Teresa of Jesus
"The Life"
The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus
of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel
Discussion of Chapter 12
- Continuation of the first state.
- She declares how far, with the grace of God,
we can proceed by ourselves, and
- speaks of the danger of seeking
supernatural and extraordinary experiences
before God lifts up the soul.
- What We Can Ourselves Do.
- The Evil of Desiring
to Attain to Supernatural States
Before Our Lord Calls Us.
Discussion Topics
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1). In chapter 1, Pargraph #1, St. Teresa discusses:
- how much we can attain by our own power
- how in this first stage of devotion
we can do a certain amount for ourselves.
What does she recommend the soul to do
who is in "this first stage of devotion"?
What are the beneficial results
of each of these recommended actions?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,12 ]
_____________________________
2). St. Teresa teaches the importance of Humility,
especially in regard to the use
of the Understanding / Intellect.
What did she advise regarding Humility
and the use of the Understanding?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #5,8,9,12 ]
_____________________________
3). What does St. Teresa say at this time
regarding "Mystical Theology"?
[ Life: Ch. 10: # 1 ]
[ Life: Ch. 12: # 8, 9 ]
_____________________________
4). St. Teresa said that
"When His Majesty pleases,
He teaches everything in a moment,"
"for a long time, too, though
God gave me understanding herein,
I never could utter a word
by which I might explain it to others"
"I conversed with many spiritual persons,
who sought to make me understand
what our Lord was giving me,
in order that I might be able to speak of it..."
[ Life: Ch. 12: #10 ]
What does St. Teresa say
"would have been a virtue in me" ?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #10, 11 ]
________________________________
5). What Is St. Teresa teaching in regard
to prayer states and the faculties?
[Life: Chapter 12; #5,6,7,8,9,12]
_________________________________
Discussion of Ch. 12 Topics:
1). In chapter 1, Pargraph #1, St. Teresa discusses:
- how much we can attain by our own power
- how in this first stage of devotion
we can do a certain amount for ourselves.
What does she recommend the soul to do
who is in "in these beginnings of devotion"?
What are the beneficial results
of each of these recommended actions?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,12 ]
St. Teresa advises souls in
"in these beginnings of devotion" to:
a). "think... of, and
ponder... on
the sufferings of our Lord
(which was) for our sakes"
Beneficial results:
- We are moved to compassion
"moves us to compassion"
- A sweet and meritorious sorrow:
-- "the sorrow and tears which result
therefrom are sweet".
-- "the sorrow is most meritorious".
- A virtuous joy is enkindled
"The thought of
-- the blessedness (that) we hope for
-- the love our Lord bore us,
-- His resurrection,
kindle within us a joy
which is
neither wholly spiritual
nor wholly sensual;
but the joy is virtuous”
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #1 ]
St. Teresa stated that
this active discursive meditation
- "produce a devotion
- (which is) acquired in part
by means of the understanding
(intellect)
- though it can
neither be merited
nor had (acquired),
if God grants it not".
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #2 ]
b). Make "many acts
of good resolutions
to do much for God"
Beneficial results:
- enkindle its love;
- which may help
the growth of virtues
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #2 ]
c). "The soul may also
- place itself
in the presence of Christ,
-- accustom itself to many acts of love
directed to His sacred Humanity,
and
-- remain in His presence continually,
-- speak to Him,
-- pray to Him
in its necessities, and
-- complain to Him
of its troubles;
-- be merry with Him
in its joys, and
-- yet not forget Him
because of its joys.
All this it may do
-- without set prayers,
-- but rather with words befitting
its desires and its needs.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #3 ]
Beneficial results:
- "This is an excellent way...
-- to advance, and...
-- very quickly.
