"He who avoids prayer is avoiding everything that is good.". He describes admirably what a soul feels in this trial in his book called "The Obscure Night." Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it., The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light., The soul that is quick to turn to speaking and conversing is slow to turn to God., It is best to learn to silence the faculties and to cause them to be still so that God may speak., What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God with our appetite and with our tongue, for the language he best hears is silent love., Faith is like the feet wherewith the soul journeys to God, and love is the guide that directs it., Contemplation is nothing else but a secret, peaceful, and loving infusion of God, which if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love., Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for you., To saints, their very slumber is a prayer., The worst prison would be a closed heart., 2023 Our Lady of Mercy Lay Carmelite Community, Recommended Books for Ongoing Formation and Personal Reading, The Church in Its Unity Speaks in the Language of Every Nation, Between the Resurrection and the Ascension, Follow the Order of Carmelites onTwitter! "My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You. ", 25. The Wise Men Step softly, under snow or rain,To find the place where men can pray;The way is all so very plainThat we may lose the way.Oh, we have learnt to peer and poreOn tortured puzzles from our youth,We know all the labyrinthine lore,We are the three by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI | Dec 2, 2022 | Advent and Christmas, "It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open the doors of hope." ", 83. John was attracted by the strict routine followed by Theresa, a routine she hoped to reintroduce to her order, as well as her devotion to prayer and simplicity. It is also known as Nasrani Menorah, Persian Cross, or Mar Thoma Sleeva. He was canonized a saint in 1726. ", 31. This seems the exact portraiture of the soul of our saint upon the point of leaving this world. When children make mistakes, talk to them seriously and by Traditional Catholic Prayers | Feb 1, 2023 | Faith & Life, February, Prayer. An act of pure love is divine and gives us peace. "Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for . John of the Cross Thinking, Leaving, Soul 209 Copy quote While his body was succumbing to erysipelas, his heart and reputation were still being battered. The image has been preserved for centuries. Updates? In 1579, he was sent to the town of Baeza to be rector of a new college and to support the Discalced Carmelites in Andalusia. This guided memore surely than the light of noonto where he was awaiting me him I knew so well there in a place where no one appeared. In darkness, and secure,by the secret ladder, disguised, ah, the sheer grace! But the most terrible of all these pains was that of scrupulosity and interior desolation, in which he seemed to see hell open ready to swallow him up. "It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others. ", 47. sali sin ser notada, December 14 - St. John of the Cross - Catholic Telegraph ", 93. It sees itself in the midst of the opposite evils, miserable imperfections, dryness and emptiness of the understanding, and abandonment of the spirit in darkness. Just find a moment God to offer him your silent love. Saint John of the Cross (2007). Copyright Aleteia SAS all rights reserved. For this cause he had come, to bring peace to the enemies of God. London: Hay House Publishing. Physical solitude and silence remove the distracting noises that prevent us from hearing on deeper levels. El ayre de la almena, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies. So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered . Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. D.V.Douai Version of the Bible (1609). He was fed only bread and water, and occasional scraps of salt fish. To arrive at being all 7. Quotes tagged as "cross" Showing 1-30 of 350. En una noche obscura, Our Only Hope: 25 Quotes about the Cross - Catholic Exchange Where there is no love, pour love in, and you will draw love out. By virtue of his intense poemsCntico espiritual (The Spiritual Canticle), Noche oscura del alma (The Dark Night of the Soul), and Llama de amor viva (The Living Flame of Love)he achieves preeminence in Spanish mystical literature, expressing the experience of the mystical union between the soul and Christ. ", 65. "Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it. As he grew older, he went to work in a hospital while attending a Jesuit school. He joined Teresa's nuns in Toledo, and spent six weeks in the hospital to recover. The convent in which she had made her first profession, at Avila, had always opposed her reformation. My house being now at rest. "They say, 'God told me', or 'God replied to me'. He at length cried out, "Glory be to God "; pressed the crucifix on his breast, and after some time said, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my soul"; with which words he calmly breathed forth his soul on the 14th of December, in 1591, being forty-nine years old, of which he had spent twenty-eight in a religious state. Some Carmelites, such as Theresa of Avila, felt this liberalization of their rule had interfered with their order and practice. He served as an acolyte at an Augustinian monastery. Pope Francis, Biden commend 'peacemaker' Bishop O'Connell as memorial You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, by G.K. Chesterton | Dec 23, 2022 | Advent and Christmas. The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of Divine union. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. ", 26. "Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent. desire its possession in nothing, 43. In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things. George Harrison, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/365565694725849432/, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/177118197821115748/, http://pinterest.com/pin/103160647687985591/, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/quote-of-st-john-of-the-cross-2/, http://pinterest.com/pin/326229566729859934, http://pinterest.com/pin/291397038362692679/, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/212021094932075596/, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-4/, http://pinterest.com/pin/50454458297698230/, http://www.pinterest.com/billyshears/st-john-of-the-cross-bl-titus-brandsma~/, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-18/, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/quote-of-st-john-of-the-cross/, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-6/, http://www.pinterest.com/pord_33/saints-and-angels/, http://pinterest.com/pin/105342078758415989/, http://pinterest.com/pin/100064422945881275/, http://pinterest.com/pin/126382333268121104/, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-13/, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-14/, http://pinterest.com/pin/144889312985979834/, http://www.wishafriend.com/quotes/qid/4560/, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/st-john-of-the-cross-quotes/, http://spreadjesus.org/st-john-vianney-quotes-hd-wallpaper-download.html, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/page/2, http://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2010/12/st.html, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/page/3/, http://blueeyedennis-siempre.blogspot.com/2010/12/tuesday-third-week-advent-mass-and.html, https://catholicsaintsonline.