Carmelite Book Studies ♥ ♥ Conceptions Of ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the Love of God ♥ ♥: Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 2 Discussion - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles

Discussion of Chapter 2

of the

Conceptions of The Love of God

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

From the Book,

"Minor Works Of St. Teresa

Conceptions Of The Love Of God

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems"

Conceptions of The Love of God

Discussion of Chapter 2

█ Summary or Highlights

St. Teresa continues to discuss

the Friendship and Peace

which theBride asks of theBridegroom

in the Canticle of Canticles.

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ There are many kinds of peace

█ False Peace

The peace which the world enjoys

▀ False Peace from the devil

▀ Peace proceeding from laxity.

▀ Peace Interrupted by a Cycle

of Habitual Sin and Repentance

The peace given by the world,

and ...

produced by our sensuality"

▀ Peace proceeding from Riches

▀ Peace Proceeding
from Honors and Praise

▀ Peace Proceeding
from Bodily Comforts

▀ Peace disturbed by Lack of Concern

regarding Venial Sins

▀ Partial Peace
from Incomplete Detachment

▀ Peace Conditional

on Having One's Own Way

▀ Peace Disturbed
by Care For Reputation.

▀ Peace Disturbed by Fear

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ The Peace requested by the Bride

▀ Peace proceeding from a life

of prayer, penance, humility

and many other virtues."

▀ Interior Happiness and Peace

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Preparing within our Souls

a Dwelling-Place for our Bridegroom

▀ Vigilance and Caution

▀ Advantages of Temptations and Struggles.

▀ Fear and Love of our Lord

▀ Self-Knowledge and Contrition

regarding their faults"

▀ Trust in the Mercy
and Forgiveness of God

▀ God Guides Souls
in Many Different Ways

▀ Perseverance

█ Summary or Highlights

St. Teresa continues to discuss

the Friendship and Peace

which the bride asks of the bridegroom

in the Canticle of Canticles.

In describing this peace,

she wants to distinguish true peace

from both false peace and incomplete peace

in order to show:

"how souls should examine themselves

so as to discover the defects

that hinder them from attaining

the perfection they desire."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 2:

Chapter Description ]

"Object of this treatise"

"We will now consider the peace

which our Lord begins

to grant us in prayer;

Of this I will tell you

as much as His Majesty shall be pleased

to make me understand.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 2: #10]

"It matters little if it is not the exact meaning,

so long as it profits us."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 21 ]

"On reflection,

I think it best to say something here

about the peace

given by the world,

and

that produced by our sensuality"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 2: #10]

█ There are many kinds of peace

█ False Peace

( False peace,
Incomplete peace, and
Disturbed peace )

The peace which the world enjoys:

▀ Peace from the devil:

▪ "placid

although they commit heinous offences"

▪ "untroubled by their sins,

so that conscience does not upbraid them"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 1 ]

▀ Peace proceeding from laxity.

▪ lax about what appear to be in themselves

unimportant things, and

▪ feels no remorse of conscience

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 2 ]

▪ imperfections (which) gradually

make the soul insensible

to...small defects,

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 3 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

▪ Although this laxity can be related

to "the miseries of our nature"...

we ought to be sorry for them

and

to know that we have done wrong"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 3 ]

▪ Laxity develops into further

and more severe errors.

"I fear (the devil) will not stop there."

"Let scrupulous persons understand

that I have not been speaking

of an occasional fault,

of failings

that cannot always be known or regretted;

I allude to...

who

habitually commits faults

and

takes no notice of them,

thinking they are of no consequence,

and

who

neither repents

nor tries to amend them.

I say once more

that such a peace is dangerous,

therefore beware of it.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 9 ]

▀ Peace Interrupted by a Cycle

of Habitual Sin and Repentance

Friendship with God: Yet, Habitual Sin

"There are people

who, though they have attained

to friendship with God,

for they

- confess their sins sincerely

and

- repent of them,

yet before two days are over,

- commit the same faults again.

This is certainly not the friendship

for which the Bride petitions."
[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 24 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

"Try not to take the same fault

to confession every time.

It is true

that we cannot help committing sins,

but at all events

let them not always be identical,

lest they take root,

for it would be hard to pull them up,

and

they may even send out many off-shoots.

Though it is easy to uproot it

when it has only grown

for a day or even for ten days.

We must pray to our Lord

to grant us this amendment,

for on our own account
we can do little,

except add to our sins

instead of giving them up."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 24 ]

"The peace given by the world,

and

that produced by our sensuality"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 10 ]

▀ Peace Proceeding from Riches

While riches seem to provide

security and freedom from cares,

its administration, reckoning, safeguarding

and maintenance are not conducive to peace.

