Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions: Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 4 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 4

Discussion of Mansion 7 Chapter 4

█ Summary or Highlights

█ How God May Lead Souls

whom He brings to the Seventh Mansions

▀ God Leads Souls

according to His Will

according to what is best for each one

■ The Effects Differ in Degree

in those who are led by God

into the Seventh Mansions

▀ God May Sometimes Lead the Soul
By Trials and Temptations

▲ Benefits from the Trials

▪ Humility and Strength

through Weakness

▪ The Soul Realizes its Dependence on God

▪ It Realizes its Indebtedness

to God's for His great Mercy and Favors

▀ God May Sometimes Lead the Soul
By the Favors and Fruits
of the Seventh Mansions

▲ Benefits of the Fruits

▪ Courage to Imitate the Life of Christ

◦ "Those nearest to Christ, our Lord,

bear the heaviest cross"

▪ Strengthened by the Divine Presence

within them.

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

█ The Spiritual Marriage

▀ Reason for the Spiritual Marriage

■ Loving Union with God

which the Bride expresses

in laboring to please Him and glorify Him

by performing good works

by sharing in His Sufferings

by sharing in His Salvic work

▪ Not to enjoy 'Heaven on Earth'

▀ Characteristics of the Bride

■ Contemplative and Active Life Together

Mary and Martha Together

▪ Contemplation not isolated from Works

■ Both United in Effort in the Work of God

▪ To Draw souls to Him

■ Love is the Foundation for God's Work

▪ A More Perfect Love and Work for God,

'Unmixed with Self-interest'

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

█ St. Teresa advises:

▀ One's Part in Leading Souls to God

■ By Prayer

■ By Sacrifices

■ By Focusing on

▪ What Work we are able to do

◦ Do What is at hand

For our Lord does not care so much for

- the importance of our works

as for

- the love with which they are done.

▪ Do For those with whom our life situation

brings us into contact

◦ What If they are very good already ?

■ St. Teresa's Own Experience

in Finding God's Will for her

in Leading Souls to God

■ St. Therese's own experience

in finding God's Will for her

in leading Souls to God

▪ By Love, "to embrace all vocations"

▪ Finding her portion

in the Mystical Body of Christ

▀ Holy Fear is Necessary

■ Souls in the 7th Mansions may still

commit imperfections and sin unwillfully.

■ Fear of Offending God;

Still a Risk of Falling into Sin

■ Prayer and Caution

▀ Embrace the Cross

■ Conforming to God's Will

■ By Prayer and with the help of God

to gather strength

▀ Humility

▀ Love

▀ Virtues

█ How God May Lead Souls

whom he brings to the Seventh Mansions

▀ God Leads Souls

according to His Will

according to what is best for each one

■ The Effects Differ in Degree

in those who are led by God

into the Seventh Mansions

"You must not suppose...

that the effects I mentioned

always exist in the same degree

in these souls,

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #1 ]

▀ God May Sometimes Lead the Soul
By Trials and Temptations

▪ "The venomous creatures...

unite to revenge themselves"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #1 ]

▪ "disturbance...arises from some passing event

...lasts but a short time…"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #2 ]

"in most cases

our Lord occasionally leaves such persons

to the weakness of their nature."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #1 ]

"It is evident

that His life was one continual torment:

so would He have ours to be,

at least in desire,

for as to the rest
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: #7 ]

"O my Lord!...

Thee, who orderest all things

according to the measure of our weakness,

so that, when we have the fruition

of Thy sovereign mercies,

Thy great power may not terrify us,

so that we dare not,

being a frail and miserable race,

persevere in that fruition!

[ Life: Ch. 38: #25 ]

"Later on, I understood

that His Majesty was dealing with me

according to the weakness of my nature."

[ Life: Ch. 28: #3 ]

"Thus when He sees a soul very cowardly,

He often

sends it some great affliction,

much against its will,

and

brings it through this trial

with profit to itself.

