Book Study: Interior Castle - by St. Teresa of Avila

[Brigid]

I like the part in this text that says our falls should rise us higher.  Yes, everything is a grace!

Yes!

For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful. 2 Cor. 12:10

[Patricia]

God here speaks to souls through words uttered by pious people, by sermons or good books, and in many other such ways. Sometimes He calls souls by means of sickness or troubles, or by some truth He teaches them during prayer, for tepid as they may be in seeking Him, yet God holds them very dear.

The patience of Our good Lord in dealing with us unhappy mortals gives me so much hope

The understanding aids by showing that however many years life might last, no one could ever wish for a better friend than God; that the world is full of falsehood, and that the worldly pleasures pictured by the devil to the mind were but troubles and cares and annoyances in disguise.

I've experienced this through the years....No one is as faithful and reliable as the Lord!

Let him resolve to go forth to combat with the host of demons, and be convinced that there is no better weapon than the cross.

Resolution, perseverance, prayer....

And I finally figured out how to insert quotes in my replies

[Therese]

For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful. 2 Cor. 12:10
[/quote]

Yes, Brigid.

[Shin]

Good show with the quotes Patricia!  

[Shin]

THE THIRD MANSIONS
CHAPTER I.

TREATS OF THE INSECURITY OF LIFE IN THIS EXILE, HOWEVER HIGH WE MAY BE RAISED, AND OF HOW WE MUST ALWAYS WALK IN FEAR. CONTAINS SOME GOOD POINTS.

1. Souls in the Third Mansions. 2. Insecurity of this life. 3. Our danger of falling from grace. 4. The Saint bewails her past life. 5. Our Lady's patronage. 6. Fear necessary even for religious. 7. St. Teresa's contrition. 8. Characteristics of those in the Third Mansions. 9. The rich young man in the Gospel. 10. Reason of aridities in prayer. 11. Humility. 12. Tepidity. 13. We must give all to God. 14. Our debt. 15. Consolations and aridities.

1. As for those who, by the mercy of God, have vanquished in these combats and persevered until they reached the third mansions, what can we say to them but `Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord'? It is no small favour from God that I should be able to translate this verse into Spanish so as to explain its meaning, considering how dense I usually am in such matters. We may well call these souls blessed, for, as far as we can tell, unless they turn back in their course they are on the safe road to salvation. Now, my sisters, you see how important it is for them to conquer in their former struggles, for I am convinced that our Lord will henceforth never cease to keep them in security of conscience, which is no small boon.

2. I am wrong in saying `security,' for there is no security in this life; understand that in such cases I always imply: `If they do not cease to continue as they have begun.' What misery to live in this world! We are like men whose enemies are at the door, who must not lay aside their arms, even while sleeping or eating, and are always in dread lest the foe should enter the fortress by some breach in the walls. O my Lord and my all! How canst Thou wish us to prize such a wretched existence? We could not desist from longing and begging Thee to take us from it, were it not for the hope of losing it for Thy sake or devoting it entirely to Thy service--and above all because we know it is Thy will that we should live. Since it is so, `Let us die with Thee!' as St. Thomas said, for to be away from Thee is but to die again and again, haunted as we are by the dread of losing Thee for ever!

3. This is why I say, daughters, that we ought to ask our Lord as our boon to grant us one day to dwell in safety with the Saints, for with such fears, what pleasure can she enjoy whose only pleasure is to please God? Remember, many Saints have felt this as we do, and were even far more fervent, yet fell into grave sin, and we cannot be sure that God would stretch forth His hand to raise us from sin again to do such penance as they performed. This applies to extraordinary grace. Truly, my daughters, I feel such terror as I tell you this, that I know not how to write it, nor even how to go on living, when I reflect upon it as I very often do. Beg of His Majesty, my daughters, to abide within me, for otherwise, what security could I feel, after a life so badly spent as mine has been?

4. Do not grieve at knowing this. I have often seen you troubled when I spoke about it, for you wish that my past had been a very holy one, in which you are right--indeed, I wish the same myself. But what can be done, now that I have wasted it entirely through my own fault? I have no right to complain that God withheld the aid I needed to fulfil your wishes. It is impossible for me to write this without tears and great shame, when I see that I am explaining these matters to those capable of teaching me. What a hard task has obedience laid, upon me! God grant that, as I do it for Him, it may be of some service to you; therefore beg Him to pardon me for my miserable presumption.