- He that
-- will strive to have
this precious companionship, and
-- will make much of it, and
-- will sincerely love our Lord,
to whom we owe so much,
is one...who has made some progress.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #4]
"This practice of the presence of Christ
- is profitable in all states of prayer,
- is a most safe way
-- of advancing in the first state,
-- of attaining quickly to the second;
and
-- as for the last states,
it secures us against those risks
which the devil may occasion.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #4 ]
d). Humility:
"...the foundation of the building
is humility,
- the nearer we draw unto God
the more this virtue should grow;
if it does not,
everything is lost"
... [ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ]
- It is best for a soul
which God has not raised
to a higher state than this
not to try to rise of itself.
...because all the soul will gain
in that way will be a loss.
... [ Life: Ch. 12: #2 ]
- St. Teresa states that
in the higher states of prayer,
God may suspend the intellect:
"...the understanding
ceases from its acts,
because God suspends it--
... [ Life: Ch. 12: #8 ]
-- "We must
neither imagine
nor think
that we can of ourselves
bring about this suspension.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #8 ]
"let them not rise
if God does not raise them
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #7]
St. Teresa advises souls
not to try to
- "pass out of this state, and
upraise his spirit,
in order to taste consolations
denied him,
(because he) will...lose both
the one and the other.
... [ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ]
The result will be that
"the soul is then
left desolate
and in great aridity."
... [ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ]
"for in that case we shall be
stupid and cold,
and the result will be
neither the one
nor the other"
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #8 ]
-- "It seems to be
a kind of pride
when we seek
to ascend higher,
seeing that God
descends so low,
when He allows us,
being what we are,
to draw near unto Him."
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ]
"there is no great humility in this;
it is labour thrown away, and
the soul is a little disgusted:
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #9 ]
-- It is specially wrong, because
the devil can delude them"
But, "Our Lord will never allow
him to hurt any one
who labours to draw near
unto God in humility.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #12 ]
e). Thanksgiving
"There is...no reason why
we should trouble ourselves
because we have no sensible devotion
But let us rather
give thanks to our Lord,
who allows us to have a desire
to please Him,
though our works be poor.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #4]
___________________________
Repeat of Question #1 in table format
1). In chapter 1, Pargraph #1, St. Teresa discusses:
- how much we can attain by our own power
and
- how in this first stage of devotion
we can do a certain amount for ourselves.
What does she recommend the soul to do
who is in "this first stage of devotion"?
What are the beneficial results
of each of these recommended actions?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #1,2,3,4,5,7,12 ]
Recommendations | Beneficial Results |
| - Thinking of, - Pondering on, the sufferings of our Lord for our sakes | - "moves us to compassion" - A sweet and meritorious sorrow: -- "the sorrow and tears which result... are sweet". -- "the sorrow is most meritorious". - A virtuous joy is enkindled |
- Think about -- the blessedness (that) we hope for, -- the love (that) our Lord bore us, -- His Resurrection, | - kindles within us a joy which is neither wholly spiritual nor wholly sensual; but the joy is virtuous” [ Life: Ch. 12: #1 ] |
- Make many acts of good resolutions to do much for God" . [ Life: Ch. 12: #2 ] "Accustom itself to many acts of love directed to His sacred Humanity". [ Life: Ch. 12: #3 ] | - enkindles its love; - which may help the growth of virtues [ Life: Ch. 12: #2 ] |
Place itself (picture oneself) in the presence of Christ Remain in His presence continually [ Life: Ch. 12: #3 ] | This practice - is profitable in all states of prayer - is a most safe way -- of advancing in the first state, and -- of attaining quickly to the second; -- (in) last states, it secures us against those risks which the devil may occasion. [ Life: Ch. 12: #4 ] |
Speak to Him | |
Pray to Him (for) its necessities | |
Complain to Him of its troubles | |
Be merry with Him in its joys Yet not forget Him because of its joys. | |
All this it may do -- without set prayers, -- but rather with words befitting its desires and its needs. [ Life: Ch. 12: #3 ] | |
Humility - People should not try to "upraise his (own) spirit, in order to taste consolations (that are) denied him, [ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ] - It is specially wrong, because the devil can delude them" [ Life: Ch. 12: #12 ] | As the foundation of the whole building is humility, the nearer we draw unto God the more this virtue should grow; if it does not, everything is lost. [Life: Ch. 12: #5 ] Our Lord will never allow (the devil) to hurt any one who labours to draw near unto God in humility. [ Life: Ch. 12: #12 ] |
Thanksgiving to God Do not be "trouble(d)... because we have no sensible devotion Rather give thanks to our Lord, who allows us to have a desire to please Him, though our works be poor. [ Life: Ch. 12: #4] |
____________________________
2). St. Teresa teaches
the importance of Humility,
especially in regard to the use
of the Understanding / Intellect.