When the soul has learnt this,

it is less timid in offering itself to Him."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #10 ]

"Formerly it did not understand

the immense benefit

its afflictions brought,

though indeed they may have been

the means God used

to advance it to this state.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #14 ]

▲ Benefits from the Trials

▪ Humility and Strength through Weakness

"I believe it is because our Lord,

for its greater good,

then leaves the soul to its natural weakness,

which at once convinces it so thoroughly

◦ that any strength it possessed

came from His Majesty

◦ as to destroy its self-love,

◦ enduing it with a greater knowledge

of the mercy and greatness of God

which He deigned to show forth

in one so vile."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 6: #5 ]

"Our Lord gives them such great fortitude

that they never desert

His service

nor the good resolutions they have made,

which only seem

to gather strength by trial

nor do their hearts ever turn from them,

even by a slight movement of the will."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #2 ]

▪ The Soul Realizes its Dependence on God

"The soul is fully conscious

that the conquest was not its own

as all weapons of self-defence

appeared to be in the enemies' hands.

Thus it realizes:

◦ its weakness and

◦ how little man can help himself

if God forsake him."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 6: Ch.1: #20 ]

"these persons learn

what benefits they derive

from the holy Company they are in.

▪ It Realizes its indebtedness

to God for His great mercy and favors

"Our Lord wishes the soul

to keep in mind its natural condition

so that it

- may be humble

and

- may better understand

how much it owes Him,

and

how great a grace it has received,

and

so may praise Him.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #2 ]

▀ God May Sometimes Lead the Soul
By the Favors and Fruits
of the Seventh Mansions

"The reason

why God bestows such favours

on souls in this world...

( is demonstrated )

by the effects produced".

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: # 6 ]

"The fruits

of genuine visions and contemplation"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #7 ]

▲ Benefits of the Favors and Fruits

▪ Courage to Imitate the Life of Christ

"His Majesty can bestow

no greater favour on us

than to give us a life

such as was led by His beloved Son"

"these graces are sent

to strengthen our weakness

so that we may imitate Him

by suffering much."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #6 ]

◦ "Those nearest to Christ, our Lord,

bear the heaviest cross:

"Think of

what His...Mother and the Apostles

bore.

St. Peter...when fleeing from prison

was met by our Lord...

What effect did this vision have

on St. Peter...?

He went at once to meet his death..".

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 8:

Ch. 4: #8 ]

"How (did) ...St. Paul went through

such immense labours?

We learn from his conduct the fruits

of genuine visions and contemplation

which come

from our Lord
and

not from

our own imagination,

the devil's fraud."

[Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #7 ]

▪ Strengthened by the Divine Presence

within them.

"the company it enjoys

gives it far greater strength

than ever before."

"by its becoming one with the Almighty,

by this sovereign union

of spirit with spirit,

the soul must gather strength,

as we know the saints did,

to suffer and to die. "

"The vigour the soul derives

from the wine 'drunk in the cellar'

( into which the Bridegroom

brought her and would not let her go )

overflows into the feeble body..."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #15 ]

"He brought me into the cellar of wine,

he set in order charity in me."

[ Canticles 2: 4 ]

█ The Spiritual Marriage

▀ Reason for the Spiritual Marriage

■ Loving Union with God

which the Bride expresses

in laboring to please Him and glorify Him

by performing good works

by sharing in His Sufferings

by sharing in His Salvic work

"Now Christ lives in her."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #1]

"Total abandonment of itself to God."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:

Ch. 3: #9]

"All her thoughts are bent on

- how to please Him better and

- when and how she can show the love

she bears Him.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #9 ]

"This is the End and Aim of prayer"

"This is the reason of the spiritual marriage

whose children are always good works"

"Works are the unmistakable sign

which shows these favours come from God"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #10 ]

"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]

While St. Teresa asserts

"...all the time we spend with God

does us great good,

...deeply recollected when alone,

making acts of the virtues"

She stresses the importance of fulfilling
one's good resolutions,
"planning and promising to do wonders

in God's service"

should be followed by actions.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #10 ]

"far greater good we can gain

when our works fulfil

our aspirations

and

our promises."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #11 ]

"If His Majesty proved His love for us

by such stupendous labours and sufferings,

how can you seek to please Him

by words alone?

