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Brookline Carmel Bulletin
June 12, 1960
Cogitatio Sancta
(Holy
Meditation)
Faults of Beginners
In the beginning of his Dark Night of the Soul, Saint John of the Cross devotes several chapters to
the “imperfections of beginners.” His purpose is to show those who are
beginning to make progress in the spiritual life that there is still much in
them that needs improvement (a good check to pride). At the same time he assures them that, by their own efforts, they
can do only a certain amount towards removing these imperfections. The work must be completed by God
Himself. “For, however
assiduously the beginner practices the mortification in himself of all these
actions and passions of his, he can never completely succeed – very far from it
– until God works it in him passively by means of the purification of the said
night (of sense).” (Dark Night, Book I, Chapter 7). We must realize that we shall become perfect only by means of an
intimate, cooperative effort between ourselves and God. It is well, then, that each of us studies
himself to see what faults are most prominent.
Having gained self-knowledge in this way, we should ask God’s help in
overcoming these faults, which are obstacles to our being closely united with
Him. Without God’s help we can do nothing,
but when He gives us His help, He expects us to use it. With His help we can practice mortification,
self-denial, self-discipline. When He
sees that we are doing all that we can in this regard, He will apply His own
purifying techniques to complete the operation, thus bringing us to a stage of
perfection far above what we have previously attained. “Since, then, the conduct of these
beginners upon the way of God is imperfect, and is much tainted with their love
of self and their own inclinations… God desires to lead them farther. He seeks to bring them out of that imperfect
kind of love to a higher degree of love for Him, to free them from the
imperfect exercises of sense and meditation, and to lead them to a kind of
spiritual exercise wherein they can commune with Him more abundantly and are
freed more completely from imperfections.” (Dark Night, Book I, Chapter 8).
What are these imperfections from which the soul must be freed before
it can be intimately united with God?
Saint John of the Cross describes them systematically in chapters 2-8 of
Book I of the Dark Night. “In
order that it may be seen more clearly … how much these beginners in the
virtues lack,… we shall describe it by reference to the seven capital sins,
each in its turn, indicating some of the many imperfections which they have
under each heading…” Here is excellent material for examination of conscience.
Pride
– “As these beginners feel themselves to be very fervent and diligent in
spiritual things and devout exercises, from this prosperity… there often comes
to them, through their imperfections, a certain kind of secret pride,
whence they come to have some degree of satisfaction with their works and with
themselves.”
(Conceit, self-complacency, failure to give God credit for
whatever good is in them.)
“And hence there comes to them likewise a certain desire, which
is somewhat vain, and sometimes very vain, to speak of spiritual things before
others…”
(Condemns not the speaking of spiritual things, which is good in itself,
but the intention of trying to impress others with one’s own holiness by
means of “spiritual conversations.”)
“They condemn others in their heart… and sometimes they even put
this into words, resembling therein the Pharisee, who boasted of himself,
praising God for his own good works and despising the publican.” (A sense
of superiority leading one to despise others.)
“They would have none appear good save themselves…” (Jealousy).
“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as
confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior (for they
are anxious that all they do may be esteemed and praised), they consider that
they do not understand them, or that, because they do not approve of this and
comply with that, they are themselves not spiritual. And so they immediately desire and contrive to find some one else
who will fit in with their tastes…” (Lack of docility; sensitiveness
springing from self-love and injured pride).
(to
be continued)
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