Carmelite Book Studies ♥ ♥ Conceptions Of ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the Love of God ♥ ♥: Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 4 - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles

Conceptions of The Love of God

Chapter 4

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

On Some Verses Of The Canticle.

Chapter 4

Chapter Contents

■ Of the sweet and tender love of God

which proceeds from

His dwelling in the soul

in the Prayer of Quiet,

termed here "the divine breasts."

░░░░░░░░░░░░

1. "Thy breasts are better than wine."

2. These words apply

to the Prayer of Quiet.

3. Its effects.

4. It confers happiness.

5. Other benefits.

6. Mother and babe; a comparison.

7. Earthly and heavenly joys.

8. Rewards of self-surrender.

9. A prayer for divine union.

10. Insignificance of our service.

11. Self-oblation.

Chapter 4

CHAPTER IV.

"THY BREASTS ARE BETTER

THAN WINE " [1]

1. "Thy breasts are better than wine."

O my daughters !

What great mysteries are

contained in these words !

May God permit us to experience them,

for they are indescribable.

When His Majesty in mercy

answers this prayer of the Bride,

He begins to

enter into a friendship with her soul

which, as I said,

can be understood only by those

who have enjoyed it.

I have written very fully about it

in two books [2]

which, if it be the will of God,

will be given you after my death.

The subject is there treated

minutely and thoroughly,

which I knew you would need,

therefore I shall do no more

than touch upon it now.

I do not know whether

I shall explain it here

in the same words

that our Lord was pleased

that I should use then.

2. These words apply

to the Prayer of Quiet.

The soul is now convinced,

by a feeling

of extreme internal sweetness,

that it must be near our Lord. [3]

This sweetness is

not a simple feeling of devotion

which moves us pleasantly

so that we shed tears abundantly

either over the Passion of our Lord

or our past sins.

In this state,

which I call the 'Prayer of Quiet'

because of the peace it brings

to the powers,

the soul receives great consolations.

Yet sometimes,

when the spirit is

not so absorbed by sweetness,

it enjoys in a different manner.

The whole creature,

both body and soul,

is enraptured

• as if some very fragrant ointment,

resembling a delicious perfume, [4 ]

had been infused into the very centre

of the being,

• as if we had suddenly entered a place,

redolent with scents,

coming

not from one,

but from many objects;

We do not know

from which it rises

nor what it is,

although it entirely pervades our being. [5]

So it is

with this most sweet love of our God:

With the greatest suavity

it enters the soul,

which feels happy and satisfied,

but cannot understand the reason

nor how this great good entered it.

3. Its effects.

The soul

fears losing it,

and

is loath

to move or speak or even to look about,

lest it should disappear.

But I have explained in my other writings

how to behave

in order to benefit by this favour,

which I only mention here

that you may understand

what I am describing.

I will therefore merely say

that our Lord thus shows

that He desires

so close a friendship with the soul

that nothing may come between them.

Great truths are here imparted to the mind,

which, although too dazzled

to realise what the light is,

now perceives the vanity of the world.

The soul does not see the good Master

who teaches it, [6]

although clearly conscious
of His presence.

Still, it is left with

• greatly increased knowledge

and

• such growth and strength of virtue

as to be unable to recognise its former self.

The one desire of such a person

is to praise God,

and

while in this excess of delight

she is so inebriated and absorbed

as to appear beside herself.

Indeed, she

seems in a state of divine intoxication,

and

does not know

what she wants, or says,

for what she asks.

In short, she is

unconscious of self,

and

not so absorbed

but that she understands something

of what is happening.

4. It confers happiness.

When, however,

this most wealthy Bridegroom wishes

to enrich and caress her still more,

He so draws her to Him

that she is like a person fainting

with extreme joy and pleasure. [7 ]

The soul appears to itself to be

upheld in those divine arms

and

pressed to His sacred side

and divine breasts.

