interior castle explored_ st. teresa's teaching on the life of deep union with god - ruth burrows

8/16/2019 Interior Castle Explored_ St. Teresa's Teaching on the Life of Deep Union With God - Ruth Burrows

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nterior Ctle Exlored


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INTERIOR CASTLEEXPLORED

S. Terea Tecng on e Lfeof Deep Unon w God

Ruth Burrows

W/V Publ ub


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This edition published 982 bySeed and Ward Ltd.,

2 Creecurch LaneLondon EC3A 5AQ

and Yertas Pubictions

7 & 8 Lower Abbey Street,Dubn (fo te Repbi o Ieand ony).

Copyrigt © 98 by Ruth BurrowsFirs pubised 98

Nii Obstat: Anton Cowan Censor

mprimatur: Rt Rev. Mg Raph Brown UG.Westmnser 8 December 980

Printed n the Repubic o eand byMount Saus Press td

SB 0 220 448 6


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Contents

ntrodution

Frt Mnion 6

Seond Mnin 0

hird Mnion 7

Fourth Mnion : Prt 36

Fourth Mnon Prt 6

Fifth Mnion 7

Sixth Mnion 90

Sevenh Mnion 110

Conuion 17

Digrm howing reltion of Exeriene orFvour' to dierent tge of ryer in nomllght off nd rre lght on te 10


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Acknowledgements

The uthor nd ubliher re grteful to the following for er

miion to ue extrt from work ublihed by themBurn & Ote Ltd for Cmplee k f SJhn f he C

edited by E Alion PeerCmbrige Univerity Pe for The nepean f he

uh Gpel by C H DoddDrton Longmn & Todd Ltd for Le Eneau Le

Expene by Willim VnoneFber & Fbe Ltd for Rep Gec by Niko Kntzki


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Inroducion

If I sueed in my aim ths oo wi have a twofod harate; itwi indeed e a ommentary on St eesas nterr Catle andsomeone shoud e ae to read that wor sowy tun to thisone and nd every important point euidated at the sametime if it is a true epesentation of that assi then it shoudstand in its own riht as a usefu uide to a ife of union withGod

I annot imaine how any thouhtfu reader oud fai to e

impressed y St eresa's witns even thouh he does not ndthem attrative even thouh he nds himsef ewideedpehaps put off hey in with authentiity Here is a womanwho suey kn. She isn't mery speuatin deduin sheisnt eyin on what others have said. Here is one with a we ofivin nowede within her and it s from this she is dawin a

the time . Her ompete ertainty is overwhemin (and that inspite of the inevitae emotiona inseurity that must attendour morta stte she nows she is etain that what Jesus waspoaimin what au John and others have tried to expressof man's utimate destiny of ein with Christ in God one spiritwith him who is Sprt has eome even in this ife a ivin

eaty in he. o he t is no oner a matter of ein aed toit ein on the way to it or her it has happened the indomof God has ome in her in its overpowerin tansformin truth and she tes us as John of the Cross wi iewise te us thatthis is tre of few in their earthy sojourn eesa is aware thatshe has a ivin nowede nown to few and that she is a ed to

ommuniate this nowede to othes: a whoy new dimension of human existene whih an never e nown theoretiay ut ony y movin into it and ivin thee It is that whiheye has not seen nor ear heard and what the heart of man

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aot oee Neertheess we a set our feet rmy othe path hat eads to hs wsdom ad what ese s fe or? apath that , beause of our huma prde whh bds us, s ot anoous oe

We aot afford o dsmss wtesses to the truth of ourhuma exstee, ruh whh s teray a matter of fe addeath smpy beause they dot happe to sut our aste, do tk wth us ad aow us to fee perfety j used tur tohose more oea to us ad most proay, ess hae- There are o may suh wtesses to he sheer mea of

fe at east there are ot may who hae bee edowed, asTeresa was, wth the abty to ook at, aayse ad desrbe, therow proess of ther fe Chrs. Surey t s our duty towreste wth ther modes of expresso stru to exratthe sh bas ruh from wha, eause t has a the reatyof a partuar huma experee, wrte a paruar

mate of deas ad terary forms, s etaby obsure attmes ad ee mseadBeause am deepy oed of the eormous mportae

of Teresas eah ad ha few f ay, hae spoke whreater kowede (et aoe the fat that as a Carmete amboud to a ose sudy of her who embodes the harsm of our

order hat hae oer o years, tred o uderstad adear from her a y had dfutes to oerome. or oeth she wast my up of ea , as we say , thouh ow dher more o my ase smpy beause uderstad her betterBut the was up aas a er proem ommo wth amy brohers ad ssers he order was odtoed o

reard her wth awe as our seraph Mother whose eeryword amost was spred Aedote o aedote ed oe tohk hat her teah ame dret from God, paruary hatof the Itero Cstle Why she was see estasy as she wrote ad she hersef suess that wha she wroe seems to haee e rather tha ome from hersef What emerty

the to suest tha perhaps ow ad the she was msake oree that she dd o express hersef eary ad was ot awaysosset Dare oe ueso hat perhaps the teetua,theooa, erary toos aaabe were ofte adeuate ad

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umsy for what she was tryin to ommuniate. Suh thinkinoud rin seraph eresa down into the same inaeuateunsatisfatory humdrum word as ourseves I speak of manyyears ao and what I say may we ause my modern reader tosmie But the difuty was rea enouh to me and had to emastered Jesus was my answer as he is the answer to everythin he servant is not reater than the Master o aeptJesus is to aept the human stuation fuy it is to aepthistory that eah of us is in history and therefore onditionedas he was y our times the imate of ideas the prejudies andso orth Why shoud ersa e a seraph when Jesus was not?We are not anes she hersef roundy proaims ut men

Jesus inner knowede transended every possie expres-son even to himse Is ths too hard for s to rasp? It seemseyond dout that he expeted the end o the word very soonpossiy with his own death and this eause ofhis vivid aware

ness that God was atin n him workin a tremendous workthrouh him he end of the word has not yet ome Was Jesusmistaken? In a superia sense yes n the deepest senseasoutey no His insiht was of the depth of God of the depthof Gods deain with and purpose for man Jesus spoke from adepth he hmsef oud not e fuy aware of oud not fuy

transate nto human onepts and when he tried to of neessity it was within the totay inadeuate imaes thouht patterns and expetanies o his t ime . his was part of the reaty ofhis humanness o deny this to hm is to deny his humanity.What he kew was utter truth and what he uttered was uttertruth in its deepest meann What more true than in hs death

and resurretion the word ame to an end? his word orderrumes and fas apart and a new one omes into existene he kndom of God omes n power as the kindom of thisword s overthrown We ant think in terms of the oetivewhen we are dean with suh proound reaities hekndom of God omes ony insofar as t omes into ndi

viduas . he human heart must reeve it otherwise it does notome . o reeive this kindom the od word in us must haveeen overthrown o reeive the kindom we must e ornaain n the travas of rth . o ve the new ife we must de to

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te od ruy te ed of te word as comee comi of te idom ito te idiidua eart, te

reat eartuae, te oerturi of tis word order i teEaster eet, is wat eresas teaci is a aout It may semaa to say it is wat se, ad Jo of te Cross mea y super-atura or mystica prayer. Haceyed, tecica, uy wordsfor te most profoud ti tat ca appe to a creature.

It is a passae from tis word to te ater , a moi ito awoy ew word We tis appes, te our word ascome to a ed te word of es ouded y our materiaei ad its iaiity to eter te idom of te ater

Here I seem to e ii two irds wit oe stoe o te oead prepari my readers for a uaased , critica ut itesey admiri searc ito eresas writis, ad a iterpretatio i moder terms; ad o te oter, at te eryoutset , eradi te teme of tis oo tat wat eresa is

tai aout is te ry eart of Jesu ow reeatio . It is teprofoudest reaity of our existece as uma eis e sustace of tis commetary came ito ei as o

Suday eeis i witer my sisters i Carme woud i teirumiity, come to iste to my attempts to expore te masios eir respose ecouraed me. e ideas ae ee

wored oer costaty, some of tem expressed aew to ayouer audiece for wom te suject matter was etireyoe It is to my commuity ot tose wo are my compaios ad frieds of o years ad te ewcomers euaydear, tat tis oo is offered wit oe ad ratitude It isoffered too, to a my roters ad sisters i Carme as we

prepare to ceerate te four ceteary of eresas deatere are may oters aso to wom I owe ratitude for wattey ae sared wit me ad wo ae eped me to cariyad deepe my isits. o tem aso I offer tis oo witaffectio.

Wat is eresa ersefti of tis attempt of mie I fee

codet o oe score ad tat is tat se ejoys my costatcuriosity wit er caste ad my exporatios Cosideriow stricty coistered you are, my sisters ow few oppor-tuities you ae for recreatio . ti it wi e a reat co

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soation for you to tae your deiht in this nterior caste ,or you can wa about in it at any time wthout asi eavefrom your superiors What is more she ied her dauhters tobe darin in ove , wiiny to tae riss ad not be afraid ofooin fooish . his boo, whatever its merits or demerits,sprins from ove. I thin I hear her sayin, n my sou,dauhte or the Spanish euivaent you certainy have hada ood try '

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First Mansion

Every tme I read the rst few pararaphs of the Iteio CsleI am stru anew y the eauty of them Behnd these ownwords s an mpassoned heart pourn out ts prase ove andrattude tryn to awaen others to the azn reaty nwhh she aready ves and n whh we too an ve for t s ourdestny eresa hersef seems to have een enhanted wth themae of the rysta aste ths orent pear so eautfu andrespendent' She deared to a frend that t was not of her

devsn ut was ven to her n a vson . hs eesta udnwhh s wthn us s our sou aas so tte understood ymortas It s omposed of a vast numer of rooms aoveeow around and n the nnermost hamer dwes the n .Is t any wonder that the dwen of suh a Kn so mhty sopure and so fu of a that s ood' e ovey eyond ompare?

