Conceptions of The Love of God Chapter 6 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 6 Chapter VI. Chapter Contents Treats of the ecstasy of love, and of raptures, during which the soul imagines that it is idle, while God "sets in order charity within it," bestowing upon it heroic virtues. ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 1. How God repays the soul's desire for suffering. 2. Christ the King, 3. The wine. 4. He sets in order charity. 5. The soul during divine union. 6. Love and the will. 7. Merits and graces coming from this prayer. 8. Our Lady overshadowed. 9. Our Lord's delight in the soul. 10. The divine Goldsmith and the jewel. 11. Secrecy of divine union. 12. Its effects upon the soul. 13. Zeal and love produced by it. |
Chapter 6
"THE KING BROUGHT ME
INTO THE CELLAR OF WINE,
HE SET IN ORDER CHARITY IN ME."
1. How God repays
the soul's desire for suffering.
1.
Now that the bride is
resting beneath the shadow
that she desires
— as well she might desire it —
what more remains
for which a soul so promoted can wish,
except that she may never lose
what she possesses ?
There seems to her nothing left
for which to long,
yet there is still far more
for our most holy King to bestow.
Nor does He ever cease
filling the heart
filling the heart
that can hold more.
As I have already told you, daughters,
and as I wish you never to forget:
God is not content to measure His gifts
by our petty desires. [1]
I have sometimes noticed
that when a person asks our Lord
to give him some means
of meriting and suffering for Him,
although he does not ask for more
than he thinks he can bear, [2]
yet His Majesty,
Who is able to increase our strength,
repays the resolve to serve Him
by sending him so many trials,
persecutions and illnesses
that the poor man does not know
what to do. [3]
This happened to me
when I was very young,
so that sometimes I used to say:
"O God,
I did not ask for all that ! "
I did not ask for all that ! "
But He gave me
such fortitude and patience
that I am astonished now at thinking
how I bore these crosses,
which I would not change
for all the treasures of the world.
2. Christ the King,
2.
The Bride says:
"The King brought me."
How the Name of the almighty King
dilates the heart
which recognises
His powers
and
supremacy over all,
and
the eternity of His kingdom !
When the soul is in this condition,
doubtless it realises something
of the greatness of this King,
though to understand it completely
is impossible during this mortal life.
3. The wine.
3.
The bride exclaims:
"He brought me
into the cellar of wine,
He set in order charity in me." [4]
I believe that the grandeur
of this particular favour
is immense.
A person may be given
a larger or a smaller draught,
either of a good or a superior kind,
so that the soul is more or less
intoxicated or inebriated.
Thus it is with our Lord's favours.
To one He gives
a little of the wine of devotion,
to another, more,
to another still He gives so full a cup
that the spirit begins to rise
above self and sensuality
and all earthly things.
Again, God bestows on souls
either a great zeal for serving Him,
impetuous fervour,
or ardent charity for others,
rendering them too inebriated
to feel the severe trials
through which they pass.
A great deal is implied
by the bride's declaring
that "she was brought
into the cellar of wine,"
from which she emerged
endowed with inestimable riches.
4. He sets in order charity.
4.
The King does not appear
to bring her into the cellar of wine
and
to leave her thirsting,
but wishes her
to drink
and
to be inebriated as much as she chooses,
and
to be intoxicated with all the wines
that are in the storehouse of God.
Let her
enjoy its pleasures,
and
admire His grandeur,
nor fear to lose her life by drinking
more than human weakness can bear,
— let her die in this paradise of delights !
Blest is the death that purchases such a life !
Indeed, this really is the case, [5]
for the soul,
without knowing how,
learns such marvellous truths
that it is beside itself,
as the Bride says in the words:
"He set in order charity in me ! "
O words never to be forgotten
by the soul
which our Lord has thus caressed !
O sovereign mercy
which we could never buy
unless God gave us
the purchase-money !
the purchase-money !
5. The soul during divine union.
5.
True,
the soul is not even awake enough to love,
but
blessed is the sleep,
and
happy the inebriation,
which make the Bridegroom supply
what the soul cannot do.
He "sets" it in such wonderful "order"
that,
though all its powers are dead or asleep,
love remains active.
Without knowing how it works,
yet by the ordinance of God,
it works in so wonderful a way
that it becomes one
with the Lord of love,
Who is God Himself.
All this takes place with infinite purity,
because there is no obstacle
in the senses or powers
— I mean,
either in the understanding
or the memory —
nor does the will assert itself.' [6]
6. Love and the will.
6.
I have been wondering
whether there is any difference
between the will and the love.
I do not know
whether it is nonsense,
but I think there must be,
for it appears to me
that love is an arrow
shot by the will,
which, if
aimed with all its force,
freed from all that is earthly,
and
directed solely towards God,
must wound His Majesty in good earnest.
When it has pierced God Himself,
Who is Love,
it rebounds, having won the precious prize,
I will describe.
This is really the case,
as I have heard from those
to whom our Lord has shown
the great favour
of putting them, during prayer,
into this state
of sacred inebriation and suspension
of the faculties.
From what can be observed,
it is evident
that, at the time,
such souls are transported
out of themselves;
Yet afterwards,
if questioned as to what they felt,
they cannot describe it,
for they did not know,
nor could they understand,
this operation of love.
The great benefits
thus gained by the soul
are demonstrated
by the after-effects,
by the virtues, lively faith,
and
contempt of the world gained.
But nothing is known of
how the soul obtains these gifts,
nor what it then enjoys,
except in the first stage
when it feels excessive sweetness.
7. Merits and graces coming
from this prayer.
7.
This is clearly
what the Bride means,
for the wisdom of God here
supplements what is lacking
in the soul
in the soul
and so
ordains matters
that (the soul) gains
extraordinary graces meanwhile;
For how could the soul,
being carried out of itself,
and
so absorbed that the powers
are incapable of action,
otherwise gain any merit ?
Yet, is it possible
that God,
while showing it so immense a favour,
should cause it to
lose time
and
obtain nothing by it ?
Such a thing is incredible. [7 ]
Oh, these divine secrets !
We must
submit our reason
and
own that it is utterly incapable
of fathoming the wonders of the Lord.
8. Our Lady overshadowed.
8.
It would be well to remember
how our Lady the Virgin acted,
wise as she was.
She asked the angel :
"How shall this be done ? " [8]
and when he answered :
"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the Most High
shall overshadow thee,"
she debated no more about it.
Being possessed
of strong faith and judgment,
she recognised at once
that, when these two Powers intervened,
there was room
neither for inquiry
nor doubt.
She was not like some learned men who
have not been led by God
in this way of prayer
and
cannot understand
the first principles of spirituality.
They want to reduce everything to reason,
measuring all matters
by their own intellects,
so that it seems as if they,
with their knowledge,
would be able to comprehend
all the mysteries of God.
If only they would imitate in some degree
the humility
of the most blessed Virgin !
O my Lady !
How perfectly Thou showest us
what takes place
between God and the Bride,
according to the words of the Canticles !
You know, my daughters,
how many quotations there are
from this book
in the antiphons and lessons
of the Office of our Lady,
we recite weekly. [9]
As for other souls,
each one
- can interpret these words for herself,
in the sense
in which God wishes her
to take them,
and
- can easily ascertain whether
she has received any graces
corresponding to the words of the bride:
"He set in order charity within me."
Such souls
do not know
where they have been
nor how, during so sublime a happiness,
they pleased God,
for they gave Him no thanks for this favour.
9. Our Lord's delight in the soul.
9.
O soul beloved by God !
Trouble yourself no more !
While His Majesty
raises you to this state
and
utters such tender words
as He often addresses
to the Bride in the Canticles
— as for instance:
"Thou art all fair, O my love!" [10]
and many others,
in which He shows
how He delights in her,
we may feel sure
that He will not allow you
to grieve Him at such a time,
but will supply for your incapacity
that He may take
still keener pleasure in you.
He sees
that the Bride is
quite lost to herself,
bereft of her senses
for love of Him,
and
that the vehemence of this affection
has deprived her
of the power of thought,
so that she may love Him better,
and could He bear to withhold Himself
from one
who wholly gives herself to Him ?
10. The divine Goldsmith
and the jewel.
and the jewel.
10.
I think that His Majesty is here
enamelling the gold
which He has
refined by His gifts
and
tested in a thousand different ways
(which the soul itself could describe),
to prove the quality
of its love for Him.
of its love for Him.
The soul,
symbolised by the "gold",
symbolised by the "gold",
is meanwhile
as motionless
and
as inactive
as the precious metal itself.
Divine Wisdom,
content with this,
for few love Him thus vehemently,
sets in the ore
many jewels
and
countless enamelled decorations.
And what is the soul doing meanwhile ?
Of this we know nothing,
and
there is no more to be learnt,
save what the Bride tells us :
"He set in order
charity within me."
charity within me."
11. Secrecy of divine union.
11.
If the soul actually loves at the time,
it does
not know how,
nor does it understand what it loves.
The extreme affection borne for it
by the King
Who has raised it to this sublime state
must unite its love to Himself
in a way that the mind
is not worthy of comprehending.
These two loves have now
become but one, [11]
the love of the soul having become
truly incorporated
with that of God.
with that of God.
The intellect cannot attain so far
as to grasp it:
in fact, the mind loses sight of the spirit
during this time,
which never lasts long
but passes quickly.
Meanwhile,
God "sets the soul in order"
God "sets the soul in order"
that it may know
how to please Him,
both then and afterwards,
but, as I repeat,
without the mind being aware of it.
Yet later on the intellect recognises
the fact on discovering
that the soul is
enamelled
and
set with the jewels and pearls
of the virtues.
Then in its astonishment,
it might well exclaim:
"Who is she that cometh forth...
bright as the sun ?" [12]
O true King !
Well may the Bride call Thee
by this name,
for in a single moment
Thou canst so endow and fill
the soul with riches
that it enjoys them for evermore.
What marvellous "order",
love sets in such a soul ! [13]
12. Its effects upon the soul.
12.
I could mention good examples of this,
for I have witnessed several.
I remember how God gave
in three days
such great graces
to a certain person [14]
that,
had I not learnt
by personal observation
that they lasted year after year,
and
that she continued to make progress,
I could not have believed in them,
for they seemed to me beyond credence.
Another person received the same graces
in three months,
— both of them
were very young girls.
I have seen others
who were long
before they obtained this favour,
but I could mention several cases
resembling the two first described,
and
in which the same thing happened.
I spoke of the former to prove to you
that there are exceptions,
although our Lord seldom
grants such favours
unless a soul has passed
through long years of suffering.
It is not for us to set limits
to a Lord so great,
Who longs to confer His graces.
13. Zeal and love produced by it.
13.
This is what usually happens
when God favours a soul
with these graces
— that is,
when they really
are divine graces
and
not illusions or melancholia,
or
the result of any natural effort,
which is always detected later on
by the effects,
as are also divine favours
which have resulted from God
thus drawing near the soul,
for in the latter case
the virtues are too vigorous
and
the love too ardent
to remain concealed.
to remain concealed.
[15 ]
Such a person always helps other souls
even when not intending to do so.
The King "set in order charity within me,"
and
He so sets the soul in order
that
all love for this world quits it,
all love for this world quits it,
self-love changes into self-hatred
and
affection is felt for kindred
solely for the sake of God.
As for the love borne for enemies,
it would be incredible
unless proved by facts.