It only knows

how to enjoy,

sustained as it is by the divine milk

with which its Spouse continues

to nourish it, [8]

and

to increase its virtues

that He may caress it more,

and

that it may deserve daily

to receive new favours from Him.

On awaking

from this slumber and heavenly inebriation,

it feels amazed and confused,

and I think

that, in a sacred frenzy,

it might then utter the words:

'Thy breasts are better than wine.'

5. Other benefits.

For when first the spirit

felt carried out of itself,

nothing higher

seemed possible of attainment;

But now,

- finding itself in a higher state

and

- plunged in the unspeakable

greatness of God,

and

- seeing how it has been nourished,

it makes the tender comparison:

'Thy breasts are better than wine.'

For, as an infant does not know

how it grows or is nourished

— indeed often,

without any effort of its own,

the milk is put into its mouth —

so it is in this case

with the graces infused into the soul;

It knows nothing itself,

- nor does anything,

and

- is unable to perceive whence,

- nor can it imagine

how this great good came to it.

It only realises

that this is the keenest delight

that can be felt in this life,

even if all the world's joy and happiness

could be enjoyed at once.

The soul finds

that it has been

strengthened and benefited

without knowing

how it has merited such a boon.

It has

- been taught great truths

without seeing its Teacher,

and

- been confirmed in virtue

and

caressed by Him

Who best knows how,

and

Who has the power to do so.

It knows not

to what to compare this

except the endearments of a mother

who tenderly loves her child,

and feeds and fondles it. [9]

6. Mother and babe; a comparison.

This metaphor is most appropriate,

for the soul is upraised

without using the powers of the mind,

much in the same way as a babe,

who when he is thus feasted and pleased,

yet has not the intelligence

to grasp the reason why.

But the soul was not quite so passive

in the preceding state

of slumber and intoxication,

for it was not entirely quiescent,

but both thought and acted

to a certain extent.

Realising its nearness to God,

it cries with truth :

'Thy breasts are better than wine.' [ 10]

What a favour is this, my Spouse !

What a delicious banquet

and

what precious wine dost Thou give me,

one drop of which makes me

- forget all created things

and

- go forth

from all creatures

and

from myself;

No longer to crave

for the pleasures and delights

that my sensual heart has longed for

until now !

Great is this favour and
unmerited by me !

Since His Majesty has

increased it

and

drawn me still closer to Him,

well may I cry:

'Thy breasts are better than wine.'

Thy mercies in the past were great,

O my God,

but this far surpasses them,

as I take less share in it myself,

therefore

it is much more sublime in every way.

7. Earthly and heavenly joys.

Great are the joy and delight

of the soul which advances thus far,

O my daughters !

May our Lord grant us to understand,

or rather, I should say, taste,

for in no other way can we understand

the happiness of the soul in such a case.

If the earth could collect together all

its riches,

its pleasures,

its honours

and

its feasts,

— if all these could be

enjoyed simultaneously

without the trials that accompany them

(which is impossible),

yet in a thousand years,

they could not bring the bliss

that is enjoyed in a single moment

by the soul God has brought thus far.

St. Paul declares

that 'the sorrows of this world

are not worthy to be compared

to the happiness that we look for,' [11]

but I say

that they are

not worthy to be compared

nor could they earn one hour

of this gladness, satisfaction,

joy and delight

here given to the soul by God Himself.

I do not think they can be weighed

with one another,

nor can the baseness of earthly things

merit such tender caresses from our Lord,

nor a love

so demonstrative and

so tasted by the soul.

8. Rewards of self-surrender.

How trivial are our sorrows

compared with this !

Unless borne for God,

they are worthless,

and even then

His Majesty proportions them

to our strength,

because our misery and cowardice

make us dread them so keenly.

Ah, Christians !

Ah, my daughters !

For the love of God,

let us arise from sleep !

Remember

how He does not wait until the next life

to reward our love for Him,

but begins to pay us even here !

O my Jesus !

