A new book on John of the Cross

THE FIRE OF LOVE: REFLECTIONS ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF JOHN OF THE CROSS

 

A NEW BOOK ON THE CENTRAL TEACHINGS OF JOHN OF THE CROSS

Dear friends and enthusiastic followers of St. John of the Cross:
I would like to introduce to you my latest book on John of the Cross. In this current set of reflections I attempt to focus on the central aspect of all John’s works. He is known for his teachings on the dark night, his insights into faith, his views of the stages of the spiritual life, his profound analysis of the place of the three theological virtues in human growth, his enthusiastic and positive understanding of creation as a reflection of God, and so on. John of the Cross is also known for his challenging approach to spiritual growth and some commentators even call him “doctor del las nadas” (the doctor of the nothings) because of his presumed rigorous rejection of all that is not God. But the Church has proclaimed him the “Mystical Doctor,” and appreciates him as the great teacher of human and divine love and contemplation.
John of the Cross is one of the greatest teachers the world has ever known on the importance of love as the central value and meaning of life, and this is the focus of these current reflections. He teaches us about “the great God of love,” telling us “He whom my soul loves is within me,” and “nothing is obtained from God except by love.” He challenges us to make the journey to God, “along the spiritual road that leads to the perfect union with God through love.” Wisely he tells us that we have to travel “with no other light or guide than the one that burns in our hearts,” for it is “love alone that makes us soar to God,” for this needs to be “a journey of strong love.” There comes a point in this journey when we can say “nor have I any other work now that my every act is love,” because we know that “when evening comes we will be examined on love.” So, since “the ultimate reason for everything is love,” let us be careful and “where there is no love put love, and we will draw out love.” At the end of our journey, perhaps we can say with John “stricken by love, I lost myself and was found.”
I hope you will find this special book helpful in your spiritual journey. Use it daily for your meditation on the central values of John’s teachings and the heart of your own journey to God and to a deeper appreciation of the meaning of life.

This book is available at amazon.com

In journeying with John desire only what God wants of you 7

Statue of John of the Cross in Salamanca. During his studies here John discovered God’s will for him

It is important as we spend a little time each day with John of the Cross that we maintain a clearly focused commitment. A key attitude in one who makes this journey is to want to reach the goal of a deeper spirituality. A lot of people say they want to pursue a deeper spiritual life and seek union with God but they do not have the necessary attitudes. We must match our longing with readiness to be drawn by God. Perhaps the one great attitude needed to benefit from this year with John of the Cross is that we who seek this transformation must above all desire that God be everything for us. This is a time when we who pursue God give ourselves totally with fidelity and stability, wanting nothing except what God wants and doing nothing except what God wants. John tells us; “What does it profit you to give God one thing if He asks of you another? Consider what God wants, and then do it” (S. 95). God must be everything to the person who approaches this stage. It is a fundamental attitude of directing the whole of life to God and centering all one does on God alone.

1. Let us begin to make our own the challenge that John gives later in the journey: “Everything I do I do with love, and everything I suffer I suffer with the delight of love” (C. 28.8).
2. The end of our journey will include the total union of our desires with God’s, so let’s start by wanting this now.
3. Let us be honest with ourselves and say whether we really want the end of this journey.
4. We are beginning a difficult climb; are we ready to accept the struggles that lie ahead?

CHALLENGES FOR TODAY
• How much of your life is given to God?
• What do you want to do with the rest of your life?
• What does God want of you in these days?

 

ANNOUNCING A NEW BOOK

 

This short book deals with some of the many concerns that people have today regarding their life of faith. There are three parts to the book. First, the book considers some of the many struggles that people must overcome in order to continue as people of faith. Nowadays, it is hard to believe and certainly difficult to distinguish between authentic faith and the clutter of secondary beliefs that confuse and misdirect people’s dedication and enthusiasm. So many believers put their energy into issues that were not primary concerns for Jesus. It is no use denying the problems we face in our society and churches. Rather, we must struggle to grow in faith in spite of the difficulties all around us—whether the growing irrelevance of religion, the worrying trends of social movements that simply use religious language for their political and social goals, or the politicizing of religion. We will have to purify these developments if faith is to survive. Second, if faith is to grow we will need to search for reasons to believe, consciously identifying those experiences that we see as glimpses of grace that strengthen faith. We often find that life is full of small things that we are convinced matter intensely, and passionately, and convincingly. These experiences give us hope and when shared in community strengthen our dedication, illumine our faith, and deepen our love in God’s self-communication. Third, in re-committing ourselves to the life that results from faith we nurture that life and discover that God in whom we believe draws us to a greater share in divine life through spiritual growth, deeper prayer, participation in the life of the Church, enriching energies of the soul, and deeper union with the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, part I faces the struggles that challenge our faith, part II encourages us to keep focused on convincing reasons for faith, and part III insists we can find life and fulfillment in our dedication to God. I hope readers will find this book helpful in their own journeys to deeper faith.