"Then, if there is a large deficit,

I cannot think how he can feel any peace."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 10 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

"We may be misled in many ways

by worldly peace"

▪ "The greater the wealth,

the heavier the responsibility."

"some people have all they require

for their needs

...(and) as they avoid mortal sin,

they think they have done their duty.

yet never consider

- that their property is not their own,

- but that God has entrusted it to them

as His stewards

for the good of the poor,

▪ "Riches disturb peace."

"How often he must lose his sleep,

especially when the time of reckoning

comes"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 11 ]

▪ "The rich are slaves,

while you are rulers:

What a solace to be free from such burdens,

even as regards this world's tranquillity"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 11 ]

"We are contented to eat

whatever our Lord provides,

and as He will let us want for nothing,

we need not be anxious about superfluities."

"The principal point is, daughters,

that we should be satisfied with little"

"Always endeavour

not to take the food of the poor

without having served His Majesty"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 12 ]

▀ Peace Proceeding
from Honors and Praise

"unless you are careful

Praise from others may harm you greatly...

when uttered in your hearing,

what other fruit can they produce but evil,

unless you are most wary ?"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 13 ]

"This usually takes the form of telling you

that you are more holy than others...

which seem to have been inspired

by the devil."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 13 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

▪ "Never to find your peace
in such speeches"

"for they might gradually do you

so much mischief

that at last you would come

to believe them,

to think

you had done all you need,

and

that your work was finished."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 14 ]

▪ Flattery "generally ends

in running you down afterwards"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 13 ]

"Remember

how the world treated our Lord Jesus Christ,

yet how it had extolled Him
on Palm Sunday!"

"Never does the world exalt

any of the children of God,

save to dash them down again !"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 14 ]

"Remember how many

who stood on the heights

have fallen into the abyss.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 16 ]

▪ "Remember Your Sins"

▪ The Need for Humility

◦ Realize that any good in you,

comes from the grace of God

"Even if there is some truth

in what is told you,

- the good is not your own,

- but you are only under an obligation

of serving God more strictly."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 15 ]

"Always struggle within your own heart

against these dangerous flatteries;

Then you will come forth

with deeper humility"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 16 ]

▪ The Need for Recollection

"You must stand ready

with the sword of recollection in hand."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 16 ]

▀ Peace Proceeding
from Bodily Comforts

"I often wonder, and never can understand,

how self indulgent persons can feel

so peaceful and at rest."

"the peace our bodies can bring us,

and

the harm that results"

"The body...is very fond of comfort,

and

we ought to realise

the great danger of pacifying it.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 17 ]

"Flesh and blood are very treacherous,

and

there is need for us to recognise this."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 20 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

▪ Imitate the Life of Christ

"Did the most sacred body

of our great Model and Light

merit less enjoyment than do ours ?

Had He done aught

to deserve the cruel sufferings it bore?"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 17 ]

▪ "While the body grows sturdy,

the soul becomes so enfeebled"

"though they may enjoy physical ease,

they will have a thousand struggles

to go through

in order to save their souls.

It would be better for them

to do the penance by degrees

which will one day come upon them

all at once.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 19 ]

▪ Prudence in excusing oneself
from duties

due to illness

"It could harm you unconsciously

under the pretext of illness..."

"You may fancy you are too weak...

(that) it might injure you
to take the discipline

on a certain day,

but perhaps there is no necessity

to leave it off a whole week...

....when there is no urgent need

of such dispensations."

"we ought not to be content

with such relaxations,

but should, from time to time,

try whether we can fulfil our duties"

"Prudence and confidence

in our superiors' judgment

instead of our own

are the important points."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 20 ]

▀ Peace disturbed by Lack of Concern

regarding Venial Sins

"Venial sins and peace."

"A better sort of friendship

is that of persons

who are careful
not to offend God mortally"

"Though such people avoid grave faults,

yet I believe they fall into them occasionally,

for they care nothing about venial sins,

although they

commit many every day,

and

are thus on the point

of mortally offending God.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 26 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

"For the love of God,

be most watchful"

"It is a great thing

to preserve so pure a conscience"

"Never (be) careless

about committing a venial sin,

however small;

"the state described is...a very dangerous one

for many people,

tending to self-indulgence

and

likely to lead to great tepidity,

nor are they always certain

whether their faults are venial or mortal."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 27 ]

Often, "these souls think

they have not committed such grievous sins

as they see in others...

(since) they think that they (, themselves,)

do no serious wrong,

(and)

are much more lax in indulging themselves."

"To hold others worse than oneself

is a want of humility"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 27 ]

▀ Partial Peace
from Incomplete Detachment

"There is another kind of friendship and peace

that our Lord bestows partially

upon certain persons

who

▪ wish not to offend Him in any way,

yet

▪ do not completely withdraw themselves

from occasions of falling.