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #11 ]

"that we may go forth and exhort all men

rather by our example

than by our words,

to do penance

and

keep the divine commands."'

( The Life of St. Francis of Assisi)

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #16: Foot Note #448 ]

▪ Not to Enjoy 'Heaven on Earth'

"that none of you may think

it is only for the sake of the pleasure

such persons feel"

"Do you suppose

that St. Paul hid himself

to enjoy these spiritual consolations...

and

did nothing else?"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #7 ]

"Perhaps you think

that I am speaking of beginners

and

that one may rest later on,

but...

the rest, that such souls feel,

is within them"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #14 ]

"...the soul send from its centre

these inspirations

to the surrounding mansions...

The soul wages a fiercer war from thence

to keep the powers, senses

and the whole body

from being idle...

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #14 ]

▀ Characteristics of the Bride

■ Contemplative and Active Life Together

Mary and Martha Together

How can Mary do this

while she sits at His feet,

if her sister does not help her?

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #17 ]

◦ Contemplation is not isolated from Works

"Mary had chosen the better part,

for she had already done Martha's work..."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #18 ]

■ Both United in Effort in the Work of God

"both Martha and Mary

must

entertain our Lord

and

keep Him as their Guest,

nor must they be so inhospitable

as to offer Him no food."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #17 ]

▪ To Draw souls to Him

St. Teresa reveals this food

as His hunger and thirst for souls:

"His food is

that in every possible way

we should draw souls to Him

so that they

may be saved

and

may praise Him for ever. "

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #18 ]

The editor provides an example of this

by Foot Note 447 regarding St. Dominic:

"...his ceaseless burning thirst

for the salvation of souls.

... to win souls to Christ.

As his Divine Master had come into the world

to save sinners

and loved them even unto death..."

(From the History of St. Dominic)

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #16: Foot Note # 447]

"they seek to live amidst men

in the hopes of helping

if but one soul to praise God better."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:

Ch. 6: # 2 ]

■ Love is the Foundation for God's Work

"Do not build towers

without a foundation,

for our Lord does not care so much for

▪ the importance of our works

as for

▪ the love with which they are done.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

If we...give our Lord every sacrifice we can,

both interior and exterior,

His Majesty will unite them

with that He offered to His Father

for us

on the Cross

so that they may be worth the value

given them by our love,

however mean the works themselves may be."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

▪ A More Perfect Love and Work for God,

'Unmixed with Self-interest'

"Stay me up with flowers ! "

"These blossoms have

a very different perfume

from those of the world...

the Bride is begging

that she may perform great works

in the service of God and her neighbour,

for the sake of which she gladly forfeits

her own joys and consolations.

This appears proper

rather to the active

than to the contemplative life...

yet when the soul has reached this state,

Martha and Mary always act together...

For the soul takes its part

in the outward actions

which seem merely exterior,

and

which, when they spring from this root,

are lovely, odoriferous flowers

growing on the tree of a love for God

◦ solely for His own sake,

◦ unmixed with self-interest.

The perfume of these blossoms is

wafted to a distance,

blessing many souls,

and it is lasting,

for it does not pass away

without working great good."

[ Minor Works of St. Teresa

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems

Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus

Conceptions Of The Love Of God

Ch. 7: # 4

Translation:

The Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]

The Bride "is petitioning for an intention

of seeking solely

for the honour and glory of God

in all things.

...

Their one thought is

to serve and please God,

for, knowing his love for His creatures,

they delight in leaving

their own comfort and advantages

to gratify Him

by helping and teaching their neighbour

in order that they may profit his soul.

They...think about the welfare of others

and of nothing else,

forgetting themselves

for the sake of God

in order to please Him better"

[ Minor Works of St. Teresa

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems

Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus

Conceptions Of The Love Of God

Ch. 7: # 6

Translation:

The Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]

"How forgetful of her ease,

How unmindful of honours,

and

How far from seeking men's esteem

should she be

whose soul God thus chooses

for His special dwelling-place!

