THE GREAT FRUITS PRODUCED BY THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PRAYER. THE WONDERFUL
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE EFFECTS AND THOSE FORMERLY DESCRIBED SHOULD BE
CAREFULLY STUDIED AND REMEMBERED.
1. Effects of the graces last received. 2. The soul only cares for God's
honour. 3. But still performs its duties. 4. Other fruits of these favours.
5. The soul's fervent desire to serve God. 6. Christ dwells within this
soul. 7. And recalls it to fervour if negligent. 8. God's constant care of
such souls. 9. Their peace and silence. 10. Few ecstasies in the Seventh
Mansions. 11. Probable reasons for this. 12. Allusions in Holy Scripture to
this state. 13. Watchfulness of such souls. 14. Crosses suffered in this
state.
1. THE little butterfly has died with the greatest joy at having found rest
at last, and now Christ lives in her. [420] Let us see the difference
between her present and her former life, for the effects will prove whether
what I told you was true. As far as can be ascertained they are these:
first, a self-forgetfulness so complete that she really appears not to
exist, as I said, [421] for such a transformation has been worked in her
that she no longer recognizes herself; nor does she remember that heaven, or
life, or glory are to be hers, but seems entirely occupied in seeking God's
interests. Apparently the words spoken by His Majesty have done their work:
'that she was to care for His affairs, and He would care for hers.' [422]
2. Thus she recks nothing, whatever happens, but lives in such strange
oblivion that, as I stated, she seems no longer to exist, nor does she wish
to be of any account in anything--anything! unless she sees that she can
advance, however little, the honour and glory of God, for which she would
most willingly die.
3. Do not fancy I mean, daughters, that she neglects to eat and drink,
though it brings no small torment to her, or to perform the duties of her
state. I am speaking of her interior; as regards her exterior actions there
is little to say, for her chief suffering is to see that she has hardly
strength to do anything. For nothing in the world would she omit doing all
she can which she knows would honour our Lord.
4. The second fruit is a strong desire for suffering, though it does not
disturb her peace as before because the fervent wish of such souls for the
fulfilment of God's will in them makes them acquiesce in all He does. If He
would have her suffer, she is content; if not, she does not torment herself
to death about it as she used to do. She feels a great interior joy when
persecuted, and is far more peaceful than in the former state under such
circumstances: she bears no grudge against her enemies, nor wishes them any
ill. Indeed she has a special love for them, is deeply grieved at seeing
them in trouble, and does all she can to relieve them, [423] earnestly
interceding with God on their behalf. She would be glad to forfeit the
favours His Majesty shows her, if they might be given to her enemies
instead, to prevent their offending our Lord. 5. The most surprising thing
to me is that the sorrow and distress which such souls felt because they
could not die and enjoy our Lord's presence [424] are now exchanged for as
fervent a desire of serving Him, of causing Him to be praised, and of
helping others to the utmost of their power. Not only have they ceased to
long for death, but they wish for a long life and most heavy crosses, if
such would bring ever so little honour to our Lord. Thus, if they knew for
certain that immediately on quitting their bodies their souls would enjoy
God, it would make no difference to them, nor do they think of the glory
enjoyed by the saints, and long to share it. Such souls hold that their
glory consists in helping, in any way, Him Who was crucified, especially as
they see how men offend against Him, and how few, detached from all else,
care for His honour alone. True, people in this state forget this at times,
and are seized with tender longings to enjoy God and to leave this land of
exile, especially as they see how little they serve Him. Then, returning to
themselves and reflecting how they possess Him continually in their souls,
they are satisfied, offering to His Majesty their willingness to live as the
most costly oblation they can make. [425]
They fear death no more than they would a delicious trance.
[6. The fact is, that He Who gave them these torturing desires of death has
exchanged them for the others. May He be for ever blessed and praised! Amen.
In fact, such persons no longer wish for consolations nor delights, since
they bear God Himself within them, and it is He Who lives in them. It is
evident that His life was one continual torment: so would He have ours to
be, at least in desire, for as to the rest He leads us mercifully as our
weakness requires, though when He sees the need He imparts to us His
strength.]
7. Such a soul, thoroughly detached from all things, wishes to be either
always alone or occupied on what benefits the souls of others: she feels
neither aridity nor any interior troubles, but a constant tender
recollection of our Lord Whom she wishes to praise unceasingly. When she
grows negligent, the same Lord arouses her in the way that I told you, and
it is easy to see that this impulse (I know not what term to use for it)
comes from the interior of the soul, like the former impetuous desires.
[426] It is now felt very sweetly, but is neither produced by the
intellect nor the memory, nor is there reason to believe the soul itself has
any share in it. This is so usual and so frequent that whoever has been in
this state must have noticed it. However large a fire may be, the flame
never burns downwards, but upwards, and so this movement is seen to come
from the centre of the soul whose powers it excites. Indeed, were nothing
else gained by this way of prayer but the knowledge of the special care God
takes to communicate Himself to us and how He entreats us to abide with Him
(for indeed I can describe it in no other way) I think that for the sake of
these sweet and penetrating touches of His love all our past pains would be
well spent.
8. You will have learnt this by experience, sisters, for I think that when
our Lord has brought us to the prayer of union, He watches over us in this
way unless we neglect to keep His commandments. When these impulses are
given you, remember that they come from the innermost mansion, where God
dwells in our souls. Praise Him fervently, for it is He Who sends you this
message, or love letter, so tenderly written, and in a cipher that only you
can understand and know what He asks. By no means neglect to answer His
Majesty, even though you may be occupied exteriorly and engaged in
conversation. Our Lord may often be pleased to show you this secret favour
in public; but it is very easy, as the reply should be entirely interior, to
respond by an at of love or to ask with Saint Paul: 'Lord, what wilt Thou
have me to do?» [427] Jesus will show you in many ways how to please Him.
It is a propitious moment, for He seems to be listening to us and the soul
is nearly always disposed by this delicate touch to respond with a generous
determination. [428] As I told you, this mansion differs from the rest in
that, as I said, [429] the dryness and disturbance felt in all the rest at
times hardly ever enter here, where the soul is nearly always calm. It does
not fear that this sublime favour can be counterfeited by the devil, but
feels a settled conviction that it is of divine origin because, as above
stated, nothing is here perceived by the senses or faculties but His Majesty
reveals Himself to the spirit, which He takes to be with Himself in a place
where I doubt not the devil dares not enter, nor would our Lord ever permit
him.
9. All the graces here divinely bestowed on the soul come, as I said,
through no a Lion of its own except its total abandonment of itself to God.
They are given in peace and silence, like the building of Solomon's Temple
where no sound was heard. [430] It is thus with this temple of God, this
mansion of His where He and the soul rejoice in each other alone in profound
silence. The mind need not act nor search for anything, as the Lord Who
created it wishes it to be at rest and only to watch through a little chink,
what passes within. Though at times it cannot see this, yet such intervals
are very short, I believe because the powers are not here lost but only
cease to work, being, as it were, dazed with astonishment.
10. I, too, am astonished at seeing that when the soul arrives at this state
it does not go into ecstasies except perhaps on rare occasions--even then
they are not like the former trances and the flight of the spirit and seldom
take place in public as they did before. [431] They are no longer produced
by any special calls to devotion, such as by the sight of a religious
picture, by hearing a sermon (were it only the first few words), or by
sacred music; formerly, like the poor little butterfly, the soul was so
anxious that anything used to alarm it and make it take flight. This may be
either because the spirit has at last found repose, or that it has seen such
wonders in this mansion that nothing can frighten it, or perhaps because it
no longer feels solitary since it rejoices in such Company.
11. In short, sisters, I cannot tell the reason, but as soon as God shows
the soul what this mansion contains, bringing it to dwell within the
precincts, the infirmity formerly so troublesome to the mind and impossible
to get over, disappears at once. Probably this is because our Lord has now
strengthened, dilated, and developed the soul, or it may be that He wished
to make public (for some end known only to Himself) what He was doing in
secret within such souls, for His judgments are beyond our comprehension in
this life.
