Come, Holy Spirit. Enkindle in our hearts, the fire of Your Divine Love.



Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Carmel,

protect and pray for us.



Thursday, December 2, 2010

Discussion of Ch. 37 - The Life of Teresa of Jesus - Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila




   The Life of Holy Mother
        Teresa of Jesus

  The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus,
of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel.

       Discussion of  CHAPTER 37


She speaks of 
- another way in which God teaches a soul, and, 
- without speaking, makes His Will known 
    in an admirable manner. 

She goes on to explain 
- a vision, though not an imaginary one, and 
- a great grace with which God favoured her. 
This chapter is noteworthy.

- The Effects of the Divine Graces in the Soul. 
- The Inestimable Greatness of
   One Degree of Glory.

______________________

Discussion Topics/ Questions


1). What did St. Teresa say
        regarding  graces  
       [ Life: Ch.37: # 2,3  ]


2). What blessings does St. Teresa
        describe from Visions of God?
           [ Life: Ch.37: #4 ,5,7,9,10  ]

3). How does St. Teresa describe 
         the state of her soul?
          [ Life: Ch.37: # 10,11,12  ]

4). How does st. Teresa describe
          the complications 
       of social discourse and conventions?
        [ Life: Ch.37: # 15, 16,17, 18  ]

___________________________

1). What did St. Teresa say
        regarding  graces  
           [ Life: Ch.37: # 2,3  ]


St. Teresa advises:
~ That among the various graces, 
      there are 
       diverse difference in their degrees 
       of joy, fruition, and glory 

    "in those graces 
      which God bestows on the soul, 
     there are diverse degrees of joy

     for in some visions
        the joy and sweetness 
        and comfort 
           of them 
     so far exceed those 
           of others,

     that I am amazed 
           at the different degrees
     of fruition 
           even in this life; 

     for it happens 
          that the joy and consolation 
     which God gives in 
          a vision or 
          a trance 
         are so different
     that it seems impossible 
          for the soul to be able 
     to desire anything 
           more in this world: 

     our Lord 
           has made me understand 
     how great a difference 
           there is in heaven itself 
     between the fruition 
           of one 
     and that 
           of another"


~ God grants graces 
      as He wills,
     
     "I see clearly enough that here also,
        when our Lord wills, 
      He gives not by measure"

~ If she could, she would suffer 
        every possible trial
      if it would help her to receive 
        even a slight additional degree of grace  
      because this increase in
           knowledge of God
        would greatly enable 
            her love for God.

      "and so I wish that
       I myself observed no measure 
        - in serving His Majesty, and 
        - in using my whole 
           life and strength and health...  
      I would not have any fault of mine
        rob me of the slightest degree 
             of fruition".
        [ Life: Ch.37: # 2  ]
   
      "if I were asked 
           which I preferred

          ◊ to endure all the trials 
                 of the world
                 until the end of it, and 
              then receive 
              one slight degree
                 of glory additional

     or

           to enter into glory 
                of a slightly lower degree
              without any suffering 
               of any kind

      I would accept...all those trials 
             for one slight degree
                     of fruition 
        in the contemplation 
             of the greatness of God
        for I know 
             that he who
        understands Him best, 
             loves Him and 
             praises Him 
        best
                 [ Life: Ch.37: # 3 ]

        "I  (would)
            be satisfied, and 
            consider myself most blessed
                 to be in heaven, 
            even if ...in the lowest place

            it would be a great mercy 
                 of our Lord
            to admit me at all...
               and take away His eyes 
             from beholding 
                my grievous sins. 

           What I mean is this, -- 
            if it were in my power, even 
            if it cost me everything, 
                 and our Lord gave me 
            the grace to endure 
                 much affliction, 
            I would not through 
                 any fault of mine
            lose one degree of glory

            Ah, wretched that I am, 
                 who by so many faults 
            had forfeited all!"
                   [ Life: Ch.37: # 3  ]
 ___________________________

2). What blessings does St. Teresa
       describe from her Visions of God?
           [ Life: Ch.37: #4,5,7,9,10  ]

St. Teresa said that the visions of God
    produce effects or fruits 
    that abide in the soul

    Such as, 
         an increase in virtue, faith and
                love toward God,
         an impression of the closeness
               and love of God,
         an improvement in her faults, and
         a dread of  offending God.

"in every vision or revelation 
   which our Lord in His mercy sent me,
a great gain accrued to my soul, 


and that in some of the visions 
   this gain was very great

The vision of Christ 
   left behind an impression 
of His exceeding beauty,  and 
   it remains with me to this day. 

One vision alone of Him
    is enough to effect this; 

what, then, must all those visions 
   have done, 
which our Lord in His mercy sent me? 



One exceedingly great blessing 
   has resulted therefrom, 
and it is this, 
     -- I had one very grievous fault
     which was the source of much evil;
     namely, whenever I found anybody 
       well disposed towards myself, 
          and I liked him, 
      I used tohave such an affection 
         for him as compelled me always 
      to remember and think of him,
          though I had no intention 
         of offending God: 
      however, I was pleased to see him, 
          to think of him and 
         of his good qualities. 
         All this was so hurtful,
         that it brought my soul 
          to the very verge of destruction.
              [ Life: Ch.37: # 4  ]

But ever since I saw 
the great beauty of our Lord,  
  I never saw any one 
who in comparison with Him 
   seemed even endurable, 
   or that could occupy my thoughts. 

For if I but turn mine eyes inwardly 
  for a moment 
to the contemplation of the image 
   which I have within me
I find myself so free,
    that from that instant 
everything I see is loathsome 
    in comparison with 
the excellences and graces 
    of which I had a vision in our Lord. 

Neither is there any sweetness
nor any kind of pleasure, 
  which I can make any account of,
compared with that 
   which comes from hearing 
but one word from His divine mouth.
 [ Life: Ch.37: # 5  ]

  My love of, and trust in, our Lord
after I had seen Him in a vision,
   began to grow
for my converse with Him 
   was so continual. 

I saw 
- that, though He was God, 
      He was man also
- that He is not surprised 
      at the frailties of men,
- that He understands 
      our miserable nature, 
   liable to fall continually,
      because of the first sin, 
   for the reparation of which 
      He had come. 

I could speak to Him as to a friend, 
    though He is my Lord, 
  [ Life: Ch.37: # 7  ]

But I am filled with greater awe, 
   O my Lord,
when I consider 
   Thy humility, and 
the love Thou hast for such as I am

We can converse and speak with Thee 
   about everything whenever we will; 

...when we lose our first fear and awe
   at the vision of Thy Majesty, 
we have a greater dread 
   of offending Thee
not arising out 
   of the fear of punishment,
O my Lord, for that is as nothing  
   in comparison with 
the loss of Thee!
 [ Life: Ch.37: # 9  ]

If it be from God, 
    the fruits thereof show it
when the soul receives light; 
 [ Life: Ch.37: # 10  ]

______________________

3). How does St. Teresa describe 
        the state of her soul?
          [ Life: Ch.37: # 10,11,12  ]

St. Teresa said:

"the will of our Lord is 
   that the soul 
 should be in darkness, and 
    not see this light

It is...nothing to be wondered at, 
that I, knowing myself 
   to be so wicked as I am
should be afraid.
 [ Life: Ch.37: # 10  ]

  
"I was so incapable 
    of good thoughts, 
that I was laughing at myself, 
    and even rejoicing 
to see how mean a soul can be 
  if God is not always working in it. 

The soul sees clearly 
   that God is not away from it 
       in this state, and

Though it 
     heaps up fuel, and 
     does the little it can do of itself, 
  it cannot make 
     the fire of the love of God burn

it is a great mercy
  that even the smoke is visible
showing that it is not 
   altogether quenched.

Our Lord will return and kindle it;

and until then the soul 
      though it may lose its breath
      in blowing and arranging the fuel  
   seems to be doing nothing
       but putting it out more and more.
              [ Life: Ch.37: # 11  ]

...the best course is to be
 - absolutely resigned, 
 - confessing 
       that we can do nothing, and so 
 - apply ourselves to something else 
       which is meritorious. 

Our Lord, it may be, 
    takes away from the soul 
the power of praying
    that it may 
       betake itself to something else
and learn by experience 
       how little it can do 
    in its own strength.
             [ Life: Ch.37: # 12  ]

_______________________

4). How does st. Teresa describe
         the complications 
       of social discourse and conventions?
             [ Life: Ch.37: # 15, 16,17, 18  ]

St. Teresa said; 

"The world is now come 
   to such a state, 
that men's lives ought to be longer
   than they are 
if we are to learn 
   all the new customs and ceremonies 
        of good breeding, and 
yet spend any time
    in the service of God

Any negligence in being... 
   more ceremonious with people 
than they deserve 
    is not taken as a jest; 

on the contrary, 
   they look upon it as an insult 
deliberately offered; 
   so that it becomes necessary for you
to satisfy them 
   of your good intentions, 

if there happens,  
   to have been any negligence; 
and even then,
   God grant they may believe you.
            [ Life: Ch.37: # 15  ]

(The soul) is told to employ 
   all its thoughts always on God, and 
that it is necessary to do so 
   if it would avoid many dangers. 

On the other hand, 
  it finds it will not do to fail 
in any one point of the world's law, 
   under the penalty of affronting those 
who look upon these things 
   as touching their honour. 

I was worn out in unceasingly 
   giving satisfaction to people; 

for, though I tried my utmost, 
  I could not help failing 
in many ways in matters
   which, as I have said, 
are not slightly thought of 
    in the world.
       [ Life: Ch.37: # 16  ]

  Is it true that in religious houses 
no explanations are necessary, 
  for it is only reasonable 
we should be excused these observances?

 ...for if a man be careful 
   to please God continually, and 
   to hate the world
as he ought to do, 
   I do not see 
how he can be equally careful 
   to please those who live in the world 
in these matters 
    which are continually changing. 

If they could be learnt once for all,
   it might be borne with: 

 ...there ought to be 
   a professor's chair founded
from which lectures should be given, 
    ...teaching us how to do it;  
 [ Life: Ch.37: # 17  ]

I know not where this will stop: 

I am not yet fifty, and 
  yet I have seen so many changes 
during my life, 
  that I do not know how to live

What will they do 
   who are only just born, and 
   who may live many years? 

Certainly I am sorry 
   for those spiritual people 
who, for certain holy purposes, 
   are obliged to live in the world
the cross they have to carry 
   is a dreadful one. 
       [ Life: Ch.37: # 18  ]

_____________________



     End  of  Discussion  of  Chapter  37