Carmelite Book Studies ♥ ♥ Conceptions Of ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the Love of God ♥ ♥: Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 3 Discussion - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles

Discussion of Chapter 3

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 3

█ Summary or Highlights

"LET HIM KISS ME

WITH THE KISS OF HIS MOUTH."

"Ah, Lord of heaven and earth,

is it then possible,

during this mortal life,

to enjoy such close friendship
with Thee ?"

"The Holy Spirit states

in these words…
in the Canticle of Canticles

the meaning

of the caresses, the wooing, and the delights

that Thou dost bestow upon the soul."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #12]

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ The Bride prays

for "that sacred Peace"

for "so close a union with God's will"

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Signs that a soul
has been granted this Peace

▀ By the Effects, the Fruits, of this Peace

■ Detachment

■ Growth of Virtue

■ Interior Light

■ Courage: Allowing Faith to Act

■ Desire to Suffer for God

▀ Still, One Can't be Absolutely Certain

that they have received this state

■ It is a Supernatural Grace and Gift

from God

■ God Grants these Graces

according to His Will

according to
what is best for each one

■ It can't be acquired by one's efforts

but one can dispose oneself to grace

through the help of God

by the practice
of prayer and the virtues.

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ How to Proceed

"If the effects prove"...

"that you have received such a grace"

▀ Courage to Persevere

▀ Be Guided

by Faith, Humility, and Love,

not by Fear and weakness.

■ Conformity with the Will of God

■ Self-Knowledge and Humility

regarding One's Weaknesses

■ Avoid False Humility

■ Avoid Doubt of the Mercy of God

■ Avoid False or "Rationalized"

Prudence

░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ The Prayer of the Bride

█ The Bride prays

for "that sacred Peace"

for "so close a union with God's will"

"The kiss...is that sacred peace

▪ "that encourages the soul

to wage war with the world"

▪ "while yet preserving

perfect confidence and calm
within itself."

▪ that "consists in so close

a union with God's will

that He and the soul are

no longer divided,

but their will is one

— not in words and wishes only,

but in deeds as well."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #1]

█ Signs that a soul has been granted this Peace

▀ By the effects, the fruits, of this Peace

"The point to consider is...

whether God has

granted your petition

and

kissed you with "the kiss of His mouth."

"You must examine this point for yourselves

— at least as far as the thing is possible —

by noticing the effects
produced in the soul."

"His Majesty reveals Himself

by many signs to the soul

which enjoys this favour.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"we can, to a certain degree,

ascertain by the effects

whether His Majesty has bestowed

this favour on us..."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

■ Detachment

"One (effect) is a contempt

for all earthly things,

which the mind rates at their true price,

no longer caring
for worldly possessions

as it realises their futility."

The soul

- "takes no pleasure
in the society of those

who do not love God,

and

- is weary of life,

- holding riches
at the esteem they deserve,

and

- showing other sentiments

of the same kind,

taught by God to those

whom He has led so far"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"But when once determined

to die to this world...

no trials can make it complain.

Now it has found the peace

for which the Bride petitions."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #11]

■ Growth of Virtue

"Love and Faith take control"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"Nothing seems impossible
to one who loves!

Happy the soul that has won this peace

from its God !

It holds sway
over all the trials and dangers

of the world,
and

fears nothing when there is a question

of rendering any service

to its faithful Spouse and Lord."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #3]

■ Interior Light

"Such a soul,

while recognising by its interior light

that the Lord has given it
the peace
craved for by the Bride,
(and)

cannot but doubt the fact at times

on realising its own miseries.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

■ Courage: Allowing Faith to Act

"When the Bride sees

that she can serve the Bridegroom better

in any way,

so ardent are her love and desires

that she

◦ discusses no difficulties

raised by her mind

◦ nor listens to the fears

which it suggests,

◦ but allows faith to act,

◦ seeking no profit or comfort of her own,

having learnt at last

that her welfare consists entirely in this.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #1]

■ Desire to suffer for God

St. Teresa described this grace

in St. Paulinus of Nola:

"having received this divine grace,

desired

to please His Majesty

and

to imitate, in some degree,

the many sufferings
He bore for us.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #4]

▀ Still, One can not be Absolutely Certain

that they have received this state

"Evidently we cannot know for certain"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

■ It is a supernatural grace
and gift from God

"for it

- concerns a state superior

to the state of grace

and

- resulting from a very special aid

from God."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"Is it not evident

that God has endowed with great graces

the soul which He has favoured so highly

as to unite it to Himself

in this close friendship ?"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #8]

■ God grants graces

according to His Will

according to
what is best for each person.

"Thou didst afford it succour,

not according to its merits,

but as its weakness needs.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #13]

■ It can not be acquired by one's efforts

but one can dispose oneself to graces

through the help of God

by the practice
of prayer and the virtues.

"God grants so high a blessing

to the soul

in proportion to the strength
of its virtue."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"For, most certainly,

this is not our own doing:

We can only pray and long for this mercy,

and

we need His help even for that.

Pray with the Bride :

"Let Him kiss me

with the kiss of His mouth."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #8]

█ How to Proceed

"If the effects prove"...

"that you have received such a grace"

"If the effects prove

that He has done so,

(God has granted your petition)

you should

▪ no longer curb your zeal in any way,

▪ but forget self altogether

in order to please so gentle a Bridegroom."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"When you are aware, sisters,

that you have received such a grace,

▪ let nothing daunt you,

▪ but forget self entirely

in order to please so tender a Spouse."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"Profit, then,

by the virtues He has implanted in you,

to act with determination"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

▀ Courage to Persevere

St. Teresa, in both this chapter

and in the previous chapter,

heavily emphasized the obstacles

that can result
from fear and excessive prudence

by which their actions are inhibited

and so, fail to live up to their high aims.