5. His Majesty knows that I have nothing to rely upon but His mercy; as I cannot cancel the past, I have no other remedy but to flee to Him, and to confide in the merits of His Son and of His Virgin Mother, whose habit, unworthy as I am, I wear as you do also. Praise Him, then, my daughters, for making you truly daughters of our Lady, so that you need not blush for my wickedness as you have such a good Mother. Imitate her; think how great she must be and what a blessing it is for you to have her for a patroness, since my sins and evil character have brought no tarnish on the lustre of our holy Order.

6. Still I must give you one warning: be not too confident because you are nuns and the daughters of such a Mother. David was very holy, yet you know what Solomon became. Therefore do not rely on your enclosure, on your penitential life, nor on your continual exercise of prayer and constant communion with God, nor trust in having left the world or in the idea that you hold its ways in horror. All this is good, but is not enough, as I have already said, to remove all fear; therefore meditate on this text and often recall it: 'Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.'

7. I do not recollect what I was saying, and have digressed very much: for when I think of myself my mind cannot soar to higher things but is like a bird with broken wings; so I will leave this subject for the present.

8. To return to what I began to explain about the souls which have entered the third mansions. God has shown them no small favour, but a very great one, in enabling them to pass through the first difficulties. Thanks to His mercy I believe there are many such people in the world: they are very desirous not to offend His Majesty even by venial sins, they love penance and spend hours in meditation, they employ their time well, exercise themselves in works of charity to their neighbours, are well-ordered in their conversation and dress, and those who own a household govern it well. This is certainly to be desired, and there appears no reason to forbid their entrance to the last mansions; nor will our Lord deny it them if they desire it, for this is the right disposition for receiving all His favours.

9. O Jesus! can any one declare that he does not desire this great blessing, especially after he has passed through the chief difficulties? No; no one can! We all say we desire it, but there is need of more than that for the Lord to possess entire dominion over the soul. It is not enough to say so, any more than it was enough for the young man when our Lord told him what he must do if he desired to be perfect. Since I began to speak of these dwelling-rooms I have him constantly before my mind, for we are exactly like him; this very frequently produces the great dryness we feel in prayer, though sometimes it proceeds from other causes as well. I am not speaking of certain interior sufferings which give intolerable pain to many devout souls through no fault of their own; from these trials, however, our Lord always delivers them with much profit to themselves. I also except people who suffer from melancholy and other infirmities. But in these cases, as in all others, we must leave aside the judgments of God.

10. I hold that these effects usually result from the first cause I mentioned; such souls know that nothing would induce them to commit a sin (many of them would not even commit a venial sin advertently), and that they employ their life and riches well. They cannot, therefore, patiently endure to be excluded from the presence of our King, Whose vassals they consider themselves, as indeed they are. An earthly king may have many subjects yet all do not enter his court. Enter then, enter, my daughters, into your interior; pass beyond the thought of your own petty works, which are no more, nor even as much, as Christians are bound to perform: let it suffice that you are God's servants, do not pursue so much as to catch nothing. Think of the saints, who have entered the Divine Presence, and you will see the difference between them and ourselves.

11. Do not ask for what you do not deserve, nor should we ever think, however much we may have done for God, that we merit the reward of the saints, for we have offended Him. Oh, humility, humility! I know not why, but I am always tempted to think that persons who complain so much of aridities must be a little wanting in this virtue. However, I am not speaking of severe interior sufferings, which are far worse than a want of devotion.

12. Let us try ourselves, my sisters, or let our Lord try us; He knows well how to do so (although we often pretend to misunderstand Him). We will now speak of these well-ordered souls. Let us consider what they do for God and we shall see at once what little right we have to murmur against His Majesty. If we turn our backs on Him and go away sorrowfully like the youth in the Gospel when He tells us what to do to be perfect, what can God do? for He must proportion the reward to our love for Him. This love, my daughters, must not be the fabric of our imagination; we must prove it by our works. Yet do not suppose that our Lord has need of any works of ours; He only expels us to manifest our goodwill.

