Discussion CHAPTER 17 The Way of Perfection - How not all souls are fitted for contemplation and - How some take long to attain it. True humility will walk happily along the road by which the Lord leads it. . |
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Discussion of Chapter 17
St. Teresa continues to talk about prayer,
particularly contemplative prayer.
But first, she again emphasises
the importance of Humility.
"there still remains
a little for me to say,
which is of great importance
because it has to do with humility
For humility
is the principal virtue
which must be practised
by those who pray"
In chapter 16, St. Teresa stated
- that Contemplation "is a Divine union,
in which
the Lord takes His delight
in the soul and
the soul takes its delight
in Him".
- that "with humility
we can draw Him into our souls"
"There is no queen
who can...checkmate...this King
as well as humility can"
"for humility brought Him
down from Heaven
into the Virgin's womb"
Therefore, the grace of Contemplation
is most valued and would seem very much
striven for and sought after.
But, St. Teresa asks
how can one be humble
but also
hope to receive this great gift and
think herself as good as the saints
who were granted contemplation by God.
"How can anyone
who is truly humble
think herself as good
as those who become contemplatives?"
To this, She advises:
- That Contemplation is a gift from God
that can not be
acquired, deserved, or earned by one's effort.
"contemplation
is something given by God,
- that God in His goodness and mercy grants it
according to His will and
according to what is best for each one.
"God, it is true,
by His goodness and mercy,
can make her so"
"God does not lead us all
by the same road"
"for He
is wise and powerful and
knows what is fitting
for you and
for Himself as well"
"perhaps she who believes herself
to be going along the lowest of roads
is the highest in the Lord's eyes"
"it does not follow
that, because all...practise prayer...
all perforce to be contemplatives"
"His judgments are His own;
we must not meddle in them".
- The importance of disposing oneself
for the reception of such a gift
to the best of their ability
"Let such a one make herself
ready for God
to lead her by this road
if He so wills;
- To practice Humility
To follow the Lord's instruction and example.
She gives an example of practicing Humility:
"she should always sit down
in the lowest place"
"Reflect that true humility consists
to a great extent
- in being ready for what
the Lord desires to do with you
and happy that He should do it,
and
and
- in always considering yourselves
unworthy to be called His servants.
"I do not mean
that it is for us to say
what we shall do,
but that we must do
our best in everything,
for the choice is not ours
but the Lord's".
"it will be a curious kind of humility
for you to wish to choose".
▀ If one does not receive contemplation:
- Not to be discouraged but continue prayer
Continue to strive to dispose oneself to virtue
"Let us not
be discouraged, then, and
give up prayer or
cease doing what the rest do;
for the Lord sometimes
tarries long, and
gives us as great rewards all at once"
" if you
- do what lies in your power and
- prepare yourself
for high contemplation
then, if He does not grant it you
(and I think He will not fail to do so
if you have true detachment and humility),
it will be
because He has laid up this joy for you
so as to give it you in Heaven,
and
because... He is pleased to
- treat you like people
who are strong and
- give you a cross to bear on earth
like that which
His Majesty Himself always bore.
What better sign of friendship is there
than for Him to give you
what He gave Himself?"
"Oh, how much we gain
if we have no desire
to gain what seems to us best
to gain what seems to us best
and so have
no fear of losing,
since God never permits
a truly mortified person
to lose anything
except when such loss
will bring him greater gain!
St. Teresa, herself,
had difficulty in prayer for years:
had difficulty in prayer for years:
"I myself spent over fourteen years
without ever being able to meditate
except while reading."
- Thankfulness and gratitude for those graces
that one has received
despite one's faults and errors
"if He does not (grant her contemplation)
the whole point of true humility is
that she should consider herself happy
in serving the servants
of the Lord and
in praising Him.
- Self-examination and self-knowledge
Being mindful of one's faults and errors.
Don't rely on feelings and emotions
as a gauge of one's spiritual state.
"For she deserves to be a slave
of the devils in hell
yet His Majesty has brought her here
to live among His servants"
"walk in humility,
and
and
always suspect
that if they fail to receive consolations
- the fault is theirs, and
- are always most anxious to make progress"
"...tears, though good,
are not invariably signs of perfection;
there is always greater safety in
humility,
mortification,
detachment and
other virtues".
- Contemplation is not a requisite for salvation.
It is not even a requisite for holiness.
"it is not necessary for salvation and
God does not ask it of us
before He gives us our reward"
"We shall not fail to attain perfection..."
"There is no reason for fear,
and
and
you must not be afraid
that you will fail to attain the perfection
of the greatest contemplatives."
"Saint Martha was holy,
but we are not told
that she was a contemplative".
- Active meditative prayer is more laborious and
may be more meritorious
because of the great effort expended in prayer.
"we may, in fact, gain much more merit,
because what we do will cost us
more labour"
"the Lord
will be treating us
like those who are strong and
will be laying up for us
all that we cannot enjoy in this life"
▀ If one does receive contemplation:
- Practice Humility as much as possible
"we cannot tell if consolations
come from God or
are sent by the devil.
If they are not of God,
they are the more dangerous;
for the chief object
of the devil's work on earth
is to fill us with pride.
If they are of God,
there is no reason for fear,
for they bring humility with them"
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Topic Summary St. Teresa continues to talk about prayer, particularly contemplative prayer. ▀ She teaches: ● That Contemplation is a gift, "given by God" that can not be acquired, deserved, or earned by one's effort. ● that God in His goodness and mercy grants it - according to His Will and Wisdom - according to what is best for each one: "what is fitting for you…" "God does not lead us all by the same road" ● "Do what lies in your power and prepare yourself " "...make herself ready for God to lead her by this road if He so wills" ◦ Strive, as much as possible, with God's help to cultivate "humility, mortification, detachment and other virtues". ◦ "Humility is the principal virtue which must be practised by those who pray"; following the Lord's instruction and example and "...in being ready for what the Lord desires to do with you" ▀ If one isn't granted contemplation: ● "Let us not be discouraged...(or) give up prayer… because He is pleased to - treat you like people who are strong and - give you a cross to bear, like that which (He) always bore. ◦ "we must do our best in everything, for the choice is not ours but the Lord's" ◦ St. Teresa, herself, "spent over 14 years without ever being able to meditate except while reading." ● Contemplation is not a requisite for salvation or even for holiness. "it is not necessary for salvation… God does not ask it of us" "you must not be afraid that you will fail to attain the perfection of the greatest contemplatives." "Saint Martha was holy, but we are not told that she was a contemplative". ● Active meditative prayer is more laborious but may be more meritorious because of the great effort expended in prayer. We "may...gain much more merit, because what we do will cost us more labour" ● Practice Gratitude for those graces that one has received even despite one's faults and errors. ◦ Strive for virtue and self-knowledge; ◦ be "anxious to make progress" ▀ If one does receive contemplation: ◦ Practice Humility and virtue as much as possible "we cannot tell if consolations come from God or are sent by the devil" "the chief object of the devil...is to fill us with pride. |
End of Discussion Of Chapter 17 . |