Who can express all that we gain by

casting ourselves into the arms

of our Lord

and

plighting with Him this troth:

'I to my Beloved,
and

His turning is towards me', [12]

and

'He cares for my affairs and

I care for His.' [13]

Do not let us be so self-seeking

as to put our own eyes out,

as the proverb says.

9. A prayer for divine union.

Again do I

ask Thee, O God,

and

beseech Thee, by the blood of Thy Son,

to grant me this grace,

'Kiss me with the kiss of Thy mouth',

for what am I without Thee, Lord ?

What worth do I possess apart from Thee ?

If I wander but one step from Thee,

where shall I go ?

O Lord of mercy, my only Good !

What more do I seek in this life

than a union so close

that there can be nothing

to divide me from Thee ?

With such a companion,

what can be hard ?

With Thee by my side,

what dare I not attempt for Thy sake ?

What thanks do I deserve ?

Have I not rather incurred great blame

for my remissness in Thy service ?

Thus, with my whole heart,

I beg Thee, like Saint Augustine,

to "give what Thou askest

and

ask what Thou wilt ! " [14]

and

with Thine aid,

I will recoil from nothing.

10. Insignificance of our service.

10.

I see indeed, [15]

O my Bridegroom,

that Thou art mine,

nor can I deny it.

For my sake

didst Thou come to earth;

For my sake

didst Thou undergo so many trials;

For me

wast Thou scourged with many stripes;

For me

dost Thou remain

in the most Blessed Sacrament

and

now Thou dost show me

such signal favours !

Yet, O holy Bride,

how can I utter these words with thee ?

What can I do for my Bridegroom ?

Truly, sisters,

I do not know

how to escape from this dilemma !

What can I be for Thee, O my God ?

What can a soul do for Thee

which is given to such evil habits

as mine,

except lose the graces

Thou hast given it ?

What service can Thou hope for
on my part ?

And even if, by Thine aid,

I should accomplish something,

what need can an all-powerful God have

of the deeds of a wretched worm ?

11. Self-oblation.

11 .

O Love !

In how many ways

do I long to say these words,

and

it is love alone

- which dares to cry with the Bride:

'I love my Beloved ! '

and

- which gives us the right to believe

-- that this our true Lover

has need of us,

and

-- that He is

my Spouse

and

my chief good.

Then, since He gives us leave, daughters,

let us cry again :

'My Beloved to me

and

I to my Beloved.' [ 16 ]

Thou to me, Lord ?

Then, if Thou comest to me,

why doubt that I can do much

to serve Thee ?

Henceforth, Lord,

I desire

- to forget self,

- to seek only how to serve Thee,

and

- to have no other will but Thine.

But, alas, my strength has no power !

Thou art all-powerful, my God !

All that I can give Thee

is my firm resolve,

and henceforth

I give it Thee,

to serve Thee by my actions.

Foot Notes:

[1]

Cant 1: 1 ;
Meliora sunt ubera ina vino.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #1's

Footnote reference #1

"Thy breasts are better than wine."

_____________________

[2 ]

Life,

chapters xiv. and xv., xviii. and xix.

Way of Perf.

chapters xxx. and xxxi.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #1's

Footnote reference #2

"I have written very fully about it

in two books [2]"

These editor is referring
to these 2 books:

1). The Life of Teresa of Jesus

   http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/life.html
     ~ ~ ~
  http://carmelite-book-studies.blogspot.com/2010/07/chapter
-14-life-of-teresa-of-jesus.html

2). The Way of Perfection

  http://www.ccel.org/ccel/teresa/way.html
       ~ ~ ~
      http://carmelite-book-studies--way
    -of-perfct.blogspot.com/2011/04/way-of-perfection-
   chapter-30-st-teresa.html
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Life: Ch. xiv.

...the prayer called
the prayer of quiet.

    2. Herein the soul
      - begins to be recollected;
      - it is now touching on the
              supernatural
      - for it never could
        by any efforts of its own
              attain to this.

