Common Fears and Misunderstandings

Common fears: "Am I doing nothing?" (No — God is working), "Is this the dark night?" (Not necessarily — see Course C4), "Should I go back to structured meditation?" (Only if the three signs aren't present), "Am I being deceived?" (Unlikely if your sacramental life is solid and you have a director). The key: stay faithful, keep showing up, trust God's timing. (Ep 406, 494)

Catechism sources (PD) teaches:

This takes place, but not in the way we imagine, for God needs no witnesses: He knows all. An example will probably make you understand better what really takes place.

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches:

They hunger, when they desire to find in them the bread of life; and they hunger on sabbath days, as soon as their minds are in a soothing rest, and they rejoice in freedom from troubled thoughts; they pluck the ears of corn, and by rubbing, cleanse them, till they come to what is fit to eat,.

(Source: catena_aurea_mark.txt)

Doctrinal Foundation

T4.G.011 (sententia_certa): God truly gives grace to those who pray for it. Prayer is infallibly efficacious when the conditions of perseverance, humility, and conformity to God's will are met.

• Scripture: Amen, amen I say to you: if you ask the Father any thing in my name, he will give it you.
• Aquinas: Prayer is meritorious inasmuch as it proceeds from charity, and is directed to the good of the one who prays and of others.

From the Sources

St. Thomas Aquinas (catena_aurea_mark.txt):

They hunger, when they desire to find in them the bread of life; and they hunger on sabbath days, as soon as their minds are in a soothing rest, and they rejoice in freedom from troubled thoughts; they pluck the ears of corn, and by rubbing, cleanse them, till they come to what is fit to eat, when by meditation they take to themselves the witness of the Scriptures, to which they arrive by reading, and discuss them continually, until they find in them the marrow of love; this refreshment of.

St. Thomas Aquinas (catena_aurea_mark.txt):

� As if He said, A parable is given, not that it should remain obscure, and hidden as if under a bed or a bushel, but that it should be manifested to those who are worthy. The candle within us is that of our intellectual nature, and it shines either clearly or obscurely according to the proportion of our illumination. For if meditations which feed the light, and the recollection with which such a light is kindled, are neglected, it is presently extinguished.

St. Teresa of Avila (book_of_foundations.txt):

Returning, then, to the matter I had to speak of— for I have wandered far from it—the graces wrought by our Lord in these houses are so great that, if there be in them one sister whom our Lord is leading by the way of meditation, all the rest are advancing by the way of perfect contemplation ; some have gone so far as to have had raptures ;* to others our Lord gives His grace in a different way, together with revelations and visions.

St. Teresa of Avila (book_of_foundations.txt):

It reads thus: “the graces wrought by our Lord in these houses are so great that while all the sisters are being led by the way of meditation, some are advanc- ing by that of perfect contemplation, and others have reached so far as to experience raptures ; to others again our Lord gives His grace in a different way.’.

38 BOOK OF THE FOUNDATIONS [cH.

Additional Sources

St. John of the Cross (ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt):

Printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.

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CONTENTS.

THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL

Areument ° e . e ° . . ° . ° . Prologue

BOOK I.

THE NATURE OF THE DARK NIGHT, THE NECESSITY OF PASSING AND SPECIALLY THE DARK NIGHT OF SENSE AND DESIRE, THROUGH IT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TO THE DIVINE UNION 3; WITH THE EVILS WHICH THESE INFLICT UPON THE SOUL.

CHAPTER I. Two kinds of this night, porterpontiog with the division of the soul into

CONTENTS.

THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL

Areument ° e . e ° . . ° . ° . Prologue

BOOK I.

THE NATURE OF THE DARK NIGHT, THE NECESSITY OF PASSING AND SPECIALLY THE DARK NIGHT OF SENSE AND DESIRE, THROUGH IT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TO THE DIVINE UNION 3; WITH THE EVILS WHICH THESE INFLICT UPON THE SOUL.

CHAPTER I. Two kinds of this night, porterpontiog with the division of the soul into

St. Francis de Sales (04_spiritual_conferences.txt):

We shall meet with few who, from their own meditations and transports of devotion, have added to the treasures of piety stored up in the Church before them, and transmitted a fresh supply, accepted by her, and laid up by her.

OF ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA

29

with you, that he who determines little understands little and profits still less, but the Lord who sees is Himself the one who favours.

All meditation in which the understanding works fatigues the body ; other meditations there are, regulated and quiet, which are not trying to the understanding or wearisome to the interior spirit, and which are made without exterior or interior

St. Ignatius of Loyola (letters_and_instructions_v1_oleary.txt):

All meditation in which the understanding works fatigues the body ; other meditations there are, regulated and quiet, which are not trying to the understanding or wearisome to the interior spirit, and which are made without exterior or interior effort.

Catechism sources (PD) (baltimore_catechism.txt):

This takes place, but not in the way we imagine, for God needs no witnesses: He knows all. An example will probably make you understand better what really takes place.

Catechism sources (PD) (baltimore_catechism.txt):

A phonograph can be made to say the prayers, but not to pray, for it has neither mind nor heart.

So praying does not depend upon the words we say, but upon the way in which we say them. Indeed the best prayer, called meditation, is made when we do not speak at all, but simply think of God; of His goodness to us; of our sins against Him; of Hell, Purgatory, Heaven, death, judgment, of the end for which we were created, etc. This is the kind of