Meditations on The Dark Night of the Soul:
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XIV
Expounds this last line of the first stanza.
WHEN this house of sensuality was now at rest--that is, was mortified--its passions being quenched and its desires put to rest and lulled to sleep by means of this blessed night of the purgation of sense, the soul went forth, to set out upon the road and way of the spirit, which is that of progressives and proficients, and which, by another name, is called the way of illumination or of infused contemplation, wherein God Himself feeds and refreshes the soul, without meditation, or the soul's active help. Such, as we have said, is the night and purgation of sense in the soul.
In those who have afterwards to enter the other and more formidable night of the spirit, in order to pass to the Divine union of love of God (for not all pass habitually thereto, but only the smallest number), it is wont to be accompanied by formidable trials and temptations of sense, which last for a long time, albeit longer in some than in others.
For to some the angel of Satan presents himself- namely, the spirit of fornication--that he may buffet their senses with abominable and violent temptations, and trouble their spirits with vile considerations and representations which are most visible to the imagination, which things at times are a greater affliction to them than death.
At other times in this night there is added to these things the spirit of blasphemy, which roams abroad, setting in the path of all the conceptions and thoughts of the soul intolerable blasphemies. These it sometimes suggests to the imagination with such violence that the soul almost utters them, which is a grave torment to it.
At other times another abominable spirit, which Isaias calls Spiritus vertiginis,[Isaias xix, 14.] is allowed to molest them, not in order that they may fall, but that it may try them. This spirit darkens their senses in such a way that it fills them with numerous scruples and perplexities, so confusing that, as they judge, they can never, by any means, be satisfied concerning them, neither can they find any help for their judgment in counsel or thought. This is one of the severest goads and horrors of this night, very closely akin to that which passes in the night of the spirit.
As a rule these storms and trials are sent by God in this night and purgation of sense to those whom afterwards He purposes to lead into the other night (though not all reach it), to the end that, when they have been chastened and buffeted, they may in this way continually exercise and prepare themselves, and continually accustom their senses and faculties to the union of wisdom which is to be bestowed upon them in that other night.
For, if the soul be not tempted, exercised and proved with trials and temptations, it cannot quicken its sense of Wisdom. For this reason it is said in Ecclesiasticus: 'He that has not been tempted, what does he know? And he that has not been proved, what are the things that he recognizes?'[Ecclesiasticus xxxiv, 9-10.]
To this truth Jeremias bears good witness, saying: 'Thou didst chastise me, Lord, and I was instructed.'[Jeremias xxxi, 18.] And the most proper form of this chastisement, for one who will enter into Wisdom, is that of the interior trials which we are here describing, inasmuch as it is these which most effectively purge sense of all favours and consolations to which it was affected, with natural weakness, and by which the soul is truly humiliated in preparation for the exaltation which it is to experience.
For how long a time the soul will be held in this fasting and penance of sense, cannot be said with any certainty; for all do not experience it after one manner, neither do all encounter the same temptations. For this is meted out by the will of God, in conformity with the greater or the smaller degree of imperfection which each soul has to purge away. In conformity, likewise, with the degree of love of union to which God is pleased to raise it, He will humble it with greater or less intensity or in greater or less time.
Those who have the disposition and greater strength to suffer, He purges with greater intensity and more quickly. But those who are very weak are kept for a long time in this night, and these He purges very gently and with slight temptations. Habitually, too, He gives them refreshments of sense so that they may not fall away, and only after a long time do they attain to purity of perfection in this life, some of them never attaining to it at all.
Such are neither properly in the night nor properly out of it; for, although they make no progress, yet, in order that they may continue in humility and self-knowledge, God exercises them for certain periods and at certain times in those temptations and aridities; and at other times and seasons He assists them with consolations, lest they should grow faint and return to seek the consolations of the world.
Other souls, which are weaker, God Himself accompanies, now appearing to them, now moving farther away, that He may exercise them in His love; for without such turnings away they would not learn to reach God.
But the souls which are to pass on to that happy and high estate, the union of love, are wont as a rule to remain for a long time in these aridities and temptations, however quickly God may lead them, as has been seen by experience. It is time, then, to begin to treat of the second night.
Friday, April 09, 2004
Meditations on The Dark Night of the Soul:
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XIII
Of other benefits which this night of sense causes in the soul.
WITH respect to the soul's imperfections of spiritual avarice, because of which it coveted this and that spiritual thing and found no satisfaction in this and that exercise by reason of its covetousness for the desire and pleasure which it found therein, this arid and dark night has now greatly reformed it.
For, as it finds not the pleasure and sweetness which it was wont to find, but rather finds affliction and lack of sweetness, it has such moderate recourse to them that it might possibly now lose, through defective use, what aforetime it lost through excess; although as a rule God gives to those whom He leads into this night humility and readiness, albeit with lack of sweetness, so that what is commanded them they may do for God's sake alone; and thus they no longer seek profit in many things because they find no pleasure in them.
With respect to spiritual luxury, it is likewise clearly seen that, through this aridity and lack of sensible sweetness which the soul finds in spiritual things, it is freed from those impurities which we there noted; for we said that, as a rule, they proceeded from the pleasure which overflowed from spirit into sense.
But with regard to the imperfections from which the soul frees itself in this dark night with respect to the fourth sin, which is spiritual gluttony, they may be found above, though they have not all been described there, because they are innumerable; and thus I will not detail them here, for I would fain make an end of this night in order to pass to the next, concerning which we shall have to pronounce grave words and instructions.
Let it suffice for the understanding of the innumerable benefits which, over and above those mentioned, the soul gains in this night with respect to this sin of spiritual gluttony, to say that it frees itself from all those imperfections which have there been described, and from many other and greater evils, and vile abominations which are not written above, into which fell many of whom we have had experience, because they had not reformed their desire as concerning this inordinate love of spiritual sweetness.
For in this arid and dark night wherein He sets the soul, God has restrained its concupiscence and curbed its desire so that the soul cannot feed upon any pleasure or sweetness of sense, whether from above or from below; and this He continues to do after such manner that the soul is subjected, reformed and repressed with respect to concupiscence and desire. It loses the strength of its passions and concupiscence and it becomes sterile, because it no longer consults its likings.
Just as, when none is accustomed to take milk from the breast, the courses of the milk are dried up, so the desires of the soul are dried up. And besides these things there follow admirable benefits from this spiritual sobriety, for, when desire and concupiscence are quenched, the soul lives in spiritual tranquillity and peace; for, where desire and concupiscence reign not, there is no disturbance, but peace and consolation of God.
From this there arises another and a second benefit, which is that the soul habitually has remembrance of God, with fear and dread of backsliding upon the spiritual road, as has been said. This is a great benefit, and not one of the least that results from this aridity and purgation of the desire, for the soul is purified and cleansed of the imperfections that were clinging to it because of the desires and affections, which of their own accord deaden and darken the soul.
There is another very great benefit for the soul in this night, which is that it practices several virtues together, as, for example, patience and longsuffering, which are often called upon in these times of emptiness and aridity, when the soul endures and perseveres in its spiritual exercises without consolation and without pleasure.
It practises the charity of God, since it is not now moved by the pleasure of attraction and sweetness which it finds in its work, but only by God. It likewise practises here the virtue of fortitude, because, in these difficulties and insipidities which it finds in its work, it brings strength out of weakness and thus becomes strong. All the virtues, in short--the theological and also the cardinal and moral--both in body and in spirit, are practised by the soul in these times of aridity.
And that in this night the soul obtains these four benefits which we have here described (namely, delight of peace, habitual remembrance and thought of God, cleanness and purity of soul and the practice of the virtues which we have just described), David tells us, having experienced it himself when he was in this night, in these words: 'My soul refused consolations, I had remembrance of God, I found consolation and was exercised and my spirit failed.'[Psalm lxxvi,4 (KJV lxxvii,3-4)] And he then says: 'And I meditated by night with my heart and was exercised, and I swept and purified my spirit'--that is to say, from all the affections.[Psalm lxxvi,7 (KJV lxxvii,6)]
With respect to the imperfections of the other three spiritual sins which we have described above, which are wrath, envy and sloth, the soul is purged hereof likewise in this aridity of the desire and acquires the virtues opposed to them; for, softened and humbled by these aridities and hardships and other temptations and trials wherein God exercises it during this night, it becomes meek with respect to God, and to itself, and likewise with respect to its neighbour.
So that it is no longer disturbed and angry with itself because of its own faults, nor with its neighbour because of his, neither is it displeased with God, nor does it utter unseemly complaints because He does not quickly make it holy.
Then, as to envy, the soul has charity toward others in this respect also; for, if it has any envy, this is no longer a vice as it was before, when it was grieved because others were preferred to it and given greater advantage. Its grief now comes from seeing how great is its own misery, and its envy (if it has any) is a virtuous envy, since it desires to imitate others, which is great virtue.
Neither are the sloth and the irksomeness which it now experiences concerning spiritual things vicious as they were before. For in the past these sins proceeded from the spiritual pleasures which the soul sometimes experienced and sought after when it found them not. But this new weariness proceeds not from this insufficiency of pleasure, because God has taken from the soul pleasure in all things in this purgation of the desire.
Besides these benefits which have been mentioned, the soul attains innumerable others by means of this arid contemplation. For often, in the midst of these times of aridity and hardship, God communicates to the soul, when it is least expecting it, the purest spiritual sweetness and love, together with a spiritual knowledge which is sometimes very delicate, each manifestation of which is of greater benefit and worth than those which the soul enjoyed aforetime; although in its beginnings the soul thinks that this is not so, for the spiritual influence now granted to it is very delicate and cannot be perceived by sense.
Finally, inasmuch as the soul is now purged from the affections and desires of sense, it obtains liberty of spirit, whereby in ever greater degree it gains the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. Here, too, it is wondrously delivered from the hands of its three enemies--devil, world and flesh; for, its pleasure and delight of sense being quenched with respect to all things, neither the devil nor the world nor sensuality has any arms or any strength wherewi th to make war upon the spirit.
These times of aridity, then, cause the soul to journey in all purity in the love of God, since it is no longer influenced in its actions by the pleasure and sweetness of the actions themselves, as perchance it was when it experienced sweetness, but only by a desire to please God. It becomes neither presumptuous nor self-satisfied, as perchance it was wont to become in the time of its prosperity, but fearful and timid with regard to itself, finding in itself no satisfaction whatsoever; and herein consists that holy fear which preserves and increases the virtues.
This aridity, too, quenches natural energy and concupiscence, as has also been said. Save for the pleasure, indeed, which at certain times God Himself infuses into it, it is a wonder if it finds pleasure and consolation of sense, through its own diligence, in any spiritual exercise or action, as has already been said.
There grows within souls that experience this arid night concern for God and yearnings to serve Him, for in proportion as the breasts of sensuality, wherewith it sustained and nourished the desires that it pursued, are drying up, there remains nothing in that aridity and detachment save the yearning to serve God, which is a thing very pleasing to God. For, as David says, an afflicted spirit is a sacrifice to God.[Psalm l,19 (KJV li, 17)]
When the soul, then, knows that, in this arid purgation through which it has passed, it has derived and attained so many and such precious benefits as those which have here been described, it tarries not in crying, as in the stanza of which we are expounding the lines, 'Oh, happy chance!--I went forth without being observed.' That is, 'I went forth' from the bonds and subjection of the desires of sense and the affections, 'without being observed'--that is to say, without the three enemies aforementioned being able to keep me from it.
These enemies, as we have said, bind the soul as with bonds, in its desires and pleasures, and prevent it from going forth from itself to the liberty of the love of God; and without these desires and pleasures they cannot give battle to the soul, as has been said.
When, therefore, the four passions of the soul- which are joy, grief, hope and fear--are calmed through continual mortification; when the natural desires have been lulled to sleep, in the sensual nature of the soul, by means of habitual times of aridity; and when the harmony of the senses and the interior faculties causes a suspension of labour and a cessation from the work of meditation, as we have said (which is the dwelling and the household of the lower part of the soul), these enemies cannot obstruct this spiritual liberty, and the house remains at rest and quiet, as says the following line:
My house being now at rest.