"They are beginning to make progress,

yet they stop midway. "

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 34 ]

"We must be on our guard,

lest through our inborn frailty

we lose a priceless crown."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

"I realise the need

of strong help from Him

that we may perform such deeds,

therefore I advise you...

to persevere in begging from Him

this delightful peace,

which dominates the silly fears of the world,

peacefully and quietly making war on it."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #8]

▀ Be Guided

by Faith, Humility, and Love,

not by Fear and weakness.

"...those who are naturally

timid and wanting in courage...

though their souls

have genuinely been raised to this state,

(their) nature takes alarm."

"When these fears assault you,

▪ have recourse to Faith and Humility,

and

▪ proceed to act with the confidence

that God can do all things".

"He enabled many noble maidens

to suffer the grievous torments

they had resolved to undergo for His sake."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

"Here...love and faith take control,

and

the soul does not choose to take counsel

from reason."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"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]

"Always make courageous resolutions,

for then God will give you grace

to act accordingly.

[Conception: Ch. 2: #23 ]

“Good desires

must be carried out in deeds”

[Conception: Ch. 3: #11 ]

“when once determined

to die to this world..

no trials can make it complain”

[Conception: Ch. 3: #11 ]

■ Conformity with the Will of God

"What He wishes for

is the resolution

which makes Him

Master of your free will,

for He needs no strength of ours.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

■ Self-Knowledge and Humility

regarding One's Weaknesses

"Indeed, His Majesty prefers

to manifest His power in feeble souls,

where it has more scope for work,

and

where He can better bestow the graces

He longs to give."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

"Remember the prayer

of the good Jesus in the garden:

'The flesh is weak'

If, as His Majesty said,

His divine and sinless flesh was weak,

how can our flesh be so strong...

as not to dread
the persecutions and trials

that menace it ?"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #9]

"Let us

not trouble about our fears

nor lose heart at the sight of our frailty,

but strive to

fortify our humility

and

be clearly convinced of

how little we can do for ourselves,

for without the grace of God,

we are nothing."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #11]

"Let us

confide in His mercy

and

distrust our own strength in every way,

because reliance on this

is the root of all our weakness.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #11]

■ Avoid False Humility

"If you stop to wonder

'whether you had better venture

upon this course or no,

for perhaps you are too sinful

to deserve the same aid from God

that He gives to others' ! "

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

"This is not the time

to think about your sins;

Such humility is out of time and place."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #6]

"Once raised to this state

the soul has nothing to fear,

except that it may fail to deserve

that God should make use of it

by sending it crosses and occasions

of serving Him

at however dear a cost to itself.

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #2]

"when it is a question of suffering,

either for your God

or your neighbour,

feel no misgivings because of your sins."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #6]

"But (do) let them examine

whether they are influenced

by selfish motives"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #6]

"If God shows you the grace

of giving you an occasion
of performing such actions

for Him,

do not recall to mind your past sins.

Here faith must overcome our misery."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #9]

■ Trust in the Mercy of God

"You may be sure

that God will never desert those

who love Him,

when they incur danger

solely for His sake."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #6]

"Perhaps you may perform this action

with such charity

that God will forgive you

all your bad deeds,

and

this is what Satan fears,

and

therefore reminds you

of all your former wrongdoings."
[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #6]

■ Avoid False or "Rationalized" Prudence

"Despise the obstacles raised

by your reason

and

by your natural weakness"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #5]

St. Teresa advises one not to heed

"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."

[ Conceptions: Ch 2: # 35 ]

"What could be more unwise

than to end our life's dream

with such prudence ?"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #7]

St. Teresa gave an illustration

whereby excessive discretion and prudence

can render a person immobile by fears
and so unable to fulfill their good resolutions
by deeds:

"The strong affection of (a friend)

prompts him to prefer
his friend's freedom (safety)

to his own."

"Then discretion steps in
with its many pleas,

declaring:

- 'You are bound to care

for your own interests first;

- perhaps you are weaker than he

and

- you might deny your faith;

- it is wrong to run into danger,'

with many other objections of the kind."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #3]

█ The Prayer of the Bride

"Kiss me with the kiss of Thy mouth,"

"approach(ing) the most Holy Sacrament

with great faith and love"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #12]

"In how many ways,

by how many means and manners

dost Thou show Thy love !

By Thy labours,

by Thy bitter death,

by the tortures and insults,

Thou didst bear,

by the pardon

Thou dost grant us,

— and

not by these alone,

but by the words,

Thou dost utter

and

teach us to utter
in these Canticles,

which so pierce the soul
that loves Thee"

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #13]

"I ask, then, O Lord,

no more of Thee in this life

except that Thou

'Kiss me with the kiss of Thy mouth'...

that, even if I wished,

I could not separate myself

from union and friendship with Thee.

Grant that my will

may be subject to

and

may never swerve from Thine,

leaving nothing to prevent

my saying with truth,

'O my God and my Glory',

that 'Thy breasts are better"

and more delicious' than wine."

[ Conceptions: Ch. 3: #13]

End of the Discussion of

Conceptions of The Love of God

Chapter 3

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 ♥ ♥

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 3 Discussion - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles - On the Song of Songs