Available on Amazon.com

Emphasize recollection during this year

A statue of John in the center of the town of Ubeda showing John as a person of recollection

If we wish to undertake this spiritual journey with John of the Cross as guide, we must maintain a spirit of deep recollection. “Recollection” refers to the discipline of collecting ourselves around a central thought. It helps us to gather together the scattered aspects of life and unite them in a meaningful whole. Reading John’s writings requires education and sensitivity born of deep recollection, nurtured in silence, what John calls a “deep and delicate listening” (F. 3.34). John acknowledges that some people are just not ready for the material he wishes to present. Only a total immersion in the desire for the will of God and longing for God’s love will enable us to appreciate John’s channeling of God’s call to spiritual life and enrichment. John waited to write some of the commentaries until he felt God had endowed him with gifts of knowledge and fervor. We will need the same gifts to read them with profit. Four practices or attitudes can help us in developing a spirit of recollection: stillness of body, being open to inspiration by the Spirit, concentrating on being present to Christ, and silence in God. Each of these practices comes from ordinary events of each day. They come together in times of reflection.

1. Each day we should have times when we just sit still and do nothing.
2. Reflection also requires that we be people who can prepare themselves to be inspired, otherwise we are just left with empty quiet time.
3. Recollection requires focused attention. Can we give quality time to others, to the events of the day, to the issues of the world around us?
4. Recollection needs silence and this is not easy in our noisy world. Some quiet time each day is critical for spiritual health.

CHALLENGES FOR TODAY
• Try to be fully present to the people and events of this week.
• Remember recollection is not possible when your mind is cluttered with all kinds of issues.
• Give importance to stillness and silence.

 

TAKE COURAGE TO BEGIN THI SYEAR WITH JOHN OF THE CROSS 3

Church built on the home of John of the Cross in Fontiveros

When undertaking our spiritual journey with John of the Cross we must not feel burdened by thoughts of the impossibility of making even the first steps. We are not struggling to move forward step by step. Rather we must be aware that God is drawing us to divine life. So, John urges us to have an attitude of confident response, for “God is the principal agent in this matter, and . . . acts as the blind man’s guide who must lead it by the hand to the place it does not know how to reach” (F. 3.29). The primary activity for us who seek God is not to place any obstacles in the way of God’s work of drawing us to union in love. So, this year, as we reflect on John’s call and challenges, let us take courage. Our responsibility includes letting God draw us in small steps, never allowing ourselves to go back, never overdoing it at first—just moving steadily and consistently in the one direction that matters. In these efforts, John can be our guide. “Our goal will be, with God’s help, to explain all these points, so that everyone who reads this book will in some way discover the road that they are walking along” (A. Prologue.7).

1. We all know that beginnings are always hard.
2. We have probably tried before and not done too well. Let us just move slowly, peacefully, confidently, step by step.
3. Teresa of Avila spoke about making this journey with “a determined determination.”
4. Let us pray for perseverance in sticking with this commitment to journey with John for a year.

CHALLENGES FOR TODAY
• Half-hearted responses will not help you on this journey.
• Remember Jesus’ stories about a man who started to build a tower and couldn’t finish it, and a king who started a war and couldn’t get organized. Make sure you desire to finish a job that you want to start.

• Pray for others who begin this journey with John in these readings and reflections.