▪ spend good and regular lives

▪ without giving up their pleasures,

"They keep their set times for prayer

and

God grants them the gift

of devotion and tears,

yet they wish to spend good and regular lives

without giving up their pleasures,

which they think will conduce

to their living in peace even in this world.

● St. Teresa advises:

"But the events of life bring many changes

and

it will be hard for such souls

to persevere in virtue;

For, not having given up

earthly joys and pleasures,

they soon grow lax on the road to God"

"Avoid every slight occasion of evil,

however insignificant,

if you are anxious for your soul

to grow in grace and to live in safety."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 28 ]

"I tell you all these things... to teach you

the danger of not resolutely

leaving all worldly things,

by which we should free ourselves

from many sins and troubles.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 29 ]

▀ Peace Conditional
on Having One's Own Way

St. Teresa described a devout woman

who "was peaceful enough

as long as
nothing touched her self-interest,

but when that was in question,

her conscience

lost its sensitiveness

and

became extremely lax."

In this example,

concern for honor
and
the esteem of the world

was associated with this self-interest.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 30 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

▪ Self-Knowledge

"Some souls seem quite ready

to soar to heaven,

since they are perfect in every way

in their own opinion

and

there is no one to know better"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 31 ]

▪ Follow God's Will

"although they sincerely wish

to know themselves

in order to please God,

yet they cannot do so,

because they follow their own will

in everything they do"

and...

they are not so exercised in mortification.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 31 ]

▪ Humility

"great humility

destroys all self-confidence".

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 31 ]

▀ Peace Disturbed by Care For Reputation.

"They are generally very grieved

if anything is said against them."

These are persons

"who

▪ have left everything for our Lord;

▪ possess neither home nor belongings,

and

▪ care nothing for pleasure or worldly matters,

▪ are penitent
because our Lord has shown them

the worthlessness of all these things.

(But) Still,

▪ are very tenacious of their honour

and

▪ value their reputation"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

● St. Teresa advises:

"They will do nothing

that does not please men as well as God.

These two objects are hard to reconcile,

and... half-unconscious of their error,

they always take the world's side

in preference to our Lord's."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

▪ Embrace the Cross

"They do not carry the cross

but drag it after them,

and

so it pains and wearies them,

but when it is loved

it is undoubtedly sweet to bear."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

▪ Detachment

"All such things would burden you

if you have forsaken

the chief thing in giving up the world

with its joys, its pleasures and riches,

which, false as they are,

still delight us"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

"if we seek to please society...

you burden yourselves

with a thousand cares and obligations."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 33 ]

▀ Peace Disturbed by Fear

▪ "care little

for what is said of them,

for honour,

▪ but are unused

to mortify themselves

to renounce self-will,

and

have not yet lost all fear
of temporal evils."

"They are beginning to make progress,

yet they stop midway."

"They.. imagine

that they fear God and no one else...

yet in grave matters,

when our Lord's honour is at stake,

they prefer their own interests."

"It seems as if the devil must suggest to them

the drawbacks they prophesy

a thousand years beforehand

concerning the great harm
that may result

from some good work."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 34 ]

"These are not the souls

to imitate Saint Peter

when he cast himself into the sea"

"They wish to draw others to God,

but to do so peacefully

without running into danger themselves,

nor does their faith
influence their motives very powerfully.

● St. Teresa advises:

▪ Courage to act
and to fulfill their resolutions

"such cowardly souls

and

the harm they do themselves"

"great advantage of having high aims

although our actions may not correspond

with them"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 35 ]

"Always make courageous resolutions,

for then God will give you grace

to act accordingly.

[Conception: Ch. 2: #23 ]

▪ Humility

"His Majesty seeks and loves
        courageous souls;
      but they must
        - be humble in their ways, and
        - have no confidence in themselves.
[Life: Ch. 13: # 4]

"That all things are possible in God."

   "I saw clearly that of myself,
           I could do nothing."
   [Life: Ch. 13: # 4]

█ The Peace requested by the Bride

▀ Peace proceeding from a life

of prayer, penance, humility

and many other virtues."

"The religious life and peace"

"The friendship and peace
desired by the Bride...

is the result of much practice

in prayer, penance, humility

and many other virtues."

● St. Teresa advises:

"if our Lord has called you

to the religious state,

there is little wanting (lacking)

to obtain for you

the friendship and peace desired by the Bride.

Yet

"The state of religion

is not in itself the peace and amity

begged for by the Spouse,

although such a vocation

is a signal and divine favour"

▪ Ask for it unceasingly

with tears and longing ;

▪ Do all you can

on your part

to gain it from God."