After a s not our sou made n the very mae of God?We nd ourseves somewhat emarrassed y eresa's dua-st noton of sou and ody we are vn n these odes we possess sous the ody s ony the rouh settn of thedamond' or the outer wa of the aste' . But t need not worryus Condtoned as she was y the thnn of her tmes as we

are y ours she oud not have expressed hersef otherwse What we have to do s see what eresa s reay sayn aoutthe sou . She s sayn that t sfo God; t s a apaty for God he s ts entre and a ts eauty s eause of hm hs sou thsaste of mmeasurae eauty and apaty s ourseves. It sthere ths wonder nvtn exporaton and possesson even to

the nnermost room where the most seret thns pass etweenGod and the sou and we are ontent to stay n the outer ourtsf we hoose to enter at a or her sprtua rowth s seen as aourney nward a penetraton oft hs nteror aste . In her un

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derstandn te aste s ledy thee our sous are, so tospeak edy mde we ave ony to et to know tem y entern n Tere is a proem ut se avoids it y not seein it Butto say tat we are not yet in our aste at east not in any ut teoutermost ourt , s rea y sayin te mansions areot thee yettey ome nto exstene So important is tis nsit, wiTeresa raspedpctclly ut did not express eary in er useof a stati mae for understandn wat se as te supernatura work of God and ater as infused or mystia ontempation , to expound wi , is er reason for writin te ook,tat we must enare upon i t .

Man, to use te assia expresson, s a apaity for God nike every oter form of ife tat we know of, e does notome into te word ready made . Te ay anma is anima woe and entre It rows, reaes maturity and fumentwitin te ounds of its own en and te word around t. Te

uman reature, ts ein made up of te same stuff as teword and trown up y its evouton is not ready made Itomes nto te word nompete, wt no possiiity of ompetion wtn tsef or witin te ounds of te materia wordIt s a apaty, a possiiity; a apaity tat may never e ed,a possity tat may never e reaised, for in tis instane te

reature as a oie. Man is a apaty for God, e omes intoexistene nsofar as e onsents to e wat e is a forGodness Te uman en is not a man unti te possiiitywi e s is totay reaied, te apaity w e is, expanded to its mts ed wit a te funess of God . Man, wemaintain, ot thee yet In Teresas imaery, te mansions

arent tere yet , just te foundation stones . Tey are to e uity te Master ui der insofar as we onsent to work wit imHad Teresa any idea wen se tout of er mod on

sousy uotin te text of Jon 14:2 of an od interpretationof tis sripture text M usuay transated as mansion ordwein pae an euay mean a stainnn, a pae were

traveers may stop for a wie as tey journey Su stoppnpaes woud e aon freuented routes. Jesus oud we esayin tat , wit my ater, tere are many su staininnsI am oin away to make it possie for you to use tem a , to

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pass from oe to aoter ut you rea te "dwe paewere I am, te aters eart .

dea tat we are ot tere yet tat we ae to eomesa we say, I ae to eome me ad my me as to eomeGodds rm ass srpture ts tak of e or aew,a ew reato somet woy ew ad oter om toexstee e oept of te dstto etwee sprt ades s partuary mportat for our teme or ot au adJo, es seems to date smpy wat s ot God uste uma e tsef s es . Sprt stads for te Godream God s sprt , e aoe a ommuate sprt ad wate toues eomes sprt Neer a es mout up to reasprt sprt stoops dow to tou es , uke t wtew, sprtua fe, w s te fe of God msef Wat sor of te es s es es a eer eerate sprtwats or of sprt s sprt It s sprt tat es fe es s ood

for ot es ad ood aot peetrate te mysteres ofGod A tat a e sad of ma wo s es s tat e s opeto spr t , e as te apaty to e toued y ad trasformedto sprt eom oe sprt wt te Lord wo s Spr t Hswoe desty es e or aa to sprt We, tsook we speak of sprt ad sprtua , t s aways wt te

mea e ere uess dated We are eer aow aopposto etwee sou ad ody We we use sprt , or sou ,we oose to use tem syoymousy tou eresa makes adstto etwee te two words we mea te woe persosofar as tey ae ee toued y God ad are e trasformed to sprt It s oy we es as eome sprt totay

tat we ae ma . If ma ooses to rema es, as a easyappe, e remas a sreed parody of umaess, ke aaorted emryo. We Jesus tes us tat we must eome asdre, s ts wat e s mea? Jo s story of Jesusad Nodemus seems to say tat Jesus wats us to rasp tat,tou we tk of oursees as rowup me ad wome

kowedeae ersed ee reous matters we are otyet tere, we are ompete, udeeoped, ke fats . eess ta tat, says Jesus to Nodemus You ae yet to eor

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I t soud ready be undestood tat Gods ommunatonof msef s aordn to te apaty tat s tere to reeem . Hs oe st embraes te aboted embryo umby offe-n tsef but te poor tn smpy asnt te apaty to reazet et aone respond Suey t s mpossbe tat anyone eer

as remaned so tota y osed tat not n one sne nstane as t responded And eery esponse, no matter ow feebe means a beomn

In te ery rst erses of te bbe we read of te Spt of Godbroodn oer te dar waters of aos and an tns ntoben. Ts prma teme runs trou te bbe our God s a

n ommunatn God. He as nto exstene wat s notand as nto fuer exstene wat s. He as te wnds tewaes te stars . He es msef to eerytn tat s aord-n to ts apaty to eee m be t te rass and owers ofte ed te poor worm te ny beast or man Ony man aste power to respond to God onsousy to answer te aTs abty to ear te a and to answer t s wat maes manman I found een det n a poem by Nos Kazantzas aCretan poet I do not now s beefs but as t stands te poemwonderfuy expresses wat I beee

Bown trou te eaen and eart and n our eats andn te eart of eery n tn, s a ant breat a eatCry w we a God ant fe wsed to ontnue tsmotoness seep next to stanant waters but te Cry eapedup wtn t and oenty oo ts roots: Away et o of teeart wa ' Had te tree been abe to tn and jude twoud ae red I dont want to . Wat are you urn me todo You are demandn te mpossbe But te Cry wtout pty ept san ts roots and sout-n

'Awa

!

Let o of te eart wa It shout n ts way for tousands of eons; and o as a esutof dese an stue fe esaped te motoness tree andwas berated .Anmas appeared worms man temsees at ome nwater and mud Were just ne , tey sad We ae peae

and seurty we're not budn' But te terbe ry ammered tsef ptessy nto teronsLeae te mud stand up e brt to your betters '

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We dot wat to e at You at ut I a Sad upAd o ate ousads o eos, ma emeed em os si usod esTe uma e s a etau; s euie oos ae paed

te oud, ut te ody om east to ead is woked oad tometed y te meiess Cy He as ee i,aai o tousads o eos, to daw imse ou o tis amaisti saad He is aso ti ad is s s ewsue o daw imse out o s uma saad Maas i despai Wee a I o? I ave eaed e pae,eyod s e ayss Ad e Cy aswes, I am eyod .Stad up !

Ma i s te ei to wom God ies, Come to me Come,take possesso o te kidom pepaed o you eoe teoudatio o te wod . It was o tis te wod was made,at te soud e eis apae o eevi God, etei

to osest eowsip w m, sai a God s ad as Bessed e e God ad Fate o ou Lod Jesus Cist . wo as essed us i Cist wit evey spiitua essi i teeavey paes He ose us im eoe e oudato ote wod tat we soud e oy . He destied us i ove toe s sos ou Jesus Cist . . Tose wom e oekew

e aso pedestied to e oomed to te imae o is So ode at e mit e e so o may ete Adtose wom e pedestied , e aso aed, ad tose wom eaed, e aso usied ad tose wom e justied , e asooed.

Te a Come to me is ot a ateout as tou God

st made ma ad te deded to a m to tmay witimse Tis dve a is wat ostitutes maI ou imae o oai owt, as, say, te seed evoves to

te ee, te ysais to te uttey, ow do we expaTeesas etiude tat God dwes i te ete o te sou?Tee is a aedote o ow Teesa ame y e imae o te

ase Se oded to a ied i a uuaded ou tat itee ve to e ou a vso we se was o osome sit ito te eauty o a sou i ae Now, y eow estmoy se was aeady dwei i te sevet

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mansion when she wote he ook The eo Csle. We wihave oasion ate to point out that eesa's insih into thewokins of God in the sou wee aways pesona May we notonude that he vision was not of sou in enea ut of heown sou he own tanfomed ein By this time she had

eahed fu spiitua owth What in he as in us a has at theoutset een mee potentiaity has now eome eaity undethe onstant ation of God and he own suende to thisation . uy the Kin of Goy' dwet in he in the eatestspendou' iuminin and eautifyin' he whoe ein Sheives us an idea of what God wi do in a suendeed heat . his

is the state of ae popey so aed and ony at this stae offu owth an the tem indwein e used in fu tuth.