13. It seems to us we have done everything by taking the religious habit of our own will, and renouncing worldly things and all our possessions for God (although they may have been but the nets of St. Peter, yet they seemed much to us, for they were our all). This is an excellent disposition: if we continue in it and do not return, even in desire, to the company of the reptiles of the first rooms, doubtless, by persevering in this poverty and detachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark this--it must be on one condition--that we `hold ourselves for unprofitable servants,' as we are told either by St. Paul or by Christ, and that we do not consider that our Lord is bound to grant us any favours, but that, as we have received more from Him, we are the deeper in His debt.

14. How little is all we can do for so generous a God, Who died for us, Who created us, Who gives us being, that we should not think ourselves happy to be able to acquit ourselves of part of the debt we owe Him for having served us, without asking Him for fresh mercies and favours? I am loath to use this expression, yet so it is, for He did nothing else during the whole time He lived in this world but serve us.

15. Think well my daughters, over some of the points I have treated, although confusedly, for I do not know how to explain them better. Our Lord will make you understand them, that you may reap humility from your dryness, instead of the disquietude the devil strives to cause by it. I believe that where true humility exists, although God should never bestow consolations, yet He gives a peace and resignation which make the soul happier than are others with sensible devotion. These consolations, as you have read, are often given by the Divine Majesty to the weakest souls who, I suppose would not exchange them for the fortitude of Christians serving God in aridities: we love consolations better than the cross! Do Thou, O Lord, Who knowest all truth, so prove us that we may know ourselves.

[Shin]

"All this is good, but is not enough, as I have already said, to remove all fear; therefore meditate on this text and often recall it: 'Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.'"

Truly, humility, fear of offending God, and trust in God are three so very great things all together for a soul.

"Thanks to His mercy I believe there are many such people in the world: they are very desirous not to offend His Majesty even by venial sins, they love penance and spend hours in meditation, they employ their time well, exercise themselves in works of charity to their neighbours, are well-ordered in their conversation and dress, and those who own a household govern it well. This is certainly to be desired, and there appears no reason to forbid their entrance to the last mansions; nor will our Lord deny it them if they desire it, for this is the right disposition for receiving all His favours."

I think of elderly couples I have sometimes visited, living quiet lives, neat households, without few worldly entertainments.. they feel out of the past.. and when you are invited over to the house.. a sense of peace.

". . . such souls know that nothing would induce them to commit a sin (many of them would not even commit a venial sin advertently), and that they employ their life and riches well. They cannot, therefore, patiently endure to be excluded from the presence of our King, Whose vassals they consider themselves, as indeed they are."

A marvelous thought.. if only I fulfilled all my duties diligently and properly.. but I am still learning, at the very beginning here.

"Our Lord will make you understand them, that you may reap humility from your dryness, instead of the disquietude the devil strives to cause by it. I believe that where true humility exists, although God should never bestow consolations, yet He gives a peace and resignation which make the soul happier than are others with sensible devotion. These consolations, as you have read, are often given by the Divine Majesty to the weakest souls who, I suppose would not exchange them for the fortitude of Christians serving God in aridities: we love consolations better than the cross! Do Thou, O Lord, Who knowest all truth, so prove us that we may know ourselves. "

This is a very special quote isn't it?

 

[Therese]

Holding ourselves for unprofitable servants is, indeed, an important thing that we should all be doing to keep us from falling.  We all know that pride goeth before the fall (or destuction).

[Brigid]

What do you think she means by those who "love penance". I keep thinking of mortifications (especially physical), but I know that's wrong.

[Therese]

What do you think she means by those who "love penance". I keep thinking of mortification's (especially physical), but I know that's wrong

I think St. Teresa is talking about people who love suffering, making sacrifices and mortification (both internal mortification and physical mortification) for the love of God and for the salvation of souls.  That's the most general interpretation I can think of.

[Brigid]

That interpretation makes sense.

[Patricia]

What misery to live in this world! We are like men whose enemies are at the door, who must not lay aside their arms, even while sleeping or eating, and are always in dread lest the foe should enter the fortress by some breach in the walls. O my Lord and my all! How canst Thou wish us to prize such a wretched existence? We could not desist from longing and begging Thee to take us from it, were it not for the hope of losing it for Thy sake or devoting it entirely to Thy service--and above all because we know it is Thy will that we should live. Since it is so, `Let us die with Thee!' as St. Thomas said, for to be away from Thee is but to die again and again, haunted as we are by the dread of losing Thee for ever!

These words seem striking to me. Its a wretched existence and we desire to leave it all and join the Lord, but it is God's Will that we stay awhile and accept the crosses He sends us and live in a world that is in contrast with what we believe in. But so be it.

St. Teresa discusses aridity in prayer. Something we must accept with humility. Could anyone explain a little more to me about aridity? When there is aridity a soul may think he is doing something wrong or God is displeased with him for his sins or God is silent. Has God turned His back on the soul because of some unknown sin? But God is merciful and would never do that. How to handle aridity in prayer especially that which  lasts for years?

[Brigid]

Patricia - As I understand it, aridity can come about for a few different reasons, His Choice and usually to grow in Faith without consolations, due to distractions that we allow during prayer (that are within are control, that is), due to sloth in practicing prayer, and due to different mental illnesses from severe depression to psychotic illnesses.

What I've seen recommended when a person is confronted with aridity in prayer is to "do your best", whether that be simply choosing to pray (even when not able to pray), trying to not pay attention to distractions as they happen (not when children, et al, are needing you) or willing yourself and actually praying no matter the outcome.

[Shin]

Patricia - As I understand it, aridity can come about for a few different reasons, His Choice and usually to grow in Faith without consolations, due to distractions that we allow during prayer (that are within are control, that is), due to sloth in practicing prayer, and due to different mental illnesses from severe depression to psychotic illnesses.

What I've seen recommended when a person is confronted with aridity in prayer is to "do your best", whether that be simply choosing to pray (even when not able to pray), trying to not pay attention to distractions as they happen (not when children, et al, are needing you) or willing yourself and actually praying no matter the outcome.

Yes.. I agree with this.. and take that humility quote to heart.. about not feeling bad about the aridity.. but good about it to a degree.. that doesn't mean we don't try to overcome it.. but.. we definitely do not assume it's because we're 'bad' that we feel it..

[Shin]

You know I think if we have a good view of our conscience.. we have a solid view of the quality of exactly what we are doing at that moment... and whether there's anything to blame in what we're doing or not.. if our thoughts are singular and centered.. it's clear we're just doing what we can.. and so we shouldn't fret or become anxious.. by overestimating, or being dissatisfied with the good in what we can do..

And there's a peace and happiness to that. Doing what little good we can do.

I wish I could give better advice, I think you should perhaps be giving the advice about some of this. 

I don't feel I have a sufficient quality of prayer life to give advice on these matters in many ways. I am just beginning, still, and have many difficulties.

[Patricia]

Thanks Shin and Brigid.
As Brigid said there could be various reasons for aridity in prayer.

What I've seen recommended when a person is confronted with aridity in prayer is to "do your best", whether that be simply choosing to pray (even when not able to pray), trying to not pay attention to distractions as they happen (not when children, et al, are needing you) or willing yourself and actually praying no matter the outcome.

I'll go by the above advice...just doing my best and praying no matter the outcome.

that doesn't mean we don't try to overcome it.. but.. we definitely do not assume it's because we're 'bad' that we feel it..

Yes, Shin. One shouldn't assume one is unworthy because of aridity in prayer.

[Patricia]

Another question...this one has never ceased to baffle me.
How do you discern what is the Will of God in a particular situation where you are faced with two choices and both seem equally important.
For example, I faced this situation after my husband passing where there was pressure on me to move from my present place to be closer to friends, pressure to move back to India etc and I was really confused on what the Will of God was for me. After almost making the move i retracted and decided to stay on for the sake of my childrens' stability. But all this was after I had stupidly paid in a deposit for a place I was planning to move to another city.
So am I doing the Will of God by making this decision or have I gone against His Will by not moving?
I have faced this dual choice situation many a time and it has always confused me as to whether the choice I make will be compatible with the Will of God.
Any suggestions on how you deal with similar situations?