Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions: Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 3 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 7 - Chapter 3

Discussion of: Mansion 7 Chapter 3

█ Summary or Highlights

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ The Little Butterfly Has Died

Now She Lives in Christ

and

Christ lives in her

The Spiritual Marriage is Granted

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ By their Fruits,

Can Be Recognized

the Difference of Her New State

Compared to Her Previous State.

▀ Total Abandonment of Itself to God.

■ Self-Forgetfulness

■ A New Life of Recollection in Christ.

■ Attachment to God and His Work

Detachment from the World

▪ Yet Doesn't neglect the duties

of her state

▪ Humbly Acknowledging Her Weakness

▀ Strong Desire for Suffering

■ Love for persecutors or enemies

▀ Exchange

of the Desire to Die To See God

for the Desire to Live to Serve God

■ God's Work has Become Her Life's Work

God's Will has Become Her Will

■ Sometimes a fleeting desire to die

in order to see God returns;

But is soon replaced by the commitment

to follow His Will

and

to grasp this opportunity

to labour for Him

▀ Sweet and Penetrating Touches of His Love

■ God "recalls it to fervour if negligent."

■ St. Teresa Advises:

▀ Interior Peace

■ Peace amidst Trials

■ Few Ecstasies in the Seventh Mansions.

▀ Care and Caution Not to Offend God

■ Acknowledgement of their debt to God

█ The Little Butterfly Has Died;

Now She Lives in Christ

and

Christ lives in her

"The little butterfly has died

with the greatest joy

at having found rest at last"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1]

"I found him whom my soul loveth:

I held him: and I will not let him go"

[ Canticles 3: 4 ]

"I to my beloved, and my beloved to me"

[ Canticles 6: 2 ]

"Now Christ lives in her."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1]

"Here the dove sent out by Noah

to see whether the flood had subsided,

has plucked the olive branch,

showing that she has found firm land

amongst the floods and tempests of this world

[Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #12]

"He sent forth also a dove after him,

to see if the waters had now ceased

upon the face of the earth.

But she,

not finding

where her foot might rest,

returned to him into the ark:

...

And she came to him in the evening,

carrying a bough of an olive tree,

Noah therefore understood

that the waters were ceased

upon the earth."

[ Gen 8: 8, 9, 11 ]

"Because in thee I find

My house of rest,

My dwelling-place,

My home...

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 ]

"Here the overflowing waters

are given to the wounded hart"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #12]

"As the hart panteth

after the fountains of water;

so my soul panteth after thee, O God.

My soul hath thirsted

after the strong living God;

when shall I come and appear

before the face of God?

My tears have been my bread

day and night,

whilst it is said to me daily :

Where is thy God?

These things I remembered,

and poured out my soul in me:

for I shall go over

into the place

of the wonderful tabernacle,

even to the house of God"

[ Psalm 42: 1 - 4 ]

"and

I believe her petition is now granted.

Here the overflowing waters

are given to the wounded hart:

Here she delights in the tabernacles of God"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #12]

"He has bound Himself to her

as firmly as two human beings

are joined in wedlock

and

will never separate Himself from her.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 2: #3]

█ By the Fruits, can be recognized

the difference of her new state

compared to her previous state.

"These effects,

with all the other good fruits...

of the different degrees of prayer,

are given by God to the soul

when it draws near Him

to receive that 'kiss of His mouth'

for which the bride asked"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #12]

"Let him kiss me

with the kiss of his mouth:

Draw me:

We will run after thee

to the odour of thy ointments.

The king hath brought me

into his storerooms:

we will be glad and rejoice in thee..."

[ Canticles 1: 2...4 ]

"and

I believe her petition is now granted.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #12]

"Let us see the difference

between her present and her former life,

for the effects will prove..."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1 ]

▀ Total abandonment of itself to God

"First,

a Self-forgetfulness...

such a transformation

has been worked in her

that she

no longer recognizes herself...

but seems entirely occupied

in seeking God's interests.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1 ]

"she is far more active than before

in all that concerns God's service"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 1: #11 ]

■ A New Life of Recollection in Christ.

"Total abandonment of itself to God."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #9]

"a constant tender recollection of our Lord

Whom she wishes to praise unceasingly."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #7]

"they bear God Himself within them,

and

it is He Who lives in them."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #6]

"And I live, now not I;

but Christ liveth in me.

[ Gal 2: 20 ]

"The spirit of this soul,

is made one with God."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 2: #3 ]

"that she was to care for His affairs,

and

He would care for hers."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1]

The soul, united to God,

"is like a tree

grafted on a stock...

...whose spirit has truly become one

with the celestial water..."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 2: # 13 ]

■ Attachment to God and His Work

Detachment from the World

"she seems

no longer to exist,

nor does she wish to be

of any account in anything --anything!

unless she sees that she can advance,

however little,

the honour and glory of God,

for which she would most willingly die."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #2]

"Such a soul,

thoroughly detached from all things,

wishes to be

- either always alone

- occupied on

what benefits the souls of others:

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #7]

"that I may live to God:

with Christ I am nailed to the cross...

And that (life)I live now in the flesh:

I live in the faith of the Son of God,

Who loved me,

and delivered himself for me.

[ Gal 2: 19 - 20 ]

▪ Yet Doesn't Neglect the Duties of Her State

"as regards her exterior actions"

She doesn't neglect

"to perform the duties of her state."

For nothing in the world

would she omit doing all she can

which she knows would honour our Lord."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #3]

▪ Humbly Acknowledging Her Weakness

"her chief suffering is to see

that she has hardly strength

to do anything. "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #3]

"especially as they see

how little they serve Him."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #5]

▀ Strong Desire for Suffering

"The second fruit

is a strong desire for suffering,

"the fervent wish of such souls

for the fulfillment of God's will in them

makes them acquiesce in all He does.

If He would have her suffer,

she is content;

if not,

she does not torment herself to death

about it as she used to do.

She

feels a great interior joy when persecuted,

and

is far more peaceful than in the former state

under such circumstances:

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #4]

■ Love for persecutors or enemies

"She bears

no grudge against her enemies,

nor wishes them any ill.

Indeed she

has a special love for them,

is deeply grieved at seeing them in trouble,

and

does all she can to relieve them,

earnestly interceding with God

on their behalf. "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #4]

"had a particular affection

for her persecutors.

[ Relation 7: #20 ]

▀ Exchange of the Desire to Die To See God

for the Desire to Live to Serve God

"The most surprising thing to me is

that the sorrow and distress

which such souls felt

because they could not

die and enjoy our Lord's presence

are now exchanged for as fervent a desire

- of serving Him,

- of causing Him to be praised,

and

- of helping others

to the utmost of their power.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #5]

Previously,

"She had a great desire...

to depart out of this land of exile

in order to see God."

[ Relation 7: #20 ]

"The fact is,

that He Who gave them

these torturing desires of death

has exchanged them for the others.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #6]

■ God's Work has Become Her Life's Work

God's Will has Become Her Will

Now,

"Not only have they ceased

to long for death,

but they wish for

a long life

and

most heavy crosses,

if such would bring

ever so little honour to our Lord."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #5]

"their glory consists in helping...Him,

Who was crucified,

especially as they see

how men offend against Him,

and

how few, detached from all else,

care for His honour alone.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #5]

"Vuestro soy, para

Vos naci"

Lord, I am Thine,

for I was born for Thee !

...And tell me, Lord,

what Thou dost ask of me !

Lo, I am Thine !

And Thine,

for Thou hast called me to Thee,

And Thine,

Who dost preserve me at Thy cost

Say what it is, Lord, Thou dost will of me.

[ Minor Works Of St. Teresa

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems

Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus

Poem #1 (excerpts)

Translation:

The Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]

"I was thinking how hard it was

to remain alive,

seeing that it was living on

that robbed us

of that marvellous companionship;

and so I said to myself:

'O Lord, show me some way

whereby I may bear this life!'

He said unto me:

'Think, my child,

when life is over,

thou canst not

- serve Me

as thou art serving Me now,

and

- eat for Me,

and

- sleep for Me.

Whatsoever thou doest,

let it be done for Me

as if thou wert no longer living,

but I;

for that is what St. Paul said."

[ Relation 9: #19 ]

"Vivo autem, jam non ego:

vivit vero in me Christus."

And I live, now not I;

but Christ liveth in me.

[ Galat. ii. 20 ]

■ Sometimes a fleeting desire to die

in order to see God returns

But is soon replaced by the commitment

to follow His Will and

to grasp this opportunity to labour for Him

( In her writings,

St. Teresa related her desire to die

- to her desire to see God

- to her detachment and weariness
of the world

- to her insecurity and fear of falling into sin)

"True, people in this state

forget this at times,

and are seized with tender longings

to enjoy God

and

to leave this land of exile,

especially as they see

how little they serve Him.

(But)

Then, reflecting how they possess Him

continually in their souls,

they are satisfied,

offering to His Majesty

their willingness to live

as the most costly oblation they can make."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #5]

"Sometimes they long

to die and be in safety,

but then their love at once

makes them wish to live

in order to serve God...

Therefore they commit

all that concerns them

to His mercy."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 14 ]

"but as the soul retains its freedom,

wherein it reflects that its living on,

(its continued life )

is according to our Lord's will,

it takes comfort in that thought,

and

offers its life to Him,

beseeching Him

that it may last only for His glory.

This done, it bears all.

[ Relation 8: #15 ]

▀ Sweet and Penetrating Touches of His Love

"the flame ( of Love of God )

never burns downwards,

but upwards,

and

so this movement is seen to come

from the centre of the soul

whose powers it excites.

...by this way of prayer ( is gained)

the knowledge

- of the special care

God takes to communicate Himself to us

and

- how He entreats us to abide with Him"

"I think that for the sake of

these sweet and penetrating

touches of His love

all our past pains would be well spent."

"It is now felt very sweetly,

but is

neither produced by the intellect

nor the memory,

nor is there reason to believe

the soul itself has any share in it."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #7]

■ God "recalls it to fervour if negligent."

"When she grows negligent,

the same Lord arouses her...

and...

this impulse comes

from the interior of the soul,

like the former impetuous desires."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #7]

■ St. Teresa Advises:

"When these impulses are given you,

remember that they come

from the innermost mansion,

where God dwells in our souls.

Praise Him fervently,

for it is He

Who sends you this message or love letter,

so tenderly written,

and

in a cipher

that only you can understand and know

what He asks.

By no means neglect
to answer His Majesty,

even though you may be

occupied exteriorly

and

engaged in conversation.

Our Lord may often be pleased

to show you this secret favour in public;

but it is very easy,

as the reply should be entirely interior,

- to respond by an act of love

- to ask with Saint Paul:

'Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"

Jesus will show you in many ways

how to please Him.

It is a propitious moment,

for He seems to be listening to us

and

the soul is nearly always disposed

by this delicate touch to respond

with a generous determination. "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #8]

"All the graces here divinely bestowed

on the soul...

through no action of its own

except

its total abandonment of itself to God.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #8]

▀ Interior Peace

"this mansion differs from the rest in that...

the dryness and disturbance felt

in all the rest at times

hardly ever enter here,

where the soul is nearly always calm."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #8]

"she feels

neither aridity

nor any interior troubles"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #7]

"It does not fear

that this sublime favour

can be counterfeited by the devil,

but feels a settled conviction

that it is of divine origin

because...nothing is here perceived

by the senses or faculties

but His Majesty reveals Himself

to the spirit,

which He takes to be with Himself

in a place

where I doubt not the devil dares not enter,

nor would our Lord ever permit him."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #8]

"They are given in peace and silence,

"It is thus with this temple of God,

this mansion of His

where He and the soul rejoice in each other

alone in profound silence.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #9]

■ Peace amidst Trials

"such souls have their cross to bear

yet it does

not trouble them

nor rob them of their peace,

but is quickly gone

like a wave or a storm

which is followed by a calm,

for God's presence within them

soon makes them forget all else.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 14 ]

"He leads us mercifully

as our weakness requires,

though when He sees the need

He imparts to us His strength."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #6 ]

"The mind need

not act

nor search for anything,

as the Lord Who created it

wishes it

- to be at rest

and

- only to watch through a little chink,

what passes within.

Though at times it cannot see this,

yet such intervals are very short...

because the powers

are not here lost

but only cease to work,

being, as it were, dazed with astonishment.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #9]

■ Few Ecstasies in the Seventh Mansions.

"when the soul arrives at this state,

it does not go into ecstasies

except perhaps on rare occasions--

even then they are not like

the former trances

and

the flight of the spirit

and

seldom take place in public

as they did before.

They are no longer produced

by any special calls to devotion,

such as

by the sight of a religious picture,

by hearing a sermon...

by sacred music;

Formerly...anything used to...

make it take flight.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #10]

▪ Possible Reasons why no more raptures

"This may be

either because the spirit

has at last found repose,

or that it has seen such wonders

in this mansion...

or perhaps because it no longer

feels solitary

since it rejoices in such Company.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #10]

"Probably this is

because our Lord has now

strengthened, dilated, and developed

the soul,

(in the previous Mansions)

it may be that He wished to make public

(for some end known only to Himself)

what He was doing in secret

within such souls,

for His judgments are

beyond our comprehension in this life.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 11 ]

▀ Care and Caution Not to Offend God

"Watchfulness of such souls"

"...such souls might have to begin

all their struggles over again

if they forsook God."

"...it is possible to lose so great a good...

Their dread makes them more careful;

They try to gather strength

from their weakness;

Lest, through their own fault,

they should miss any opportunity

of pleasing God better.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 14 ]

"for until (God) hast

given them true peace

and

brought them to where it is unending,

they must ever live in fear."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 12 ]

■ Acknowledgement of their debt to God

For His Graces, Mercy, and Forgiveness

"At times they are more crushed than ever

by the thought of the many graces

they have received;

Lest, like an overladen ship,

they sink beneath the burden.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 14 ]

"The greater the favours

they have received from His Majesty,

the more diffident and mistrustful

are they of themselves;

The marvels they have witnessed

having revealed more clearly to them

their own miseries

and

the heinousness of their sins,

so that often, like the publican,

they dare not so much as lift up their eyes."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: # 13 ]

"And the publican...

would not so much as lift up his eyes

towards heaven;

but struck his breast, saying:

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

[ Luke 18: 13 ]

End of the Discussion of

Mansion 7 Chapter 3

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

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 3 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus