October 13, 2009> 2:22 PM
dark night 1:5:1 I thought it might be helpful to share a bit of St. John of the Cross this week. I'll go through Book 1, Ch. 5 of his Dark Night of the Soul, beginning today with verse 1...
Of the imperfections into which beginners fall with respect to the sin of wrath.
By reason of the concupiscence which many beginners have for spiritual consolations, their experience of these consolations is very commonly accompanied by many imperfections proceeding from the sin of wrath; for, when their delight and pleasure in spiritual things come to an end, they naturally become embittered, and bear that lack of sweetness which they have to suffer with a bad grace, which affects all that they do; and they very easily become irritated over the smallest matter–sometimes, indeed, none can tolerate them. This frequently happens after they have been very pleasantly recollected in prayer according to sense; when their pleasure and delight therein come to an end, their nature is naturally vexed and disappointed, just as is the child when they take it from the breast of which it was enjoying the sweetness. There is no sin in this natural vexation, when it is not permitted to indulge itself, but only imperfection, which must be purged by the aridity and severity of the dark night.
Now, if you can get past the flowery language that belongs to an English translation of 16th century Spanish, this is very, very good stuff. I'll say, first, that many of us, in reading this, should not dismiss ourselves so quickly because he is writing about "beginners." We may not think of ourselves as beginners in the faith. Perhaps we have been in Christ for a long time, as "time" goes, and have even fervently believed and grown in love for Him. Still there may be many ways in which we are all yet "beginners."
I'll go on to sort of define terms a bit: Consolations = Feelings and sensations of God working in our minds, hearts, souls, bodies - maybe an overwhelming feeling of being loved which causes us to cry, become weak in the knees, tremble - maybe God allows us to feel as if we are gathered up in His arms, and we feel this very acutely - perhaps even on to something like an ecstatic state in which we hear and see Him and His words very clearly. Many of my charismatic brothers and sisters will understand some of this. But one need not be "a charismatic" to experience God in this more tangible way in the senses.
Here's the thing though, and part of what St. John is getting at: Certainly these things may happen as we pray or at other times - God may allow them to happen in order to help us at certain times for certain reasons. As with the example of the young child being weened off it's Mother's breast, we should grow to understand that these things, themselves, are not God, and are not necessary in our spiritual life. We should grow not to depend on having these sensory feelings or experiences of God in order to believe that, for instance, He is with us, helping us, teaching us, working on us, loving us. Ideally, we will grow into a maturity that knows these things at all times, without the constant aid of consolations.
More to come about how some of us (yes, maybe even YOU or ME) get really upset when we don't get us some consolations - or even worse, take it out on others. Stay tuned...
October 13, 2009
> 2:22 PM
I thought it might be helpful to share a bit of St. John of the Cross this week. I'll go through Book 1, Ch. 5 of his Dark Night of the Soul, beginning today with verse 1...
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