To be Continued...
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XIII
Of other benefits which this night of sense causes in the soul.
WITH respect to the soul's imperfections of spiritual avarice, because of which it coveted this and that spiritual thing and found no satisfaction in this and that exercise by reason of its covetousness for the desire and pleasure which it found therein, this arid and dark night has now greatly reformed it.
For, as it finds not the pleasure and sweetness which it was wont to find, but rather finds affliction and lack of sweetness, it has such moderate recourse to them that it might possibly now lose, through defective use, what aforetime it lost through excess; although as a rule God gives to those whom He leads into this night humility and readiness, albeit with lack of sweetness, so that what is commanded them they may do for God's sake alone; and thus they no longer seek profit in many things because they find no pleasure in them.
With respect to spiritual luxury, it is likewise clearly seen that, through this aridity and lack of sensible sweetness which the soul finds in spiritual things, it is freed from those impurities which we there noted; for we said that, as a rule, they proceeded from the pleasure which overflowed from spirit into sense.
But with regard to the imperfections from which the soul frees itself in this dark night with respect to the fourth sin, which is spiritual gluttony, they may be found above, though they have not all been described there, because they are innumerable; and thus I will not detail them here, for I would fain make an end of this night in order to pass to the next, concerning which we shall have to pronounce grave words and instructions.
Let it suffice for the understanding of the innumerable benefits which, over and above those mentioned, the soul gains in this night with respect to this sin of spiritual gluttony, to say that it frees itself from all those imperfections which have there been described, and from many other and greater evils, and vile abominations which are not written above, into which fell many of whom we have had experience, because they had not reformed their desire as concerning this inordinate love of spiritual sweetness.
For in this arid and dark night wherein He sets the soul, God has restrained its concupiscence and curbed its desire so that the soul cannot feed upon any pleasure or sweetness of sense, whether from above or from below; and this He continues to do after such manner that the soul is subjected, reformed and repressed with respect to concupiscence and desire. It loses the strength of its passions and concupiscence and it becomes sterile, because it no longer consults its likings.
Just as, when none is accustomed to take milk from the breast, the courses of the milk are dried up, so the desires of the soul are dried up. And besides these things there follow admirable benefits from this spiritual sobriety, for, when desire and concupiscence are quenched, the soul lives in spiritual tranquillity and peace; for, where desire and concupiscence reign not, there is no disturbance, but peace and consolation of God.
From this there arises another and a second benefit, which is that the soul habitually has remembrance of God, with fear and dread of backsliding upon the spiritual road, as has been said. This is a great benefit, and not one of the least that results from this aridity and purgation of the desire, for the soul is purified and cleansed of the imperfections that were clinging to it because of the desires and affections, which of their own accord deaden and darken the soul.
There is another very great benefit for the soul in this night, which is that it practices several virtues together, as, for example, patience and longsuffering, which are often called upon in these times of emptiness and aridity, when the soul endures and perseveres in its spiritual exercises without consolation and without pleasure.
It practises the charity of God, since it is not now moved by the pleasure of attraction and sweetness which it finds in its work, but only by God. It likewise practises here the virtue of fortitude, because, in these difficulties and insipidities which it finds in its work, it brings strength out of weakness and thus becomes strong. All the virtues, in short--the theological and also the cardinal and moral--both in body and in spirit, are practised by the soul in these times of aridity.
And that in this night the soul obtains these four benefits which we have here described (namely, delight of peace, habitual remembrance and thought of God, cleanness and purity of soul and the practice of the virtues which we have just described), David tells us, having experienced it himself when he was in this night, in these words: 'My soul refused consolations, I had remembrance of God, I found consolation and was exercised and my spirit failed.'[Psalm lxxvi,4 (KJV lxxvii,3-4)] And he then says: 'And I meditated by night with my heart and was exercised, and I swept and purified my spirit'--that is to say, from all the affections.[Psalm lxxvi,7 (KJV lxxvii,6)]
With respect to the imperfections of the other three spiritual sins which we have described above, which are wrath, envy and sloth, the soul is purged hereof likewise in this aridity of the desire and acquires the virtues opposed to them; for, softened and humbled by these aridities and hardships and other temptations and trials wherein God exercises it during this night, it becomes meek with respect to God, and to itself, and likewise with respect to its neighbour.
So that it is no longer disturbed and angry with itself because of its own faults, nor with its neighbour because of his, neither is it displeased with God, nor does it utter unseemly complaints because He does not quickly make it holy.
Then, as to envy, the soul has charity toward others in this respect also; for, if it has any envy, this is no longer a vice as it was before, when it was grieved because others were preferred to it and given greater advantage. Its grief now comes from seeing how great is its own misery, and its envy (if it has any) is a virtuous envy, since it desires to imitate others, which is great virtue.
Neither are the sloth and the irksomeness which it now experiences concerning spiritual things vicious as they were before. For in the past these sins proceeded from the spiritual pleasures which the soul sometimes experienced and sought after when it found them not. But this new weariness proceeds not from this insufficiency of pleasure, because God has taken from the soul pleasure in all things in this purgation of the desire.
Besides these benefits which have been mentioned, the soul attains innumerable others by means of this arid contemplation. For often, in the midst of these times of aridity and hardship, God communicates to the soul, when it is least expecting it, the purest spiritual sweetness and love, together with a spiritual knowledge which is sometimes very delicate, each manifestation of which is of greater benefit and worth than those which the soul enjoyed aforetime; although in its beginnings the soul thinks that this is not so, for the spiritual influence now granted to it is very delicate and cannot be perceived by sense.
Finally, inasmuch as the soul is now purged from the affections and desires of sense, it obtains liberty of spirit, whereby in ever greater degree it gains the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. Here, too, it is wondrously delivered from the hands of its three enemies--devil, world and flesh; for, its pleasure and delight of sense being quenched with respect to all things, neither the devil nor the world nor sensuality has any arms or any strength wherewi th to make war upon the spirit.
These times of aridity, then, cause the soul to journey in all purity in the love of God, since it is no longer influenced in its actions by the pleasure and sweetness of the actions themselves, as perchance it was when it experienced sweetness, but only by a desire to please God. It becomes neither presumptuous nor self-satisfied, as perchance it was wont to become in the time of its prosperity, but fearful and timid with regard to itself, finding in itself no satisfaction whatsoever; and herein consists that holy fear which preserves and increases the virtues.
This aridity, too, quenches natural energy and concupiscence, as has also been said. Save for the pleasure, indeed, which at certain times God Himself infuses into it, it is a wonder if it finds pleasure and consolation of sense, through its own diligence, in any spiritual exercise or action, as has already been said.
There grows within souls that experience this arid night concern for God and yearnings to serve Him, for in proportion as the breasts of sensuality, wherewith it sustained and nourished the desires that it pursued, are drying up, there remains nothing in that aridity and detachment save the yearning to serve God, which is a thing very pleasing to God. For, as David says, an afflicted spirit is a sacrifice to God.[Psalm l,19 (KJV li, 17)]
When the soul, then, knows that, in this arid purgation through which it has passed, it has derived and attained so many and such precious benefits as those which have here been described, it tarries not in crying, as in the stanza of which we are expounding the lines, 'Oh, happy chance!--I went forth without being observed.' That is, 'I went forth' from the bonds and subjection of the desires of sense and the affections, 'without being observed'--that is to say, without the three enemies aforementioned being able to keep me from it.
These enemies, as we have said, bind the soul as with bonds, in its desires and pleasures, and prevent it from going forth from itself to the liberty of the love of God; and without these desires and pleasures they cannot give battle to the soul, as has been said.
When, therefore, the four passions of the soul- which are joy, grief, hope and fear--are calmed through continual mortification; when the natural desires have been lulled to sleep, in the sensual nature of the soul, by means of habitual times of aridity; and when the harmony of the senses and the interior faculties causes a suspension of labour and a cessation from the work of meditation, as we have said (which is the dwelling and the household of the lower part of the soul), these enemies cannot obstruct this spiritual liberty, and the house remains at rest and quiet, as says the following line:
My house being now at rest.
To be Continued...
Notification of At Least Four Upcoming Weblog Responses:
I readily admit that my blogging has been very sparse as of late. The more informed readers of this humble weblog already know some of the reason why so I will not reiterate it here. Another element has been the season of Lent which I wanted to be dominated by the Lenten spiritual meditations on St. John of the Cross' Dark Night of the Soul. So there has been sparse blogging and on more selective subject matter. The coming month will see a variety of subjects covered as time allows but I want to give advance note of four responses in particular.
For there are some emails I intend to respond to here at Rerum Novarum in the coming weeks. In the period of the Triduum I doubt there will be any responses other than the final two installments of the Dark Night meditation which will be blogged before Easter.{1} However, in the weeks after Easter, I do want to tackle some of the topics either raised as a result of private emails or previous weblog postings. And among those there are four in particular which will have my attention in the days and weeks to come.
---The first of them is a response to Kevin Tierney's recent email response to my March 31 response on the subject of remedies for society's ills. I will be reading and responding to it sometime after Easter -right now I do not have much time for blogging anything.
My good friend Albert Cipriani sent me an email a while back which I intend to read after Easter and respond to the substance of it on this humble weblog.{2} Hence the second response which will be as follows:
---A response to Albert Cipriani on the subject of so-called "traditionalism" and St. John of the Cross.
I look forward to adding another chapter in the long saga of discussions that I have had with Albert on this weblog and on other venues. And since I ran the series on St. John of the Cross and his Dark Night this Lent -and added some commentary that I am sure sparked the note from Albert- a clarification of my stance will undoubtedly be needed here. (Along with responding to Albert's observations on this subject matter.)
Though I am not unaware of Tim Enloe's response a while back to my February request{3} for a dialogue on the subject of the foundational presuppositions that undergird philosophical paradigms of thought, I have admittedly not read his response to me yet.
My intention all along has been to wait until after Easter to read and respond to Tim's response because (i) it is a rather complex subject to discuss and (ii) I want time to muse on the matter a bit. Nonetheless, at some point after Easter, I will take up the threads of that discussion anew and thus a third planned weblog post:
---A response to Tim Enloe on the foundational presuppositions that undergird our respective philosophical paradigms of thought.
Hopefully at that point we will be off and running on that subject. At the moment though, my focus when I have blogged anything -the Dark Night series excluded- has been for the most part on political-social material. And in noting that, it brings me to the fourth of the planned responses.
In quite an unexpected scenario, I found in my email box this evening a note froman individual who shall remain nameless at this time. Charles de Nunzio. Though we have never corresponded before, I am familiar with a bit of his stuff and presumably he is familiar with some of mine as well.{4} For those who are curious about this individual, I would classify him as kind of an intellectual iconoclast among those of the self-identified "traditionalists" on several issues.{5} And thus what is also planned is a fourth response as follows:
---A response to Charles de Nunzio on the political context of our society's perversion of marriage.
The fourth one ties into the subjects of my dialogues with Kevin -which Charles refers to in his email to me. However, I note this to Charles in advance that since my response to his email will be public, if he wants any of the parts kept in confidentiality to please notify me and list the points and the reasons why.
So that is a brief notification of some subjects and responses that will be posted as time allows for such things. And as I do not anticipate blogging again until after Easter, the close here on behalf of those of Us here at Rerum Novarum is to wish all of you a blessed Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday.
IC XC
Notes:
{1} And those were already blogged earlier this week and will appear on the dates scheduled: only the second time in the history of this weblog that I have completed a series ahead of time in that fashion. (The early to mid February Points to Ponder weeklong series of quotes from His Beatitude Melkite Patriarch Maximos IV Saigh (Cardinal of the Roman Church) being the only other example of this approach taken thus far.)