What did she advise regarding Humility
and the use of the Understanding?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #5,8,9,12 ]
Regarding Humility and the use of the Understanding,
St. Teresa advises:
One should not try to quiet the Understanding by their own efforts. | |
He who (tries) (to) - pass (beyond) this state, and - upraise his spirit, in order to taste consolations (that are) denied him, will...lose both the one and the other. | |
- These consolations being supernatural, and - the understanding inactive, the soul is then left desolate and in great aridity. | |
- It seems to be a kind of pride when we seek to ascend higher, seeing that God descends so low, when He allows us, being what we are, to draw near unto Him. - The nearer we draw unto God the more (humility) should grow; if it does not, everything is lost. [ Life: Ch. 12: #5 ] | |
We must neither imagine nor think that we can of ourselves bring about this suspension ( of the understanding). Nor must we allow it to cease working: [ Life: Ch. 12: #8 ] | - For in that case we shall be stupid and cold, and the result will be neither the one (suspension) nor the other. ( quiet, peace, inactivity) [Life: Ch. 12: #8 ] |
- To have the powers of the mind occupied, and to think that you can keep them at the same time quiet, is folly. [ Life: Ch. 12: #9 ] |
There is no great humility in this... if it be blameless, it is not left unpunished-- It is labour thrown away, and the soul is a little disgusted: Such a one seems to have -- used up his strength already, -- Finds himself unable to do (what) he wished to have done [ Life: Ch. 12: #9 ] | |
For Humility has this excellence: There is no good work attended by humility that leaves the soul disgusted. [ Life: Ch. 12: #9 ] | |
It is very important - not to raise our spirit ourselves, - if our Lord does not raise it for us [ Life: Ch. 12: #12 ] | Because the devil can delude them Though I am certain our Lord will never allow him to hurt any one who labours to draw near unto God in humility. [Life: Ch. 12: #12 ] |
________________________________
3). What does St. Teresa say at this time
regarding "Mystical Theology"?
[ Life: Ch. 10: # 1]
[ Life: Ch. 12: # 8, 9 ]
St. Teresa has made a few references
to "Mystical Theology"
- in which she alludes
to advanced stage(s) of prayer
- in which God has so graced and gifted a soul
that it receives communication with God passively.
In Ch 10 #1 and Ch12 #8, she describes a prayer stage
in which the intellect/understanding and memory
are unable to actively work in prayer.
- The "soul is suspended" and
- the Understanding is "suspended" by God
but "understands more"
or is passively given knowledge.
Presumably, she will take up this topic
in later chapters.
In her own experience,
she described a consciousness
of the presence of God,
of such a kind
- "a feeling of the presence of God
would come over me unexpectedly,
so that I could in no wise doubt
-- either that He was within me,
-- or that I was wholly absorbed in Him"
"It was not by way of vision;
I believe it was
what is called mystical theology".
- The soul is suspended in such a way
that it seems to be utterly beside itself.
- The will loves;
- The memory,
...is as it were lost...
- The understanding,
-- makes no reflections
(does not reason)
yet is not lost:
-- It is not at work,
-- but it stands as if amazed
at the greatness of the things
it understands;
for God wills it to understand
that it understands nothing whatever
of that which His Majesty places before it"
...[ Life: Ch. 10: # 1 ]
"In mystical theology-
-- the understanding ceases from its acts,
-- because God suspends it
- We must
-- neither imagine
-- nor think
that we can, of ourselves,
bring about this suspension.