The soul's love for God
has grown so boundless
as to constrain it
beyond the limits endurable
by human nature,
and,
realising that she
is fainting
and
at the point of death,
such a person exclaims :
"Stay me up with flowers,
compass me about with apples:
because I languish with love." [16 ]
Foot Notes: [1] Supra, ch. iii. 5 sqq. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #1's Footnote reference #1 God is not content to measure His gifts by our petty desires. [1] Supra, ch. iii. 5 sqq. Profit, then, by the virtues He has implanted in you, to act with determination and to despise the obstacles raised by your reason and by your natural weakness, which will increase 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 ] Ah, Lord of heaven and earth, is it then possible, during this mortal life, to enjoy such close friendship with Thee ? Clearly as the Holy Spirit states it in these words, we do not even wish to understand the meaning in the Canticle of Canticles of the caresses, the wooing, and the delights Thou dost bestow upon the soul. [Conceptions: Ch. 3: #12 ] _____________________ [2] Life, ch. v. 3, 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #1's Footnote reference #2 "when a person asks our Lord to give him some means of meriting and suffering for Him, although he does not ask for more than he thinks he can bear, [2] yet His Majesty, Who is able to increase our strength, repays the resolve to serve Him by sending him so many trials" Life, ch. v. 3, 4. ...All the sisters...were afraid of her malady. I envied her patience very much; I prayed to God that He would give me a like patience; and then, whatever sickness it might be His pleasure to send, I do not think I was afraid of any, for I was resolved on gaining eternal good, and determined to gain it by any and by every means. [Life: Ch. 5: #3 ] ... then I had not... that love of God which I think I had after I began to pray. Then, I had only light to see that all things that pass away are to be lightly esteemed, and that the good things to be gained by despising them are of great price, because they are for ever. His Majesty heard me also in this, for in less than two years I was so afflicted myself that the illness which I had, though of a different kind from that of the sister, was...not less painful and trying for the three years it lasted, [Life: Ch. 5: #4 ] _____________________ [3] Way of Perf., ch. xviii. 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #1's Footnote reference #3 yet His Majesty, Who is able to increase our strength, repays the resolve to serve Him by sending him so many trials, persecutions and illnesses that the poor man does not know what to do. [3] Way of Perf., ch. xviii. 1 "...God guides those He loves by the way of afflictions; The dearer they are to Him, the more severe are their trials. ... I feel certain that God gives by far the heaviest crosses to His favourites. The road He chooses for them is so uneven and rugged as to make them fancy that they have lost their way and that they must turn back again and start afresh. Then His Majesty is obliged to give them some refreshment. Water would not be enough; it must be wine. Inebriated with this draught from God they become unconscious of their pain and enabled to sustain it. Thus one rarely finds true contemplatives who are not valiant and resolved to suffer. If they are weak, the first thing our Lord does is to infuse courage into them so that they may fear no trials. ... Our Lord knows for what everybody is suited, and gives each one what is best for her soul, for His own glory, and for the good of her neighbour. [Way of Perfection: Ch. 18: #1 ] _____________________ [4] Life, ch. xviii. 17. Castle, M. v. ch. i. 10 ; ch. ii. 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #3's Footnote reference #4 "He brought me into the cellar of wine, He set in order charity in me." [4] Life, ch. xviii. 17. the two faculties (Intellect and Imagination/memory) begin to drink deep, and to perceive the taste of this divine wine, they give themselves up with great readiness, in order to be the more absorbed: they follow the will, and the three rejoice together. ... God, from time to time, drawing them to Himself. [Life: Ch. 18: #17 ] Our Lord said to me: It(the soul) undoes itself utterly, My daughter, in order that it may give itself more and more to Me: it is not itself that then lives, it is I. [Life: Ch. 18: #18 ] ...the soul is represented as being close to God; and that there abides a conviction thereof so certain and strong, The will must be fully occupied in loving, [Life: Ch. 18: #19 ] ... He seemed to me to be so near... ...it seemed to me... evident that I felt there His very presence. ... He seemed to me to be present Himself: [Life: Ch. 18: #20 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Castle, M. v. ch. i. 10 I was struck by the words of the Bride in the Canticles, which you will remember to have heard: 'The King brought me into the cellar of wine,' (or placed me' I think she says): She does not say (that) she went of her own accord, although telling us how she wandered up and down seeking her Beloved. I think the Prayer of Union is the 'cellar' in which our Lord places us when and how He chooses, but we cannot enter it through any effort of our own. His Majesty alone - can bring us there and - come into the centre of our souls. In order to declare His wondrous works more clearly, He will leave us no share in them except - complete conformity of our wills to His and - abandonment of all things: [Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 1: # 10 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 11. the Bride says that God brought her 'into the cellar of wine and set in order, charity in her''... The soul has so entirely yielded itself into His hands and is so subdued by love for Him that it knows or cares for nothing but that God should dispose of it according to His will. I believe that He only bestows this grace on those He takes entirely for His own. [ Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: # 11 ] All is done for us by Thee, Who dost but ask us to give our wills to Thee that we may be plastic as wax in Thy hands. [ Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: # 12 ] _____________________ [5] Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 5 ; ch. iii. 