Ascent of Mount Carmel by John of the Cross

John discusses how the soul must mortify three distinct faculties – its intellect, memory, and will. Such an attitude is not the hallmark of self-denial and nakedness of spirit but the indication of a spiritual sweet tooth.' It happens that, when some of this solid, perfect food (the annihilation of all sweetness in God – the pure spiritual cross and nakedness of Christ's poverty of spirit) is offered them in dryness, distaste, and trial, they run from it as from death and wander about in search only of sweetness and delightful communications from God. They think denial of self in worldly matters is sufficient without annihilation and purification in the spiritual domain. 'For they still feed and clothe their natural selves with spiritual feelings and consolations instead of divesting and denying themselves of these for God's sake. This achieved, the soul will be joined with the Beloved in a union of simplicity and purity and likeness.'įor those who disagree, and believe they can reach their goal without denying themselves in the spiritual realm, St. '.all that is required for complete pacification of the spiritual house is the negation through pure faith of all the spiritual faculties and gratifications and appetites. To overcome these attachments, the soul must again perform a strict self-denial. John, these must also be rejected because the soul is still not seeking God in purity, but only the consolations it gets from spiritual exercises. Just as the soul becomes attached to the exterior pleasures it gets from the things of the world, it also becomes attached to the interior pleasures it gets from its relationship with God. Accordingly, it is indeed comparable to midnight, the innermost and darkest period of night.'

The second, darker night of faith belongs to the rational, superior part it is darker and more interior because it deprives this part of its rational light, or better, blinds it. 'The first night pertains to the lower, sensory part of human nature and is consequently more external. John, is darker and more painful than what has come before: Now it is time, in the Active Night of the Spirit, to purposefully mortify the attachments of the spirit. John discuses the Active Night of the Spirit.Īt this point (although the path isn't exclusively portrayed as a straightforward, step-by-step progression, but sometimes as an ongoing journey with each element intertwined), the soul has already mortified its attachments to the things of the world.

In Books 2 and 3 of The Ascent of Mount Carmel St.

Ascent of Mount Carmel by John of the Cross