

... my soul is...

in a fortress with authority,

and accordingly

does not lose its peace.

Still, this confidence does

- not remove from it,

its great fear of offending God,

- nor make it less careful

to put away every hindrance

to His service,

- yea, rather,

it is more careful than before.

But it is

so forgetful of its own interests

as to seem, in some measure,

to have lost itself,

so forgetful of self is it in this.

Everything is directed

to the honour of God,

to the doing of His will

more and more,

and

to the advancement of His glory.

[ Relation 11: #1 ]

_____________________

[408]

1 Cor. vi. 17:

Qui adhaeret Domino unus spiritus est.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #6's

Footnote reference #408

"Perhaps when St. Paul said,

'He who is joined to the Lord

is one spirit,' [408]

he meant this sovereign marriage,

which presupposes His Majesty's

having been joined to the soul by union."

1 Cor. vi. 17:

Qui adhaeret Domino unus spiritus est.'

17 But he who is joined to the Lord,

is one spirit.

19 Or know you not,

that your members are the temple

of the Holy Ghost,

Who is in you,

Whom you have from God;

and you are not your own ?

20 For you are bought with a great price

Glorify and bear God in your body.

[ 1 Cor 6: 17 - 20 ]

_____________________

[409]

Philip. i. 21:

' Mihi vivere Christus est,

et mori lucrum.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #6's

Footnote reference #409

"The same Apostle says:

'To me,

to live is Christ

and

to die is gain.' [409]

This, I think, might here be uttered

by the soul,

for now the little butterfly,

of which I spoke,

dies with supreme joy,

for Christ is her life."

[ Philippians 1: 21 ]

_____________________

[410]

Such exclamations,

in considerable number,

form the Book of Exclamations

published by Fray Luis de Leon.

De Fuente thinks it was written in 1569,

but as St. Teresa's spiritual betrothal

took place on November 18, 1572,

it seems, at least in parts, of a later date.

The spiritual nuptials must be placed

between the aforementioned year

and May 1575,

but it is not possible

to ascertain the exact date.

(For the Exclamations, see Minor Works).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #7's

Footnote reference #410

These produce such over-mastering feelings

that the person experiencing them

cannot refrain from amorous exclamations,

such as:

O Life of my life,

and

Power which doth uphold me!'

with other aspirations of the same kind.

[410]

_____________________

[411] St. John xx. 19.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #9's

Footnote reference #411

"The soul itself, as I said,

never moves from this centre,

nor loses the peace He can give

Who gave it to the Apostles

when they were assembled together.

[411]"

St. John xx. 19

19 Now when it was late that same day,

the first of the week,

and the doors were shut,

where the disciples were gathered together,

...

Jesus came and stood in the midst,

and said to them:

Peace be to you.

20 And when he had said this,

he shewed them his hands and his side.

The disciples therefore were glad,

when they saw the Lord.

21 He said therefore to them again:

Peace be to you

[ John 20: 19-21 ]

_____________________

[412] St. Luke vii. 50.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #9's

Footnote reference #411

I think this salutation of our Lord

contains far deeper meaning

than the words convey,

as also His bidding the glorious Magdalen

to 'go in peace.' [412]

St. Luke vii. 50.

42 And whereas they had not wherewith

to pay, he forgave them both.

Which therefore of the two loveth him most?

43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he

to whom he forgave most.

And he said to him:

Thou hast judged rightly

44 And turning to the woman,

he said unto Simon:

Dost thou see this woman?

I entered into thy house,

thou gavest me no water for my feet;

but she

with tears hath washed my feet,

and

with her hairs hath wiped them.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss;

but she, since she came in,

hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint;

but she with ointment

hath anointed my feet.

47 Wherefore I say to thee:

Many sins are forgiven her,

because she hath loved much.

But to whom less is forgiven,

he loveth less.

48 And he said to her:

Thy sins are forgiven thee.

49 And they that sat at meat with him

began to say within themselves:

Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman:

Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.

[ Luke 7: 42-50 ]

_____________________

[413]

Supra, M. vi. ch. iii. 6.

Life, ch. xxv. 5.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #9's

Footnote reference #413

"Our Lord's words act within us, [413]

and in these cases

they must have wrought their effect

in the souls already disposed

to banish from within themselves

all that is corporal

and

to retain only what is spiritual,

in order to be joined in this celestial union

with the uncreated Spirit."

Supra, M. vi. ch. iii. 6.

7. ...the most certain signs

of their being divine.

The first and truest is

the power and authority

they carry with them,

for these words are operative.

For example:

a soul is suffering all the sorrow and disquiet

...but it is

set at peace,

freed from all trouble

and

filled with light

merely by hearing the words:

'Be not troubled.'

These deliver it from all its pains...

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 3: # 7 ]

8. ...a person is troubled and greatly terrified

She hears a single sentence which says,

'It is I, be not afraid,'

and is at once

freed from all fears

and

filled with consolation;

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 3: # 8 ]

9. ...on hearing words bidding her,

'Be at peace; all will go well,'

she feels reassured and free from all care

in the matter.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 3: # 9 ]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Life, ch. xxv. 5.