{2} Which reminds me: Albert, I wrote to you on another subject matter shortly after my last contribution to your list. Normally I save a copy of such emails for a few months so I can keep track of whom I have responded to and whom I have not -as my memory alone for such recollections is not reliable. I cannot therefore recall if I sent it to you or not. Please notify me one way or the other via email so that I can stop worrying that I lost it. (As I hate losing material that I spend time working on -particularly on that kind of delicate subject matter.)
{3} Which was also reiterated and slightly refined in mid March weblog posting.
{4} Particularly since I am typecast in some minds as "that guy who writes on 'traditionalism'" a categorization which -like virtually all forms of categorization I admittedly have no small degree of loathing for.
{5} I use the term iconoclast here in its modern sense, not the sense that was proscribed at Nicaea II. If it helps in clarifying matters a bit, I consider myself rather iconoclastic as well. (And those who have followed my dialogues with Albert, Tim, and Kevin know that they could be said to have their areas of classification in this way as well.)
I readily admit that my blogging has been very sparse as of late. The more informed readers of this humble weblog already know some of the reason why so I will not reiterate it here. Another element has been the season of Lent which I wanted to be dominated by the Lenten spiritual meditations on St. John of the Cross' Dark Night of the Soul. So there has been sparse blogging and on more selective subject matter. The coming month will see a variety of subjects covered as time allows but I want to give advance note of four responses in particular.
For there are some emails I intend to respond to here at Rerum Novarum in the coming weeks. In the period of the Triduum I doubt there will be any responses other than the final two installments of the Dark Night meditation which will be blogged before Easter.{1} However, in the weeks after Easter, I do want to tackle some of the topics either raised as a result of private emails or previous weblog postings. And among those there are four in particular which will have my attention in the days and weeks to come.
---The first of them is a response to Kevin Tierney's recent email response to my March 31 response on the subject of remedies for society's ills. I will be reading and responding to it sometime after Easter -right now I do not have much time for blogging anything.
My good friend Albert Cipriani sent me an email a while back which I intend to read after Easter and respond to the substance of it on this humble weblog.{2} Hence the second response which will be as follows:
---A response to Albert Cipriani on the subject of so-called "traditionalism" and St. John of the Cross.
I look forward to adding another chapter in the long saga of discussions that I have had with Albert on this weblog and on other venues. And since I ran the series on St. John of the Cross and his Dark Night this Lent -and added some commentary that I am sure sparked the note from Albert- a clarification of my stance will undoubtedly be needed here. (Along with responding to Albert's observations on this subject matter.)
Though I am not unaware of Tim Enloe's response a while back to my February request{3} for a dialogue on the subject of the foundational presuppositions that undergird philosophical paradigms of thought, I have admittedly not read his response to me yet.
My intention all along has been to wait until after Easter to read and respond to Tim's response because (i) it is a rather complex subject to discuss and (ii) I want time to muse on the matter a bit. Nonetheless, at some point after Easter, I will take up the threads of that discussion anew and thus a third planned weblog post:
---A response to Tim Enloe on the foundational presuppositions that undergird our respective philosophical paradigms of thought.
Hopefully at that point we will be off and running on that subject. At the moment though, my focus when I have blogged anything -the Dark Night series excluded- has been for the most part on political-social material. And in noting that, it brings me to the fourth of the planned responses.
In quite an unexpected scenario, I found in my email box this evening a note from
---A response to Charles de Nunzio on the political context of our society's perversion of marriage.
The fourth one ties into the subjects of my dialogues with Kevin -which Charles refers to in his email to me. However, I note this to Charles in advance that since my response to his email will be public, if he wants any of the parts kept in confidentiality to please notify me and list the points and the reasons why.
So that is a brief notification of some subjects and responses that will be posted as time allows for such things. And as I do not anticipate blogging again until after Easter, the close here on behalf of those of Us here at Rerum Novarum is to wish all of you a blessed Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday.
IC XC
Notes:
{1} And those were already blogged earlier this week and will appear on the dates scheduled: only the second time in the history of this weblog that I have completed a series ahead of time in that fashion. (The early to mid February Points to Ponder weeklong series of quotes from His Beatitude Melkite Patriarch Maximos IV Saigh (Cardinal of the Roman Church) being the only other example of this approach taken thus far.)
{2} Which reminds me: Albert, I wrote to you on another subject matter shortly after my last contribution to your list. Normally I save a copy of such emails for a few months so I can keep track of whom I have responded to and whom I have not -as my memory alone for such recollections is not reliable. I cannot therefore recall if I sent it to you or not. Please notify me one way or the other via email so that I can stop worrying that I lost it. (As I hate losing material that I spend time working on -particularly on that kind of delicate subject matter.)
{3} Which was also reiterated and slightly refined in mid March weblog posting.
{4} Particularly since I am typecast in some minds as "that guy who writes on 'traditionalism'" a categorization which -like virtually all forms of categorization I admittedly have no small degree of loathing for.
{5} I use the term iconoclast here in its modern sense, not the sense that was proscribed at Nicaea II. If it helps in clarifying matters a bit, I consider myself rather iconoclastic as well. (And those who have followed my dialogues with Albert, Tim, and Kevin know that they could be said to have their areas of classification in this way as well.)
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Points to Ponder:
[Vladimir] Soloviev was one day a guest at a monastary and had talked very late with a pious monk. Wishing to return to his cell, he went into the corridor onto which opened cell doors all exactly similar, and all shut. In the dark, he could not identify the door of his own cell. Impossible, on the other hand, in this dark, to return to the cell of the monk he had just left. Nor did he wish to disturb anyone at night during the strict monastic silence.
So the philosopher resigned himself to spending the night walking slowly, absorbed in his thoughts, up and down the corridor of the monastery suddenly become inhospitable, mysterious.
The night was long and tiring. But finally, it was over. And the first rays of dawn allowed the philosopher to identify without difficulty the door to his cell, in front of which he had passed so many times without recognition. And Soloviev commented "It is often like this for those who seek truth. They pass quite close to her during their vigils without seeing her until a ray of sunlight..."
Had I a single critical remar to make, I would say that the philosopherswho I have known believe they opened the door in their youth, and by no means resign themselves to waith for the light. [Pope Paul VI to Jean Guitton: Taken From Dialogues of Paul VI with Jean Guitton by Jean Guitton (c. 1966)]
[Vladimir] Soloviev was one day a guest at a monastary and had talked very late with a pious monk. Wishing to return to his cell, he went into the corridor onto which opened cell doors all exactly similar, and all shut. In the dark, he could not identify the door of his own cell. Impossible, on the other hand, in this dark, to return to the cell of the monk he had just left. Nor did he wish to disturb anyone at night during the strict monastic silence.
So the philosopher resigned himself to spending the night walking slowly, absorbed in his thoughts, up and down the corridor of the monastery suddenly become inhospitable, mysterious.
The night was long and tiring. But finally, it was over. And the first rays of dawn allowed the philosopher to identify without difficulty the door to his cell, in front of which he had passed so many times without recognition. And Soloviev commented "It is often like this for those who seek truth. They pass quite close to her during their vigils without seeing her until a ray of sunlight..."
Had I a single critical remar to make, I would say that the philosopherswho I have known believe they opened the door in their youth, and by no means resign themselves to waith for the light. [Pope Paul VI to Jean Guitton: Taken From Dialogues of Paul VI with Jean Guitton by Jean Guitton (c. 1966)]
Meditations on The Dark Night of the Soul:
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XII
Of the benefits which this night causes in the soul.
THIS night and purgation of the desire, a happy one for the soul, works in it so many blessings and benefits (although to the soul, as we have said, it rather seems that blessings are being taken away from it) that, even as Abraham made a great feast when he weaned his son Isaac,[Genesis xxi, 8.] even so is there joy in Heaven because God is now taking this soul from its swaddling clothes, setting it down from His arms, making it to walk upon its feet, and likewise taking from it the milk of the breast and the soft and sweet food proper to children, and making it to eat bread with crust, and to begin to enjoy the food of robust persons.
This food, in these aridities and this darkness of sense, is now given to the spirit, which is dry and emptied of all the sweetness of sense. And this food is the infused contemplation whereof we have spoken.
This is the first and principal benefit caused by this arid and dark night of contemplation: the knowledge of oneself and of one's misery. For, besides the fact that all the favours which God grants to the soul are habitually granted to them enwrapped in this knowledge, these aridities and this emptiness of the faculties, compared with the abundance which the soul experienced aforetime and the difficulty which it finds in good works, make it recognize its own lowliness and misery, which in the time of its prosperity it was unable to see.
Of this there is a good illustration in the Book of Exodus, where God, wishing to humble the children of Israel and desiring that they should know themselves, commanded them to take away and strip off the festal garments and adornments wherewith they were accustomed to adorn themselves in the Wilderness, saying: 'Now from henceforth strip yourselves of festal ornaments and put on everyday working dress, that ye may know what treatment ye deserve.'[Exodus xxxiii, 5.]
This is as though He had said: Inasmuch as the attire that ye wear, being proper to festival and rejoicing, causes you to feel less humble concerning yourselves than ye should, put off from you this attire, in order that henceforth, seeing yourselves clothed with vileness, ye may know that ye merit no more, and may know who ye are.
Wherefore the soul knows the truth that it knew not at first, concerning its own misery; for, at the time when it was clad as for a festival and found in God much pleasure, consolation and support, it was somewhat more satisfied and contented, since it thought itself to some extent to be serving God.
It is true that such souls may not have this idea explicitly in their minds; but some suggestion of it at least is implanted in them by the satisfaction which they find in their pleasant experiences. But, now that the soul has put on its other and working attire--that of aridity and abandonment--and now that its first lights have turned into darkness, it possesses these lights more truly in this virtue of self-knowledge, which is so excellent and so necessary, considering itself now as nothing and experiencing no satisfaction in itself; for it sees that it does nothing of itself neither can do anything.
And the smallness of this self-satisfaction, together with the soul's affliction at not serving God, is considered and esteemed by God as greater than all the consolations which the soul formerly experienced and the works which it wrought, however great they were, inasmuch as they were the occasion of many imperfections and ignorances.
And from this attire of aridity proceed, as from their fount and source of self-knowledge, not only the things which we have described already, but also the benefits which we shall now describe and many more which will have to be omitted.
In the first place, the soul learns to commune with God with more respect and more courtesy, such as a soul must ever observe in converse with the Most High. These it knew not in its prosperous times of comfort and consolation, for that comforting favour which it experienced made its craving for God somewhat bolder than was fitting, and discourteous and ill-considered.
Even so did it happen to Moses, when he perceived that God was speaking to him; blinded by that pleasure and desire, without further consideration, he would have made bold to go to Him if God had not commanded him to stay and put off his shoes. By this incident we are shown the respect and discretion in detachment of desire wherewith a man is to commune with God.
When Moses had obeyed in this matter, he became so discreet and so attentive that the Scripture says that not only did he not make bold to draw near to God, but that he dared not even look at Him. For, having taken off the shoes of his desires and pleasures, he became very conscious of his wretchedness in the sight of God, as befitted one about to hear the word of God.
Even so likewise the preparation which God granted to Job in order that he might speak with Him consisted not in those delights and glories which Job himself reports that he was wont to have in his God, but in leaving him naked upon a dung-hill,[Job ii, 7-8.] abandoned and even persecuted by his friends, filled with anguish and bitterness, and the earth covered with worms.
And then the Most High God, He that lifts up the poor man from the dunghill, was pleased to come down and speak with him there face to face, revealing to him the depths and heights of His wisdom, in a way that He had never done in the time of his prosperity.
And here we must note another excellent benefit which there is in this night and aridity of the desire of sense, since we have had occasion to speak of it. It is that, in this dark night of the desire (to the end that the words of the Prophet may be fulfilled, namely: 'Thy light shall shine in the darkness'[Isaias lviii, 10.]), God will enlighten the soul, giving it knowledge, not only of its lowliness and wretchedness, as we have said, but likewise of the greatness and excellence of God.