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #4's Footnote reference #5 Blest is the death that purchases such a life ! Indeed, this really is the case, [5] for the soul, without knowing how, learns such marvellous truths Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 5 Let us ▪ renounce self-love and self-will, ▪ care for nothing earthly, ▪ do penance, ▪ pray, ▪ mortify ourselves, ▪ be obedient, and ▪ perform all the other good works of which you know. ... Die as the silkworm does when it has fulfilled the office of its creation, and you will see God and be immersed in His greatness, as the little silkworm is enveloped in its cocoon. Understand that when I say 'you will see God,' I mean in the manner described, in which He manifests Himself in this kind of union. [Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: # 5 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Castle, M. v. ch. iii. 5. ...But, be sure of this, my daughters: in any case the silkworm must die and it will cost you more in this way. In the former manner, this death is facilitated by finding ourselves introduced into a new life; Here, on the contrary, we must give ourselves the death-blow. I own that the work will be much harder, but then it will be of higher value so that your reward will be greater if you come forth victorious; Yet there is no doubt it is possible for you to attain this true union with the will of God. [Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 3: # 5] _____________________ [6] Life, ch. xx. sqq. Rel. viii. 8. Way of Perf., ch. xxxii. 11. Castle, M. vi. ch.iv. 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #5's Footnote reference #6 All this takes place with infinite purity, because there is no obstacle in the senses or powers — I mean, either in the understanding or the memory — nor does the will assert itself.' [6] Life, ch. xx. sqq. The soul sees distinctly that it seeks nothing but God; ... the imagination forms no representation whatever; and, indeed, as I think, during much of that time the faculties are at rest. [ Life: Ch. 20: #15] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rel. viii. 8. Raptures and trance...are all one... and, indeed, the union of which I am speaking may also be called a trance. The difference between union and trance is this, that the latter (trance) - lasts longer and - is more visible outwardly, because the breathing gradually diminishes, so that it becomes impossible to speak or to open the eyes; and though this very thing occurs when the soul is in union, there is more violence in a trance... ... and the soul is so full of the joy of that which our Lord is setting before it, that it seems to forget to animate the body, and abandons it. [ Relation 8: #8] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Way of Perf., ch. xxxii. 11. While we do not know for what more we could ask, His Majesty never wearies of giving us fresh favours. [ What God gives to souls that have abandoned themselves to His will. ] Not contented with having united such a soul to Himself, He begins to caress it and reveals His secrets to it. ... He deprives such a person of her exterior senses lest they should disturb her. [Way of Perfection: Ch. 32: #11 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Castle, M. vi. ch.iv. 17. By the commands of the Bridegroom, the doors of the mansions and even those of the keep and of the whole castle are closed; for when He intends ravishing the soul, He takes away the power of speech, and although occasionally the other faculties are retained rather longer, no word can be uttered. Sometimes the person is at once deprived of all the senses... for when this profound suspension diminishes the body seems to come to itself and gain strength to return again to this death which gives more vigorous life to the soul. [Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 4: # 17 ] ________________________ [7 ] "It is remarkable that a saint so distinguished for humility and circumspection when writing on spiritual matters should speak so decidedly on the question of the soul gaining merit during ecstatic union " (A. Poulain, Graces d'oraison, ch. xviii. ; p. 255 French ed. of 1906). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #7's Footnote reference #7 Yet, is it possible that God, while showing it so immense a favour, should cause it to lose time and obtain nothing by it ? Such a thing is incredible. [7 ] _____________________ [8] St. Luke, i. 34: Quomodo fiet istud ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #8's Footnote reference #8 She asked the angel : "How shall this be done ? " [8] ___________________ [9] From ancient times it was customary among the Carmelites to recite once a week the Office of our Lady, preferably on the Saturday. This commemoration was raised, in 1339, to the rite of a double. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #8's Footnote reference #9 You know, my daughters, how many quotations there are from this book in the antiphons and lessons of the Office of our Lady, we recite weekly. [9] _____________________ [10] Cant. iv. 7 : Tola pulchra es, arnica mea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #9's Footnote reference #10 "Thou art all fair, O my love!" [10] _____________________ [11] Exclam. xv. 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #11's Footnote reference #11 These two loves have now become but one, [11] the love of the soul having become truly incorporated with that of God. Exclam. xv. 7. Since "My Beloved is to me and I to my Beloved," who will strive to separate and extinguish two such ardent flames ? It would be labour lost, for they are now one. [ Exclamations Or Meditations Of The Soul On Its God. Ch. 15: #7 ] _____________________ [12] Cant. vi. 9: Quae est ista quae progredilur . . . electa ut sol ? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #11's Footnote reference #12 "Who is she that cometh forth . . . bright as the sun ?" [12] _____________________ [13] Life, ch. xvii. 4. Way of Perf., ch. xix. 6. Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 10, 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #11's Footnote reference #13 What marvellous "order", love sets in such a soul ! [13] Life, ch. xvii. 4. Finally, - the virtues are now stronger than they were during the preceding prayer of quiet; - for the soul sees itself to be other than it was, and - it knows not how it is beginning to do great things in the odour which the flowers send forth; - it being our Lord's will that the flowers should open, in order that the soul may believe itself to be in possession of virtue; - though it sees most clearly -- that it cannot, and never could, acquire them in many years, and -- that the heavenly Gardener has given them to it in that instant. - Now, too, the humility of the soul is much greater and deeper than it was before; because it sees more clearly that it did neither much nor little, beyond --- giving its consent that our Lord might work those graces in it, and --- then accepting them willingly. [Life: Ch. 17: #4 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Way of Perf., ch. xix. 6. When God gives you this water... you will under stand... how a genuine love of God that is powerful and freed from earthly dross rises above mortal things... [Way of Perfection: Ch. 19: #5 ] The water of genuine tears, shed during real prayer, is a gift from the King of heaven: it feeds the flames and keeps them alight... [Way of Perfection: Ch. 19: #6 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Castle, M. v. ch. ii. 10, 11. A few years ago --indeed, perhaps but a few days-- this soul thought of nothing but itself. If we tried for many years to obtain such sorrow by means of meditation, we could not succeed. [Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: # 10, ] What is this sorrow, then? Have you not heard... how the Bride says that God brought her 'into the cellar of wine and set in order, charity in her'? ... The soul has so entirely yielded itself into His hands and is so subdued by love for Him that it knows or cares for nothing but that God should dispose of it according to His will. I believe that He only bestows this grace on those He takes entirely for His own. [Interior Castle: Mansion 5: Ch. 2: # 11 ] _____________________ 14 Life, ch. xxxvi. 26. Found., ch. i. 1 sqq. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #12's Footnote reference #14 I remember how God gave in three days such great graces to a certain person [14] Life, ch. xxxvi. 26. Their occupation is to learn how they may advance in the service of God. [Life: Ch. 36: #26 ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Found., ch. i. 1 sqq. Our Lord very quickly - set them free from their vanities, - drew them into His own house, and - endowed them with a perfection so great... ... I used to praise our Lord at the sight of virtues so high, especially for the disregard of everything but His service. [Book of the Foundations: Ch.1: #1 ] _____________________ [15] "The soul cannot bear with itself unless it is suffering something for God " (Letter to Don Lorenzo de Cepeda of January 17, 1577) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #13's Footnote reference #15 when they really are divine graces... which is always detected... by the effects... which have resulted from God thus drawing near the soul, for in the latter case the virtues are too vigorous and the love too ardent to remain concealed. [15 ] _____________________ [16] Cant. ii. 5: Fulcite me floribus, stipate me malis quia amore langueo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blog Addition: Regarding Paragraph #13's Footnote reference #16 "Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples: because I languish with love." [16 ] |
End of Conceptions of The Love of God Chapter 6 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" |
Note: Attempt was made to display the quotes of the other books being cited by the editor's foot notes. But, they may not be the actual intended passages that were cited by the editor since the editions/translations used by the editor may have different paragraph numbering than those available to this blog. |
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