Ascent of Mount Carmel

by John of the Cross, Saint; Carrigan, Henry L.

• ISBN13: 9781557253064
• ISBN10: 1557253064
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-09-01
• Publisher: Paraclete Pr

Summary

Thomas Merton called John of the Cross "the greatest of all mystical theologians." Born in Spain in 1542, John joined the Carmelite Order when he was twenty-one. Living in a time of great religious controversy, John was kidnapped and imprisoned -- an experience of deep suffering that formed the basis for some of his most beautiful poetry. This volume represents a modernized edition of John's rarely published work,Ascent of Mount Carmel, a commentary on his spiritual poetry. The poem recounts John's passage through a dark night of faith on his journey toward complete union with God. Through his lyric poetry and humble wisdom, he has become an encouraging companion for people throughout the centuries who are passing through their own "dark night of the soul." For the Christian faithful, this volume will serve as an essential introduction to one of Christianity's greatest luminaries. For spiritual seekers of all faiths,Ascent of Mount Carmelprovides a classic roadmap for the mystical journey.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xiii
The stanzas on which this book is based	4	(3)
Prologue	7	(4)
BOOK ONE
The first stanza is introduced	11	(2)
The nature of this dark night	13	(1)
The first cause of this night	14	(2)
The soul's interior darkness cannot receive God's light	16	(4)
It is necessary for the soul to journey to God through this dark night	20	(3)
The desires cause two serious evils	23	(2)
The desires torment the soul	25	(1)
The desires darken and blind the soul	26	(2)
The desires defile the soul	28	(1)
The desires weaken the soul in virtue and make it lukewarm	29	(1)
The soul that desires to reach divine union must be free from the slightest desire	30	(4)
The desires that suffice to cause these evils in the soul	34	(2)
The way that the soul must follow in order to enter this night of the senses	36	(4)
The second phrase of the stanza is explained	40	(1)
The remainder of the first stanza is explained	41	(2)
BOOK TWO
The second stanza is introduced	43	(2)
The second cause of this night of faith	45	(1)
Faith is dark night to the soul	46	(2)
The soul must also be in darkness with respect to spiritual things	48	(1)
What is meant by ``union of the soul with God.''	49	(3)
The three theological virtues perfect the three faculties of the soul	52	(2)
The way that leads to eternal life is narrow	54	(3)
Faith is the means by which the soul may attain to the divine union of love	57	(1)
Harm results from the soul not being able to detach itself from natural things of the mind	58	(2)
The soul must be emptied of things of the senses	60	(2)
The soul must not lean on visions that take place in the mind	62	(4)
Why God allows supernatural visions	66	(1)
Spiritual guides may lead disciples into error	67	(1)
We may be deceived about visions and locutions that come from God	68	(5)
Why it is not lawful under the law of grace to ask anything of God by supernatural means	73	(3)
Things of the understanding may come in a purely spiritual way	76	(2)
Two kinds of spiritual vision that come supernaturally	78	(3)
The distinction between the two kinds of revelation	81	(3)
The second kind of revelation is the manifestation of hidden secrets	84	(2)
Interior locutions may come to the spirit in one of three forms	86	(1)
The first kind of words that the recollected spirit sometimes forms within itself	86	(4)
The harm that may be done by interior words	90	(3)
The difference between substantial words and formal words	93	(2)
The things received by the understanding from interior feelings	95	(4)
BOOK THREE
The soul must purify the memory and the will	99	(1)
The soul must be emptied of the natural things of the memory	100	(2)
Three evils come to the soul when it uses natural knowledge and the memory	102	(2)
The second evil that may come to the soul from the natural things of the memory	104	(1)
The third evil that may come to the soul through distinct natural knowledge or the memory	105	(1)
The benefits that come to the soul from emptiness of thoughts and knowledge	106	(1)
One kind of perception of the memory	107	(1)
Many evils may come to the soul by reflecting on supernatural things	107	(2)
The peril of falling into self esteem and vain presumption	109	(1)
An evil that may come to the soul through imaginary perceptions	110	(2)
The hindrance that the soul places between itself and union	112	(1)
Another evil: a low and unseemly judgment of God	113	(1)
The benefits of banishing the perceptions of the imagination	114	(4)
The general method for governing oneself with respect to the memory	118	(2)
The dark night of the will	120	(2)
Joy may arise from six kinds of blessings	122	(1)
Joy with respect to temporal blessings	123	(3)
The evils that may come to the soul by rejoicing in temporal blessings	126	(5)
The benefits that come to the soul by withdrawing from joy in temporal things	131	(2)
The evils that may come to the soul by rejoicing in the good things of nature	133	(2)
The benefits that come to the soul by not rejoicing in the good things of nature	135	(2)
The third good thing in which the will may rejoice	137	(1)
The benefits that come to the soul by not rejoicing in things of the senses	138	(3)
The fourth kind of good in which the will may rejoice	141	(1)
The seven evils that may come to the soul by rejoicing in moral good	142	(3)
The benefits that come to the soul through not rejoicing in moral good	145	(2)
The fifth kind of good in which the will may rejoice	147	(2)
The evils that come to the soul when it rejoices in this kind of good	149	(4)
Two benefits that come to the soul from renouncing joy in the supernatural graces	153	(1)
The sixth kind of good in which the will may rejoice	154	(1)
The spiritual good things that bring joy to the will	155	(2)
The use of images in perceiving God and spiritual things	157	(3)
Images can be used to direct the soul to God	160	(2)
Motives for goodness	162	(3)
The way in which oratories and churches should be used	165	(1)
Three places that God uses to move the will to devotion	166	(2)
Other motives for prayer that many persons use	168	(1)
The joy and strength of the will must be directed to God through devotions	169	(3)
Teaching others is a spiritual practice rather than a vocal one	172