 

 

JOHN OF THE CROSS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

In the months ahead I want to share readings and reflections that are for everyone who longs for a deeper spirituality. Too often John is mistakenly seen as elitist—a misunderstanding that has done a lot of harm, misinterpreted John, and excluded so many people of good will from the opportunities intended for them. John may have started by focusing on the members of the Carmelite Reform, but over time God’s Church recognized John’s gifts for everyone, declaring John a doctor of the universal Church. Why? Because John’s teaching is part of the universal call to holiness. You will find John’s teachings and their guidance and challenges in my selection of blogs for the next few months. Scholars today focus less on the intentions of a writer and more on the response of readers. This reader response criticism is what identifies an author’s true audience, and we know that more people read John of the Cross today than ever before. Thus, readers throughout the world have found in John answers to their needs and now claim John as their mentor and guide. Frequently, nowadays, good dedicated people stop short of what they could do in the spiritual life; they become easily satisfied with one popular writer or another. John of the Cross will challenge us much more than most. Let us give him the chance.

Reflection Points

1. Let us give ourselves enthusiastically to these readings.
2. What spiritual needs do we have and who do we know can respond to them? Maybe John is our answer.
3. Let us hope that these readings and reflections may well lead us where we have always wanted to go.
4. As we begin our readings and reflections perhaps we will find John has answers we have been seeking.

CHALLENGES FOR TODAY
• Pray for openness to the Holy Spirit.
• Let John speak for himself; don’t merge his ideas with others’ views.
• Pray the Lord will keep your heart open to challenge.

A new year with St. John of the Cross

For various reasons I have been unable to write my blog for several months. So, let’s make a new start and begin a year together focusing on reflections about John of the Cross. I look forward to continuing them in the months ahead focusing on  a special year with St. John of the Cross. In this year with St. John of the Cross we will read and reflect on his life, ministry, spiritual direction, spirituality, as well as selections from all his works, short and long. The readings and reflections will introduce us to all these, as well as comments from many leading writers and commentators on John. This year will be an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the spirituality of John of the Cross.

The area around the Monastery of John in Segovia–the monastery is on the left

I took this photo from the walls of the Castle of Segovia looking down on the residential area below. The church in the center right is now of the Knights Templar. John’s church and monastery are center left. John was the superior here for several years. One of his spiritual directees was Dona Ana de Penalosa for whom John wrote both the poem and commentary on the Living Flame of Love, and she left her palace and took up residence in one of the houses in the picture. She and her husband are buried in the church. 

Throughout the year we should keep in mind the importance of appreciating the entire spiritual system of John, which is reflected in all of his works. Likewise we should see the links between John’s various works, know something of the historical background and times of John, and be sensitive to his use of mystical language. When reading John’s works we must avoid entering them with prejudice from former false understandings of John. We should read his writings directly, often, and reflectively, and try to enter into dialogue with John. We should appreciate the unique focus and message of each of his works, remember the central significance of his poetry, and above all be sure to interpret his message for today.

 

The Church of the Segovia Monastery

This is the church of the monastery in Segovia where John of the Cross is buried. Next to it is the shrine of Fuencisla where the Madonna was honored even before John’s time and still is today.

Reflection Points

1. This year is an opportunity for each of us to respond to John’s call and challenge like never before—to dedicate ourselves to life with God in Christ.
2. Perhaps in the past we may have dabbled a little with John’s life and works. This year can be an integrated approach.
3. If we are faithful to these daily readings and reflections they can transform our approach to spirituality.
4. Let us prepare our hearts for the reflections that lie ahead.

CHALLENGES FOR TODAY

• Pray for openness to the challenges of this year.
• Ask God to prepare you for the unexpected.
• Think about sharing these reflections in a group.

Travels with John of the Cross–Ubeda

My wife and I have traveled a lot to the places linked to John of the Cross. We recently went to Ubeda where John died. However, we first stopped in Baeza, where John had opened a house of studies for the friars, close to the old university. There he resided from 1579-82. In Baeza John wrote part of “En una noche oscura” (the Dark Night poem), and some of the ascent of Mt. Carmel. When John of the Cross became ill towards the end of his life, he was sent to Ubeda, in the province of Jaen, for treatment. At first he was made unwelcome in the monastery by the prior, Francisco Crisostomo. whom John had corrected earlier in life. When other friars reported to the provincial about John’s mistreatment, the provincial, Fr. Antonio Heredia, the first companion of John in the reform, came to Ubeda to rectify this mistreatment.

The entrance to the monastery in Jaen where John of the Cross died

We entered the monstery of discalced Carmelites through the same door through which John was brought on September 28, 1591, suffering from fever and inflammation of his leg. John suffered much in those days in Ubeda. His health deteriorated and he died at Midnight December 14th 1591. He was 49 years old.