   ...in this second degree
      - the water is higher, and
      - accordingly the labour
            is much less than it was
       when the water had to be
            drawn up out of the well...

3. This is a gathering together
         of the faculties of the soul
             within itself,
      ...
- the will alone is occupied ...

   it gives a simple consent to become
      the prisoner of God...

4. The other two faculties
      -  help the will,
          that it may render itself
              capable of the fruition
           of so great a good;

       nevertheless, it occasionally happens,
           even when the will is in union,
           that they
      - hinder it very much:
   [Life: Ch. 14: # 2,3,4]

____________________

[3]

"The soul in quietude before God

insensibly imbibes the sweetness

of His presence

without reasoning about it...

It so joys in the sight

of its Bridegroom's presence

that reasoning on the subject

would be superfluous. . . .

The soul has no need of the memory

during this repose,

for her Lover is with her.

Nor does she want the imagination,

for what use is it to recall the image

either exteriorly or internally

of Him Who is before us ? . . .

O God, eternal God,

when by Thy sweet presence

Thou dost cast sweet perfumes

within our hearts . . .

the will,

like the spiritual sense of smell,

remains peacefully employed

in realising, unwittingly,

the matchless blessing

of having God present
with the soul"

[ S. Francis of Sales,

Treatise of the Love of God,

bk. vi.,ch. ix.]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #2's

Footnote reference #3

The soul is now convinced,

by a feeling

of extreme internal sweetness,

that it must be near our Lord. [3]

_____________________

[4 ]

Castle, M. iv. ch. ii. 6 ;

M. vi. ch. ii. 14.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #2's

Footnote reference #4

The whole creature,

both body and soul,

is enraptured

• as if some very fragrant ointment,

resembling a delicious perfume, [4 ]

Castle, M. iv. ch. ii. 6 ;

the celestial waters

in the depths of our being.

They appear to

- dilate and enlarge us internally,

and

- benefit us in an inexplicable manner,

nor does even the soul itself

understand what it receives.

It is conscious of

what may be described

as a certain fragrance,

as if within its inmost depths

were a brazier sprinkled

with sweet perfumes.

...

Understand me,

the soul does not feel

any real heat or scent,

but something far more subtle,

which I use this metaphor to explain.

Clearly,

it does not arise

from the base coin

of human nature,

but from the most pure gold

of Divine Wisdom.

I believe that in this case

the powers of the soul

are not united to God,

but are absorbed and astounded

at the marvel before them.

...

I believe that in this case

the will must in some way

be united with that of God.

The after effects on the soul,

and

the subsequent behaviour
of the person,

show whether this prayer
was genuine or no:

this is the best crucible

by which to test it.

[Interior Castle:
Mansion 4: Ch. 2: #6]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Castle M. vi. ch. ii. 14.

Our Lord also uses other means

of rousing the soul;

for instance--

when reciting vocal prayer

without seeking to penetrate the sense,

a person may be seized

with a delightful fervour

as if suddenly encompassed

with a fragrance

powerful enough to diffuse itself

through all the senses.

I do not assert

that there really is any perfume

but use this comparison

because it somewhat resembles

the manner

by which the Spouse

makes His presence understood,

moving the soul to a delicious desire

of enjoying Him

and

thus

disposing it to heroic acts,

and

causing it
to render Him fervent praise.

[Interior Castle:
Mansion 6: Ch. 2: #14]

_____________________

[5]

"Often, by the sudden visitation of God,

we arc filled with perfumes

sweeter than any made by man,

so that the soul is enraptured with delight

and, as it were,

caught up into an ecstasy of spirit,

becoming unconscious that it still dwells

in the flesh"

[ Cassian,
Conferences, iv. ch. v. Migne,

P.L., t. xlix. c. 589].

_____________________

[6]

Life, ch. xiv. 8, 9.

Way of Perf., ch. xxxi. 1.