For if her mind is fixed on Him,

as it ought to be,

she must needs forget herself:

All her thoughts are bent on

- how to please Him better and

- when and how she can show the love

she bears Him.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #9 ]

█ St. Teresa advises:

▀ One's Part in Leading Souls to God

St. Teresa writes of " the desires

our Lord gives you of serving Him"

and the difficulties or questions

regarding how one can lead others to God

( as well as leading oneself to God).

"you may say that you have

neither the power

nor the means

to lead souls to God;

Though you would willingly do so,

you do not know how,

as you can neither teach nor preach

as did the Apostles."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #21 ]

■ By Prayer

"You can do much by prayer"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #22 ]

■ By Sacrifices

"If we...give our Lord every sacrifice we can,

both interior and exterior,

His Majesty will unite them

with that He offered to His Father

for us

on the Cross

so that they may be worth the value

given them by our love,

however mean the works themselves may be."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

"the soul

has energy for far greater tasks

and

goads ( the body ) on to ( do ) more,

for all it can perform,

appears as nothing.

This must be the reason

of the severe penances

performed by many of the saints,

This caused

- the zeal felt by our Father Elias

for the honour of God,

and

- the desires of St. Dominic,

and St. Francis

to draw souls to praise the Almighty.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #16 ]

■ By Focusing on

▪ What Work we are able to do

◦ Recognize the temptation to want to do

what is outside of our reach and capability.

This impedes one from doing

what can be done at hand:

"...for all it can perform,

appears as nothing.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #16 ]

"the devil frequently fills our thoughts

with great schemes,

so that instead of putting our hands

to what work we can do

to serve our Lord,

we may rest satisfied

with wishing to perform impossibilities."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #21 ]

◦ Do What is at hand

"When we do all we can,

His Majesty will enable us

to do more every day.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

"for our Lord does not care so much for

▪ the importance of our works

as for

▪ the love with which they are done".

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

▪ Do For those with whom our life situation

brings us into contact

"and then,

do not try to help the whole world,

but principally your companions"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #22 ]

"This work will be all the better

because you are the more bound to it.

Do you think it is a trifling matter

that

- your humility and mortification,

- your readiness to serve your sisters,

- your fervent charity towards them,

and

- your love of God,

should be as a fire to enkindle their zeal,

and

that you should constantly incite them

to practise the other virtues?

This would be

a great work

and

one most pleasing to our Lord:

By thus doing all that is in your power,

you would prove to His Majesty

your willingness to do still more

and

He would reward you

as if you had won Him many souls."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #22 ]

"What an excellent and sincere love

does that nun show

Who sacrifices her own interests

to that of her sisters...

There is more true friendship in this

than in all the tender speeches

that can be uttered...

If you do your best,

God will make you so strong"

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 7: # 7 ]

◦ What If they are very good already

"Do you answer:

'This would not be converting my sisters,

for they are very good already?'

What business is that of yours?

If they were still better,

the praise they render God

would please Him more

and

their prayers would be more helpful

to their neighbours.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #22 ]

■ St. Teresa's own experience

in finding God's Will for her

in leading Souls to God

"there came to see me

a Franciscan friar, Father Maldonado...

having the same desires

that I had for the good of souls.

He was able to carry his into effect,

for which I envied him enough.

He had just returned from the Indies.

He began by telling me

of the many millions of souls there

perishing through the want of instruction...

encouraging us to do penance...

I ...cried unto our Lord,

beseeching Him to show me...

- how I might do something

to gain a soul for His service,

and

- how I might do something by prayer

now that I could do nothing else,

I envied very much those

who for the love of our Lord

could employ themselves

in this work for souls,

though they might suffer a thousand deaths.