For, as well as quenching the desires and pleasures and attachments of sense, He cleanses and frees the understanding that it may understand the truth; for pleasure of sense and desire, even though it be for spiritual things, darkens and obstructs the spirit, and furthermore that straitness and aridity of sense enlightens and quickens the understanding, as says Isaias.[Isaias xxviii, 19.][1]
Vexation makes us to understand how the soul that is empty and disencumbered, as is necessary for His Divine influence, is instructed supernaturally by God in His Divine wisdom, through this dark and arid night of contemplation, as we have said; and this instruction God gave not in those first sweetnesses and joys.
This is very well explained by the same prophet Isaias, where he says: 'Whom shall God teach His knowledge, and whom shall He make to understand the hearing?' To those, He says, that are weaned from the milk and drawn away from the breasts.[Isaias xxviii, 9.] Here it is shown that the first milk of spiritual sweetness is no preparation for this Divine influence, neither is there preparation in attachment to the breast of delectable meditations, belonging to the faculties of sense, which gave the soul pleasure; such preparation consists rather in the lack of the one and withdrawal from the other.
Inasmuch as, in order to listen to God, the soul needs to stand upright and to be detached, with regard to affection and sense, even as the Prophet says concerning himself, in these words: I will stand upon my watch (this is that detachment of desire) and I will make firm my step (that is, I will not meditate with sense), in order to contemplate (that is, in order to understand that which may come to me from God).[Habacuc ii, 1.]
So we have now arrived at this, that from this arid night there first of all comes self-knowledge, whence, as from a foundation, rises this other knowledge of God. For which cause Saint Augustine said to God: 'Let me know myself, Lord, and I shall know Thee.'[St. Augustine: Soliloq., Cap. ii.] For, as the philosophers say, one extreme can be well known by another.
And in order to prove more completely how efficacious is this night of sense, with its aridity and its desolation, in bringing the soul that light which, as we say, it receives there from God, we shall quote that passage of David, wherein he clearly describes the great power which is in this night for bringing the soul this lofty knowledge of God. He says, then, thus: 'In the desert land, waterless, dry and pathless, I appeared before Thee, that I might see Thy virtue and Thy glory.'[Psalm lxii,3 (KJV lxiii,1- 2).]
It is a wondrous thing that David should say here that the means and the preparation for his knowledge of the glory of God were not the spiritual delights and the many pleasures which he had experienced, but the aridities and detachments of his sensual nature, which is here to be understood by the dry and desert land. No less wondrous is it that he should describe as the road to his perception and vision of the virtue of God, not the Divine meditations and conceptions of which he had often made use, but his being unable to form any conception of God or to walk by meditation produced by imaginary consideration, which is here to be understood by the pathless land.
So that the means to a knowledge of God and of oneself is this dark night with its aridities and voids, although it leads not to a knowledge of Him of the same plenitude and abundance that comes from the other night of the spirit, since this is only, as it were, the beginning of that other.
Likewise, from the aridities and voids of this night of the desire, the soul draws spiritual humility, which is the contrary virtue to the first capital sin, which, as we said, is spiritual pride. Through this humility, which is acquired by the said knowledge of self, the soul is purged from all those imperfections whereinto it fell with respect to that sin of pride, in the time of its prosperity.
For it sees itself so dry and miserable that the idea never even occurs to it that it is making better progress than others, or outstripping them, as it believed itself to be doing before. On the contrary, it recognizes that others are making better progress than itself.
And hence arises the love of its neighbours, for it esteems them, and judges them not as it was wont to do aforetime, when it saw that itself had great fervour and others not so. It is aware only of its own wretchedness, which it keeps before its eyes to such an extent that it never forgets it, nor takes occasion to set its eyes on anyone else.
This was described wonderfully by David, when he was in this night, in these words: 'I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things and my sorrow was renewed.'[Psalm xxxviii,3 (KJV xxxix,2)] This he says because it seemed to him that the good that was in his soul had so completely departed that not only did he neither speak nor find any language concerning it, but with respect to the good of others he was likewise dumb because of his grief at the knowledge of his misery.
In this condition, again, souls become submissive and obedient upon the spiritual road, for, when they see their own misery, not only do they hear what is taught them, but they even desire that anyone soever may set them on the way and tell them what they ought to do. The affective presumption which they sometimes had in their prosperity is taken from them; and finally, there are swept away from them on this road all the other imperfections which we noted above with respect to this first sin, which is spiritual pride.
To be Continued...
Note:
[1] The author omits the actual text.
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XII
Of the benefits which this night causes in the soul.
THIS night and purgation of the desire, a happy one for the soul, works in it so many blessings and benefits (although to the soul, as we have said, it rather seems that blessings are being taken away from it) that, even as Abraham made a great feast when he weaned his son Isaac,[Genesis xxi, 8.] even so is there joy in Heaven because God is now taking this soul from its swaddling clothes, setting it down from His arms, making it to walk upon its feet, and likewise taking from it the milk of the breast and the soft and sweet food proper to children, and making it to eat bread with crust, and to begin to enjoy the food of robust persons.
This food, in these aridities and this darkness of sense, is now given to the spirit, which is dry and emptied of all the sweetness of sense. And this food is the infused contemplation whereof we have spoken.
This is the first and principal benefit caused by this arid and dark night of contemplation: the knowledge of oneself and of one's misery. For, besides the fact that all the favours which God grants to the soul are habitually granted to them enwrapped in this knowledge, these aridities and this emptiness of the faculties, compared with the abundance which the soul experienced aforetime and the difficulty which it finds in good works, make it recognize its own lowliness and misery, which in the time of its prosperity it was unable to see.
Of this there is a good illustration in the Book of Exodus, where God, wishing to humble the children of Israel and desiring that they should know themselves, commanded them to take away and strip off the festal garments and adornments wherewith they were accustomed to adorn themselves in the Wilderness, saying: 'Now from henceforth strip yourselves of festal ornaments and put on everyday working dress, that ye may know what treatment ye deserve.'[Exodus xxxiii, 5.]
This is as though He had said: Inasmuch as the attire that ye wear, being proper to festival and rejoicing, causes you to feel less humble concerning yourselves than ye should, put off from you this attire, in order that henceforth, seeing yourselves clothed with vileness, ye may know that ye merit no more, and may know who ye are.
Wherefore the soul knows the truth that it knew not at first, concerning its own misery; for, at the time when it was clad as for a festival and found in God much pleasure, consolation and support, it was somewhat more satisfied and contented, since it thought itself to some extent to be serving God.
It is true that such souls may not have this idea explicitly in their minds; but some suggestion of it at least is implanted in them by the satisfaction which they find in their pleasant experiences. But, now that the soul has put on its other and working attire--that of aridity and abandonment--and now that its first lights have turned into darkness, it possesses these lights more truly in this virtue of self-knowledge, which is so excellent and so necessary, considering itself now as nothing and experiencing no satisfaction in itself; for it sees that it does nothing of itself neither can do anything.
And the smallness of this self-satisfaction, together with the soul's affliction at not serving God, is considered and esteemed by God as greater than all the consolations which the soul formerly experienced and the works which it wrought, however great they were, inasmuch as they were the occasion of many imperfections and ignorances.
And from this attire of aridity proceed, as from their fount and source of self-knowledge, not only the things which we have described already, but also the benefits which we shall now describe and many more which will have to be omitted.
In the first place, the soul learns to commune with God with more respect and more courtesy, such as a soul must ever observe in converse with the Most High. These it knew not in its prosperous times of comfort and consolation, for that comforting favour which it experienced made its craving for God somewhat bolder than was fitting, and discourteous and ill-considered.
Even so did it happen to Moses, when he perceived that God was speaking to him; blinded by that pleasure and desire, without further consideration, he would have made bold to go to Him if God had not commanded him to stay and put off his shoes. By this incident we are shown the respect and discretion in detachment of desire wherewith a man is to commune with God.
When Moses had obeyed in this matter, he became so discreet and so attentive that the Scripture says that not only did he not make bold to draw near to God, but that he dared not even look at Him. For, having taken off the shoes of his desires and pleasures, he became very conscious of his wretchedness in the sight of God, as befitted one about to hear the word of God.
Even so likewise the preparation which God granted to Job in order that he might speak with Him consisted not in those delights and glories which Job himself reports that he was wont to have in his God, but in leaving him naked upon a dung-hill,[Job ii, 7-8.] abandoned and even persecuted by his friends, filled with anguish and bitterness, and the earth covered with worms.
And then the Most High God, He that lifts up the poor man from the dunghill, was pleased to come down and speak with him there face to face, revealing to him the depths and heights of His wisdom, in a way that He had never done in the time of his prosperity.
And here we must note another excellent benefit which there is in this night and aridity of the desire of sense, since we have had occasion to speak of it. It is that, in this dark night of the desire (to the end that the words of the Prophet may be fulfilled, namely: 'Thy light shall shine in the darkness'[Isaias lviii, 10.]), God will enlighten the soul, giving it knowledge, not only of its lowliness and wretchedness, as we have said, but likewise of the greatness and excellence of God.
For, as well as quenching the desires and pleasures and attachments of sense, He cleanses and frees the understanding that it may understand the truth; for pleasure of sense and desire, even though it be for spiritual things, darkens and obstructs the spirit, and furthermore that straitness and aridity of sense enlightens and quickens the understanding, as says Isaias.[Isaias xxviii, 19.][1]
Vexation makes us to understand how the soul that is empty and disencumbered, as is necessary for His Divine influence, is instructed supernaturally by God in His Divine wisdom, through this dark and arid night of contemplation, as we have said; and this instruction God gave not in those first sweetnesses and joys.
This is very well explained by the same prophet Isaias, where he says: 'Whom shall God teach His knowledge, and whom shall He make to understand the hearing?' To those, He says, that are weaned from the milk and drawn away from the breasts.[Isaias xxviii, 9.] Here it is shown that the first milk of spiritual sweetness is no preparation for this Divine influence, neither is there preparation in attachment to the breast of delectable meditations, belonging to the faculties of sense, which gave the soul pleasure; such preparation consists rather in the lack of the one and withdrawal from the other.
Inasmuch as, in order to listen to God, the soul needs to stand upright and to be detached, with regard to affection and sense, even as the Prophet says concerning himself, in these words: I will stand upon my watch (this is that detachment of desire) and I will make firm my step (that is, I will not meditate with sense), in order to contemplate (that is, in order to understand that which may come to me from God).[Habacuc ii, 1.]
So we have now arrived at this, that from this arid night there first of all comes self-knowledge, whence, as from a foundation, rises this other knowledge of God. For which cause Saint Augustine said to God: 'Let me know myself, Lord, and I shall know Thee.'[St. Augustine: Soliloq., Cap. ii.] For, as the philosophers say, one extreme can be well known by another.
And in order to prove more completely how efficacious is this night of sense, with its aridity and its desolation, in bringing the soul that light which, as we say, it receives there from God, we shall quote that passage of David, wherein he clearly describes the great power which is in this night for bringing the soul this lofty knowledge of God. He says, then, thus: 'In the desert land, waterless, dry and pathless, I appeared before Thee, that I might see Thy virtue and Thy glory.'[Psalm lxii,3 (KJV lxiii,1- 2).]
It is a wondrous thing that David should say here that the means and the preparation for his knowledge of the glory of God were not the spiritual delights and the many pleasures which he had experienced, but the aridities and detachments of his sensual nature, which is here to be understood by the dry and desert land. No less wondrous is it that he should describe as the road to his perception and vision of the virtue of God, not the Divine meditations and conceptions of which he had often made use, but his being unable to form any conception of God or to walk by meditation produced by imaginary consideration, which is here to be understood by the pathless land.
So that the means to a knowledge of God and of oneself is this dark night with its aridities and voids, although it leads not to a knowledge of Him of the same plenitude and abundance that comes from the other night of the spirit, since this is only, as it were, the beginning of that other.
Likewise, from the aridities and voids of this night of the desire, the soul draws spiritual humility, which is the contrary virtue to the first capital sin, which, as we said, is spiritual pride. Through this humility, which is acquired by the said knowledge of self, the soul is purged from all those imperfections whereinto it fell with respect to that sin of pride, in the time of its prosperity.