12. These effects, with all the other good fruits I have mentioned of the
different degrees of prayer, are given by God to the soul when it draws near
Him to receive that 'kiss of His mouth' for which the bride asked, [432]
and I believe her petition is now granted. Here the overflowing waters are
given to the wounded hart: here she delights in the tabernacles of God [433]
: here the dove sent out by Noe to see whether the flood had subsided, has
plucked the olive branch, showing that she has found firm land amongst the
floods and tempests of this world. [434] O Jesus! Who knows how much in
Holy Scripture refers to this peace of soul? Since, O my God, Thou dost see
of what grave import is this peace to us, do Thou incite Christians to
strive to gain it! In Thy mercy do not deprive those of it on whom Thou hast
bestowed it, for until Thou hast given them true peace and brought them to
where it is unending, they must ever live in fear.
13. I do not mean that peace is unreal on earth because I say 'true
peace,' but that such souls might have to begin all their struggles over
again if they forsook God. What must these people feel at the thought that
it is possible to lose so great a good? Their dread makes them more careful;
they try to gather strength from their weakness lest, through their own
fault, they should miss any opportunity of pleasing God better. The greater
the favours they have received from His Majesty, the more diffident and
mistrustful are they of themselves; the marvels they have witnessed having
revealed more clearly to them their own miseries and the heinousness of
their sins, so that often, like the publican, they dare not so much as lift
up their eyes. [435]
14. Sometimes they long to die and be in safety, but then their love at once
makes them wish to live in order to serve God, as I told you; therefore they
commit all that concerns them to His mercy. [436] At times they are more
crushed than ever by the thought of the many graces they have received lest,
like an overladen ship, they sink beneath the burden. I assure you, sisters,
such souls have their cross to bear, yet it does not trouble them nor rob
them of their peace, but is quickly gone like a wave or a storm which is
followed by a calm, for God's presence within them soon makes them forget
all else. May He be for ever blessed and praised by all His creatures! Amen,
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[420] Gal. ii. 20.
[421] Castle, M. vii. ch. i. 11 and 15.
[422] Castle, M. vii. ch. ii. 1. Compare the references there given.
[423] Don Alvaro de Mendoza, Bishop of Avila, used to say that the best
means of obtaining St. Teresa's friendship was to injure or insult her, Acta
Ss. n, 1233. Rel. vii. 20.
[424] Rel. viii. 15.
[425] Compare with the Saint's poem on self-oblation: 'Vuestro soy, para Vos
naci' (Poem i. Minor Works).
Long life bestow, or straightway let me die;
Let health be mine, or pain and sickness send;
Honour or foul dishonour--be my path
Beset by war or peaceful till the end.
My strength or weakness be as Thou dost choose,
Since naught Thou askest shall I e'er refuse.
Say, Lord, what is it Thou dost will for me?
[426] Castle, M. vi. ch. vi. 6.
[427] Acts ix. 6: 'Domine, quid me vis facere?''
[428] The words from 'know what He asks' to 'as I told you' are not in the
original manuscript, but must have been written on a separate slip, as is
proved by a marginal note in the handwriting of the Saint: 'Quando dice
aqui: os pide, l+¬ase luego este papel.' This paper is now lost, but the
passage it contained is preserved in the early manuscript copies of Toledo,
Cordova and Salamanca, as well as in the first printed edition, and, through
this, in the old translations; hence both Woodhead and Dalton have it in its
proper place. It is, of course, not to be found in the autograph published
in 1882, nor in Fuente's Spanish editions nor in translations based upon
these, The Spanish text will be found in +Æuvres vi, 297 note.
[429] Supra -º-º i and 2.
[430] III Reg. vi. 7.
[431] 'That is, so as to lose the senses' (marginal note in the Saints'
handwriting). Rel. iii. 5.
[432] Cant. i. I.
[433] Ps. xli, 2, 5.
[434] Gen. viii. 10, 11.
[435] St. Luke. xviii. 13.
[436] Rel. ix. 19.
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