We woud e totay mistaken howeve wee we toonude fom this that unti we eah the seventh mansion weannot think of God and pay to him as wthin us o ose to us It an neve e said too often that God is aways pesent awaysestowin himsef in the measue that he an e eeived Onhis side it is tota ift it is on ou side that the hek ies. eesais awae of this She expesses the initia ak of intimayetween ouseves and God as due to the noise the j unk andthe peniious epties invadin the oute outs of the astewhee we ae hus it is that we an t hea the voie of the kinwithin no an we ath his adiant iht whih is evesteamin We woud expess it y sayin we ae too sma toeeive muh of God too undeveoped to e intimate with him God ontinuay offes intimay pemeatin ou ein as hepemeates a that is It is his most passionate desie that thisonstant ain nutuin eome an indwein of intimayAt any moment theefoe we an tun to ou ovin God whois ose to us than we ae to ouseves om the vey outset inou emyoni state we ae so ihy endowed as to have thepowe to hod onvese with none othe than God himsef his is what makes us human eins.

hee ae two points to touh on efoe we pass on One iseesa's use of the tem mansions' She is not whoyonsistent hee . ndoutedy he fundamenta meanin andte one she maintains thouhout is that thee ae staes of

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rowh we pss from one mnsion o noher wys nwrduni we reh he s enr hmer. I is we o noehoweer h osiony hs dfferen menin. Shesomeimes uses i o desrie he differen inds of fours heLord esows in o refer o he differen opis ofmedions we my empoy s in hese ery hpers . . i(he sou mus e owed o rom hrouh hese mnsions . i mus no e ompeed o remn for on in one sineroom Cery we nno moe from se o se w

he seond i s he uesion of fours W e nno espe

hs proem for on. rom he sr we re fed wih ieres seems o e offerin us pums woud no e hones orhepfu o insis h she hs in mind he re esseni fourof rowin union wih God or her hs seems inexriyound up wih fours onsoions hs s no he pe odisuss hem u we sh do so er on. I don wn o

jeoprdize he ondene of my reders y preminry iydismiss Neerheess h ein sid we re soueyjusied in inerpren her fusome promises s h frowin union wih God whih is he supreme essednesseres woud e he rs o frm his inerpreion In spieof her enhusism for fours eres oud ye dere hem

reey unimporn hey ome nd o we nno esouey erin of heir oriin . hey re of ue ony insofrs hey foser he supreme four nd onsoion union wihGod . he nihesis of he se of re s he se of sin eres reouned o her friend h foown he rdinsion of he sou in se of re she ws shown wh is

ondion woud e were i o f ino mor sin . No herdrness exiss nd here is nohin dr or h is nomuh ess so hn hs ' u he oerwheminy imporn ruhfor her is h God hs no wihdrwn from he sou . Wheershe erned from dorin insruions her her ws erinh God neer wihdrws in ner neerforses I is we who

urn our s on him we who shu oursees off from hs ihSo id is her wreness of he forGodness ofmn h sin is disorion of ein y whih he eomes unnur ie ree uprooed y is own w from he ifeiin sprins nd

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hoosin to pnt itsef in poo o pit evismeinwter' ern not eves nd fruit ut ony misery nd th .

he essene of sin is te reus to respond to Godssummons o eome to reeive te ony re ife whih hewishes to ive . It is hoosin to sty esh' When we thn ofhe respose to Gods we must not imine n importnt soid reiy wn on rm es towrds him he ime isrther tht of seed respondin to the o sprin Come upitte ip ome up itte ip ! s one I erd teer sin toher ss of hidren durin nture esson . he seed omesinsor s it eomes sendin down ts tp root thrustin itsrowin point ove te soi unfodin its seps pets ndeves . It is our terrie iity to reuse to eome nie teworms in wter nd mud we n truy reuse I'm not udnI hve pee nd seurity were I m in my mud' Yet ere were tn s i there were n I to me this reus he I

ony omes into ein in nswer to te When we rsp thtse is mee poetiliy sometin o our tot dependeny onGod is fored upon us t is revetion most pinu to umnpride nd yet te eptne of tis ies t te hert o truerowth . It is in te it o this imperive or mn to reonizeis rue onditon tht one n see essed menin in te

itions frustrtions nd everpresent urtiments nddsppontments wi re is t Witout these woud weever ome nywhere ner to sense of truth

I we now eres's wriins we we sh often hve eenpuzzed y her strne notions of sn . It seems for one thinht she hout t uite n esy mtter to ommit mort sin

nd this in spite of te ft tt te effet of mort sin wststrophi. o de in mort sin ws o e dmned for everHere we see eres inteetuy dependent on e dotintehin urrent in her dy Doutess se hd een instrutedn the net distintions etween mort nd veni sins theformer severed friendship with God i in' the sou the

ter weened the friendsip ut did not destroy it Ain she woud hve een tut te onditions neessry for s in toe mor rve mtter fu onsen u nowede he oddthin is to our wy o tinin tht eres in her esmtion o

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mota sn oeooked e st ondton, ae mate Ts sanoe nsane of wee e ea osey unted wt ouLods oke ou of te nteetua sysem Teesa an onatnke as to ey on te nteetua toos at and to expessesef and tese toos ae often nadeuae He nssfoe e eyond tem ust a st adaptaton and e woenuane s dffeent Tus se s easy msead we do noeaze a se s sayn sometn new Suey t s eause ofe unon wt God tat Teesas ew of sn does not t ntoeast aeoes Tese atte ae eoes and may ae noeaon to eay fo tey do not eon to e aea of pesonaeatonsp We ae wse to ypas em and nk of sn nems of oe . Ten t eomes ea tat s no won ats tamatte so mu as won atttudes. A man may tenay, efatfu to s wfe u e neets e se mt just as wenot e tee ; oe s dead Anote ommts an ndety and s

deepy soy Loe s not dead and te eatonsp need adye damaed t an e sentened y e apse deepyepented of We ea etes dena of esus, samefu andseous enou ojetey speakn ut utmaey t ddntmatte, t ed to a deepe oe.

Sn s te mytey of nuty , as sptue says pesey

eause t as eeytn to do wt te mystey of a manseatonsp to God In ts mystey of sn we nd ouseesw no footods , we ae no eantes no neat ateoesNo one an y tnk ae nee ommtted a moa sn o I ae done soandso ut t s ony a ena sn . We may et n te east sense ut tat means notn to God.

eaps we ae ady noted eause , of ouse we ddnot want to note a pofoundy ses oe It may aeeen n ute a sma matte ut t was te ennn ofndness It may ae een tat , efoe ts oe tee was asat pat to God efoe us ut at a etan pont wtady a tout we tuned asde and enefot setted fo

medoty o any peson wo eay pays s oud not eTe opposte an appen We may ea wt onstant andtte soow te ommsson of a ae sn wen knownydeeatey we sad no to God Yet, n eay t may ae

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had no detrimenta effet he sorrow humiiation and theresoution neer to say no aain hae rouht us ery ose toGod

he mystery of sin Sripture ies us ewiderin instanesof it Had Ananias and Sapphira a ear dea of the raity ofwhat they were doin? It seems not How terrie theonseuenes What does the eaist mae of it? Loo at Sauand Daid . I expet most of us hae fet sympthy for Sau in hiseinnins his disoediene under stress seemsunderstandae enouh and after a it was ony oneWhereas Daid adutery murder treahery Godsjudments are not ours He saw that Saus apparentyexusae at of disoediene reeaed a tota disreard of hmwhi e Daid in spite ofhi s many rieous sins remained a manof God one for whom God aways mattered

he sheer mystery of sin our sense of hepessness when we

fae its mysteriousness an e a mos powerfu nentie forhumiity and tust in God two thins whih as we sha seemust onstanty row if we are to reah our end heirimportane annot e stressed enouh. We are a th timewantin to nd ways of main oursees safe deisinateories and measurements we within our ompass whih

an ie us an iusory sense of ein ariht we now wherewe are Whereas God has neer ien us suh safeuards andseurities He as aways and aways for our tota trust in himaone . We are aways wantin to protet oursees from him ythese and other means he ies us no hig whateer in whihto trust ony himsef We are essed if we reay aept that

we do not now whether we are worthy of oursees of praise orame when we refuse to summon any eaism to our defenseut stand humy and trustfuy as sinners efore the Lord. Wemust ear the weiht of our snfuness and oo for no reiefsae in the free oin forieness of God We hae nothinood as of oursees eresa deares from sheer experiene

Without me you an do nothin' afrms ou oin Lord.Oer and oer aain eresa wi insist on our need for sefknowede unti the end of our ife . he nearer we draw to Godthe moe it wi e ous without any aour But in our

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einnins when his iht nnot iumine us so stony wehe to wok to uire it nd wht sure rounds or osteintue hume seknowede thn onsidertion o the mysteyo sn

Is it ey true tht we oend o dispese' God? Wht dowe men y suh expressions? Suey wht we men is thtwhen we sin tht is when we disoey his oin summons toue ie we tie Gods hnds He nnot ie us he wnts toe us nnot mke us hppy s he wis his is Gods riethis is how we oend him We n re here esusrusttion nd rie t the oy n oduy o men eusinthe essedness God ws oerin throuh himse. How Ioot myse st nht I nnot think how it hppened . hesedesires nd this oe o mine mde me ose sense oproportion eres exims the mornin ter her onexpnsie ht with he riend when she tod him o her ison

o the sou ndoutedy she ws moe restined when shehd tuy st down to wite he tetise on the Csteneetheess her pssion zes thouh Hee she is eerness to ommunite the sense o ureny tht ips herrustted t ou ethy ou eutne een to ook t ourste we wont tke the troue euse w rent interested

Sous without pyer re ike peope whose odies or ims epryzed they posses eet nd hnds ut thy nnot ontothem

o one who hs ied een the oute ourts o the ste pye is tken or rnted or the door o entry into this steis pye nd medittion Mny o us in hidhood woud he

ened y rote prye is the risin o the mind nd hert toGod nd this simpe omu thouh rom deute tshppiy into our ontext . How n we know our destiny hown we know wht God woud do or us how n we desie it uness we eet? his is wht ees es us to do tomke stt o doin i we he not redy mde one ness

we e peped to tke this rst step thee s nothin she n doto hep us I ony we n et inside ust inside the door eennd he minimum o desire to o urther thee s hope oto know een tte o the oe o God nd his promises to us

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must enkinde some desire howeer feee and what s moreeery step inwards rins us a tte ose to the kin whoseoseness draws us further. As we woud say eery itteowth mans there is more apaity to reeie hm . here is noothe way of enterin the aste no other means of rowthsae y payer and meditaton

n these ourts we are fa too near the moat for omfortRepties swarm in from the moat and sorey harass us i they donot harm us . Let us try to understand what eresa means ythese repties to whih she often refers . Fesh' is not innoent it is sinfu the deses of the esh are ean ontrary to spirit they make war on it esh is oied up on itsef warped withseshness . What we pursue is our immedate omprehensieatiaton whether on the ee of odiy need or those weike to deem more spiritua thouh in atua fat they are eeryit as muh sinfu esh: nothin more nor ess than what

sripture as the ust of the esh the ust of the eyes and thepride of fe We fee we are serin our interests ut we arenot we are workin for our destrution o hoose to remaintrapped esh is damnation. We hae no meann nofument sae in openn oursees to God oin out eyondoursees to oey and oe him . Ony in respondin to oe do

we eome oursees . If man woud o out of hmsef in oe hemust draw himsef painfuy out of his anmaisti saard asour poet has said his means he has to stue to ensure thathis instnts a that he has in ommon with the animas areoerned y his reason . nheked they run away wth us andwe are rue eaous reedy ioent and so forth We an

neer oe unti we ontro our passions Great and onstanteffort is needed efore we are free enouh to e oursees indediated seie to others Man to e man must e a serant it is of his essene and this eause it is of the essene of God toe serant and we are to e ike him When God showed us hisinmost nature the way he s as God he ame to us in the form of

a serant and as hae done so you must do aso Indueou three usts and we are eft rawin on the earth misshapen shrieed ein akin to the repties a s eresa woud say Wean hoose to e just ke that or we an hoose to eome sons