For it sees itself so dry and miserable that the idea never even occurs to it that it is making better progress than others, or outstripping them, as it believed itself to be doing before. On the contrary, it recognizes that others are making better progress than itself.
And hence arises the love of its neighbours, for it esteems them, and judges them not as it was wont to do aforetime, when it saw that itself had great fervour and others not so. It is aware only of its own wretchedness, which it keeps before its eyes to such an extent that it never forgets it, nor takes occasion to set its eyes on anyone else.
This was described wonderfully by David, when he was in this night, in these words: 'I was dumb and was humbled and kept silence from good things and my sorrow was renewed.'[Psalm xxxviii,3 (KJV xxxix,2)] This he says because it seemed to him that the good that was in his soul had so completely departed that not only did he neither speak nor find any language concerning it, but with respect to the good of others he was likewise dumb because of his grief at the knowledge of his misery.
In this condition, again, souls become submissive and obedient upon the spiritual road, for, when they see their own misery, not only do they hear what is taught them, but they even desire that anyone soever may set them on the way and tell them what they ought to do. The affective presumption which they sometimes had in their prosperity is taken from them; and finally, there are swept away from them on this road all the other imperfections which we noted above with respect to this first sin, which is spiritual pride.
To be Continued...
Note:
[1] The author omits the actual text.
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Prayer Requests:
If the readers of this humble weblog can offer some prayers on behalf of a good friend of Rerum Novarum (the Canonical Kahuna Pete Vere), it would be greatly appreciated. He is very ill at the present time. Also please remember in your prayers Patty Bonds and her daughter Esther who were in an auto accident recently. (See the Envoy weblog for details.) Rerum Novarum will remember both of them in Our prayers for the duration of Holy Week.
If the readers of this humble weblog can offer some prayers on behalf of a good friend of Rerum Novarum (the Canonical Kahuna Pete Vere), it would be greatly appreciated. He is very ill at the present time. Also please remember in your prayers Patty Bonds and her daughter Esther who were in an auto accident recently. (See the Envoy weblog for details.) Rerum Novarum will remember both of them in Our prayers for the duration of Holy Week.
Meditations on The Dark Night of the Soul:
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XI
Wherein are expounded the three lines of the stanza.
THIS enkindling of love is not as a rule felt at the first, because it has not begun to take hold upon the soul, by reason of the impurity of human nature, or because the soul has not understood its own state, as we have said, and has therefore given it no peaceful abiding-place within itself.
Yet sometimes, nevertheless, there soon begins to make itself felt a certain yearning toward God; and the more this increases, the more is the soul affectioned and enkindled in love toward God, without knowing or understanding how and whence this love and affection come to it, but from time to time seeing this flame and this enkindling grow so greatly within it that it desires God with yearning of love; even as David, when he was in this dark night, said of himself in these words,[Psalm lxxii, 21 (KJV Psalm lxxii, 21-22)] namely: 'Because my heart was enkindled (that is to say, in love of contemplation), my reins also were changed': that is, my desires for sensual affections were changed, namely from the way of sense to the way of the spirit, which is the aridity and cessation from all these things whereof we are speaking.
And I, he says, was dissolved in nothing and annihilated, and I knew not; for, as we have said, without knowing the way whereby it goes, the soul finds itself annihilated with respect to all things above and below which were accustomed to please it; and it finds itself enamoured, without knowing how.
And because at times the enkindling of love in the spirit grows greater, the yearnings for God become so great in the soul that the very bones seem to be dried up by this thirst, and the natural powers to be fading away, and their warmth and strength to be perishing through the intensity of the thirst of love, for the soul feels that this thirst of love is a living thirst.
This thirst David had and felt, when he said: 'My soul thirsted for the living God.'[Psalm xli,3 (KJV, xlii, 2)] Which is as much as to say: A living thirst was that of my soul. Of this thirst, since it is living, we may say that it kills. But it is to be noted that the vehemence of this thirst is not continuous, but occasional although as a rule the soul is accustomed to feel it to a certain degree.
But it must be noted that, as I began to say just now, this love is not as a rule felt at first, but only the dryness and emptiness are felt whereof we are speaking. Then in place of this love which afterwards becomes gradually enkindled, what the soul experiences in the midst of these aridities and emptinesses of the faculties is an habitual care and solicitude with respect to God, together with grief and fear that it is not serving Him.
But it is a sacrifice which is not a little pleasing to God that the soul should go about afflicted and solicitous for His love. This solicitude and care leads the soul into that secret contemplation, until, the senses (that is, the sensual part) having in course of time been in some degree purged of the natural affections and powers by means of the aridities which it causes within them, this Divine love begins to be enkindled in the spirit.
Meanwhile, however, like one who has begun a cure, the soul knows only suffering in this dark and arid purgation of the desire; by this means it becomes healed of many imperfections, and exercises itself in many virtues in order to make itself meet for the said love, as we shall now say with respect to the line following:
Oh, happy chance!
When God leads the soul into this night of sense in order to purge the sense of its lower part and to subdue it, unite it and bring it into conformity with the spirit, by setting it in darkness and causing it to cease from meditation (as He afterwards does in order to purify the spirit to unite it with God, as we shall afterwards say), He brings it into the night of the spirit, and (although it appears not so to it) the soul gains so many benefits that it holds it to be a happy chance to have escaped from the bonds and restrictions of the senses of or its lower self, by means of this night aforesaid; and utters the present line, namely: Oh, happy chance!
With respect to this, it behoves us here to note the benefits which the soul finds in this night, and because of which it considers it a happy chance to have passed through it; all of which benefits the soul includes in the next line, namely:
I went forth without being observed.
This going forth is understood of the subjection to its sensual part which the soul suffered when it sought God through operations so weak, so limited and so defective as are those of this lower part; for at every step it stumbled into numerous imperfections and ignorances, as we have noted above in writing of the seven capital sins.
From all these it is freed when this night quenches within it all pleasures, whether from above or from below, and makes all meditation darkness to it, and grants it other innumerable blessings in the acquirement of the virtues, as we shall now show. For it will be a matter of great pleasure and great consolation, to one that journeys on this road, to see how that which seems to the soul so severe and adverse, and so contrary to spiritual pleasure, works in it so many blessings.
These, as we say, are gained when the soul goes forth, as regards its affection and operation, by means of this night, from all created things, and when it journeys to eternal things, which is great happiness and good fortune: first, because of the great blessing which is in the quenching of the desire and affection with respect to all things; secondly, because they are very few that endure and persevere in entering by this strait gate and by the narrow way which leads to life, as says Our Saviour.[St. Matthew vii, 14]
The strait gate is this night of sense, and the soul detaches itself from sense and strips itself thereof that it may enter by this gate, and establishes itself in faith, which is a stranger to all sense, so that afterwards it may journey by the narrow way, which is the other night--that of the spirit--and this the soul afterwards enters in order in journey to God in pure faith, which is the means whereby the soul is united to God.
By this road, since it is so narrow, dark and terrible (though there is no comparison between this night of sense and that other, in its darkness and trials, as we shall say later), they are far fewer that journey, but its benefits are far greater without
comparison than those of this present night. Of these benefits we shall now begin to say something, with such brevity as is possible, in order that we may pass to the other night.
To be Continued...
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
CHAPTER XI
Wherein are expounded the three lines of the stanza.
THIS enkindling of love is not as a rule felt at the first, because it has not begun to take hold upon the soul, by reason of the impurity of human nature, or because the soul has not understood its own state, as we have said, and has therefore given it no peaceful abiding-place within itself.
Yet sometimes, nevertheless, there soon begins to make itself felt a certain yearning toward God; and the more this increases, the more is the soul affectioned and enkindled in love toward God, without knowing or understanding how and whence this love and affection come to it, but from time to time seeing this flame and this enkindling grow so greatly within it that it desires God with yearning of love; even as David, when he was in this dark night, said of himself in these words,[Psalm lxxii, 21 (KJV Psalm lxxii, 21-22)] namely: 'Because my heart was enkindled (that is to say, in love of contemplation), my reins also were changed': that is, my desires for sensual affections were changed, namely from the way of sense to the way of the spirit, which is the aridity and cessation from all these things whereof we are speaking.
And I, he says, was dissolved in nothing and annihilated, and I knew not; for, as we have said, without knowing the way whereby it goes, the soul finds itself annihilated with respect to all things above and below which were accustomed to please it; and it finds itself enamoured, without knowing how.
And because at times the enkindling of love in the spirit grows greater, the yearnings for God become so great in the soul that the very bones seem to be dried up by this thirst, and the natural powers to be fading away, and their warmth and strength to be perishing through the intensity of the thirst of love, for the soul feels that this thirst of love is a living thirst.
This thirst David had and felt, when he said: 'My soul thirsted for the living God.'[Psalm xli,3 (KJV, xlii, 2)] Which is as much as to say: A living thirst was that of my soul. Of this thirst, since it is living, we may say that it kills. But it is to be noted that the vehemence of this thirst is not continuous, but occasional although as a rule the soul is accustomed to feel it to a certain degree.
But it must be noted that, as I began to say just now, this love is not as a rule felt at first, but only the dryness and emptiness are felt whereof we are speaking. Then in place of this love which afterwards becomes gradually enkindled, what the soul experiences in the midst of these aridities and emptinesses of the faculties is an habitual care and solicitude with respect to God, together with grief and fear that it is not serving Him.
But it is a sacrifice which is not a little pleasing to God that the soul should go about afflicted and solicitous for His love. This solicitude and care leads the soul into that secret contemplation, until, the senses (that is, the sensual part) having in course of time been in some degree purged of the natural affections and powers by means of the aridities which it causes within them, this Divine love begins to be enkindled in the spirit.
Meanwhile, however, like one who has begun a cure, the soul knows only suffering in this dark and arid purgation of the desire; by this means it becomes healed of many imperfections, and exercises itself in many virtues in order to make itself meet for the said love, as we shall now say with respect to the line following:
Oh, happy chance!
When God leads the soul into this night of sense in order to purge the sense of its lower part and to subdue it, unite it and bring it into conformity with the spirit, by setting it in darkness and causing it to cease from meditation (as He afterwards does in order to purify the spirit to unite it with God, as we shall afterwards say), He brings it into the night of the spirit, and (although it appears not so to it) the soul gains so many benefits that it holds it to be a happy chance to have escaped from the bonds and restrictions of the senses of or its lower self, by means of this night aforesaid; and utters the present line, namely: Oh, happy chance!
With respect to this, it behoves us here to note the benefits which the soul finds in this night, and because of which it considers it a happy chance to have passed through it; all of which benefits the soul includes in the next line, namely:
I went forth without being observed.
This going forth is understood of the subjection to its sensual part which the soul suffered when it sought God through operations so weak, so limited and so defective as are those of this lower part; for at every step it stumbled into numerous imperfections and ignorances, as we have noted above in writing of the seven capital sins.
From all these it is freed when this night quenches within it all pleasures, whether from above or from below, and makes all meditation darkness to it, and grants it other innumerable blessings in the acquirement of the virtues, as we shall now show. For it will be a matter of great pleasure and great consolation, to one that journeys on this road, to see how that which seems to the soul so severe and adverse, and so contrary to spiritual pleasure, works in it so many blessings.
These, as we say, are gained when the soul goes forth, as regards its affection and operation, by means of this night, from all created things, and when it journeys to eternal things, which is great happiness and good fortune: first, because of the great blessing which is in the quenching of the desire and affection with respect to all things; secondly, because they are very few that endure and persevere in entering by this strait gate and by the narrow way which leads to life, as says Our Saviour.[St. Matthew vii, 14]
The strait gate is this night of sense, and the soul detaches itself from sense and strips itself thereof that it may enter by this gate, and establishes itself in faith, which is a stranger to all sense, so that afterwards it may journey by the narrow way, which is the other night--that of the spirit--and this the soul afterwards enters in order in journey to God in pure faith, which is the means whereby the soul is united to God.