Thus, when I am reading

in the lives of the saints

how they converted souls...

for this is an attraction

which our Lord has given me"

[ Bk of the Foundations: Ch. 1: # 6 ]

Through prayer and sacrifices,

St. Teresa and the Nuns labored

for the salvation of souls:

"I think He prizes one soul

which of His mercy

we have gained for Him

by our prayer and labour

more than all the service

we may render Him."

[ Bk of the Foundations: Ch. 1: # 6 ]

http://carmelite-book-studies--foundations.blogspot.com/

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later, St. Teresa spoke of her work

in the Foundations of Monasteries

which she said commenced

not by her own efforts

but through the "Love of God and Faith"

and receptiveness to the Will of God

and Providence:

"Our Lord disposed it all

far better than I thought"

[ Bk of the Foundations: Ch. 2: # 1]

"...I was one night in prayer,

when our Lord...said to me,

'Wait a little, my child,

and thou shalt see great things.'

[ Bk of the Foundations: Ch. 1: # 7]

"I had great longings

to help any soul whatever

to draw nearer unto God.

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

"But the means

for satisfying these longings

I did not seek myself;

on the contrary,

I thought it foolish to do so...

so helpless as I am,

saw clearly she could do nothing...

The Love of God and Faith

make that possible

which is not possible

according to natural reason"

[ Bk of the Foundations: Ch. 2: # 3]

■ St. Therese's own experience

in finding God's Will for her

in leading Souls to God

"The vocation of a Priest!

With what love, my Jesus,

would I bear Thee in my hand,

when my words brought Thee

down from Heaven!

With what love would I give Thee to souls!

And yet, while longing to be a Priest,

I admire and envy the humility

of St. Francis of Assisi,

and am drawn to imitate him by refusing

the sublime dignity of the Priesthood.

How reconcile these opposite tendencies?

Like the Prophets and Doctors,

I would be a light unto souls,

I would travel to every land

to preach Thy name, O my Beloved, and

raise on heathen soil

the glorious standard of Thy Cross.

One mission alone

would not satisfy my longings.

I would spread the Gospel

to the ends of the earth...

I would be a Missionary...

from the beginning of the world

till the consummation of time.

Above all, I thirst for the Martyr's crown.

But this too is folly,

since I do not sigh for one torment;

I need them all to slake my thirst.

Like Thee, O Adorable Spouse,

I would be scourged,...crucified!

I would be flayed like St. Bartholomew,

plunged into boiling oil like St. John, or,

like St. Ignatius of Antioch, ground by the

...wild beasts into a bread worthy of God.

With St. Agnes and St. Cecilia

I would offer my neck to the sword

of the executioner, and

like Joan of Arc I would murmur

the name of Jesus at the stake.

...I long to undergo them all...

O Jesus...

To such folly as this

what answer wilt Thou make?

Is there on the face of this earth

a soul more feeble than mine?

These aspirations becoming

a true martyrdom,

I opened, one day, the Epistles of St. Paul

to seek relief in my sufferings.

My eyes fell on the 12th and 13th

chapters of the First Epistle

to the Corinthians.

I read

◦ that all cannot become

Apostles, Prophets, and Doctors;

◦ that the Church is composed

of different members;

◦ that the eye cannot also be the hand.

The answer was clear,

but it did not fulfill my desires,

or give to me the peace I sought.

...

Without being discouraged I read on,

and found comfort in this counsel:

"Be zealous for the better gifts.

And I show unto you

a yet more excellent way."

▪ By Love, "to embrace all vocations"

"The Apostle then explains

how all perfect gifts

are nothing without Love,

that Charity is the most excellent way

of going surely to God.

At last I had found rest."

▪ Finding her portion

in the Mystical Body of Christ

"Meditating on the Mystical Body

of Holy Church,

I could not recognise myself among any

of its members

as described by St. Paul,

was it not rather that I wished

to recognise myself in all?

Charity provided me with the key

to my vocation.

I understood

- that...the Church is a body

composed of different members,

and

- that it is love alone

which gives life to its members...

- that love embraces all vocations,

- that it is all things, and

- that it reaches out through all the ages,

and to the uttermost limits

of the earth,

because it is eternal...