That is ...must
not be done;
nor must we allow
the understanding to cease
from its acts;
for in that case
we shall be stupid and cold,
and the result will be
neither the one
nor the other.
- For when our Lord
suspends the understanding, and
makes it cease from its acts,
He puts before it
that which
astonishes and
occupies it:
so that without making any reflections,
it shall comprehend
in a moment
more than we could comprehend
in many years
with all the efforts in the world.
...[life: Ch. 12: #8 ]
To have the powers of the mind
occupied, and
to think that you can keep them
at the same time
quiet,
is folly.
...[life: Ch. 12: #9]
_______________________
4). St. Teresa said that
"When His Majesty pleases,
He teaches everything in a moment,"
"for a long time, too, though God
gave me understanding herein,
I never could utter a word
by which I might explain it to others"
"I conversed with many spiritual persons,
who sought to make me understand
what our Lord was giving me,
in order that I might be able to speak of it..."
[ Life: Ch. 12: #10 ]
What does St. Teresa say
"would have been a virtue in me" ?
[ Life: Ch. 12: #10, 11 ]
St. Teresa said that
to ask God for wisdom
regarding the spiritual matters
that the Lord was teaching her
would have been a virtue in her.
"So, without my wishing or asking it--
never was careful about this,
for that would have been a virtue in me,
but only about vanity..."
( She says that in the past,
she was more attentive
to vanities and trivialities
than to those topics
which were edifying)
(She seems to be saying that
she should have prayed for wisdom
regarding the gifts and teaching
she was receiving grom God.
But she states she did not seek after
or request that which was not
already being granted to her,
unless it was vital to her soul
and troubled her conscience)
God gave me to understand
with all distinctness in a moment, and
also enabled me to express myself,
"And so that which our Lord
has not taught me,
I seek not to know it,
unless it be a matter
that touches my conscience.
...[ Life: Ch. 12: #11 ]
_______________________
5). What Is St. Teresa teaching in regard
to prayer states and the faculties?
[Life: Chapter 12; # 2,5,7,8,9,12]
By her reference to "Mystical Theology", St. Teresa
is alluding to an advanced prayer state
(Contemplation) in which:
- God suspends the activity
of the Understanding / Intellect
- The Understanding receives
a supernatural knowledge from God,
although the intellect may be unaware
of this knowledge
because of the intellect's (finite) limitations.
- The soul experiences
a feeling of the presence of God
- The memory is also suspended
- The will loves; is occupied in God
- The soul passively receives this gift from God.
[Life: Ch. 12 #8 ]
{ St. Teresa often described the activity of
the thoughts of beginners in prayer
as "wild horses" running uncontrollably.
But in the advanced prayer states,
God graces the soul
with a calm and peace in prayer
for short intervals of time. }
- The soul, at this time, characteristically finds itself
no longer unable to meditate discursively
(unable to actively reflect
and make observations
pertaining to prayerful topics,
e.g. the Life of Christ, etc. ).
- So, St. Teresa advises the soul not to
try to cease
the thoughts and activity
of the intellect
by our own efforts.
Because we are not able to
halt our thoughts or
quiet the mind
by our own efforts.
- It is folly to attempt it
- Nothing will be accomplished;
- our time and our effort will be wasted
- It could hinder real progress in prayer
if one is not actively participating in prayer.
- We will result in feeling dissatisfied and frustrated
and our prayer will be arid
- It is not humility to try to raise ourselves
(force ourselves into an advanced state)
to a prayer state
which we have not been granted.
It is a fault; a presumption; " a kind of pride"
[Life: Ch. 12 # 2,5,7,8,9,12 ]
- It can lead ourselves to be deluded by the devil.
For these reasons, St Teresa teaches persons
to continue to actively pray
(to think of God and His life, Passion, etc.
rather than just try to clear and quiet the mind)
until God grants them
the gift of passive prayer.
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