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of God, transfoed nto JesusTeesa spes out for us ore than once the form these

reptes take wordness: asorpton n wordy affas, n tshonours, atons and ase aues. She es us to wthdrawfom such antes and e te and troue to what s for oureerastn essedness: thnk of who we are, what we are fo;thnk of he oodness of God the promses to whch he speded We hae to dstnush carefuy, n a way Teresaneer fet oed to do n theory, etween a true apprecatonof the created word and huan aues whch s essenta f we

woud oe God, for he s the autho and oes a he has made,and a wordness, the heart of whch s seshness It s not theword that s harfu ute the contrary ut our hearts, weposon what we touch We ust, wewant to possess , doate,deour, destoy Loe seres.

here s aways a daner for those of us aready deoted to a

sptua fe of passn oer what ses addressed to peopen the wod , that s , those st entaned wth wordy thns Take eous for nstance He they not deerateyrenounced the pursut of wordy peasures and amton?Hae they not, y ther ery professon, set asde aunnecessay usness? Do they not empoy a reat dea of tme

n prayer and medtaton? What she s sayn n the rstmanson cannot appy to the. Dont e too sure, saysTeesa Its the heart , the nner atttude that atters and thscan eman unchaned n spte of these enuncatons and thesesptua practces. It s uson to ane that spy ywthdawn physcay fo the word and ts corrupton' we

hae escaped t. Ths wod s wthn ou own hearts In auttude of ways we can reea we are st amtous, sefseekn thoouhy wody We may ack the opportuntesfor oss manfestatons of these ces ut ths can e the moredaneous. Gross anfestatons shock us f ony ecause weae ashaed of oursees, whereas we can commt countess

sns and e the scarcey a thouht . If we wanted to see themwe woud, ut easy we decne to see them True prayer rnsthem l ht Prests reous and others conscousypofessn a sprtua fe, can e reedy, jeaous, senste of

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ther rhts worred aout ther dnty usyodes sefmportant crtca untruthfu snos a pure wordness theratcaton of sef not ove of God and nehour Teresaaan nssts on the need for sefnowede resumay shefound t was mssn where t shoud most e found We have toe honest wth ourseves and often and often accept to te thedust ut the est way to acure sefnowede s not yendess pon nto ourseves tryn to turn over ths stone andthen that to see what reptes ur eneath ut y oonconstanty at Jesus Chrst our Lord Lewse we need the hepof others those who have reater nsht than ourseves and ahher standard especay those who ve wth us who see us nacton nder cover of sprtuaty we can e terry sefwed pursun the path we have chosen for oursevesmanpuatn those wth authorty over us or to whom we haveven a measure of authorty so that they sancton our wshes

and provde the sprtua securty of Gods w . He may ecan us to to n hs vneyard earn the urden and heat ofthe day whe we nsst that we are caed to a more austere formof fe a fe of deeper prayer . On the other hand t may e hsw for us that we ve the contempatve way of fe and weevade the renuncatons and responstes of ths vocaton y

actvty encouran a centee whch atters our prde andprovdes contnua dverson . ursun our own w far fromdrawn coser to God as we mane we are movn away fromhm How easy too our nated deas of our sprtua statenspre us wth contempt for others for those not caed to sohh a vocaton as ourseves We pass judment perhaps

condescendny nd on the apsed or those who n ouropnon have apsed who do not conform wth our deas ofhoness Ths s pure wordness

Let us remnd ourseves over and over aan that honess hasto do wth very ordnary thns truthfuness courtesyndness enteness consderaton for others contentment

wth our ot honesty and courae n the face of fe reatydutfuness. ntent as we thn on the hher reaches ofsprtuaty we can overoo the warp and woof of honess .

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Second Mansion

Teresas warmest sympathies are inoed with those who haeentered the second mansions. She has in mind ery rea peope

she knows them we and presmay her own dahters are ,eneray speakin amon them. t is no se ookin for a cearct description of this state or those in it it is too mch ike reaife for that What we can aways do and this is tre of eachmansion is to discern those ements which are distinctie andproper to it eresa ies them straiht away Those are in the

second mansions who hae made an earnest start in inthemsees to God and this for her writin as she is for a Cath-oic miie aways prespposes a resotion to pray hohsti ery weak the resotion is there and it is earnestnesswhich distinishes this mansion from the preios one Therace which is offered and accepted is commony known as

conersion and eresa seems to hae in mind a marked oneperhaps her own Bt we hae to rememer that many peopecan neer point to particar moment when they came to a cearreaisation of the shoddiness of their ies and the paramontneed to do somethin aot it . his is often the case with aypeope who hae not een caed to chane their state of ife

and they can easiy fee that they hae een eft ot that some-thin has een denied them which has een ien to otherswho are ery specia to God. Lackin any marked experiencethey can sette for a mediocre ife it is tre yet some nknownto themsees are far from mediocre Imperceptiy theyhae ecome more faithf as the years hae passed more

charitae , more trthf, more reiae What they wod casayin their prayers has ecome a mch deeper reaitythouh the otward form may hae chaned itte and thesame oes for their participation in the Mass. One of the prin

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pe ojetives of this ommentry is peisey to disspte themost universy he onviton nd i most univers nprtie houh there re those who woud very suseto the opposite tht the sensie re is the e/ hin nd thenonsensie seond rte produt I seems to me th i t isoten hose whose ives er none ofthese supposedy uthentitin experienes who re the osest to God There is enor-mous dnr of seret vnity nd iusion in sprituimpressons As thouh euse of he inrined onvitionto the ontrry peope fee disoured nd eft out' ndtherefore don't pry don't surrender to God s he wnts ehof tem to do . I hope this ook of mine onvines them of theirown s uniue nd eutifu s they n possy imine

The other distinuishin hrteristi of those in thismnsion is the nture of heir pryer. ryer must e understood s se of ein not jus prtiur tvity Our

pryer is preisey our retion to God wht we re fe to ewith him It is our ste of rowth s person God s wysin wys summonin us into ein he is never ntivenever uninvoved ut the pity to reeive hm is of vryindepths In this mnson there is retvey itte ; it wi inresey tive ove . t isn't rey rue to sywe py euse we hve

sou or re sou we pry in order to eome sou Theseond mnsions represent ste of en where there is nospritu depth' for God to touh direty; he n ony ommunie wih the rety tht is there nd this is mteriTeres points out tht God's ppes ome throuh the odythrouh the senses y mens of ood onverstions sermons

ooks ood thouhts nd feeins sikness tr is nd otherevens of ife She is refu to noe th there i differentmode of divine ommuniion ut this s for ter on Thus theseond mnsion is distinushed from ter ones y the ft hGod n ommunie himsef ony dectly ut nd this iswh mtters he s ent on rinin us on he wnts our rowth

he wns he seed to ermnte eneth the soi to pu down isp root to feed on the sts unti it is redy for its ont whhe sun then i n urst throuh the drk erth the of thesun to reeive its ifeivin rys This ste nnot e skipped

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It s not a uestion of God withhodin hs races from someand iin them to others so that some are athed in sunshinefrom the start God is aways iin himsef ut we must row toreceie him . Were the erminatin seed exposed too soon tothe rays of the sun it woud e destroyed . What mereyfeels ie

sunshine need hae nothin to do with the sunshine spoen ofhere whch s the ony one that matters.

eresa nows that ths is an important stae and eerythindepends on enerosity the determination to o forward nomatter what the difcuties and she puts forth her enery topersuade and encourae We hear her in the y of Perfecto

As I say it is most importanta important indeed that theyshoud ein we y main an earnest and most determinedresoe not to hat unti they reach the oa or de on the roador hae not heart to confront the trias which they meetwhether the ery word dissoes around them.

How few of us resoe ie ths When we read such wordsdoesnt our concern for the serice of our Lord seem ie spineess diettantism?

Because we hae rown, we see and understand more ouroiations are cearer and yet aas we experience that the

ood we ouht to do we do not do What had seemed innocents now seen as snfu . hs is ery painfu eresa aways seesths conict and pain in a persona context our Lord is cain noe and we are unae to respond fuy he aour of prayer ishard and the aour of prayer in ife is hard, for they are onethin We must wae war on oursees on our sefoe and

sefinduence We hae to strie for detachment from eerythn that is not God and as stimuus is often asent it is eryhard and cas for rea enerosity his is where the partin ofthe way starts: one to a ife whoy for God, or one to mediocrity. Eery posse means must e taen to strenthen ourresoe, to maintain a reentess determination to perseere for

n no other way can we answer Gods ca as we shoud

ae my adce and do not tarry on the way, ut stre iestron men unt you die n the attempt . If you aways

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peuse his deemination to die ahe than fai to each theend of the oad the Lod may in you houh this ife witha ceain deee of thist ut in the ife which nee ends hewi ie you a eat aundance wih no fea of it ee faiinyou. ( y of Pefeo )

We ae caed o oe God aoe a thins with ou whoe heatand sou and mind Loe is not a mood of deiht o contentment i i s not a wam feein it is not an inne ow Loe ischoosin hae to choose o oe God when my consciousein fees no ataction sae fo what is hee and now desiae . My mind has to suppy ston moties fo choosin Godand his wi in concete instances Hee I woud say ies ouchief weakness Not sufcient impotance is attached to thewok the mind must do to set efoe the hea the moties fochoosin wha is no immediatey and seniy appeain his

deciency impies a ack of seiousness and an unwiinness otake oue . Anyone who eay wants God wi ceaseessy ethinkin of wha to do in ode to o foad hey wi hae aneaeness to ean and wiiny o to endess toue hee is aendency to hink that ood desies and ston moties wi einfused tha if we emain uiety efoe the Lod in paye

they wi e on in on us that when we ae tempted andoued we hae ony to o efoe he Lod and we wi echaned t seems o me that a ey ey impotant point isein undepayed ndestanday thee has een a eacionto a mistaken fom of meditation which put the whoe weiht onthe ineect as houh it wee a matte of achiein suitae

thouhs of God ineectua and emotiona impessionsWha mates is oin much Loin means choosin. Im notoin much ecause I am in thouhtess paye and wih afeein of oe am oin much when pou out my ife oehe fee of Jesus in his ethen I hae to in efoe my minda sots of easons fo doin his I hae to et to know God and

his wi mean ein to know esus But thee ae othe powefu incenies ha pehaps hae to pecede he oin peoccupaion with esus: consideation of the eiy of ouifespan its myseiousness wha it is fo is aiy and the

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appan daner of watn it. A day on if we take thetroue we an ean in the ed of our ve aundan motvefor urrenderin oureve to ife whoe meann God emut away have in hand the word of the pirt whh theword of God with whih to omat the temptaton to ive upthe true to fa ak into wordine to in in ne way oranoher. e have o e ready wth the motve for reiin. Byand are thi eem ady neeted e fa we are orry utwe don take any peia preauton aaint the future hatwe houd do if we are in earnet i to have our word ready n

hand for the atak ome thouht ome word of rememrane of Jeu whh throuh deep ponderin ha eomepowerfu for u

here i no uetion of ayn thatwe mut pend our tme ofprayer in thnkn u ony in enurn we are reay direted oGod reay hoon him and a th tae we an do hi ony

nofar a our mind furnh the motve Neede o ay n ah God rae i atve He i hepn u yet wi never do foru what we an do for oureve o init aan it nt a ae ofhi refun to do for u what we an do for oureve u tha ti th human atvity of hoon a joint operation of mndand heart whh ive rowth o that God an do for u wha

we ant do for oureve.erea te u hat he w e ref on the eond manion ahe ha writen aout t a reat dea eewhere . o my mndome of her mot atrative wriin revove around ake forntane he three eauifu hapter in the Le where hedere thoe who are ennn to e evan of ove for

th hnk what we eame when we reove o foow inth way of prayer him who o reaty oved u h ommenary mut e onned to the Iteo Cstle and the emptationo dre ino erea oher wriin mu e reed Chapter XI-XII of he Le ive mot hepfu teahn on the earytae of prayer he ame mut e aid of the y of Peec

to from the ennn o XXIX. erea prmary onern nthe Iteo Cstle o rea of what he a upernaturaprayer ut he an ony do thi uefuy y ennn rhtfrom the ennn A the ame he doen wan to deay on

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tat wic is common knowede wat s een treated of ymany may oters We ca e sure terefore tat wat seactuay otes ere wi e tose tins tat stand out for er assupremey important.

I te Le se as exorted te weary ardener toin awaywit is uckets at te we to e content not to compain ofte ardsip ut to seek to pease te ardener not imsefSe underies tis same sinemindedness i te nteoCstle We must ot tink of suc tins as spiritua faours W e must resoe t o seek God and not oursees. It is tis wicmakes perseerance reay ad and is te test of true oe too on wit no stisfyin feedack wi notin seeminy foroursees Aai , te partin of te ways to oiess or to mediocrity is is wat it means to emrace te cross and owmuc we eed to ook at Jesus te Beoed and is oedienceunto deat if we are to e enerous Notin appens notin

reassurin notin to say tat God ears my prayers And yeteery certainty eery assurance in fait ness we make upour minds from te start to emrace te cross we sa neer etanywere rayer is not sefcuture ut sefforetfuess inGod It wi e we to uote eresas own stron afrmation ofwat prayer at tis stae reay is a aout to aour to e res

oute and prepare wit a posse diience to n is wiinto conformity wit te wi of God . . tis comprises teery reatest perfection wic can e attaned on te spirituaroad e more perfecty a person practises it te more e wi receie of te Lord and te reater proress e wi make aontis road do not tink we ae to use strane jaron or dae

i tis of wic we ae no knowede of understandin ouretire wefare is to e found in wat I ae descried . 'Once aain t is ard oin eresa is speciay concerned

ecause te commony accepted standard of oodness is ow.We are a of us itten y tose poisonous ipers ut dontreaise it We cotaminate one anoter and dont strie for

eain ecause we dont reaise we are diseased Once aain astron arumet wy we must tink for oursees deepy constaty so as not to e conditioned y te standards around usSe as spet out in te y ow pernicious are te ad aits

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coecte wt seseess to oou, o oes ts a sofo a ow ey ecome acceptae eaou ee fo teeou we ae mae a m sa aas tese faseaues we ca ee ope o ow

Ts seco maso s moe ke a away stao ta acame of a case mae fo A away stato s foaas a epatues Eeyt s ast, cae wt tesos of faewe ae ases to oa te ta wc wake oe fa away fom wat oe oes a cs to ; secoouts eays ef fea epuace a aso

appy, myseous acpao e us o foet t. WeeGo s tee s appess; Go ee asks us fo useess sac-ce Go wats us to ow a owt meas cease capacty fo appess If we ae to foeo cs eoymetswe soo ea to appecate e ces of matue fe

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Thid Mansion

God is ove an intensiy of desire o rin us to the funess ofein whih is our perfet happiness. his purpose of Godnever wavers, it is onentraed, whitehot on eah individuaIf then, rowth does not happen or happens very inadeuateywe have to ook for the ause in us, not in our Father. Ifsomeone were to persevere with the determination and enerosity eresa has ured, without dout, as inevitay as sprinfoows winter, there woud e rowth suh as woud enae usto ear, in no matter how sma a deree , the diret ontat withGod whih he is onn o effet. Withou any out whateverhe woud ommuniate himsef Yet atua experene reveastha this does not aways happen . We must ook for the reasonwihin ourseves

here was a time when I ook it for raned that the thirdmansion represened a rst oa a modest one indeed, ut aoa none the ess. Now, I see it as a stoppin pae , somewherethat shoud not e; we have setted down and made our home inthe raiway station We shoud trave nonstop and we woud,were we enerous to that essed, a desirae rendezvouswith the Lord o whih he is ain us. '0 why, ries impass

ioned eresa,

when a sou has resoved to ove thee and y forsakin everyhin does a in its power towards that end, so tha i t mayetter empoy isef in the ove of the God, hast thou eenpeased hat it shoud not at one have the joy of asendin tohe perfeion of his perfet ove? Bu I am wron: I shoud

have made my ompaint y askin why we ourseves have nodesire to asend , for it is we aone who are a faut in not aone enoyin so reat a dinity so niardy and so soware we in ivin ourseves whoy to God that we do not

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prepare as we soud to reee te preous tn wi it isHs Majestys wi we soud enjoy ony at a prie Life, XI

Tou te tird mansion is a state tat out not to e Teresaas to admit tat it seems te norma state of most ood peopeand so se ies it er attention dianosin its weaness.

Se eins y praisin tose wo ae reaed ts stae : teewidern and deeptie tn aout it is tat tere seemsmu to praise f we meet peope wo ae oerome teirad aits wo e arefuy ordered ies materiay andspirtuay wom notn woud indue to sin wo oe donpenane spend ours n reoetion wo use teir time we ,pratie wors of arty towards teir neiour and are eryarefu in ter spee and dress woud we tn tem not onyadmirae ut santy? Arent we nined to say so and so is aperfet saint? Teresa doesnt tin so and er expos of tis

state s one of er most fruitfu ontriutions to te understandin of wat rowt in te spirit reay s It s eause tis stateseems so ood and exempary tat it s a stumn o totrue oness Too often ts trd mansion in rea ife is taen toe te summit of te spiritua ife : it tends to satisfy us and tosearound us yet i t is far from wat Cristianity is a aout Teresa

s appier and more at ease writin of te seond mansion . It istruer eatier Tere we are onsousy struin wit sintat umiiates us n te rst mansion eause tere is not we an oerestmate oursees ut in te seond we aeeome exposed to te t a itte and tis inetay is umiatn If ts rst eam of sefnowede and umiity are

asent ten we are not n te seond mansionTeresa as aready warned us of te need for weomnneer sirin te painfu awareness of our snfu sef Butaas ts is a ard tn for us umans eause we don t nowGod we dont reay eiee in is unondtiona oe nomatter ow mu we say tat we do To stand efore im as we

are n our naed same and not to run away and ide or deoursees n our ne tnin to onea our poor reaty weae to beiee in s oe We redue God to our own eness and ts in reat measure I tn eause we ae not taen

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he obe o go o he soce o nd o fo oseles in hescipes and aboe all in ess, wha he is eal lke Wepefe o ie wih o peconceied noons o wih wha ohescommnicae o s and he esl is a caicae of God whicha one and he same ie gies s comfo becase hang himin o image, we can cope wih him and despai becase , againseeing hm in o own image we feel he haes s fo o glness Theefoe we can' affod o be gl we hae o hde ifom osees and so we b i al deep down we b hegnawing dobs and feas, and manage o achiee a sae of e -aie sefsasfacion O seemngl excelen behaiogies sppo o hs selfsaisfacion is of enomos conseqence o s ha we behae wel ha o hoghs, desiesacons ae hose of a spiial peson Temendos inneenegies ae a wok o podce his pefecion which has infac nohing o do wih e gowh .

Wha has happened is ha he oos of o basic seshnesshae been lef noched This selshness akes ee moesble foms whch becase he ae sble, do no case hehmiiaion and shame of gosse manfesaons Ths is hedange Teesa is ale o Moe han once she wans he ownnns ha he ms wach ha he do no fal ino he eo of

hinking hemseles bee han he ae becase occasons fogoss fas ae emoed Wha happens so ofen is ha afehe s implse of gace which doe s o geneosi, wesacken off and fall back no bad habis b becase heimanifesaons ae sligh we don ackle hem elenlessl, wele hem be B and lage he don spoil he owad facade

e hogh he cacks seem in he damage s gea Teesawans: don be so se Fea fea osees! fea he Lod ! no in he sense of feaing someone like o mean seles eado nd fa and pnish b as he al ho whose sandadse spass o own Fea of he Lod means we hae a keenealisaion ha onl his jdgemens mae Wha am in his

ey:, ha am and no ohe M acions hae he ale he seeshem o hae and no ohe. Wha we ae in o own ees whawe ae in he ees of ohes is of no conseqence e how easilwe foge his in pacice Jess begs s o wach his o make


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e ha o hea ae xed on o Fahe n heaen ha ahe me we ae lookng ino hi face a we do o wok offaing am deed and pae. Sch a peheaed gazewold elmnae al complacenc all caane and we wodknow he pam c no one i j n o ee

Vie i ofen moe appaen han ea he oo of ineman ong and enaco b he foage fo he peenook agh . We ae deceied becae we wan o be bengmoe concened wih o own piial image han n becomingall God We hae a deep ece aifacion wh oele we

do eal fee we ae adanced hogh wold nee a o eeno oee We pacie he exenal of hml and hmean hmbe acknowledgemen abo ef, o fa olack of poge Oh e we ae poo nne! B we doneal hnk o eea help o ecogne o lion and fwe d he example he gie wih gea cae we can lean a

loHee i omeone who aomaical p eehing in anedifng conex A pade i nee a pade . He doen wan oecognie hi coeone and lack of deachmen and hiefeeem nd wa of explanng o hmefwh he feel andac a he doe No one can offe adice becae he know a

hee i o know afe all he i an adep a he pia life hecan gie good adice o ohe The ache, pain hmiiaionwhich ow fom he mpe ealie of hman ife o fom hown efeeem become feing fo God ehingeehing become peeed and made a op fo efeeemHe j can ake he leon O Lod i ing o each

Tea n on he own daghe le he hold be compacen hnking hi example ha nohing o do wih hem afea he don hae pope o loe he hae no wodambon She pon o how he ame ce ae in hem.Wach hoe eeming ng incden a gh ha aoem ndgnaion noe how I and on m dgni cam m le

gh how I hnk I hae a ght o feel wonged becae I haebeen paed oe emoed fom a pacla job ef ade noappecaed a I hnk I ogh o be If we wee o make a f npbc hen we wod fee hamed becae oweakne wod

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be revealed bt wen te wrong reacions are concealed bpieties grace o manner sbtletes ten we eel no samewatever. We don't tink te matter eresa is qiteobsessedwe sal l nd b tis basic concern or or onor Se sees it as he problem an nderling lack o mlit Seworries becase it is so common as to be accepted as normal andit is not seen as e vice it is It is merel man smiled at inoters compable wit oliness becase we accept it in or-selves. Few realize its importance . e woe law o growt is amovement awa rom sel I te growing point o a seed wereto remain olded p witin te acorn it wold come to notingt as to ncrl ps itsel ot p and awa We cn onlbecome b leaving orseves Here we are coosng to sta insel We ave tidied sel p made it respecable and possible tolive wit and now we settle down not prepared o tat totalorsaking o sel tat tota love o negbo wic s tre

growt in t spiri We are clinging to te world o es andbood as Pal wold sa deciding to sta in te womb Deciding Yes a coce is being made It is we wo are coosng tost ot te call te creatve cal to a woll new lie a new wao being te wa o spirit '

Teresa as anoter criticism o penances are as wel

ordered as or lives Se satirises or calcating sevice oGod Wat does se mean b penances In er da penances ta is vontari accepted orms o seldenia sc as astingwearing air sirts vigils were te accepted sign o generosito te desire to give all to go beond wat was asked eresa ispointing ot tat we lack woleearedness We sa we want

God peraps we ee we do bt were is te proo were tatstretcing o sel were ta total preoccpation ta sopping at noing wic is caracterisic o real desre No we arecarell protecting orseves prepared to give so mc bt nomore ensring tat we are not aware tat tere is a more togive Wen wat is asked is painl to or selesteem wen i t

bites ten no we soldnt be asked tat aning ese btnot ta . We are arai o wa te serce o God migtbrig we are araid o being bored o being red o losngace o aving noing o oselves . . We will live o God

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so ong as pas so long as we ge somehng o of i b whenhee s nohing a all fo sef hen we efse o see ha hee isanhng moe o do.

How can we descibe geneos Thee is no paen fo iWe can miae anone else's expessions of geneosi Thefom i akes fo one ma no e he fom i akes n anoheWha we hae o do is eanesl beg fo he gace o be gen-eos fo he lgh o see wha is waned of s no in geneal ba ee pacla momen . Thee is leall no a momenwhen I am no beng gen a choce beween God and mself.Te geneos is awas ae alwas hee eagel lookngfo he Lod ead o how is ams aond hm whaee hsgse doesn df hogh lfe sicking o paened beha-io and missing hese ling encones n m neghbo inhe d of he momen in his i le hmiiaon in hs phsica pain in hs dsapponmen in hs please and jo We

ae no o wa fo o goios ho he ho of esng whenwe shal be caled pon o show o geneosi Tha ho manee come and if i does we shal espond in he same measeas we espond o hm in his hmbe gse ho b ho I is no acase of seekng sffeng b a deeminaon o dsegad selfo accep lfe as i is o be who a he sece of ohes fahf

o o oblgaions gea and smal no mae how edos no-manc newadng willng o sholde bdens ha maseem oo hea f we ae caled pon o do so dsdanng o con-side whehe we ae feelng happ o sad consoled o afic-ed Ths whoeheaedness s he wa o happiness wheeashe caef calcaing ife s faigng fl of smblng bocks

and feas We ms pa fo and wok fo an aden loe whichoecomes easonTeesa has aead conselled s o p o of o minds an

desie fo faos in pae. Fo he momen e s sbsieconsoaons To engage in pae in ode o aan hese is afalse poson fom he sa Sch an aci is no pae i is

selfce B een hogh we do no baanl ac n so me-cena a wa si l we expec o eceie consolaons and whenwe don feel disgnled fee we hae been le down afe al we hae deseed hem We hae lied long long eas

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seing God we hae done all ha we shold wh haen' hecome Wh do I feel so dr and emp People welinsrcedin he sprial life are no likel I hik o seek srkingfaors' b here will be few of s who don seek moremodes arieies We wan he ceran ha we are adancedand no among he ranks of beginners We rn oer in ormnds e hardships we hae ndergone he sacrices we haemade he good works we hae slogged a srel I desereo be adanced don' We haen grasped ha all is pre gifha I can earn adancemen ha I can b doing his haor he oher demand of God now do or par ! No amon ofsffering or sacrice can draw God down o s . Teresa emindss of wha or ord himself has agh ha he can giehimself onl o he hmbe onl o hose who know he haeearned nohing onl hose who rea God as a Fahe who heare cerain seeks heir bes neress no a masr bond in

jsice o pa his serans wha he hae earned He wil sends oer and oer agan occasions probabl qie small onesfor seeing and acknowedging how nworh we ae Aren'here imes when al l of s feel deepl hmbled or meannesor giness painfll reealed and perhaps for a shor ime weknow he happiness of hmble accepance and rh Alas we

qickl fal back ino or blindess and psh awa he panflmeor or ariciall neraise he shame b exraagan edifng acs o f hmili which spp he compensaing booso or fadng image Unil we are prepared o grow beond hiscrippling lfeklling shell of sefneres we can neer beread for God We are no here for him o come o we are

srangled a birh As peope who lie wellordered lies who are niaed inohe charmed circles of he spirial life and know all abo i weare readi criica of ohers We hae clear ideas of how deopeople shold ac and if he don' conform o hese he areopen o censre We cod probabl learn a lo from hose we

are criicsng perhaps he hae far greaer knowledge andoe of God han we hae and i s his whch ges hemfreedom o forge hemseles When we hae gained a ile experience bcase we are s l so bind we fanc orseles far


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wise and moe spiial han we ae and ee ae in a posiion oinsc and admonish one anohe I wee ee i we lookedonl a o seles e al o s need help sppo enlighenmen om one anohe and ms e ead o seek o andaccep his help n ode o help we hae s o loe I weloe someone and desie hei e good hen we can poalgie hem sel adice accoding o he igh we hae . Becasewe loe hem i will e hmle and sincee Unil we ae se weeall loe ohes i is no sae o look a hei als o pass anjdgemen whaee Onl loe cn see cleal. eesa wold

like s o hae someone moe adanced han oseles o gies igh and ge s on he ole is ha as oen as no his ishe peson we kep clea o and we o ege o hose o oown sandads whee we can ee comoale and a homeAe all i pas s o console one anohe he disingineope ms e silenced All his is shee poo o o cow

adice and ack o sincei I we eall waned God we wolde eage o e old eage o nd someone who knows him andcan diec s o him he desie o shele o e poeced omhe demands o God makes s selwilled seldeeminedeesa egs so accep oesmissie and oedien o le gohe conos o o own lie We don need o e in a eligios

ode o make his sende o will . Conless opponiiesae hee o s all Once we gasp ha o sinl selseeking ishe moal enem o Go we will e eage o sch occasionsLie is l o hem i onl we ae on he ooko

his is an nhapp sae We ae laoing nde a gea loado eah which hampes o moemens and akes awa he jo

o lie Ye i is sechosen God nee eaes s alone and isalwas ing o lieae s he aged is ha as he eas go as ime and ime again we ese his ieaion we gowmoe and moe xed in o was. Pehaps he sense o oppession and weainess is a las sied and we ae so complacen hawe ae oiios o he ac ha we ae el nspiial ae

oal lind o o own eali in a cocoon o illso peacehe Lod is hepless Pehaps he las ilness pehaps deahpoide he shaeing expeience which wil ing he healingeeaion B i is aged al he same o he oe o God is

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beating ond , Spirit and Fire torming ou rampats toeffect an entrance the kingdom s seeking a weak point or inasion but no he impregnable fores remains unconqered

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Fourth Mansion, Part I

It is when we come to the forth mnson tht or prolemsstart Here, ss Teres, we egin to toch the sperntrl .Sperntrl prer' nfsed contemplton', these forTeres men the sme thing, nd we re going to dd msticlcontemplton s snonmos, lso . This entit, whteer iis s the theme of l her writngs The scetic pth she mrksot, whether in the Le the ay of Pefecton or the rst threemnsions of the Intei atle the nsistence on he hrd work

needed to detch orseles from orseles the prctice of theirtes nd delit to prer, all re orientted to the receptonof nfsed contempltion. She sees it s something tterprecios, perl eond pice , to e desired with rdor ndlored for wih eerthing we h, not ecse we cnctll cqire it, for w cnnot, t its estowl demnds

generos preprtion on or part Wht is sd here of StTeres cn e sid eqll of St John of the Cross This tlk ofinfsed contempation did not originate with them, the tookoer withot qeston terminoog lred wel estlished

Wht then is ths infsed contemplton Is it somethingon er few priiliged persons m spire to o is t some

thng tht is the er stff of hmn flment A clod ofewildering msconceptons enelops nd oscres thesject it has hng oer it for centries. This chpter is nttempt t expntion, if indeed one can spek of explainingwht s of God himself. I hope two thngs will strike the reders we progress rst tht what is said here s whol in line with

tradition secondl tht wthin tht trditon, old rek iseng made, rek with gelong, popr een professionnterretton of the trdtion Uness oth are seen theneither hae not expressed mself well or am eng misred

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Le me begin hs discssion wh personal reminiscenceswhch I imagine wll ring bells in man a mind . There were noman books n o small librar when I eneed Carmel manears ago b wha few here were immediael p one in amserios alien world Hee was a srange ocablar habore no relaion i seemed o he res of life . I was like a spiri-al code A rapid glance down he index of wha is a recognisedclassc of he msical radiion The Gace of Inteo Payeb A Polain S pblished in he earl ears of his cenrwll gie an idea of wha I mean Msical graces or ochesPraer of Qie Paer of fl nion Fie spirial senses Thesol aans o God b a spira och Phsological fearesof ecsas On he ligare dring he praer of fl nion ecand his is o conne orseles o he less esoeic opics Whadoes i all mean Wha relaion has i o real life Readinghrogh he gospels redolen wih eerhing ha is real in life

where does hs srange jargon in These wee he qesionsI asked msef. Clearl some people saw sense in i saw a connecion wih he gospels wih real life een if I cold no.Worse reading wha Teresa has o sa of her own saes ofpraer saes sch as Poain and man ohers wold considererl sblime as mos inimae commnicaions of God

arond which eaise afer reaise has been wrien hrogho he cenries far from being impressed I fond mself poff I seemed o cheapen God and I fond mself hoping iwasn God Wha I see I was real saing is i can be God Tha conicion imidl held b sheer niion and common-sense so long ago I now mainain nwaeringl For man

man ears I hae wresled wih he problem seeking nellecal clari . No ahor has heped me sae ohn of he Crossb i was a long ime before I cold ndersand him comprehensel . Al ohers i seemed o me assme he deni ofwha Teresa decbe of her sae of praer ha is wha shefelt of ha sae wih he tate telf wha in her case ac

copaned he msical sae wih he eal telf M conc-on is ha anhing ha can be descrbed gien an accon ofsimpl canno be he msical enconer in iself Wh is hisso Becase he msical enconer is precisel a dect en

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coner wih God himsef. Boh Teres nd ohn re qie sreof his i is he fndmen semen he mke bo i hiswer ows direc from he sorce' God hs drwn ner heis er cose nd for ohn of he Cross i is n inowing ofGod ino he so' he see erier forms of prer s indrec' God spekng commnicing ec. hrogh nr'chnnes in he ordinr' w Infsed or msic conem-pion is God n dc conc God himsef no creedimge of him nd herefore spernr in regrd o hesbjec concing in w beond he ordinr fcieshrefore spernr in is mode so Ths I m cern noone wi dispe hen we inss h his enconer wh Godhimsef ms of is nre bpss or rnscend or merfcies we re sing h ms be secre' ohn of heCross insiss on his from he ineec h receies .

Wh hen re we ookng when we re shown hese mr

os soced msic experiences' sch s Poin hs inmind We wi conne orsees o Teres hersef. Wh rewe ooing She hersef oed he imges of grden ndwer Le s hink of her s grden er ferie grden irri-ged b deep ndergrond spring which neer fis. Oerhis grden beif fonin ps nd or rs impression is

h his fonin is he sorce of he grdens ferii h hisi is h irriges he soi nd we he o s if he grdenwere conscios i wod hink so oo We re misken nd ifwe ook cose we sh see h wh we re ooking is no re fonin i is phenomenon rising from he pricr disric he grden is in he pricr consisenc of he soi

nd he emperre. Moisre from his wewered grdenis cgh p nd oerhngs i ike fonin ping ndperhps he sof mois cnop boe does refresh he owersB cerin i is no he sorce of he grden's ferii We resggesing h in eress cse here connecion beweenhe ndergrond spring which cnno be seen nd h which

cn be seen, he beif psedofonin In oher words hefors' in her cse re n effec of he msic grce b here no he msic grce nor in n esseni o i Theon mke he grden more beif nd inersing o

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obereNow le ii anoher garden A loel igh A glorio

onain arc rom one end o he oher breaking p he ligh loel a a rainbow . We are lo in admiraion and o i hegarden b one momen . . look a he cabbage ! Looka he ower Where are he A ew wihered alk we canhardl ee hem The grond i parched and barren here i nondergrond prng. Wha ha prodced hi onain henThere cold be lo o explanaion ome cienic rick oroher pariclar mineral in he oil b wha i cerain in hicae i ha ha nohing o do wih an ndergrond pring ocleal he pring in' here ! In ome cae, and deniel o inTerea cae he mical grace oerow a i were no hepchic power B we can never ame ha imilarexperience m pring rom he ame mca orce . Andwe wold re again ha een in he cae o ch a Terea

hi oerow ha lile ignicance compared wih he reai ohe grace a he il lor onain compared wih he ndergrond pring B heir i o hal know hem B heri o genine mical conemplaion are o a er pecialqali indeed

Anoher illraion ohe relaionhip beween he mical

grace and poibe oerow ha beween goodne andcharm. We all ee hi don we Some people are richlendowed wih ha merio qali we cal charm Wha ii We can a Some hae i ome do no B hae wenoiced now qie ordina goodne accompanied b charm begn o glow Onl oo eail he goodne oer eimaed

begin o dazzle . Too eai we ail o ee ha i i he charmwhich dazzing . An eqa goodne in one deoid o charmwold be oerlooked i probabl re ha goodne and illmore hoine gie a pecial qali o charm b in iel i iabolel diinc rom Holne wiho charm rarelrecogned On he oher hand o can hae acinaing charm

and he poplari ha goe wih i wih er lile goodne.Again i i a qeion o he qal o he ower and cabbage no he bea o he onain ha maer

Inng on hi dincion beween he mical enconer

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iself and he possible effec of his in he pschic powes is ooppose cens of high eseem fo he feeling of he pesenceof God o single o pehaps he mos modes caim o msicalgace Ye is had o see how an open ineligen mind coldfail o see he inheen conadicions in eaises on msicismwhee his eseem is pesen Yo see hem in Teesas ownwiings and he ineviable selfqesioning which dove he oseek ahoiaive assance fo wha was happening o hebecase deep down somehing isn qie igh somewhee ' Somewhee hee is a hge qesion mak Yo nd i vebalised fo nsance in he disped qesion as o whehe hecal o he msca life is fo al whehe infsed conemplaionis essenia fo hoiness o whehe one can be hol and e nohave eceived his gif. These qesions have absobed heaenion of gave men ove he cenes leading o he fomaion of dffeen schools of spiial one holding one

view anohe he ohe The Cameie school had o devise afom of pae called acive conemplaion' o cope wih hepobem How simple he answe o all his did we b concenae on he eaching of he gospels and caefll hold in mindhe disincion made above

See he oble Polain ns ino when he asks if i is pe-

smpion o dese he msical sae :

If he spenaal saes of pae wee mee means ofsancicaon gaces of sanci he qeson of desiinghem wod pesen no difcl B he ae eaodinagaces pvileges divine famiaies binging wih hemmaels of condescenion on God's pa and eevaing he

so o heighs ha ae egaded who ecepion b odina people as sbime (The Gaces of Inteo Paye)

This passage sel epiomises he conadicion nningnsolved hogh he adiion I comes fom he fac ha heaenon and emphasis ae on he hman pane in he e

laonship of pae. The ceion fo assessing a sae ofpae s aken o be wha he hman pane ehe does ofeels If he ae awae of he pesence of God as he woldsa if he feel held ' ae absobed hen we can assme he

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presence of mstical praer this mstical praer on theother hand if there is none of this sspension no feeling ofGods presence , then we hae to sa the praer is not mstical .Bt when we think abot t, is not this an extraordinar thing todo Srel the er essence of praer, een in the eal stages

is to be there for the God whose er natre is to gie . This issperlatiel tre in the mstical praer, for this par excellence , is what God is doing . How can we possibl think that itis a that important how the hman partner comports himself,whether he ses his mind in this wa or that, whether hs pscheprodces this or that , as thogh Gods actiit in s is depend

ant on sch things . How can we think that what we fee or don tfeel , wht we know or dont know is al l important If we haefaith sel we know that God gies himself withot measreand we won't attempt to gage the depth of the giing b ortotall inadeqate plmb lines of sense .

Let s take p the point of sanctit Polain is tel lng s thatmstica gaces are distinct from graces of sanctit What ssancti Polain sggests that it is a degree below the priileges' , the diine familiarities of mstical nion . Srel sanctit necessaril implies these sanctit mstcal nionSrel the message of the New Testament is that nion withGod, diine intimac , familiarit, nhead of priilege , s whatman is for, it is the promise of the Father offered in Jess and forwhich he died We are called to be sons in te Son heirs of Godbecase coheirs with Christ sharing in the diine natre , l edwith the flness of God If mstical nion is not one and thesame thing with this promise of the Father totall effected in a

hman being, redempton completed, then it is somethingbogs There can be no higher gift than what the New Testament tel ls s is the common destin of man

WH Vanstone in his book Loe Endeaou LoeExpene has a moing passage on the laishness of God andthe destin of creation . It s the heart of reelation

The actiit ofGod mst be limitless creatit It ms tset nointerior limt to its own selfgiing It mst eer seek toenlarge the capcit to receie of the other to which it gies

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The innit f the nierse mst be nderstd with awe asthe expressin r nseqene f the limitlessness f thediine sefgiing fr the diine aspiratin t gie mst eerenlarge the bnds f ha whih is t reeie . Nthing mstbe withhed frm the selfgiing whih is reatin n nex-

pended reseres f diine ptentiait n glr f Gd rmajest f Gd whih ma be mpared and ntrastedwith the glr f the gaaxies and the majest f the nierse n pwer f Gd' whih might erride the Gdgienpwers f the nierse n eernit f Gd' whih mighttlie an eternal nierse . Frm this selfgiingnthing is held bak nthing remains in Gd nexpended .

This Selfsqanderer des nt arefll weigh t his gifsffering diine familiarities t a few withhlding them frmthers he is nt erwing genersit t sme miserlinesswith thers . He is alwas giing himself insfar as he can bereeied and he is alwas tring t enlarge the apait s that

he a gie himself mre fll. Witht an dbt there aresme and perhaps nl the few wh hae entered in this lifeint prfndest intima with Gd bt this intima thisstate f mstial nin simpl annt be attested b shpshi experienes as Plain speaks f. ess himself gies sthe riterin It is ling as I hae led keeping his m

mandments as he keeps his Father s it is liing as he did in ttalsrrender This nfrmit with ess this ttal srrender isimpssible t hman effrt a diine gift is needed an infsinf diine energ the Spirit f ess himself, the Prmise f theFather This i preisel what we mean b mstial infsedntempatin.

If we strip t the bne what bh Teresa and hn hae t saf the gift we nd: it is pue gift smething we an neerahiee fr rseles . hweer mh we ma pratisemeditatin hweer mh we d ilene t rseles, andhweer man tears we shed we annt prde this water inthse was . . It is smething entirel new It is nt a deep

ening f what has gne befre an inreasing expertise nt antinatin bt a break.It i s, as alread said a diect ennter with GdIt puie and tanfo

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Aug i n n d l fr geeou pepaato

D w n i i ju w nw Tmn il ling u f Fr rm kngdm f Gd' in ni, rn lif in n liing wi lf f Ci inPu Wn , in ay of Pefeto T gin k f r mil gr gninl i n nx f P Nr T kingdm m H gn gi u kingdm n r ay xxx)

m f kingdm fr u ng f r i ringim rking in n winrd wrld inging wld in w ld dwn i if ring in. Hi l l r f kingdm w n llr w ing li n f uml r . Smim kingdm i n ming ming un u , ming wiin u Lining r w n dir-

d , I ink, frm ir d mning xng ur ninn w mig m l f kngdm dwn um in Il will wrldwd im frinn u d i l mk n Gd d n giimlf lli u nl indiidul. If kingdmd imrgn wrld f mn i n nl u indi

idul r id . Onl indidul , rnfrmdin l r rn f L in wrld . T ln iffd n ndiidul r i nfrming rinil ,ffd d r rjd If rid r i n nd i inrn wr rnfrm T d, wlmd n wllrrd il dnmim f i wn wi wil ugn in

mgnin fruifuln if il i unwlming rug iunrdn d m ning.T frgiing f Fr g fr u w wnd

w, ing frm im w i ur in On in imr d w nd ur in nl in i mr r wlnd f ur l nd ld in u W n

mr f r w n nd ur li ding i A W. H .Vnn in u mingl, lfqundring l fGd un rik f filur I i r f kni Gif wi i f ur , imf i u f i nd i n

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upible ife wic e bd iself is se nd s de wil lve n mening B is new ing men becme sns f Gd T ccep Jesus Cis mens cceping is de , eneing in wi m: is is e nl ge b wic is wll new ingcn invde Te css, suende de in de be ceed

new be bn gin f e l Spii ese wesmeugs mus be pesen lws wen we ink f msiclunn.

Tee is ning weve n e new esmen sugges is l gif, e kingdm eenl life ee nd nw, ise edlines, cmpelling ssen Quie e cn. Jesus

suggess is idden cce ls s i is in e din euef life . Te seed is gwing bu e fme des n see i igws senl iddenl cing n enin His wn ifemng us ws us like nd e ws scned nd ejecedbecuse ws jus like He epelled e demnds f signsnd wndes pve e pesence f divine civi Te signf e upuing lve f Gd be eceived b l w wis ise suende f Jesus n e css . Tis s e ms divine esupeme c f cein e summi f being, nd e , wsuck e senses Te umuluus wind f Penecs skinge fundins f e wld , e ngues f e e nl picl imges f e idden civi f Gd e pmise f eFe wic indeed skes u wld is fundins ndls us wi e e f lve

T pess me e pin sill fue, ed w e scpuescl, C H Ddd s s f e muul ndwelling n es discuse f e gspl f Jn . I invlves e ms ini

me unn pssible beween Gd nd mn , el cmmunif being, sing f l ife . i is dnmic incusin f divineeneg ug wic mn m spek nd d e wds ndwks f Gd . A pefec descpin f infused cnemplinccding Tees nd Jn f e Css Ddd ges n skif Jn e evngelis cn ppel be clled msic nd cnsi

des vius uses f em

Csmic emin is n ve cmmn nd i is pssible f epilspe nepe i s uni Gd' n pneisic

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sense and so o ge olor o wha s a heor of he nerse I s posse o nerpre eran anormal pshalsaes as possesson he dne Spr B n neher asehae we edene ha non wh a personal God s aaned For he onl knd of personal non I repea wh whh we

are aqaned s loe . ohn sas ha hs s n rh he kndof non wh God gen n he Chrsan relgon . s es-senall spernaral and o of hs world and e plans sfee rm n hs world earng he fr of selfsarngloe for he neghor. I s no ase effe of he o-pong oe of God.

Dodd onldes Wheher hs shold e alled "mssm Ido no know . ' Boh Teresa and ohn of he Cross wold answeremphaall ha s s wha s ! '

The erm msal' s no means onned o Chrsanas well we know I s one of he words Chrsan ook oerfrom he lred world The word sggess awareness ofmseres an experene ofransendene exalaon a sonhrogh and eond wha mmedael srkes he senses apassng glmpse of an nseesn world When Chrsans n herrelgos as fel somehng of hs afer all s a hmanphenomenon and Chrsans are hman he naral l fell

ak on an aeped word I s hs range of experene om-monl ded msal' ha we need o look a for andlarge s presel hs ha s onfsed wh he rl msal he reakhrogh no hs world of he dne. The rs s ahman a and herefore laors nder he lmaons of eshand lood he seond s a dne a ha ransends hese lm-

aons. The onfson of he hman pshe wh he heologal lal onep of sol or spr s ommon and s hesore of or msndersandngs Or een f we do allow hedsnon s assmed a leas n prae ha he msallfe wll neal manfes self n an nrease of he pshpowers Ths s no so. There are man people who hae well-

deeloped psh awareness. We an onenenl all hemsenses . We nd hem among all sors of people n no warelgos Wha he hae s a naral endowmen and we anno een sa a hgh endowmen I seems o elong o more pr

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miive people Chidre hve i rue d i eem o e ge o he wy o ul elwree To urreder o pyhiimpreio would e o eome le rher h more hum Geerlly pekig pyh power dimih e-wree grow Now ri prie oed wih hepiriul lie le uoouly oer pyhi powerhough hi my o e heir dre im orol d ieig ohe mid ig l o eep Some prie o Yog doher phioophie poively idue pyhi e hghlydeire e o oioue Trpoe hee me eeio Chr oex o pryer d hey re mke or ruemyim We hve o dmi h geerly pekig hoewho hve le u ou o heir ourey o pryer hveee mog hee eiive d hve hemeve iled odiiguih ewee hee pyhi ee d he myilgre iel Tere w mred eiive

I we hve pid eo o moder iei ivegiohe pyhe d ureoe o hi we uderdTere d oher myi i we hve iled o do o he we hllhve ome o he ouo h i i mo myeriou lrgelyuexplored dmeio where lmo yhig mgh hppe Were o eilly eed oe woud d que ired

ile gre del o wh limed exquie mui reig eelig o immee hppie d kg wy l er o de e h eem o ome rom o ur oure kowledg ohig o ome o wh i hppeig gre die eelig o eg ou o he ody looig dow oeeleemig o e rried o he hrehold o deh prdil

ey There i o ed o wh goe o i he word o hepyhe Thi v rge o experiee oe weome dmyeriou, elog o i pr o our merl eig i o ohe piri' i he ripurl heologil ee i o eh dood Pul h i h o eer he kigdom I elogo m ime eig' h whih we hre wih he

meril reio d i e h ohig o do wih prexep i o r everyhig meril i or he growh o piri i pole o hve mo oy piriul experiee d yee mere emryo whe i ome o piy or God Liewie

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sch eperences when n a cntet f relgn and Christianpraer can asse a signicance the haen't gt The canperate freel in the earliest stages f the interir life andnless we are cear s t the asc ateiali f the we can eed astra In thse liale t he wh ente the stic wathe can cntine t peate and agan can e isinterpretedOf theseles the are han epeiences and as with ee-thing else can e sed r ased. Understd sed hthe can e an ncente and help Gd a pstiel ake sefths apparats when he sees it wld hep t we st realisethat the apparats is the sae in kind as that with which wenderstand a k are plifted and inspired sc ed anther persn these are all sensile eans which Gd sest teach and gide s. In

interior castle explored_ st. teresa's teaching on the life of deep union with god - ruth burrows

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