"Since God has raised souls to this high state,

let them

serve Him in it

and

not remain shut up in themselves."

"If religious (and nuns especially)

cannot help their neighbour personally,

they have much power to do so by prayer,

if their resolutions are heroic

and

their wish of saving souls is sincere."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 36 ]

▀ Interior Happiness and Peace

"rarely...

yet it is possible for the soul

which God has raised

to a high degree of contemplation

be in such a state.

and

enjoy constant interior happiness.

(but they, too, )

have their little struggles at times,

although not frequently"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 5 ]

"...those who have attained

great holiness and mortification

by their long years of warfare;

They have died to the world,

and

our Lord usually gives peace,

which, however, does not prevent

their perceiving and grieving deeply

over their faults.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 6 ]

█ Preparing within our souls

a dwelling-place for our Bridegroom:

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 8 ]

▀ Vigilance and Caution

"For the love of God,

watch yourselves very carefully.

we...must keep constant watch over both

our outward and inward conduct."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 4 ]

Guard against:

- "breaking a rule through carelessness"

- "not performing some duty

as well as might be"

"internal troubles and temptations"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 4 ]

▀ Advantages of Temptations and Struggles.

"The soul makes progress by their means".

"It is a signal mercy from our Lord

when such trials occur

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 4 ]

"Were it not tempted,

the devil might sometimes deceive it

about divine consolations,

thus injuring it far more.

Besides,

the soul would benefit less,

because all occasions of gaining merit

would be withdrawn,

were it left continually absorbed in God.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 4:

Ch. 1: #3 ]

"The soul seemed to come forth

as gold out of the crucible,

most refined, and

made glorious to behold,

our Lord dwelling within it."

And though trials and persecutions increase,

yet, if we bear them

without offending our Lord,

rejoicing in suffering for His sake,

it will be all the greater gain"

[ Life: Ch. 30: #17 ]

"for I find others advance far more

who sustain the combats"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 5 ]

▀ Embrace the Cross

"...the cross...

when it is loved

it is undoubtedly sweet to bear."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

▀ Fear and Love of our Lord

"a soul..will benefit (when) greatly tempted,

if it has the fear and love of our Lord

for I know it will come out with great gain."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 5 ]

▀ Self-Knowledge and Contrition

regarding their faults

"yet I am always sorry

when you feel no sorrow

for any fault you have committed,

for you ought to take to heart every sin,

even a venial one"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 6 ]

"Now, if the soul is not dead,

but has a living love for God,

is it not a great grace from Him

that she should feel pained

at the least infringement...

Is not the heart

in which God implants such solicitude

prepared by Him as a couch of flowers

to which He cannot choose

but come and delight Himself,

long though His delay may be ?"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 7 ]

"our couch is verdant"

[ Canticles: 1:16 ]

▀ Detachment

"by their long years of warfare;

They have died to the world,

and

our Lord usually gives peace"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 6 ]

"the chief thing...giving up the world

with its joys, its pleasures and riches

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 32 ]

▀ Trust in the Mercy and Forgiveness of God

"God...invite(s) us

to endeavour to please our Lord and King !

Yet how ill do those requite His friendship"

"Great indeed is the mercy of God !

Where can we find a friend so patient ?"

"How often does such a breach occur

between us and our Lord,

and

how many years does He await our return !"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 25 ]

▀ God Guides Souls
in Many Different Ways,

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 6 ]

"Various kinds of divine peace"

"The Bride shows

that our Lord has other ways

of bestowing His peace and friendship."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 21 ]

"Our King confers
His peace and friendship

on the soul in many ways,

as we see daily,

both during prayer and at other times,

but our peace with Him

hangs by a single hair"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 22 ]

'Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His mouth'.

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 21 ]

"Consider...the meaning of these words,

so that you may utter them with the Bride,

if our Lord should draw you near to Himself;

if not, do not lose courage."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 22 ]

▀ Perseverance

"Every kind of friendship with God

will leave you rich in gain,

unless of your own accord

you forfeit it.

But how deeply should we grieve and regret it

if, through our own fault,

we do not attain

to such close friendship with Him,

but content ourselves with a slighter intimacy"

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 22 ]

"How many remain

at the foot of the mountain

who might have climbed to its summit !

Always make courageous resolutions,

for then God will give you grace

to act accordingly."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 23 ]

End of the Discussion of

Conceptions of The Love of God

Chapter 2

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

From the Book,

"Minor Works Of St. Teresa

Conceptions Of The Love Of God

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems"

Carmelite Book Studies ♥ ♥ Conceptions Of ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the Love of God ♥ ♥

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 2 Discussion - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles - The Song of Songs