"...when our Lord speaks,

it is at once word and work;

and though the words

may not be meant to stir up our devotion,

but are rather words of reproof, they

- dispose a soul at once,

- strengthen it,

- make it tender,

- give it light,

- console and calm it;

and if it should be

in dryness, or

in trouble and uneasiness,

all is removed,

as if by the action of a hand,

and even better;

for it seems as if our Lord

would have the soul understand

- that He is all-powerful, and

- that His words are deeds.

[ Life: Ch. 25: # 5 ]

_____________________

[414]

St. John xvii. 21:

Ut omnes unum sint,

sicut tu Pater in me,

et ego in te,

ut et ipsi in nobis unum sint.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #10's

Footnote reference #414

"Our Lord Jesus Christ,

praying for His Apostles,

(I cannot remember the reference),

asked that they might be made one

with the Father

and

with Himself;

as Jesus Christ our Lord is in the Father

and

the Father in Him! [414]"

St. John xvii. 21:

20 And not for them only do I pray,

but for them also

who through their word

shall believe in me;

21 That they all may be one,

as thou, Father, in me,

and I in thee;

that they also may be one in us;

that the world may believe

that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou hast given me,

I have given to them;

that they may be one,

as we also are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me;

that they may be made perfect in one:

and the world may know

that thou

hast sent me, and

hast loved them,

as thou hast also loved me.

24 Father, I will

that where I am,

they also

whom thou hast given me

may be with me;

that they may see my glory

which thou hast given me,

because thou hast loved me

before the creation of the world.

25 Just Father,

the world hath not known thee;

but I have known thee:

and these have known

that thou hast sent me.

26 And I

have made known thy name to them,

and

will make it known;

that the love wherewith thou hast loved me,

may be in them,

and I in them.

[ John 17: 20 - 26 ]

_____________________

[415]

St. John xvii. 20:

Non pro eis autem rogo tantum,

sed et pro eis,

qui credituri sunt per verbum

eorum in me.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #10's

Footnote reference #415

"Let none draw back from entering here;

For His Majesty also said:

'Not only for them do I pray,

but for them also

who through their word shall believe in Me'

[415"

St. John xvii. 20:

20 not for them only do I pray,

but for them also

who through their word

shall believe in me;

[ John 17: 20 ]

_____________________

[416]

St. John xvii. 23:

Ego in eis.'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #10's

Footnote reference #416

" 'I am in them.' [416]"

23 I in them,

and thou in me;

[ John 17: 23 ]

_____________________

[417]

This idea is expressed

in St. Teresa's poem:

Alma, buscarte has en Mi'

(Poem 10, Minor Works).

Such is the power of love, O soul,

To paint thee in my heart

No craftsman with such art

Whate'er his skill might be, could there

Thine image thus impart!

'Twas love that gave thee life--

Then, fair one, if thou be

Lost to thyself, thou'lt see

Thy portrait in my bosom stamped--

Soul, seek thyself in Me.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #11's

Footnote reference #417

"It is we

who fail by

not disposing ourselves fitly,

nor removing all

that can obstruct this light,

so that we do not behold ourselves

in this mirror

wherein our image is engraved.

[417]"

Alma, buscarte has en Mi'

(Poem 10, Minor Works).

Poem 10, "Soul, seek thyself in Me"

continues from above:

"...

Wouldst find thy form within My heart

If there thou madest quest,

And with such life invest,

hou wouldst rejoice to find thee thus

Engraven in My breast.

Or if, perchance, art ignorant

Where thou mayst light on Me,

Wander not wide and far

Soul, if My presence wouldst attain,

Seek in thyself for Me !

Because in thee I find My house of rest,

My dwelling-place, My home,

Where at all hours I come

And knock at the closed portal

of thy thoughts

When far abroad they roam.

No need is there to look for Me without,

Nor far in search to flee ;

Promptly I come to thee ;

If thou but call to Me,

it doth suffice —

Seek in thyself for Me !

[ Minor Works Of St. Teresa

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems

Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus

Poem #10

"Alma, buscarte has en Mi'"

Soul, Seek thyself in Me

Translation:

The Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]

_____________________

[418]

In a letter dated May 1581,

addressed to Don Alonso Velasquez,

then bishop of Osma,

St. Teresa writes as follows:

'She [herself] has received

such an assurance

of coming one day to the fruition of God

that she almost imagines she has

already come into possession of Him,

without, however, the joy

that will accompany it.

She is in the same position

as one

who by legal contract

has received a splendid property

which will become his,

and

whose fruit he will enjoy at a given date.

Until then he only holds the title-deeds,

without being able

to take possession of the property.

Nevertheless my soul would not like

to come immediately

into the possession of God,

for it does not believe

that it has deserved such a grace.

It only desires to continue in His service,

even at the cost of terrible sufferings.

It would not mind thus serving Him

to the end of the world,

after having received such a pledge.'

St. John of the Cross, in treating

of this subject

(Spir. Cant. stanza xxii. 3)

says:

I believe that no soul ever attains

to this state

without being confirmed in grace in it.'

Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 2 - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus