Someone startled but pleased me by writing lately that they had a wish ..a longing to enter the Dark Night of the Soul. It startled me because I had never heard of anyone expressing such a wish before. For the Dark Night is to go with Christ to Calvary. It is the final Great Purification before entrance into the last of the seven Mansions of Prayer, Spiritual Betrothal and Spiritual Marriage. Catholic Modern Mystical/Ascetical writers very often use the model used by St Teresa of Avila and divide progress in prayer into seven neat stages. This is so pleasing for Moderns as it divides things very neatly into easily understood packages. So that we have a good idea were we are. But I think it needs a word of caution. God does all things as He wishes . He is Master in His own house. He can and often does exactly as He pleases in what seems to us wild and unpredictable ways. The Holy Spirit is a Wild Wind not a Locomotive running along on preset rails. This is one of the reasons why Jews have rejected Christ. They had a Preconceived ideas of how the Messiah would come and what He would look like when He showed up. He would be a Great King. He would be a Mighty Magician But He would not come from Nazareth. He would not be the Son of a humble Carpenter. He would not be Born of a Virgin. This although Prophets like Isaiah gave a detailed in advance ground plan of what Jesus would look like when He turned up. We see something so similiar in the lives of the saints. They are constantly rejected because they do not fit peoples idea of what a saint should look like. St Bernadette Soubirous is a good for instance. She was unlearned from a despised bottom of the ladder family. When she went into religious life both her Novice Mistress and Superior rejected her. The film, 'The Song of Bernadette' , has her novice Mistress in a wonderful scene asking why on Earth Our Lady choose St Bernadette when after all she herself was far worthier. This always makes me laugh. But it was the very same line of thinking that caused the Sanhedrin to crucify Christ. ...and so we have to be a little careful of prepackaged ideas on the Spiritual Life. They help, but only up to a point. We must be careful not to put God in a Box, the Holy Spirit is a Jack in the Box and does not like this. Our God is a God of surprises.
I thought of this recently when reading a review of a book which is a compilation of seven books written by Fulton Sheen in the period between 1933 nd 1945. 'The Cries of Jesus from the Cross'; Sophia Institute Press. Fulton, commenting on the words of the Good Thief' is so insightful, 'In a single moment , a soul with a genuine fear of God can come to a greater understanding of the purpose of life than in a lifetime spent in the study of the ephemeral philosophies of men'. St Teresa of Avila echoes this when she stated that it is possible for a person to become a saint in the span of one Hail Mary if they say it well enough. My mother before she was married was a woman of deep prayer. But when the first batch of her ten children arrived she had less and less time for prayer. Concerned with this she asked a very old priest on in confession what she should do. The wise old man laughed and said, 'Your children are your prayer now'. God really is a jack in the box. The wind that blows all our Houses of Cards over. https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/cries-of-jesus-from-the-cross
It is off topic but I was reading there a wonderful story involving dogs and miracles in New York. A Catholic lay group there, Regnum Christi have been going on to the streets encouraging Catholics they meet who have been away from the sacrament for a while to go to confession. They have a group of priests waiting for them in a nearby Church. They instance miracles happening to push reluctant Catholics into the Church when they refuse to do. One instance are cases were people have been walking their dogs and the dogs have lain down on the pavement and refused to move until their owners go into the Church for confession! What wonderful Apostles, Regnum Christi and dogs both.
The Two Best Books I have read on the Dark Night are the Cross and the Book of Job. The Cross is a book of the Heart, like speaking to like in the Meeting of the Waters. At nighttime I have a beautiful brass Crucifix which I hold close. I notice from touching it the Crown of Thorns and the wounds have turned to a beautiful bronze. I sometimes wonder who owned this Cross before me and how he or she could bear to part with it. I usually wake up around three in the morning and grasp for it. How is the Cross a Book of the Heart and how does it reach into Darkness? My parents were married for over fifty years and I noticed they often did not talk together. They were so close that simple silences could speak. So with the Cross to hold it close, to kneel at its feet, simply to be there is communication heart to heart. Darkness to Darkness. Simply to hold Him and to be together. The Doorway of the Hearts. Mine in Him and He in mine. Anima Christi, sanctifica me. Corpus Christi, salva me. Sanguis Christi, inebria me. Aqua lateris Christi, lava me. Passio Christi, conforta me. O bone Jesu, exaudi me. Intra tua vulnera absconde me. Ne permittas me separari a te. Ab hoste maligno defende me. In hora mortis meae voca me. Et iube me venire ad te, Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te, In saecula saeculorum. Amen Soul of Christ, sanctify me Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from the side of Christ, wash me Passion of Christ, strengthen me O good Jesus, hear me Within Thy wounds hide me Suffer me not to be separated from Thee From the malignant enemy defend me In the hour of my death call me And bid me come unto Thee That with thy Saints I may praise Thee Forever and ever. Amen
Found Saint Louis de Montfort's 33 Marian Consecration very beneficial and relatively simple path to approach. Have suffered a number of setbacks since doing it but overall it has turned out to be very positive.
I expect the setbacks are backlash. The consecration is so powerful. Our Lady will pour Graces into your cup pressed down and overflowing.
The Devil follows behind Our Lady like a dog on a leash , snapping at her heels. Where Our Lady is the devil is never very far behind. It reminds me of a vision Fr Poll of Moll had one time. He saw Our Lord walking past and behind Him came a troop of demons clad in Medieval Armour. https://littlestsouls.wordpress.com/tag/fr-paul-of-moll/
When the Blessed Virgin enters a house by the front door,there, you may be certain, the Infernal Demon will enter shortly after the same house by the back door. They are both locked in a wrestling match for men's souls. A Battle that shall not end till the close of days.
You know, this is a very interesting word of knowledge that you just posted. I had a very devout Christian Protestant friend at work some years ago, and she would say, "Don't let the blessing that comes in the front door go out of the back door." I'm still not sure of the meaning, but what you posted makes sense. Don't let the devil rob you of your blessing?
God is very Just and things balance out. I think this is the message of the Book of Job. At the start Job was the guy who had everythig. Satan..the word, 'Satan' in Hebrew means the Advesary....like a Public Prosecutor or District Attorney oes before the Court of Heaven and accuses Job before God. He says Job is only good because He has it good. But if God lets Him test Job He'll find JOb is a worthless no good. Its the same with graces we are given, Marian or otherwise. When we're passed the ball we're expected to run with it. From those to whom much has been given much will be expected. It is a requirement of Justice and God is Justice. The devil is despite himself, God's slave. He has a role as District attorney in testing us. We will none of us get to heaven by standing still. When we are handed graces we are expected to use them.
I think it's all in the parable of the sower? “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Just before entering St Teresa of Avila's Dark Night, which is the Sixth Mansion: https://teresaofavilaturns500.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/the-great-light-of-the-dark-night/ “Oh, my God,” Teresa laments, “how great are these trials which the soul will suffer, both within and without, before it enters the seventh mansion.” The Soul is in the Fifth Mansion, the Prayer of Union. https://catholicstrength.com/tag/the-prayer-of-union/ 12. THE FIFTH MANSION. Entering the fifth mansion, the soul is still in the illuminative stage of the journey. There are still “hidden treasures” in the castle. Teresa wonders how she will ever be able to explain the “riches and delights” found in the fifth mansion. She also tells us that many of her nuns make it to the lofty state of prayer found in this mansion. The soul will now go even deeper in prayer – to unite herself to God in what is appropriately called The Prayer of Union. Some scholars call this prayer the prayer of incipient union or the prayer of the sleep of the faculties. Here the soul “falls asleep to the things of the world,” and in this sort of death becomes united to God. Thus the faculties are suspended, and there is virtually an unconsciousness, as the soul appears to have withdrawn from the body. The hallmark experience of this prayer is the certainty that, however short in duration, the soul was united to God. Teresa explains: “God implants Himself in the interior of that soul in such a way that, when it returns to itself, it cannot possibly doubt that God has been in it and it has been in God; so firmly does this truth remain within it that, although for years God may never grant it that favor again, it can never forget it or doubt that it has received it. This certainty of the soul is very material.” Teresa compares the soul’s growth and progress (in a “celebrated analogy”) to the silkworm. This large and ugly worm appears to be almost dead in the winter, but when the warm weather comes it begins to feed on mulberry leaves, and then to spin silk from twigs on the ground, as it makes itself into a very tight cocoon. “Then, finally, the worm…comes right out of the cocoon a beautiful white butterfly.” Likewise, the soul spins its own cocoon through penance, prayer and mortification until it becomes hidden in God. When it becomes quite dead to the things of this world “it comes out a little white butterfly.” Having experienced the prayer of union, the soul now has the most “vehement desire” for penance, solitude “and for all to know God.” It is overwhelmed for having “merited such a blessing.” The soul is now being prepared for the betrothal to the King which will take place in the sixth mansion. Teresa warns the soul to remain humble, for the “power of hell” is still capable of winning the soul back to sin. The soul is still susceptible to the perils of pride and self-delusion. Self-love must be crushed. The soul must keep her “eyes fixed on the King’s greatness,” and grow in love. “Love is never idle.” The soul must keep advancing. I would compare the soul in the 5th Mansion to Job before the roof fell ..as the guy who has everything. Then with the onset of the Dark Night the Roof Falls in as it did with Job. Satan Takes Job's Property and Children 13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servantsc]">[c] with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
I wouldn't write off Bishop Barron. In terms of his internet presence he probably has potentially one of the most powerful Evangelical potentials in history. Also he spends at least an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament every day; this must cause us to pay attention. I note at the start of the video he cites CS Lewis as one of the great theologians in the, 'History of the Church'. In fact CS Lewis was a Protestant. Quite a clanger. But I enjoyed the reference to the Book of Job and suffering. His heretical teachings on hell are such a big turn off. Oh well.
But it's true. There is the most astonishing draw in the Church in our generation to be nice about everything and to everyone. You would think half an hour praying in front of a Crucifix would cure this. I don;t know quite were it comes from. Where is it written that to love is to be nice? Love has nothing what ever to do with being nice. Yet Bishop Barron comes across as one of the very nicest men in history. It is very off putting . Pope Francis is the same in public. In public mesmerisingly nice. In private? Well a bit like a Clerical version of Joe Stalin. One word out of place and you're dead.
Sigh. I hope I'm wrong about all this; I really do. I've prayed and prayed about it and I don't think I am. Fulton Sheen speaks well on this. He asks the question; what does the devil do when he tempts you? The answer? He is nice, he is on your side. What does the devil do after you have Fallen? The answer? He condemns you to your face and before God. I have to say Pope Francis is the nicest Pope in history and he has surrounded himself with the nicest, smiling Cardinals and Bishops giving the nicest Teachings I have heard myself, far, far nicer than the Catholic Faith I learnt as a child..... Luke 6:26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. ...nice, nice, nice
