December 14 2020 - St. John of the Cross - The Secret Stairway to God

 

St. John of the Cross was born in Spain in 1542 and became a Carmelite friar at the age of 21 and ordained at 25.  He was thoroughly trained in theology especially the thought of Saint Thomas Aquinas.  John dedicated himself to reforming his religious order which had grown lax in its observance of Gospel simplicity.  He was met with misunderstanding and opposition—a group of his Carmelite brothers imprisoned him in a small, stifling room, six feet by ten feet, letting him out only to make him kneel in the refectory during meals, where he would be subjected to beatings by his brothers.  

Yet, while holed up in his tiny prison cell, John began to compose verses of poetry in his mind, for he had neither pen nor paper.  And these poems constitute not only some of the gems of Spanish literature but some of the most eloquent articulations of the Catholic spiritual tradition— expressing in his prison- the ecstasy of mystical union with God.

While in this experience of captivity, John came to understand that the things of the world, of which he was deprived, are in the end, inadequate for the soul’s deepest longing for union with God.  

Like St. Augustine, John of the Cross understood that the human soul, like a great cavern, is infinitely deep—and can only be satisfied by the infinite one. And we are restlessly dissatisfied in this world when we seek to fill the infinitely deep cavern of our souls merely with the finite goods and pleasures of the world. 

His captivity, was not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, he came to discover it as a blessing, because it helped him to focus his life, like a beam of light being focused into a laser, to pursue and experience God. With the clutter of the world of things removed from his life, his soul was drawn to God like a magnet. In fact, he called, this way of deprivation of things and distractions from his life, "the secret stairway" or "secret ladder" to God.

What a wonderful Advent Saint. For all Christians, like John, are meant to make good use of the Advent season, by removing the clutter of worldliness in order to pursue Christ in prayer and good works. For some of us, it’s difficult at first, turning away from the worldly habits, but when we do in fact, willingly enter into the silence, we find our soul freely running toward God, being drawn by God into union. “in the dark night of the soul”, he write, “bright flows the river of God”. 

Through the example and heavenly intercession of St. John of the Cross, as we await the Advent of Christ, may we be stripped of all that keeps us from the union and sanctification God desires for each one of us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

 

We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.

That through self-denial and embrace of the cross the Christian people may experience ever-deeper union with Christ and a more faithful proclamation of the Gospel.

For the members of the Carmelite Order, that their life of prayer and penance will be for the Church a source of renewal and strength.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

December 14 2017 - St. John of the Cross - Lessons from Prison

For attempting to reform his Religious Order, the Carmelites, St. John of the Cross was imprisoned, nearly starved, and publicly flogged by his own religious brothers. They opposed John’s determination to observe the primitive Carmelite rule which emphasized austerity, poverty, and discipline.

It was in prison that John came to know the cross acutely, for there he learned to unite his suffering with the suffering and death of Jesus, as he sat month after month in his dark narrow cell.

His sufferings did not diminish his desire for holiness, rather, his desire for union with God increased. He passed the time reflecting on the Scriptures which he had memorized and composing poetry. In the darkness of the prison, he bloomed into a great mystical poet and theologian.

He authored books and poems titled The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul, the Spiritual Canticle, and The Living Flame of Love. 

Of the thirty-six Doctors of the Church, John of the Cross is known as “the Mystical Doctor” for his writings on the mystical union with God the soul achieves through purification and purgation of its selfishness in this life through suffering and penance.

In his Ascent of Mount Carmel, John teaches, evidently from his own experience, that the soul must empty itself of itself, of selfishness, of ego-centrism. The source of our unhappiness in this life isn’t suffering, necessarily. Rather it’s selfishness.

We are restlessly dissatisfied because we seek to fill the infinitely deep caverns of our souls with the petty goods of the finite world: pleasure, sex, power, and prestige.  This drive to fill our hearts with the finite only leads to deeper dissatisfaction.

Yet, when we turn our hearts over to the infinite, to God, our deepest yearnings are met.  The spiritual life, therefore, consists of letting go of false aspirations, ideas, and attachments, and rightly ordering our desires: putting God first, and everything else second and only for the sake of God.

John is an excellent saint for Advent. He teaches us that the best way to prepare for Christ is through the renunciation of selfishness. We prepare best for Christ’s coming into our life through seeking to be free from all that keeps us from knowing, loving, and serving God. By undergoing this purification we become ready to receive the one we are destined to receive, Jesus Christ, whom we wait for, and prepare for, and long for, and hope for, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise up our prayers of petitions, as we await with longing the Advent of Christ the Lord.
That through self-denial and embrace of the cross the Christian people may experience ever-deeper union with Christ and a more faithful proclamation of the Gospel.

For the members of the Carmelite Order, that their life of prayer and penance will be for the Church a source of renewal and strength.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life and a strengthening of all marriages in holiness.

That Christ may banish disease, drive out hunger, ward off every affliction, and strengthen all who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.