"The Babe, Himself, gave Simeon light

to recognise Him,

as He enlightens the soul

to recognise Him

during the prayer of quiet."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #3's

Footnote reference #6

"The soul does not see the good Master

who teaches it, [6]

although clearly conscious

of His presence"

Life, ch. xiv. 8, 9.

8.... we know that God
    - understands us always,
       and
    - is present with us.
    It is so, and there can be no doubt of it;

   but our Emperor and Lord will
   have us now understand
     - that He understands us;
         and also
   have us understand
       - what His presence bringeth about,
          and that
       - He means in a special way
             to begin a work in the soul,

            which is manifested
             --in the great joy,
                      inward and outward,
                 which He communicates,
                 and
             -- in the difference there is,
                       as I said just now,
                  between this joy and delight
                  and all the joys of earth;

   for He seems to be filling up
         the void in our souls
   occasioned by our sins.

9. This satisfaction
      - lies in the innermost part
            of the soul...

[Life: Ch. 14: #8, 9]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Way of Perf., ch. xxxi. 1.

[ WofP:Ch. 31: #1]

I still want to describe

this Prayer of Quiet to you,

...

It is in this kind of prayer...

that the Lord seems to me

to begin to show us

that He is hearing our petition:

He begins to give us

His Kingdom on earth

so that we may truly

◦ praise Him and

◦ hallow His Name and

◦ strive to make others do so likewise.

This is a supernatural state,

and,

however hard we try,

we cannot reach it for ourselves;

for it is a state

in which the soul enters into peace,

or rather

in which the Lord gives it peace

through His presence,

as He did to that just man

Simeon.

In this state

all the faculties are stilled.

The soul, in a way

which has nothing to do

with the outward senses,

realizes

that it is now very close to its God,

and

that, if it were but a little closer,

it would become

one with Him through union.

...

The just man, Simeon, saw

no more than the glorious Infant

--a poor little Child,

Who, to judge

- from the swaddling-clothes

in which He was wrapped

and

- from the small number
of the people

whom He had as a retinue

to take Him up to the Temple,

might well have been the son

of these poor people

rather than the Son

of his Heavenly Father.

But the Child Himself revealed to him

Who He was.

Just so, though less clearly,

does the soul know Who He is.

It cannot understand

how it knows Him,

yet it sees

that it is in the Kingdom

[ WofP:Ch. 31: #1]

________________

[7 ]

Way of Perf., ch. xxv. 1.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #4's

Footnote reference #7

"When, however,

this most wealthy Bridegroom wishes

to enrich and caress her still more,

He so draws her to Him

that she is like a person fainting

with extreme joy and pleasure. [7 ]"

Way of Perf., ch. xxv. 1.

In this way His Majesty shows

- that He is listening to the person

who is addressing Him, and

- that, in His greatness,

He is addressing her,

suspending the understanding,

putting a stop to all thought,

and, as we say,

taking the words out of her mouth,

so that even if she wishes to speak

she cannot do so,

or at any rate

not without great difficulty.

Such a person understands

that,

without any sound of words,

she is being taught by this Divine Master,

Who is suspending her faculties,

which, if they were to work,

would be causing her harm

rather than profit.

The faculties rejoice

without knowing

how they rejoice;

the soul is enkindled in love

without understanding

how it loves;

it knows

that it is rejoicing
in the object of its love,

yet it does not know

how it is rejoicing in it.

It is well aware

that this is not a joy

which can be attained

by the understanding;

the will embraces it,

without understanding how;

...

It is a gift of the Lord

of earth and Heaven,

Who gives it like the God He is.

This...is perfect contemplation.

[ WofP:Ch. 25: #1]

_____________________

[8]

Isaias lxvi. 12, 13 :

Ad libera portabimini,

et super genua blandientur vobis.

Quomodo si cut mater blandialur,

ita ego consolabor vos,

et in Jerusalem consolabimini .

St. Thomas Aquinas remarks

that in the preceding degrees

the soul loves

and is beloved in return;

it seeks and is sought for,

calls and is called.