By this road, since it is so narrow, dark and terrible (though there is no comparison between this night of sense and that other, in its darkness and trials, as we shall say later), they are far fewer that journey, but its benefits are far greater without
comparison than those of this present night. Of these benefits we shall now begin to say something, with such brevity as is possible, in order that we may pass to the other night.
To be Continued...
"Tales From the Mailbag" Dept.
This is a continuation of the discussion located HERE.
***
Hello I. Shawn,
My friends call me Shawn.
I read your "Prescription...", well parts of it, as well as stuff on Stephen Hand's website, and other places.
Okay.
I also read some of the hierarchy's seemingly-heretical statements IN THEIR CONTEXT, which The Remnant crowd often prints out of context.
You are being quite generous here in saying that The Remnant often prints the statements of the hierarchy out of context. I have almost never seen an example of them printing a statement in proper context. One should strive as a rule give the benefit of the doubt -as that is the charitable thing to do. However, habitual recourse to out of context citation coupled with a hermemeutic of suspicion{1} is another kettle of fish altogether.
For example, Walter Kasper is often quoted as saying that the theology of return has been "abandoned since Vatican II," and such the like.
This is true. The theology of return (viz ecumenism) has been definitively set aside as has the theology of substitution (viz. Christian-Jewish relations). There are intricacies in both subjects that are usually overlooked by the prooftexting mentalities of the so-called "traditionalists."
However, I would be remiss to not note that Cardinal Kasper himself seems to misunderstand some of the dynamics involved. He has the general principles down for the most part but on some of the essential details he speaks over the heads of the media heads who report on his statements. But that is all I will say on Kasper at this time.{2}
Well, yes, he did say that but he didn't MEAN by it what the Trads and myself took him to mean once I read his entire statement.
True. There is still enough in the statements to be uncomfortable to the self-styled "traditionalists" who have a general ignorance of ecclesiological issues however.
What really pulled me in the direction of Traditionalism was really being scandalized by the present crisis of dissent in the church.
That is probably 90% of the fuel for so-called "traditionalism" right there. And many who are attracted to those elements are people who are genuinely anguished as you were. Unfortunately it is often a case of striving to avoid the Scylla of disobedient so-called "progressivists"( who are "more Enlightened than thou") and running smack into the Charbydis of so-called "traditionalists" (who are "more Traditional than thou") who are often no less disobedient. (Albeit not usually on the same issues.)
My first pastor was a flaming modernist who always, forgive me, bitched about Pope John Paul II and how John Paul didn't know "anything" about what Vatican II REALLY was trying to accomplish.
That kind of idiocy is not uncommon. Fortunately, it is not nearly as common as it was ten plus years ago or more. The understanding of the laity on the teachings of the Council is significantly greater than it was then for many reasons too numerous to note here. And one of the key reasons other than the Catechism of the Catholic Church{3} is the access via the internet of the documents of the Second Vatican Council.
In his opinion, Vatican II was really all about ordaining women, approving of the gay lifestyle, etc., etc.,, which is of course heresy,
This kind of drivel was easier to pass off when ready access to the Council's documents by the lay faithful was scarce. But in today's day and age -and assisted in no small amount I am sure by the resurgence of Catholic apologetics- that dog simply cannot hunt anymore amongst anyone of good-will.{4}
and I couldn't understand ( and still DON'T understand ) why the Church authorities don't remove such men from the priesthood since they are poisoning souls with their false teachings.
Some of them are removed but most of them are not. To understand this involves a greater understanding of the traditional spiritual patrimony of the Church in several areas - among them zeal and obedience.{5}
At first I was mad at the bishops, but then I thought, why doesn't the pope take action?
This is a normal reaction to take. Certainly it would seem logical; however to look at the bigger picture would reveal vital hues to the mosaic that this limited view inexorably misses.
My pastor was by no means the only priest in the church teaching heresy from the pulpit and to catechumens. I still wish the pope and bishops would take action.
Everyone does to varying degrees. The question that presents itself continually though is to what extent this can be done without creating even bigger problems than we have now.{6}
But it was during this time of anger that I came across traditionalist websites and literature. That is how I got sucked in to that mindset.
Ok.
Plus once, many years ago, I had attended out of curiosity (and before my Confirmation into the Church) a Traditional Latin Tridentine mass at a schismatic church and fell in love with that mass. I thought it was the most beautiful service I had ever seen.
Out of curiosity, were you from a Protestant tradition that was strongly liturgical??? I ask because it seems that converts from these kinds of backgrounds can at times be attracted to the older liturgy -particularly those of Anglican backgrounds.
So, there were a lot of factors that lead me toward traditionalism. I'm just glad that the Lord has opened my eyes and pulled me back from jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
As am I.
***
Shawn,
Hello again XXXXXX:
I was moving toward sedevacantism just before I prayed seriously for guidance.
Ok.
I receive The Angelus magazine, published by the Society of St. Pius X, and it became clear to me that their position (We are loyal to the pope, but Vatican II is full of errors) simply doesn't make sense.
It is an mess of incoherent jibberish. At least sedevacantism is consistent. Nonetheless, as I noted earlier I...have long opined that so-called "traditionalism" leads inexorably towards sedevacantism. However, this trajectory is not often realized. If anything, that theory only continues to reinforce itself with real life examples of people who become actual sedevacantists after a period of time of functional sedevacantism brought on by the problematical elements of the so-called "traditionalist" weltanschauung. (Which lend themselves to sedevacantism when carried out to their logical extremes.)
How can the pope be pope and be teaching "error" to the Flock? The SSPX can't have it both ways.
True.
If he is truly the pope, then he cannot magisterially TEACH "error."
Well, many of the so-called "traditionalists" try to posit an artificial distinction in the ordinary magisterium to defend their positions on this issue. However, this approach is seriously defective for many reasons both of a dogmatic theology standpoint{7} as well as practical reasons.{8}
And since he bases his teachings on the Documents of Vatican II, then Vatican II cannot be in "error."
Correct.
The only logical way for the 2nd Vatican Council to be chock full of errors and for JPII to be teaching "error", is for the See of Peter to be vacant.
Precisely.
The SSPX position vis-a-vis Pope John Paul II is totally schizophrenic. They SAY they submit to him, but in fact by regularly declaring that Vatican II is full of errors, they are setting themselves up as a parallel magisterium.
This is what I emphasized in my treatise when dealing with the section on parallels between "traditionalism" and the heresy of Jansenism.
So that was what was drawing me toward sedevacantism: the ridiculous position of the SSPX.
You have been granted light to see on this issue which has not a few tormented souls troubled.
Also, I come from a Jehovah's Witness background, even though my last religion before Catholicism was Presbyterian.
As a JW, I was indoctrinated from childhood to believe that the United Nations Organization is the physical manifestation of the Spirit of the AntiChrist.
I am sure the Popes in their support of some of the aims of the UN did not resonate well with you in your JW days.
I have never liked the U.N., and the more I read about it's policies, I dislike it even MORE nowadays.
There seems to be less and less wheat in the UN as time goes on. Recently the Holy Father even seems to be calling for scrapping the UN and building another coalition for the maintenance of international laws.
Well, the Holy Father has spoken of his esteem for the U.N. I can't see what he sees as worthy of esteem in an organization which promotes the killing of the unborn, among other atrocities, so I reasoned that no "true pope" would ever speak favorably of the United Nations. That was another factor that was leading me toward sedevacantism.
There is a complexity to these issues that generally eludes those who approach them with a fundamentalist hermeneutic. With the UN, it has been more of a case of the popes trying to make the best of a bad situation. Certainly an organization like the UN is necessary in this age of massive destructive capabilities militarily. As a kind of "International Escrow Company", it has its value certainly. As a moral force of course, the UN is beyond bankrupt. But JP II and his predecessors have sought to filter the wheat from the many tares of the UN much as St. Thomas did with (to name one example) the works of the pagan Aristotle. With all such endeavours, the results will be a mixed bag.
Plus, John Paul II kissed the Koran. And on and on. You get the idea.
Yes.
So that's some of the reasons I was heading in to the sedevacantist camp. I now realize that I was jumping to rash conclusions.
Good.
The Holy Father has never told any Catholic that he or she has to share any of his personal esteem for the UN, and would never bind such esteem as Catholic dogma.
One must be careful even in these areas though. To quote Pope Pius IX's Encyclical Letter Quanta Cura on an error common to his time -and one which snares many if not most so-called "traditionalists" and so-called "progressivists" today:
[We cannot] pass over in silence the audacity of those who, not enduring sound doctrine, contend that "without sin and without any sacrifice of the Catholic profession assent and obedience may be refused to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to concern the Church's general good and her rights and discipline, so only it does not touch the dogmata of faith and morals." But no one can be found not clearly and distinctly to see and understand how grievously this is opposed to the Catholic dogma of the full power given from God by Christ our Lord Himself to the Roman Pontiff of feeding, ruling, and guiding the Universal Church. [Pope Pius IX: Encyclical Letter Quanta Cura §5 (c. 1864)]
The UN situation is not as obviously applicable to the above instruction as other controversial contemporary examples which could be given.{9} Nonetheless, fidelity to the general principles of Catholic social doctrine -which logically imply an organization such as the UN{10}- are of course applicable. Hence the need to be cautious in one's assessments on these matters. (Not to mention prudent in their public statements on them.)
I would certainly rather that he had not kissed the Koran, and I would never do that myself, but I don't think that merely kissing a book is a mortal sin or evidence of heresy. I think he made a bad call doing that, but that's about as far as it really goes.
I concur with these sentiments.
Popes are human, and in their daily lives, they are capable of personal mistakes, prudential errors in personal judgment, and sin. The pope is infallible, not impeccable.
Precisely.
Anyway I'm rambling on. Thanks for listening Shawn. Let me know your thoughts/advice on anything I've mentioned in this email, I'd really appreciate it. I'm free of the rad-trad mentality now, but I still don't understand a lot of things...
You have taken important steps in the journey. But do not feel as if you are completely free of the so-called "traditionalist" mentality: it is not easy to completely root out and there may be some residual effects for a while. Nonetheless, despite claiming to not understand a lot of things you have taken an important journey of faith.
The motto of the Scholastics fides quarens intellectum (faith seeking understanding) must remain your guiding principle. Trust me, over time with the right approach to issues you will find many difficulties that you currently have that will resolve themselves -though this side of the eschaton there will always be difficulties of course.
Notes:
{1} This expression is often utilized by Stephen Hand to explain the methodology of the radical self-styled "traditionalists." In my experience, it is true to type much more often than not with them.
{2} For some of my previous musings on Cardinal Kasper -as well as in some cases accurate predictions of his general mindset- see these threads from my weblogs:
Briefly on the November First Things Issue
On the Supreme Magisterium
On True and False 'Traditionalism' With Kevin Tierney
Discussions With Christopher Blosser (On Reflections on Covenant and Mission)
{3} This is possibly the most significant hermeneutical key to understanding the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.
{4} And yes, it was feasible in the 1970's and later to have these misunderstandings in light of the manifold changes passed off in the light of the Council. The initial reactions of Archbishop Lefebvre and others in this area were not without their merits -albeit like most reactions these sorts usually made shipwreck of the faith in their own ways.
{5} With regards to zeal, the matter involves two important teachings. Massive removals from the priestly ministry of heterodox priests would run contrary to Our Lord's injunction about the tares and the wheat:
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" [Matthew iii,24-30]
Fr. Quadrupani, drawing on the instructions of the spiritual masters of the Catholic tradition, explained the above teaching in this manner:
In every home there grows some thorn, something, in other words, that needs correction; for the best soil is seldom without its noxious weed. Imprudent zeal, by seeking awkwardly to pluck out the thorn, often succeeds only in plunging it farther in, thus rendering the wound deeper and more painful. In such a case it is essential to act prudence. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent, says the Holy Spirit. (Ecclesiastes III., 7.) Prudent zeal is silent when it realizes that to be so is less hurtful than to speak. [Fr. R.P. Quadrupani: Light and Peace - Instructions for Devout Souls to Dispel Their Doubts and Allay Their Fears (c. 1795)]
It also bears noting that Pope John Paul II wrote his doctoral thesis in theology on the mysticism of St. John of the Cross. An understanding of the latter -particularly his masterpiece The Dark Night of the Soul is the key to understanding why this pope does a lot of the things he does with regards to responding to the problems of heterodox prelates and the clerical scandals. The lack of understanding in these key areas is why I have so often referred to self-styled "traditionalists" as spiritually immature.
