Dec. 14, 2011 Wednesday: St John of the Cross
St. John of the Cross
John was born in Spain in 1542. He was the son of a weaver, who died when John was still a baby. He went to a school for poor children and became a servant to the director of a hospital. At the same time, he attended the Jesuit college. Even as a youth, he understood the value of offering up sufferings for the love of Jesus.
When he was twenty-one, his love of God prompted him to enter the Carmelite Order. With St. Teresa of Avila, St. John was chosen by God to bring a new spirit of fervor among religious. But his life was full of trials. Although he succeeded in opening new monasteries where his holy way of life was practiced, he himself was criticized. He was even thrown into prison and made to suffer terribly. It seemed that God had left him alone, and he suffered greatly. Yet when these storms of trouble passed, the Lord rewarded his faithful servant. He gave him deep peace and joy of heart. John was very close to God. After nine months, he managed to escape from his imprisonment.
St. John had a marvelous way with sinners. Once a beautiful but sinful woman tried to tempt him. He was able to bring her to a true sorrow for her sins and a complete change of life. Another lady, instead, had such a temper that she was nicknamed “the terrible.” Yet St. John knew how to calm her down by his kind manners.
St. John of the Cross asked God to accept his daily sufferings for love of Jesus. This saint is famous for his spiritual books, which show us how to grow close to God. He died on December 14, 1591. John of the Cross was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
St. John of the Cross was able to overcome life’s obstacles and sufferings by remaining closely united to God. We can ask him to help us improve our life of prayer, our relationship with the Lord.
- Daughters of St. Paul
Where there is no love, pour love in and you will draw love out.
Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing. -St John of the Cross
From a spiritual Canticle by Saint John of the Cross, priest
'The knowledge of the mystery hidden in Jesus Christ'
Though holy doctors have uncovered many mysteries and wonders, and devout souls have understood them in this earthly condition of ours, yet the greater part still remains to be unfolded by them, and even to be understood by them.
We must then dig deeply in Christ. He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing treasures: however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit. Indeed, in every pocket new seams of fresh riches are discovered on all sides.
For this reason the apostle Paul said of Christ: In him are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. The soul cannot enter into these treasures, nor attain them, unless it first crosses into and enters the thicket of suffering, enduring interior and exterior labors, and unless it first receives from God very many blessings in the intellect and in the senses, and has undergone long spiritual training.
All these are lesser things, disposing the soul for the lofty sanctuary of the knowledge of the mysteries of Christ: this is the highest wisdom attainable in this life.
Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross.
Saint Paul therefore urges the Ephesians not to grow weary in the midst of tribulations, but to be rooted and grounded in love, so that they may know with all the saints the breadth, the length, the height and the depth—to know what is beyond knowledge, the love of Christ, so as to be filled with all the fullness of God. The gate that gives entry into these riches of his wisdom is the cross; because it is a narrow gate, while many seek the joys that can be gained through it, it is given to few to desire to pass through it.
John was born in Spain in 1542. He was the son of a weaver, who died when John was still a baby. He went to a school for poor children and became a servant to the director of a hospital. At the same time, he attended the Jesuit college. Even as a youth, he understood the value of offering up sufferings for the love of Jesus.
When he was twenty-one, his love of God prompted him to enter the Carmelite Order. With St. Teresa of Avila, St. John was chosen by God to bring a new spirit of fervor among religious. But his life was full of trials. Although he succeeded in opening new monasteries where his holy way of life was practiced, he himself was criticized. He was even thrown into prison and made to suffer terribly. It seemed that God had left him alone, and he suffered greatly. Yet when these storms of trouble passed, the Lord rewarded his faithful servant. He gave him deep peace and joy of heart. John was very close to God. After nine months, he managed to escape from his imprisonment.
St. John had a marvelous way with sinners. Once a beautiful but sinful woman tried to tempt him. He was able to bring her to a true sorrow for her sins and a complete change of life. Another lady, instead, had such a temper that she was nicknamed “the terrible.” Yet St. John knew how to calm her down by his kind manners.
St. John of the Cross asked God to accept his daily sufferings for love of Jesus. This saint is famous for his spiritual books, which show us how to grow close to God. He died on December 14, 1591. John of the Cross was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
St. John of the Cross was able to overcome life’s obstacles and sufferings by remaining closely united to God. We can ask him to help us improve our life of prayer, our relationship with the Lord.
- Daughters of St. Paul
Where there is no love, pour love in and you will draw love out.
Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing. -St John of the Cross
From a spiritual Canticle by Saint John of the Cross, priest
'The knowledge of the mystery hidden in Jesus Christ'
Though holy doctors have uncovered many mysteries and wonders, and devout souls have understood them in this earthly condition of ours, yet the greater part still remains to be unfolded by them, and even to be understood by them.
We must then dig deeply in Christ. He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing treasures: however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit. Indeed, in every pocket new seams of fresh riches are discovered on all sides.
For this reason the apostle Paul said of Christ: In him are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. The soul cannot enter into these treasures, nor attain them, unless it first crosses into and enters the thicket of suffering, enduring interior and exterior labors, and unless it first receives from God very many blessings in the intellect and in the senses, and has undergone long spiritual training.
All these are lesser things, disposing the soul for the lofty sanctuary of the knowledge of the mysteries of Christ: this is the highest wisdom attainable in this life.
Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross.
Saint Paul therefore urges the Ephesians not to grow weary in the midst of tribulations, but to be rooted and grounded in love, so that they may know with all the saints the breadth, the length, the height and the depth—to know what is beyond knowledge, the love of Christ, so as to be filled with all the fullness of God. The gate that gives entry into these riches of his wisdom is the cross; because it is a narrow gate, while many seek the joys that can be gained through it, it is given to few to desire to pass through it.