But in this, in some wonderful

and unspeakable manner,

it rises and is upraised,

seizes and is seized,

and

is united by the bond of love to God,

in solitude with Him.

Opusc. 65.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #4's

Footnote reference #8

"It only knows

how to enjoy,

sustained as it is by the divine milk

with which its Spouse continues

to nourish it, [8]

and

to increase its virtues

that He may caress it more,

and

that it may deserve daily

to receive new favours from Him."

Isaias lxvi. 12, 13

For thus saith the Lord:

Behold I will bring upon her

as it were a river of peace,

and as an overflowing torrent the glory

of the Gentiles, which you shall suck;

you shall be carried at the breasts,

and upon the knees
they shall caress you.

13
As one whom the mother caresseth,

so will I comfort you,

and you shall be comforted
in Jerusalem.

[Isaias 66: 12,13]

_____________________

[9]

Way of Perf., ch. xxxi. 7.

Castle, M. iv. ch. iii. 9.

The following paragraph is

from the manuscripts

of Las Nieves and Consuegra.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Blog Addition:

Regarding Paragraph #5's

Footnote reference #9

"It knows not

to what to compare this

except the endearments of a mother

who tenderly loves her child,

and feeds and fondles it. [9]

6. Mother and babe;
a comparison."

Way of Perf., ch. xxxi. 7.

...When the will enjoys this quiet,

it should take no more notice

of the understanding

(or imagination )

than it would of an idiot.

If it tries to compel the imagination

to keep it company,

it will perforce be preoccupied and

disturbed and in a state

of painful struggle:

thus, instead of profiting,

the soul will lose what God was giving it

without its having made any effort.

Think well over the comparison

which I am about to make.

Our Lord suggested it to me

in this very state of prayer and

it explains my meaning very clearly.

The soul is here like a babe

at the breast of its mother,

who, to please it, feeds it

without its moving its lips.

Thus it is now, for the soul loves

without using the understanding.

Our Lord wishes it to realise,

without reasoning about the matter,

that it is in His company.

He desires that it should drink the milk

He gives and enjoy its sweetness

while acknowledging

that it is receiving a divine favour, and

that it should delight

in its own happiness.

He does not require the soul to know

how it enjoys this,

nor what it is enjoying,

but to forget itself.

He Who is beside it will care

for its highest interests.

Any effort made to constrain the mind

to take part in what is passing

will result in failure and

the soul will be forced to lose the milk

that is, the divine nourishment.

St. Teresa wrote on the margin

of the Valladolid edition:

This comparison explains

how it is possible to love

without knowing that one loves,

nor what one loves:

a most difficult matter to comprehend.

[ WofP:Ch. 31: #7]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Castle, M. iv. ch. iii. 9

It is not to be supposed

that all these effects are produced

merely by God's having shown

these favours once or twice.

They must be received continually,

for it is on their frequent reception

that the whole welfare

of the soul depends.

I strongly urge those

who have reached this state

to avoid most carefully

all occasions of offending God.

The soul is

not yet fully established in virtue,

but is like a new-born babe

first feeding at its mother's breast:

If it leaves her, what can it do but die?

I greatly fear that

when a soul

to whom God has granted this favour

discontinues prayer,

except under urgent necessity,

it will,

unless it returns to the practice at once,

go from bad to worse.

[Interior Castle: Mansion 4: Ch. 3: #9]

_____________________

[10]

Way of Perf., ch. xviii. 1.

Castle, M. v. ch. i. 10 ;

ch ii. #11.

"The bodily pleasures,"

says St. Bernard,

"which used to intoxicate us like wine,

are superseded by the spiritual delights

that flow from Thy breasts.

The plenitude of grace

which flows from Thy breasts

profits my soul

more than the scathing rebuke

of superiors "

(On the Canticles, serm. ix. 6.

Migne, P.L., t. clxxxiii. c. 817).

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

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 4 - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles - On the Song of Songs