{6} See footnote five.
{7} For some examples of problems from a dogmatic theology standpoint, see these links:
Obedience: The Rise of True Catholics (Apolonio Latar III)
Response to Adam Kolasinski on Infallible Teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium (Dr. Art Sippo)
Rerum Novarum Responds to Adam Kolasinski
{8} For some threads on the practical aspects involved, see these threads:
Musings on Common Problematical Catholic Approaches to the Ordinary Magisterium
On the "Dogmatic" vs. "Pastoral" Artificial Dichotomy
{9} Such as the Church's continued affirmation of the ecumenical venture, her approach to civil religious liberty, or the pope's interfaith outreaches to the non-Christians at events such as the Assisi gatherings: all of which are unmistakably examples of the Holy Father's guidance of the universal church.
{10} I have long considered sketching this theory out but thus far have not done so in the public forum. I have some jottings from various musings on the subject which are somewhat disjointed and which need some refinement before they can be made public. Indeed, I concluded some time ago that studying the Church's social teaching carefully makes this conclusion in many respects an inevitable one. (Even if all the parameters are not readily apparent in the process.)
This is a continuation of the discussion located HERE.
***
Hello I. Shawn,
My friends call me Shawn.
I read your "Prescription...", well parts of it, as well as stuff on Stephen Hand's website, and other places.
Okay.
I also read some of the hierarchy's seemingly-heretical statements IN THEIR CONTEXT, which The Remnant crowd often prints out of context.
You are being quite generous here in saying that The Remnant often prints the statements of the hierarchy out of context. I have almost never seen an example of them printing a statement in proper context. One should strive as a rule give the benefit of the doubt -as that is the charitable thing to do. However, habitual recourse to out of context citation coupled with a hermemeutic of suspicion{1} is another kettle of fish altogether.
For example, Walter Kasper is often quoted as saying that the theology of return has been "abandoned since Vatican II," and such the like.
This is true. The theology of return (viz ecumenism) has been definitively set aside as has the theology of substitution (viz. Christian-Jewish relations). There are intricacies in both subjects that are usually overlooked by the prooftexting mentalities of the so-called "traditionalists."
However, I would be remiss to not note that Cardinal Kasper himself seems to misunderstand some of the dynamics involved. He has the general principles down for the most part but on some of the essential details he speaks over the heads of the media heads who report on his statements. But that is all I will say on Kasper at this time.{2}
Well, yes, he did say that but he didn't MEAN by it what the Trads and myself took him to mean once I read his entire statement.
True. There is still enough in the statements to be uncomfortable to the self-styled "traditionalists" who have a general ignorance of ecclesiological issues however.
What really pulled me in the direction of Traditionalism was really being scandalized by the present crisis of dissent in the church.
That is probably 90% of the fuel for so-called "traditionalism" right there. And many who are attracted to those elements are people who are genuinely anguished as you were. Unfortunately it is often a case of striving to avoid the Scylla of disobedient so-called "progressivists"( who are "more Enlightened than thou") and running smack into the Charbydis of so-called "traditionalists" (who are "more Traditional than thou") who are often no less disobedient. (Albeit not usually on the same issues.)
My first pastor was a flaming modernist who always, forgive me, bitched about Pope John Paul II and how John Paul didn't know "anything" about what Vatican II REALLY was trying to accomplish.
That kind of idiocy is not uncommon. Fortunately, it is not nearly as common as it was ten plus years ago or more. The understanding of the laity on the teachings of the Council is significantly greater than it was then for many reasons too numerous to note here. And one of the key reasons other than the Catechism of the Catholic Church{3} is the access via the internet of the documents of the Second Vatican Council.
In his opinion, Vatican II was really all about ordaining women, approving of the gay lifestyle, etc., etc.,, which is of course heresy,
This kind of drivel was easier to pass off when ready access to the Council's documents by the lay faithful was scarce. But in today's day and age -and assisted in no small amount I am sure by the resurgence of Catholic apologetics- that dog simply cannot hunt anymore amongst anyone of good-will.{4}
and I couldn't understand ( and still DON'T understand ) why the Church authorities don't remove such men from the priesthood since they are poisoning souls with their false teachings.
Some of them are removed but most of them are not. To understand this involves a greater understanding of the traditional spiritual patrimony of the Church in several areas - among them zeal and obedience.{5}
At first I was mad at the bishops, but then I thought, why doesn't the pope take action?
This is a normal reaction to take. Certainly it would seem logical; however to look at the bigger picture would reveal vital hues to the mosaic that this limited view inexorably misses.
My pastor was by no means the only priest in the church teaching heresy from the pulpit and to catechumens. I still wish the pope and bishops would take action.
Everyone does to varying degrees. The question that presents itself continually though is to what extent this can be done without creating even bigger problems than we have now.{6}
But it was during this time of anger that I came across traditionalist websites and literature. That is how I got sucked in to that mindset.
Ok.
Plus once, many years ago, I had attended out of curiosity (and before my Confirmation into the Church) a Traditional Latin Tridentine mass at a schismatic church and fell in love with that mass. I thought it was the most beautiful service I had ever seen.
Out of curiosity, were you from a Protestant tradition that was strongly liturgical??? I ask because it seems that converts from these kinds of backgrounds can at times be attracted to the older liturgy -particularly those of Anglican backgrounds.
So, there were a lot of factors that lead me toward traditionalism. I'm just glad that the Lord has opened my eyes and pulled me back from jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
As am I.
***
Shawn,
Hello again XXXXXX:
I was moving toward sedevacantism just before I prayed seriously for guidance.
Ok.
I receive The Angelus magazine, published by the Society of St. Pius X, and it became clear to me that their position (We are loyal to the pope, but Vatican II is full of errors) simply doesn't make sense.
It is an mess of incoherent jibberish. At least sedevacantism is consistent. Nonetheless, as I noted earlier I...have long opined that so-called "traditionalism" leads inexorably towards sedevacantism. However, this trajectory is not often realized. If anything, that theory only continues to reinforce itself with real life examples of people who become actual sedevacantists after a period of time of functional sedevacantism brought on by the problematical elements of the so-called "traditionalist" weltanschauung. (Which lend themselves to sedevacantism when carried out to their logical extremes.)
How can the pope be pope and be teaching "error" to the Flock? The SSPX can't have it both ways.
True.
If he is truly the pope, then he cannot magisterially TEACH "error."
Well, many of the so-called "traditionalists" try to posit an artificial distinction in the ordinary magisterium to defend their positions on this issue. However, this approach is seriously defective for many reasons both of a dogmatic theology standpoint{7} as well as practical reasons.{8}
And since he bases his teachings on the Documents of Vatican II, then Vatican II cannot be in "error."
Correct.
The only logical way for the 2nd Vatican Council to be chock full of errors and for JPII to be teaching "error", is for the See of Peter to be vacant.
Precisely.
The SSPX position vis-a-vis Pope John Paul II is totally schizophrenic. They SAY they submit to him, but in fact by regularly declaring that Vatican II is full of errors, they are setting themselves up as a parallel magisterium.
This is what I emphasized in my treatise when dealing with the section on parallels between "traditionalism" and the heresy of Jansenism.
So that was what was drawing me toward sedevacantism: the ridiculous position of the SSPX.
You have been granted light to see on this issue which has not a few tormented souls troubled.
Also, I come from a Jehovah's Witness background, even though my last religion before Catholicism was Presbyterian.
As a JW, I was indoctrinated from childhood to believe that the United Nations Organization is the physical manifestation of the Spirit of the AntiChrist.
I am sure the Popes in their support of some of the aims of the UN did not resonate well with you in your JW days.
I have never liked the U.N., and the more I read about it's policies, I dislike it even MORE nowadays.
There seems to be less and less wheat in the UN as time goes on. Recently the Holy Father even seems to be calling for scrapping the UN and building another coalition for the maintenance of international laws.
Well, the Holy Father has spoken of his esteem for the U.N. I can't see what he sees as worthy of esteem in an organization which promotes the killing of the unborn, among other atrocities, so I reasoned that no "true pope" would ever speak favorably of the United Nations. That was another factor that was leading me toward sedevacantism.
There is a complexity to these issues that generally eludes those who approach them with a fundamentalist hermeneutic. With the UN, it has been more of a case of the popes trying to make the best of a bad situation. Certainly an organization like the UN is necessary in this age of massive destructive capabilities militarily. As a kind of "International Escrow Company", it has its value certainly. As a moral force of course, the UN is beyond bankrupt. But JP II and his predecessors have sought to filter the wheat from the many tares of the UN much as St. Thomas did with (to name one example) the works of the pagan Aristotle. With all such endeavours, the results will be a mixed bag.
Plus, John Paul II kissed the Koran. And on and on. You get the idea.
Yes.
So that's some of the reasons I was heading in to the sedevacantist camp. I now realize that I was jumping to rash conclusions.
Good.
The Holy Father has never told any Catholic that he or she has to share any of his personal esteem for the UN, and would never bind such esteem as Catholic dogma.
One must be careful even in these areas though. To quote Pope Pius IX's Encyclical Letter Quanta Cura on an error common to his time -and one which snares many if not most so-called "traditionalists" and so-called "progressivists" today:
[We cannot] pass over in silence the audacity of those who, not enduring sound doctrine, contend that "without sin and without any sacrifice of the Catholic profession assent and obedience may be refused to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to concern the Church's general good and her rights and discipline, so only it does not touch the dogmata of faith and morals." But no one can be found not clearly and distinctly to see and understand how grievously this is opposed to the Catholic dogma of the full power given from God by Christ our Lord Himself to the Roman Pontiff of feeding, ruling, and guiding the Universal Church. [Pope Pius IX: Encyclical Letter Quanta Cura §5 (c. 1864)]
The UN situation is not as obviously applicable to the above instruction as other controversial contemporary examples which could be given.{9} Nonetheless, fidelity to the general principles of Catholic social doctrine -which logically imply an organization such as the UN{10}- are of course applicable. Hence the need to be cautious in one's assessments on these matters. (Not to mention prudent in their public statements on them.)
I would certainly rather that he had not kissed the Koran, and I would never do that myself, but I don't think that merely kissing a book is a mortal sin or evidence of heresy. I think he made a bad call doing that, but that's about as far as it really goes.
I concur with these sentiments.
Popes are human, and in their daily lives, they are capable of personal mistakes, prudential errors in personal judgment, and sin. The pope is infallible, not impeccable.
Precisely.
Anyway I'm rambling on. Thanks for listening Shawn. Let me know your thoughts/advice on anything I've mentioned in this email, I'd really appreciate it. I'm free of the rad-trad mentality now, but I still don't understand a lot of things...
You have taken important steps in the journey. But do not feel as if you are completely free of the so-called "traditionalist" mentality: it is not easy to completely root out and there may be some residual effects for a while. Nonetheless, despite claiming to not understand a lot of things you have taken an important journey of faith.
The motto of the Scholastics fides quarens intellectum (faith seeking understanding) must remain your guiding principle. Trust me, over time with the right approach to issues you will find many difficulties that you currently have that will resolve themselves -though this side of the eschaton there will always be difficulties of course.
Notes:
{1} This expression is often utilized by Stephen Hand to explain the methodology of the radical self-styled "traditionalists." In my experience, it is true to type much more often than not with them.
{2} For some of my previous musings on Cardinal Kasper -as well as in some cases accurate predictions of his general mindset- see these threads from my weblogs:
Briefly on the November First Things Issue
On the Supreme Magisterium
On True and False 'Traditionalism' With Kevin Tierney
Discussions With Christopher Blosser (On Reflections on Covenant and Mission)
{3} This is possibly the most significant hermeneutical key to understanding the teachings of the Second Vatican Council.
{4} And yes, it was feasible in the 1970's and later to have these misunderstandings in light of the manifold changes passed off in the light of the Council. The initial reactions of Archbishop Lefebvre and others in this area were not without their merits -albeit like most reactions these sorts usually made shipwreck of the faith in their own ways.
{5} With regards to zeal, the matter involves two important teachings. Massive removals from the priestly ministry of heterodox priests would run contrary to Our Lord's injunction about the tares and the wheat:
Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" [Matthew iii,24-30]
Fr. Quadrupani, drawing on the instructions of the spiritual masters of the Catholic tradition, explained the above teaching in this manner:
In every home there grows some thorn, something, in other words, that needs correction; for the best soil is seldom without its noxious weed. Imprudent zeal, by seeking awkwardly to pluck out the thorn, often succeeds only in plunging it farther in, thus rendering the wound deeper and more painful. In such a case it is essential to act prudence. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent, says the Holy Spirit. (Ecclesiastes III., 7.) Prudent zeal is silent when it realizes that to be so is less hurtful than to speak. [Fr. R.P. Quadrupani: Light and Peace - Instructions for Devout Souls to Dispel Their Doubts and Allay Their Fears (c. 1795)]
It also bears noting that Pope John Paul II wrote his doctoral thesis in theology on the mysticism of St. John of the Cross. An understanding of the latter -particularly his masterpiece The Dark Night of the Soul is the key to understanding why this pope does a lot of the things he does with regards to responding to the problems of heterodox prelates and the clerical scandals. The lack of understanding in these key areas is why I have so often referred to self-styled "traditionalists" as spiritually immature.
{6} See footnote five.
{7} For some examples of problems from a dogmatic theology standpoint, see these links:
Obedience: The Rise of True Catholics (Apolonio Latar III)
Response to Adam Kolasinski on Infallible Teaching of the Ordinary Magisterium (Dr. Art Sippo)
Rerum Novarum Responds to Adam Kolasinski
{8} For some threads on the practical aspects involved, see these threads:
Musings on Common Problematical Catholic Approaches to the Ordinary Magisterium
On the "Dogmatic" vs. "Pastoral" Artificial Dichotomy
{9} Such as the Church's continued affirmation of the ecumenical venture, her approach to civil religious liberty, or the pope's interfaith outreaches to the non-Christians at events such as the Assisi gatherings: all of which are unmistakably examples of the Holy Father's guidance of the universal church.
{10} I have long considered sketching this theory out but thus far have not done so in the public forum. I have some jottings from various musings on the subject which are somewhat disjointed and which need some refinement before they can be made public. Indeed, I concluded some time ago that studying the Church's social teaching carefully makes this conclusion in many respects an inevitable one. (Even if all the parameters are not readily apparent in the process.)
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Meditations on The Dark Night of the Soul:
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
Because I missed the installment last Friday, Holy Week will see meditations posted today, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and the final installment posted on Holy Saturday.
CHAPTER X
Of the way in which these souls are to conduct themselves in this dark night.
DURING the time, then, of the aridities of this night of sense (wherein God effects the change of which we have spoken above, drawing forth the soul from the life of sense into that of the spirit--that is, from meditation to contemplation--wherein it no longer has any power to work or to reason with its faculties concerning the things of God, as has been said), spiritual persons suffer great trials, by reason not so much of the aridities which they suffer, as of the fear which they have of being lost on the road, thinking that all spiritual blessing is over for them and that God has abandoned them since they find no help or pleasure in good things.
Then they grow weary, and endeavour (as they have been accustomed to do) to concentrate their faculties with some degree of pleasure upon some object of meditation, thinking that, when they are not doing this and yet are conscious of making an effort, they are doing nothing.
This effort they make not without great inward repugnance and unwillingness on the part of their soul, which was taking pleasure in being in that quietness and ease, instead of working with its faculties. So they have abandoned the one pursuit, yet draw no profit from the other; for, by seeking what is prompted by their own spirit, they lose the spirit of tranquillity and peace which they had before. And thus they are like to one who abandons what he has done in order to do it over again, or to one who leaves a city only to re-enter it, or to one who is hunting and lets his prey go in order to hunt it once more. This is useless here, for the soul will gain nothing further by conducting itself in this way, as has been said.
These souls turn back at such a time if there is none who understands them; they abandon the road or lose courage; or, at the least, they are hindered from going farther by the great trouble which they take in advancing along the road of meditation and reasoning. Thus they fatigue and overwork their nature, imagining that they are failing through negligence or sin.
But this trouble that they are taking is quite useless, for God is now leading them by another road, which is that of contemplation, and is very different from the first; for the one is of meditation and reasoning, and the other belongs neither to imagination nor yet to reasoning.
It is well for those who find themselves in this condition to take comfort, to persevere in patience and to be in no wise afflicted. Let them trust in God, Who abandons not those that seek Him with a simple and right heart, and will not fail to give them what is needful for the road, until He bring them into the clear and pure light of love. This last He will give them by means of that other dark night, that of the spirit, if they merit His bringing them thereto.
The way in which they are to conduct themselves in this night of sense is to devote themselves not at all to reasoning and meditation, since this is not the time for it, but to allow the soul to remain in peace and quietness, although it may seem clear to them that they are doing nothing and are wasting their time, and although it may appear to them that it is because of their weakness that they have no desire in that state to think of anything.
The truth is that they will be doing quite sufficient if they have patience and persevere in prayer without making any effort.
What they must do is merely to leave the soul free and disencumbered and at rest from all knowledge and thought, troubling not themselves, in that state, about what they shall think or meditate upon, but contenting themselves with merely a peaceful and loving attentiveness toward God, and in being without anxiety, without the ability and without desired to have experience of Him or to perceive Him.
For all these yearnings disquiet and distract the soul from the peaceful quiet and sweet ease of contemplation which is here granted to it.
And although further scruples may come to them--that they are wasting their time, and that it would be well for them to do something else, because they can neither do nor think anything in prayer--let them suffer these scruples and remain in peace, as there is no question save of their being at ease and having freedom of spirit.
For if such a soul should desire to make any effort of its own with its interior faculties, this means that it will hinder and lose the blessings which, by means of that peace and ease of the soul, God is instilling into it and impressing upon it. It is just as if some painter were painting or dyeing a face; if the sitter were to move because he desired to do something, he would prevent the painter from accomplishing anything and would disturb him in what he was doing. And thus, when the soul desires to remain in inward ease and peace, any operation and affection or attentions wherein it may then seek to indulge will distract it and disquiet it and make it conscious of aridity and emptiness of sense.
For the more a soul endeavours to find support in affection and knowledge, the more will it feel the lack of these, which cannot now be supplied to it upon that road.
Wherefore it behoves such a soul to pay no heed if the operations of its faculties become lost to it; it is rather to desire that this should happen quickly. For, by not hindering the operation of infused contemplation that God is bestowing upon it, it can receive this with more peaceful abundance, and cause its spirit to be enkindled and to burn with the love which this dark and secret contemplation brings with it and sets firmly in the soul.
For contemplation is naught else than a secret, peaceful and loving infusion from God, which, if it be permitted, enkindles the soul with the spirit of love, according as the soul declares in the next lines, namely:
Kindled in love with yearnings.
To be Continued...
(Aka "the Rerum Novarum 2004 Lenten Spiritual Instruction")
The previous installment of this series can be read HERE. To start from the beginning of this series, please go HERE.
Because I missed the installment last Friday, Holy Week will see meditations posted today, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and the final installment posted on Holy Saturday.
CHAPTER X
Of the way in which these souls are to conduct themselves in this dark night.
DURING the time, then, of the aridities of this night of sense (wherein God effects the change of which we have spoken above, drawing forth the soul from the life of sense into that of the spirit--that is, from meditation to contemplation--wherein it no longer has any power to work or to reason with its faculties concerning the things of God, as has been said), spiritual persons suffer great trials, by reason not so much of the aridities which they suffer, as of the fear which they have of being lost on the road, thinking that all spiritual blessing is over for them and that God has abandoned them since they find no help or pleasure in good things.
Then they grow weary, and endeavour (as they have been accustomed to do) to concentrate their faculties with some degree of pleasure upon some object of meditation, thinking that, when they are not doing this and yet are conscious of making an effort, they are doing nothing.
This effort they make not without great inward repugnance and unwillingness on the part of their soul, which was taking pleasure in being in that quietness and ease, instead of working with its faculties. So they have abandoned the one pursuit, yet draw no profit from the other; for, by seeking what is prompted by their own spirit, they lose the spirit of tranquillity and peace which they had before. And thus they are like to one who abandons what he has done in order to do it over again, or to one who leaves a city only to re-enter it, or to one who is hunting and lets his prey go in order to hunt it once more. This is useless here, for the soul will gain nothing further by conducting itself in this way, as has been said.
These souls turn back at such a time if there is none who understands them; they abandon the road or lose courage; or, at the least, they are hindered from going farther by the great trouble which they take in advancing along the road of meditation and reasoning. Thus they fatigue and overwork their nature, imagining that they are failing through negligence or sin.
But this trouble that they are taking is quite useless, for God is now leading them by another road, which is that of contemplation, and is very different from the first; for the one is of meditation and reasoning, and the other belongs neither to imagination nor yet to reasoning.
It is well for those who find themselves in this condition to take comfort, to persevere in patience and to be in no wise afflicted. Let them trust in God, Who abandons not those that seek Him with a simple and right heart, and will not fail to give them what is needful for the road, until He bring them into the clear and pure light of love. This last He will give them by means of that other dark night, that of the spirit, if they merit His bringing them thereto.
The way in which they are to conduct themselves in this night of sense is to devote themselves not at all to reasoning and meditation, since this is not the time for it, but to allow the soul to remain in peace and quietness, although it may seem clear to them that they are doing nothing and are wasting their time, and although it may appear to them that it is because of their weakness that they have no desire in that state to think of anything.
The truth is that they will be doing quite sufficient if they have patience and persevere in prayer without making any effort.
What they must do is merely to leave the soul free and disencumbered and at rest from all knowledge and thought, troubling not themselves, in that state, about what they shall think or meditate upon, but contenting themselves with merely a peaceful and loving attentiveness toward God, and in being without anxiety, without the ability and without desired to have experience of Him or to perceive Him.
For all these yearnings disquiet and distract the soul from the peaceful quiet and sweet ease of contemplation which is here granted to it.
And although further scruples may come to them--that they are wasting their time, and that it would be well for them to do something else, because they can neither do nor think anything in prayer--let them suffer these scruples and remain in peace, as there is no question save of their being at ease and having freedom of spirit.
For if such a soul should desire to make any effort of its own with its interior faculties, this means that it will hinder and lose the blessings which, by means of that peace and ease of the soul, God is instilling into it and impressing upon it. It is just as if some painter were painting or dyeing a face; if the sitter were to move because he desired to do something, he would prevent the painter from accomplishing anything and would disturb him in what he was doing. And thus, when the soul desires to remain in inward ease and peace, any operation and affection or attentions wherein it may then seek to indulge will distract it and disquiet it and make it conscious of aridity and emptiness of sense.
For the more a soul endeavours to find support in affection and knowledge, the more will it feel the lack of these, which cannot now be supplied to it upon that road.
Wherefore it behoves such a soul to pay no heed if the operations of its faculties become lost to it; it is rather to desire that this should happen quickly. For, by not hindering the operation of infused contemplation that God is bestowing upon it, it can receive this with more peaceful abundance, and cause its spirit to be enkindled and to burn with the love which this dark and secret contemplation brings with it and sets firmly in the soul.
For contemplation is naught else than a secret, peaceful and loving infusion from God, which, if it be permitted, enkindles the soul with the spirit of love, according as the soul declares in the next lines, namely:
Kindled in love with yearnings.
To be Continued...
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