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/st-john-of-the-cross/, http://www.picturequotes.com/saint-john-of-the-cross-quotes, https://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/page/70/, http://carmelourladysdovecote.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/st-john-of-the-cross-quote-15/. John of the Cross - John of the Cross Poems | Best Poems "Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. If you are single by choice or by circumstances and Christmas is hard, remember what St. John says here. PRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIONS A.V.Authorized Version of the Bible (1611). Lord, When Did We See You Hungry or Thirsty or a Stranger or Naked or Ill or in Prison? This light guided me ", 29. He soon engaged them to shut up their parlours, and to cut off the scandalous abuses which were inconsistent with a religious life of retirement and penance. It was his desire to be a lay-brother, but this was refused him. ", 94. en mi cuello heria, In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.. All rights reserved. Saint Brigid, You were a woman of peace. The Carmelites had been undergoing reform since 1566, under the direction of two Canonical Visitors from the Dominican Order, sent by the Vatican. The wisdom of the great Spanish Carmelite mystic St. John of the Cross, whose feast is celebrated December 14, can help you cope. En la noche dichosa, There is nothing wrong with these informal usages, and they have obvious links to the concepts of demoralization and despair, as we have defined them. ", 53. Both his poetry and his studies on the growth of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature and one of the peaks of all Spanish literature. Quedeme y oluideme, (St. Maximilian Kolbe) 2. Upon my flowery breast, / Credit: YouTube/St. Physical solitude and silence remove the distracting noises that prevent us from hearing on deeper levels. His most holy and innocent mother bore a large share in all his sufferings. St. John of the Cross Quotes from John of the Cross "Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it." "The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light." "The soul that is quick to turn to speaking and conversing is slow to turn to God." He is also known for his writings. The soul of one who serves God always swims in joy, always keeps holiday, is always in her palace of jubilation, ever singing with fresh ardor and fresh pleasure a new song of joy and love. With his gentle hand he wounded my neck The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross Quotes Showing 1-29 of 29 "9. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. On December 2, 1577, a group of Carmelites broke into John's residence and kidnapped him. Saint John of the Cross, in spanish: San Juan de la Cruz (1542 - 1591), was spanish mystic, a roman catholic saint, a carmelite friar and a priest who was born at Fontiveros, Old Castile. My house being now at rest. The Dark Night of the Soul (La noche oscura del alma) is a phase of passive purification of the spirit in the mystical development, as described by the 16th-century Spanish mystic and poet St. John of the Cross in his treatise Dark Night (Noche Oscura), a commentary on his poem with the same name. To Trust Him In The Dark Is Faith. "The window of the soul cleansed perfectly and made completely transparent by the divine light. "Deny your desires and you will find what your heart longs for. "Where there is no love, pour love in, and you will draw love out. He founded at the same time the convent of Segovia. "Faith is a dark night for man, but in this very way it gives him light. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. If any have wearied himself with fasting, let him now enjoy his reward. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! "[11] Joseph Campbell states "The dark night of the soul comes just before revelation. Alternate titles: Juan de Yepes y lvarez, San Juan de la Cruz. Try to please God, the angels, and the saints - they are your public. Lord, almighty God, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom have come to the knowledge of yourself, God of angels, of powers, of all creation, of all the race of saints who live in your sight, I bless you for judging me worthy of this day, by Catholic Saint | Feb 17, 2023 | Evangelization, Jesus Christ, Self-Knowledge, "If you become Christ's you will stumble upon wonder upon wonder, and every one of them true." This storm ceased when the informations of Diego were laid before the superiors; for had they been all true, they amounted to nothing which deserved any chastisement. He platted himself so rough a hair shirt that, at the least motion, it pricked his body to blood. Thomas a Kempis, As far as I'm concerned, there won't be a Beatles reunion as long as John Lennon remains dead. Be ashamed when you sin. [7], The term "dark night (of the soul)" is used as referring to spiritual dryness, the absence of experiencing the presence of God, but also more generally "to describe an extremely difficult and painful period in one's life". "It is best to learn to silence the faculties and to cause them to be still so that God may speak. The Collected Works of Saint John of the Cross, p.93, ICS Publications. Kindled in love with yearnings Catholic Online YouTube - over 4,800 Catholic videos. ", 98. Oh, night more lovely than the dawn, ", 34. This one is true of both the Advent darkness everyone feels, and the specific darkness you feel in your depression. We should not grudge our toil wrestling them from Satan and giving them back to God. St. Sebastian Image: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/whjW8s3/CatholicLinkNewsletter, by St. Arnold Janssen | Jan 14, 2023 | Prayer, Saint Quotes, O God, eternal truth, I believe in You. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! ", 33. The other was poor, and F. Francis Chrysostom was prior there, the other person whom he had formerly corrected, and who was no less his enemy than F. Diego. Waiting in Loneliness. 25 Quotes From St John Vianney. Christmas is a time to give gifts, time and love. The dark night of the soul, St John of the Cross (1991). The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, p.144, ICS Publications, There is a mistake in the text of this quote. And yet most of the time they are talking to themselves. Saint John of the Cross was born Juan de Yepes y Alvarez, in Fontiveros, Avila, Spain in 1542. ceso todo, y dexeme, "St. John of the Cross". "In tribulation immediately draw near to God with confidence, and you will receive strength, enlightenment, and instruction. ", 24. After nine months, John managed to pry his cell door from its hinges and escape. St. John of the Cross is considered one of Spanish literature's most important poets, and his works have been translated many times since his death. Theresa asked John to follow her. A person of distinction was one day so moved with the sight of it, perceiving the heavenly light of his face to dazzle his eyes and pierce his heart with divine love, that on the spot he took a resolution to renounce the world and embraced the Order of St. Dominic.