Thursday, June 21, 2012

Conceptions of The Love of God - Chapter 7 Discussion - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus - On the Canticle of Canticles - On the Song of Songs


             Discussion of  Chapter 7  

                               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 7  
       Summary  or Highlights

   The Soul Languishes with  Love
       Desiring to Leave Life 
              in order to See God
            ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
   The Bride Prays for Strength 
             to Follow God's Will 
       "Stay me up with flowers, 
         Comfort me with apples: 
          because I languish with love."
                       [Canticles 2: 5 ]
            ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
  Now, Desiring to Labor and Suffer for God
  
     Desiring to Help Others for God
         St. Teresa Differentiates Between 
          Works performed solely for God's Sake
                      and
          Works mixed with Self-Interst 
     
            ▪ Works performed solely for God's Sake
               Good works mixed with  self-interest
                 ▫ Concern for Esteem or Reward
                 ▫ Concern for Security or Outcome
                        Equivocation in the name 
                        of Prudence. 
                 ▫ Concern when others are not
                             following in our footsteps
            ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
    The Life of Love and Labor for God:
      The Contemplative and Active Life Joined
             ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
    St. Teresa's Intention for this Book 




   The Soul Languishes with  Love

      Desiring to Leave Life 
           in order to See God
           "...She sees herself 
                   still far away from God...
           As, year by year 
           her yearning after Him 
                    gradually becomes keener, 
           she experiences the bitter suffering"
                         [Interior Castle: Mansion 6:
                                 Ch.11: #1  ]
   
          "Alas, alas, Lord ! 
           How long this exile lasts ! 
           What torture does it give me 
           from my yearning to possess my God ! 
           Ah, Jesus, how long is mortal life...     
                   ...very long and weary to the soul 
           that desires to be in God's presence !"
                   [Exclamations Or Meditations "
                    Of  The Soul On Its God. 
                    Ch.  14: # 1, 2  ]
           "...No life so bitter, 
           none so sad as mine 
           while exiled from my Lord... 
      
           For though to love be sweet, 
           yet hope deferred Is wearisome:
           From life's long banishment, 
                  God, relieve me !  ..."
           So that I die because I do not die. ...
                   [Poem 2: The Soul's Desire. 
                    Minor Works Of St. Teresa 
                    Conceptions of the Love Of God 
                    Exclamations, Maxims And Poems ]
          "it complains of the continuance 
                   of its bodily life, 
           by which the spiritual life is delayed..."
          "the grief felt by the soul 
                   at its separation from God."                                    
                   [ Notes for Poem #2 
                    Minor Works Of St. Teresa 
                    Conceptions of the Love Of God 
                    Exclamations, Maxims And Poems ]
           "...My God ! 
            How long must I languish 
                   for Thy presence ?   ...
            Oh tedious, oh painful, oh dying life !
            What lonely solitude ! ...     
            How long, Lord, 
                   how long shall it endure ?  ...
            Shall I desire not to desire Thee?  
                   [ Exclamations Or Meditations 
                     Of  The Soul On Its God."
                     Ch. 6: # 1, 2 ]
          "My Jesus is not here ! ...
           Love and desire of Thee 
           Are of my life the breath ; 
           Let me but look on Thee, 
           Then send me death ! ...

           Whilst far Thou art from me ; 
             Life is but living death
           I live not, save with Thee
           When will that day draw near 
           Which ends my exile here ? 
           O Thou all good and sweet, 
                 Jesus of Nazareth ! 
           Let me but look on Thee, 
           Then send me death ! "
                     [Poem 36: The Soul's Desire. 
                       Before The Crucifix. 
                       By Isabel Of Jesus
                     Minor Works Of St. Teresa 
                     Conceptions of the Love Of God 
                     Exclamations, Maxims And Poems ]
           "Sometimes love is so strong 
             as to dominate over the powers of nature."
           "she was at the point of death 
                   in consequence of
               - her extreme longing to see God
                          and 
               - the excessive sweetness experienced
                    by her at feeling herself 
                        caressed by Him 
                              and 
                        melted by love for Him. 
            While plunged in this delight,  
             her soul desired
                  never to emerge from it, 
                        and 
             death was no longer painful, 
                  but most delicious, 
             for she lived by longing to die."
                           [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 2]
           "to end your life at once. 
            And indeed, 
            when the soul has reached this state, 
                   it has no dearer wish."                    
                        [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 1]
           "death...would bring it great joy, 
             since it is for this 
                   that it longs. 
             How blest the death 
                   inflicted by such love ! "
                         [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 3]







   The Bride Prays for Strength 

             to Follow God's Will 
          "Stay me up with flowers, 
            Comfort me with apples: 
                  because I languish with love."
                       [Canticles 2: 5 ]
         
          "....His Majesty at times 
            bestow the light to see 
                  that it is well to live...
     