I cried out: "O Jesus, my Love,

at last I have found my vocation.

My vocation is love!

...

I ask not for riches or glory,

not even the glory of Heaven—

that belongs by right to my brothers,

the Angels and Saints,

To love Thee, Jesus,

is now my only desire.

Great deeds are not for me;

I cannot preach the Gospel

or shed my blood.

No matter! My brothers work in my stead,

and I...love Thee for all who are in strife.

But how shall I show my love,

since love proves itself by deeds?

...

The only way I have of proving my love

is to strew flowers before Thee

—that is to say,

I will let no tiny sacrifice pass,

no look, no word.

I wish to profit by the smallest actions,

and to do them for Love.

I wish to suffer for Love's sake..."

[ Story of a Soul

Autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux

Chapter 11 - A Canticle Of Love ]

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/therese/autobio.xix.html

▀ Holy Fear is Necessary

■ Souls in the 7th Mansions may still

commit imperfections and sin unwillfully.

"Do not fancy

that in spite of

the strong desire

and

the determination of these souls

that they do not

commit imperfections

and

even fall into many sins:

that is, not wilfully;

...venial sins...

As far as they are aware,

they are free from mortal sins,

For such people

are given special grace from God

on this point"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #3 ]

■ Fear of Offending God;

Still a Risk of Falling into Sin

Citing the fall of Solomon,

St. Teresa describes the risk of falling into sin

despite having received great graces:

"yet remembering

what we are told in Holy Scripture

of the fate of men

who, like Solomon,

seemed the special favourites of God

and

conversed so familiarly with His Majesty,

they cannot help fearing for themselves."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #4 ]

■ Prayer and Caution

"Let that one among you

who

feels most confidence on this point

fear the most,

for:

'Blessed is the man who feareth the Lord,'

Let us beg Him

never to permit us to offend Him:

Therein lies our greatest safety.

May He be for ever praised.

May His Majesty ever protect us.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7: Ch. 4: #5 ]

▀ Embrace the Cross

"Fix your eyes on the Crucified One,

and all will seem easy. "

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #11 ]

"It is for men to make themselves

the slaves of God

-- branded with His mark,

which is the cross.

Unless you make up your minds to this,

never expect to make much progress"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #12 ]

■ Conforming to God's Will

"If thou

wilt stand upon self and

wilt not offer thyself freely

to My will,

thine offering is not perfect,

nor will there be entire union between us.'

(Imitation, bk. iv. ch. viii. 2.)

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #12: Foot Note #442 ]

■ By Prayer and with the help of God

to gather strength

"to offer our petitions

and

to practise prayer,

not for our own enjoyment

but to gain strength to serve God.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #17 ]

"She, that cannot do all this at once,

should do it little by little,

gradually dominating her will,

if she wishes to gain fruit from prayer.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #11 ]

▀ Humility

"Humility is the foundation

of the whole building"

"Unless you are truly humble,

Our Lord,

for your own sake,

will never permit you to rear it very high

lest it should fall to the ground.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #12 ]

"seeking to be the least of all "

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #13 ]

▀ Love

"take care to lay a firm foundation

by seeking to be

the least of all

and

the slave of others,

watching how you can please and help them,

for it will benefit you more than them.

Built on such strong rocks,

your castle can never go to ruin."

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #13 ]

"what an excellent and sincere love

does that nun show

Who sacrifices her own interests

to that of her sisters..."

[ Way of Perfection: Ch. 7: # 7 ]

"Our Lord does not care so much for

▪ the importance of our works

as for

▪ the love with which they are done.

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #23 ]

▀ Virtues

"Your foundation must not consist

of prayer and contemplation alone:

unless you

acquire the virtues

and

practice them,

you will always be (stagnant)"

[ Interior Castle: mansion 7:

Ch. 4: #13 ]

End of the Discussion of

Mansion 7 Chapter 4

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

Monday, May 7, 2012

Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 4 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus