Interior Castle: Afterword or Epilogue Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus

The Interior Castle  or  The Mansions                       S. Teresa of Jesus           of the Order of our Lady of Carmel                              St. Teresa of Avila        Discussion of  the Afterword / Epilogue

Discussion of  the Afterword / Epilogue   █ Summary  or  Highlights     ▀ The Book, 'The Interior Castle', is completed       ▀ Plan of this Treatise is             to help know God better         ■ God is the Teacher          ■ Any errors are her fault         ■ Not an All-inclusive Rendering              of the Soul     ▀ God Leads Souls through the Mansions          according to His Will         ■ One can not advance by one's own efforts         ■ But, one can dispose oneself to grace             with the help of God              ▪ By Humility             ▪ By Prayer, Silence,  and Solitude             ▪ By Obedience to one's situation in life               By Conformity with the Will of God     ▀ St. Teresa's Request for Prayers

▀ The Book, 'The Interior Castle', is completed.        St. Teresa wrote,           "I finished writing this book               - in the convent of St. Joseph of Avila,              - 1577,               - on the Vigil of St. Andrew,               - for the glory of God,                 Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever!"   ▀ Plan of this Treatise is           to help know God better      "that you will wish to consume yourself              in praising in return the great God          Who has created the soul               to His own image and likeness."    ■ God is the Teacher         "If you find anything in the plan of this treatise             which helps you to know Him better,           be certain               - that it is sent by His Majesty                  to encourage you"                      ■ Any errors are her fault        "that whatever you find amiss in it              is my own"        "If these writings contain any error,             it is through my ignorance"    ■ Not an all-inclusive rendering of the Soul        "I have only mentioned seven mansions,           yet each one contains many more rooms,             above, below, and around it..."  ▀ God leads souls through the mansions          according to His Will    ■ One can not advance           by one's own efforts           "It is true              you cannot enter all the mansions                 by your own power,                       however great it may appear to you,              unless the Lord of the castle, Himself,                admits you."    ■ But, one can dispose oneself to grace          with the help of God     ▪ By Humility            "He dearly loves Humility"                 "Therefore,             I advise you to use no violence                  if you meet with any obstacle,              for that would displease Him so much              that He would never give you                 admission to them."           "If you think yourselves unworthy                to enter the third mansion,             He will grant you all the sooner,                the favour of entering the fifth.                       [Interior Castle: Afterword ]     ▪ By Love and Detachment            "with Humility              we can draw Him into our souls"            "it is impossible              for these two virtues to exist                 (Humility and Love )             save where there is great Detachment                 from all created things.                        [ Way of Perfection: Ch. 16: # 1 ]            "For this is the first step to be taken                 towards the acquisition of the virtues              and the very life of all Christians                 depends upon their beginning it.                          ...this King does not allow Himself                 to be taken             except by one                 who surrenders wholly to Him.                        [ Way of Perfection: Ch. 16: # 2 ]     ▪ By Prayer, Silence,  and Solitude            "I think it may console you                  to enjoy yourselves in this interior castle             which you can enter, and walk about at will,                 at any hour you please,              without asking leave of your superiors.              Then, if you                  serve Him well there                         and                  often repair to it,              He will draw you into the mansion                 where He dwells Himself,              whence you need never depart       ▪ By Obedience to one's situation in life         By Conformity with the Will of God            "...unless called away by the Prioress,              whose commands this sovereign Master                 wishes you to obey              as if they were His own.              If by her orders,                  you are often absent                        from His presence chamber,              whenever you return              He will hold the door open for you.                         When once you have learnt                 how to enjoy this castle,               you will always find rest,                 however painful your trials may be,               in the hope of returning to your Lord,                 which no one can prevent."    ▀ St. Teresa's Request for Prayers     "In return for my strong desire to aid you           in serving Him, my God and my Lord,        I implore you,            whenever you read this,                 to praise His Majesty fervently                        in my name                                and                 to beg Him                      - to prosper His Church,                      - to give light                             to (those who left the Church)                      - to pardon my sins                                 and                      - to free me from purgatory,                            where perhaps I shall be,                             by the mercy of God,            when you see this book             ( if it is given to you                 after having been examined               by theologians).          "I submit in all things to the teachings              of the holy Catholic Roman Church,               of which I am now a member,           as I protest and promise               I will be both in life and death.          May our Lord God be               forever praised and blessed!           Amen, Amen."

End of the Discussion of the                 Afterword / Epilogue                              of                                                            The Interior Castle                            or                   The Mansions                 S. Teresa of Jesus    of the Order of our Lady of Carmel                   St. Teresa of Avila