            Thus, to be delivered 
                  from this overwhelming boon, 
             the soul petitions for another grace, 
             crying: 
                  "Stay me up with flowers !" 
                       [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 3]
           "Sometimes they long 
                  to die and be in safety
             but then 
             their love at once 
                  makes them wish to live 
                  in order to serve God...
            Therefore they commit 
                  all that concerns them 
                  to His mercy.      
                       [Interior Castle: Mansion 7:
                         Ch. 3: # 14 ]
             
           "O my soul, 
              submit to the will of thy God: 
                     [ Exclamations Or Meditations 
                        Of  The Soul On Its God."
                        Ch. 6: # 5 ]
           "the soul's longings for death 
                  do not abate 
             meanwhile nor can its sorrows 
                  be stilled or allayed 
             until God brings it comfort.                

             ...the true Comforter 
             consoles and strengthens the heart, 
              which thus becomes resigned 
                    to live 
              as long as He wills.          
                    [ Interior Castle: Mansion 6:
                       Ch. 11: #  9 ]
                         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           "I was thinking 
                    how hard it was to remain alive, 
             seeing that it was living on 
                    that robbed us 
             of that marvellous companionship; 
             and so I said to myself: 
            'O Lord, show me some way 
                 whereby I may bear this life!'
             He said unto me: 
            'Think, my child,
             when life is over,
                 thou canst not 
                     - serve Me 
                       as thou art serving Me now
                                  and
                     - eat for Me, 
                                  and 
                     - sleep for Me. 
             Whatsoever thou doest,
                 let it be done for Me
              as if thou wert no longer living, 
                 but I
              for that is what St. Paul said."  
                       [ Relation 9: #19]
                    "Vivo autem, jam non ego: 
                      vivit vero in me Christus."
                      And I live, now not I; 
                     but Christ liveth in me. 
                           [Galat  2: 20]



  


  Now, Desiring to Labor and Suffer for God

          "Stay me up with flowers !" 
                         [Canticles 2: 5 ]
          "The flowers symbolise good work"
          "I understand by this 
               that the Bride is begging 
            that she may perform great works 
               in the service of 
                    God 
                               and 
                        her neighbour,                               
           for the sake of which 
           she gladly forfeits 
               her own joys and consolations. 
                        [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #4]
         "But rather to seek for life 
           that you may render 
               some service to Him 
           to Whom you are conscious 
               you owe so vast a debt. 
                         [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 1]
         "Yes, for I desire to preserve my life
           in order 
               to serve God and 
               to suffer for Him.
                          [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #4]
         "she is petitioning for an intention 
               of seeking solely 
          for the honour and glory of God
               in all things. 

          ...oblivious of their own loss or gain.  
                        [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #6]
         "Forgetting themselves 
               for the sake of God
           in order to please Him better"
                       [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #6]
          Their one thought 
               is to serve and please God
    
          ...leaving their own comfort...
               to gratify Him 
          by helping and teaching their neighbour 
          in order that they may profit his soul...
          and they will even lose their lives
               if need be, 
          as did many of the martyrs."
                        [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #6]
         "after having been in intimate converse 
               with His Majesty for several years, 
           now that they receive 
               caresses and consolations from Him, 
           do not hesitate to undergo 
               fatiguing labours for Him 
           even at the cost of these delights and joys."
           In my opinion 
           these flowers are good works,       
               springing from 
                       and 
               produced as they are 
           by the tree of fervent love"
                       [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #8]
         "These are the apples 
               of which the Bride cries: 
          'Compass me about with apples
               Send me crosses, Lord! 
               Send me persecutions!'
          Indeed, she sincerely desires them... 
     
          For as she no longer cares 
               for her own pleasure, 
          but solely for pleasing God
          she delights in imitating, 
               in some degree, 
          that most painful life led by Christ. 
          I believe that the apple tree 
               signifies the Tree of the cross,   
                       [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #9]
         
        "This is the end and aim of prayer...
          This is the reason 
            of the spiritual marriage 
        whose children are always good works
        Works are the unmistakable sign 
        which shows these favours 
            come from God..."
                    [ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:
                       Ch. 4: # 10 ]
        "If His Majesty proved 
               His love for us 
         by such stupendous labours
               and sufferings,
         how can you seek to please Him 
               by words alone?"
                  [ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:
                     Ch. 4: #   11]
   Desiring to Help Others for God
           "to see souls 
                  helped by our means 
             must be one of the greatest joys 
                  in this world;
             Then it is, 
                     as it appears to me, 
             that we eat the most delicious fruit 
                     of these flowers."
                      [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #7]
            "my soul...
                     gladly leaving its own delight, 
                     moved by the hope 
             that it may incite souls
                     to strive to attain (God)."
                        [Exclamations Or Meditations 
                          Of  The Soul On Its God. 
                          Ch. 2: #3 ]
            "The greatest service we can render Thee 
               is to leave Thee, 
               for the sake 
                of loving and aiding them. 
               Then do we possess Thee most entirely, 
               for, though our will enjoy Thee less, 
               yet love delights to please Thee."
                      [ Exclamations Or Meditations 
                        Of  The Soul On Its God. 
                        Ch. 2: #  4]
            "as they 
              - advance farther in this prayer 
                      and 
                 - receive more consolations 
                      from our Lord, 
           they become more anxious 
                    about the happiness and salvation 
                      of their neighbour, 
              especially as regards his soul, 
              for...they would sacrifice their lives 
                      again and again 
           to rescue one soul from mortal sin. " 
                           [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 10]
          "Our Lord asks 
            but two things of us: 
               love
                    for Him 
                       and 
                   for our neighbour"
                           [ Interior Castle: Mansion 5:
                              Ch. 3: # 7]
        "The most certain sign 
          that we keep these two commandments 
          is that we have a genuine love for others
          We cannot know 
          whether we love God...  
          but there can be no doubt about 
          whether we love our neighbour or no. 
                                                             
  
          Be sure that in proportion 
          as you advance in fraternal charity
          you are increasing in your love of God...
          ...we could not feel a perfect charity 
                  for our neighbour 
          unless it were rooted in the love of God." 
                     [ Interior Castle: Mansion 5:
                        Ch. 3: #   8 ]

  St. Teresa Differentiates Between 

        Works performed solely for God's Sake
                      and
        Works mixed with Self-Interst 

    ▪ Works performed solely for God's Sake

      "The King 'set in order charity within me' 
                    and 
         He so sets the soul in order that
                    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."
                     [Conceptions: Ch. 6: #13]
      "Since we must live, 
          let us live solely for Thee,  
          relinquishing all desires, all self-interest, 
          for what can profit us more 
                 than to please Thee ?"
                   [ Exclamations Or Meditations 
                      Of  The Soul On Its God. 
                      Ch.  14: #5  ]
        "They never calculate as to 
          whether they will lose by it themselves, 
          but think about the welfare of others 
                 and of nothing else"
                 [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #7]
        "Their words are interpenetrated 
                 with this supreme love for God
          so that they never think, 
                 or 
          if  they think, they do not care, 
          whether they offend men 
                 by what they say."
        "Such people do immense good."
                 [Conceptions: Ch. 7: #7]



  

  ▪ Good Works Mixed with  Self-interest

       "Such people 
                serve God 
                          and 
                do great good, 
         yet I do not think 
                that these are the flowers 
                for which the Bride begs"
                [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 6]


    ◦ Concern for Esteem or Reward

        Although working "for the profit of souls, 
        yet...not so free 
                from desire of worldly advantages 
        as not to try to please his audience, 
                either to win honour and credit 
                    for himself, 
                or to obtain preferment 
                    by his eloquence. 
        It is the same in other ways; 
        Certain people are anxious 
                to help their neighbour 
        notably and with a good intention, 
                still they are very wary  
        about losing by it or giving offence".
                [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 5]





   ◦ Concern for Security or Outcome

       Equivocation in the name of Prudence 
       "They 
         - dread persecution, 
         - wish to keep on good terms with
                royalty, the higher classes, 
                and the general public, 
                      and 
        - act with the moderation 
                highly rated by the world, 
           but which screens many imperfections 
             under the name of prudence."
                    [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 5]







   ◦ Concern when others are not

            following in our footsteps
       "Let us look 
            at our own faults, 
                 and 
            not at other persons.
        We ought 
         - not to insist on every one 
            following in our footsteps, 
         - nor to take upon ourselves 
             to give instructions in spirituality 
         when, perhaps, we do not even know 
            what it is. 
         ...we might often learn a great deal...
         from the very persons whom we censure."
              [ Interior Castle: Mansion 3:
                 Ch.2: # 19  ]
       "They will have (want) everybody else
               to be very spiritual also."
                 [Life: Ch. 13: #11]
         "carried away by a zeal for virtue,
           through the pain which the sight
           of the sins and failings of others
              occasions them.

           Satan tells them that this pain arises only
              - out of their desire
                   that God may not be offended, 
                        and     
              - out of their anxiety
                   about His honour"
                 [ Life, ch. 13: #  14 ]
     
         "but may cause her 
           - to think every small fault 
               she sees in (others)
             (is) a serious crime, 
                and 
           - to watch constantly 
              whether they do anything wrong...
              
          At the same time, 
           maybe she never notices 
                 her own shortcomings 
           because of her great zeal 
                 about other people's 
                    religious observance"
                        [ Interior Castle: Mansion 1:
                           Ch.2: # 19  ]
         "Let us labour...always to consider
                 the virtues and the good qualities
                 which we discern in others..."
                          [Life, ch. 13: # 15]



  











   The Life of Love and Labor for God:

      The Contemplative and Active Life Joined 
      "When the soul has reached this state, 
      Martha and Mary always act together".
                [ Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 4]
      "The soul is 
        living the active and contemplative life 
             at once
                       and 
        able to apply itself to 
               works of charity 
                       and the 
               affairs of its state..."
                       [ Life: Ch. 17: #6]
      "God grants a great favour 
               to these souls,
        for the contemplative and active life 
               are here combined. 
        Thus the whole being serves Him
        for the Will, 
        while rapt in contemplation, 
               works without knowing how, 
                     and 
        the other two powers 
        (intellect and imagination/memory)
               share Martha's labour 
        thus Martha and Mary toil together.
                         [ Way of Perfection: 
                             Ch. 31: #4]
       "I would have us strive...
               to offer our petitions 
                           and 
               to practise prayer, 
        not for our own enjoyment 
        but to gain strength to serve God.  ...
        Both Martha and Mary must 
               entertain our Lord 
                       and 
               keep Him as their Guest, 
        nor must they be so inhospitable 
        as to offer Him no food. 
        How can Mary do this 
               while she sits at His feet, 
        if her sister does not help her? 
                [ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:
                   Ch. 4: # 17, 18 ]
  
        His food is 
               that in every possible way 
        we should draw souls to Him
        so that they 
               may be saved 
                       and 
               may praise Him for ever.   ...
                  [ Interior Castle: Mansion 7:
                     Ch. 4: # 17, 18 ]







   St. Teresa's Intention for this Book 

      My intention
      when I began to write the present book, 
           was to show you 
       ▪  how to enjoy the words 
                 of the Canticle of Canticles 
           when you hear them, 
                         and 
       ▪ the way to meditate 
                on the great mysteries 
                    which they contain
                obscure as they may seem to you."
                [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 12]
       ▪ That it may serve God 
           "May it all tend to serve His Majesty !" 
    She attributes its source to God; 
      Not to her own understanding
          "If there is anything good  
                in these writings 
           you may be sure
                it is not my own
           as the sisters here can bear witness, 
           for they know 
                how hurriedly I have written it, 
           because of my many duties. 
                   [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 13]
    She Asks for Prayers
          "Beg His Majesty to teach me 
                to understand it by experience. 

           Let any one among you 
           who thinks that she has received 
                     some of these favours,
           - thank our Lord for them 
                      and 
           - ask Him to grant them to me, 
             so that she may not be 
                     the only one who profits. 
           May our Master 
           uphold us with His hand, 
                     and 
         teach us ever to fulfil His will !
           Amen."
                      [Conceptions: Ch. 7: # 13]







             End of the Discussion of

                       
       Conceptions of The Love of God

                           Chapter 7  
              ( The Last Chapter) 
                  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"