 

John’s room or cell in the Monastery of Jaen

The monastery’s museum contains the room where John died, the table on which his body was prepared for burial, the chapel where his funeral took place and where he was briefly buried from his death in 1591 to May 1594, when his body was transferred to Segovia.

The monastery Church

 

A portrait of the burial of John of the Cross

 

Elsewhere the museum shows episodes from John’s life, using the actual items associated with John whenever possible, such as a table where he sat to give spiritual direction. There are also relics, writings of John, artistic portrayals of his life and teachings, and art and books inspired by John.

A statue of John in the center of the town of Ubeda

Visiting Ubeda was both a fascinating and moving experience for us.

Drawn by a Vision (A reflection by Helen Doohan)

Church built on the home of John of the Cross in Fontiveros

John’s early life was marked by transition from one place to another because of family circumstances. From Fontiveros, where he was born, to Arevalo and then Medina del Campo where he spent many years, travel, transitions and new encounters characterized his formative years. Catalina was rejected by her husband’s family after his death and so she made the arduous journeys in search of work, education for her sons and a better life. Although never far from extreme poverty, she instilled the values of love, compassion, generosity, and care for others within the family. John benefited from her emphases throughout his life.

 Both Catalina and John were drawn by a vision of something better for themselves and the family. Yet they had to embrace hardship, rejection and suffering, growing and maturing because of these experiences. A vision always draws us out of ourselves. A positive and compelling vision enables us to accept difficulties along the way because they lead to growth.

A modern interpretation of John of the Cross on display in the museum in Ubeda where John died

 In our world today we see the extraordinary movement of people from Mexico, Central America, Syria, Afghanistan, northern Africa and other war torn countries. Poverty, lack or opportunity, destruction and death force people to make hard decisions and to travel to new places. Something draws them – a vision of a better life for family and friends, opportunities for work and education, safety and security. The vision I speak about is for basic human life and values. But we do not have these, how do we even begin to have a vision of the spiritual and the transcendent?

 Taking such steps to move into the unknown, as did so many of our ancestors, prepares us for the courage necessary to live a life open to radical transformation. John’s humble beginnings and his family’s search, drawn by a vision, prepared him for the outstanding life he lived in love and service to others. It also enabled him to see the possibilities for union with God and for a vital and reformed Carmel. We can only pray that today’s migrants will move to a greater vision. And we can hope that we too will be drawn by the light and love of the Christian message.

 

 

The Importance of Place (A reflection by Helen Doohan)

          Growing up in Brooklyn, with its city streets, diverse neighborhoods, crowded homes, and noisy environment, made my travel to the Midwest of the United States a striking experience. I saw first hand the fields of grain, white and ready for harvest, and only then did I fully understand the biblical imagery. A later visit to the Holy Land confirmed in me the need to experience a place, its culture and its people in order to truly understand the written word and to tap into the spirit of the writer.

Church built on the home of John of the Cross in Fontiveros

           Traveling through Spain, especially the northern part, offered me a clearer perspective into John of the Cross and his writing. His use of images, similes and metaphors come from the places he knew. The vast desert areas, dry and barren, where light and darkness form bold contrasts, account for John’s use of day and light, darkness and night to describe the spiritual journey. The fields, rich and fruitful, ready for the harvest meet basic needs and then some. The trees and vines, mountains, rivers and streams all find a way into John’s poetry. Cities like Segovia with its aqueduct, churches, shops and many streets, Salamanca which was John’s place of study, Toledo where John was imprisoned, Avila where he met with Teresa and began the reform, Medina del Campo where he worked as a boy and celebrated his first Mass as a priest, cities large and small with their people, art, culture and hardships affect John’s approach to his life and ministry.

The view from John’s monastery in Segovia

           I have been blessed to experience these wonderful places today and I ask myself which images were most important to John? Why darkness when there is so much light in certain seasons? How did John tolerate the loneliness of prison when he appreciated nature and people so much? Is his interpretation of Scripture colored by his daily life and the wonder and beauty of Spain? Is his expansive view of the Church and the reform of Carmel conditioned by the vastness of the land? And why is there such an emphasis on love in his writings?

           Places are important both then and now but in order to be affected by them we need to truly see, smell and taste their richness. The open spaces must permeate our bones, the beauty of the environment fill us with wonder and the unending and enveloping sky move us to the transcendent. For us, as for John, these aspects of our world are seen as a gift of God and a gift of love.