"Dark Night of the Soul"

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I’ve been feeling very dry lately with my spirituality. I’m trying to recuperate my relationship with God by praying daily, reading Daily Mass Scripture (if I do not go to Mass), praying the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and reading spiritual books. Yet, I’m still feeling as if it isn’t enough for me. I’m turning 23 and I’m very mature in my faith for a young fellow for God’s greater glory and I feel it is maybe a deeper calling to prayer. I am trying to finish school to begin the process for seminary as I have been discerning for a couple of years now.

I’ve been reading about Anointing of the Sick and I’ve been thinking about receiving it. I’ve read that it can heal many things. I really want to heal from past pre-marital experiences and unhealthy “soul ties” and pray I can rekindle my fire for Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother and the Church!

Pray for me please and thank you for taking the time to read this.

PAX
 
I will pray for you. I would also suggest to get a good spiritual advisor if you don’t already have one.
 
As a 23 year old hopeful someday seminarian (just coming into the faith, still in RCIA) isn’t the annointing of the sick the sacrament we receive before death? Or in serious illness? Would that apply to your situation? I’m not sure if I understand correctly what the annointing is?
 
BigFellaMick said:
isn’t the annointing of the sick the sacrament we receive before death? Or in serious illness? Would that apply to your situation? I’m not sure if I understand correctly what the annointing is?
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Anointing of the sick is a sacrament that may be administered by the priest for any reason of serious illness, including mental or psychological illness. It also should be given before surgery that involves general anesthesia. It is not “only” given before death. Depending on health or accidents, a person might receive this sacrament several times throughout life. For a less serious matter and a desire for a spiritual “cleansing” of sorts, a blessing may suffice or the Sacrament of Confession.
 
I don’t think the Sacrament of Extreme Unction fits your case. Also, I don’t think that “the Dark Night” fits your case either. It just sounds like you are going through a dry patch in the spiritual life. Relax, seek spiritual direction, go to Confession often, receive the Eucharist worthily often, and persevere in your devotional life. As St. John of the Cross teaches us, don’t seek, rely upon, or willingly accept consolations. If they come, rejoice in them and thank God. However, if they don’t come don’t assume something is wrong in your spiritual life. If consolations don’t come, rejoice and thank God that He doesn’t think you need them for your perseverance in the faith.
 
Don’t see why dryness can’t be a prepartion for a dark night. Though I think that the dark nights described in the traditional sense may be so “dark” as to be unseen unless giving the consolation found in wisdom to discern. St. Augustine said that “there are consolations in tears” even. Not sure I can really understand a true dark night experience having tasted true dryness before. Must be grueling for our Creator to seemingly retract His hand. Samson
 
if you have been read and moved by the Dark Night you might also wish to read Ascent of Mount Carmel, in which the same author John of the Cross describes the journey the soul makes to come to the point where the dark night of the spirit commences. you may find it better describes your experience at this time. Ask the priest for anointing and tell him why, if he feels you are a candidate he will administer. Of much more immediate value in healing damage caused by sin, if that is what you discern, are of course the sacrament of reconciliation and Eucharist.
 
Th0t said:
I’ve been feeling very dry lately with my spirituality. I’m trying to recuperate my relationship with God by praying daily, reading Daily Mass Scripture (if I do not go to Mass), praying the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and reading spiritual books. Yet, I’m still feeling as if it isn’t enough for me. I’m turning 23 and I’m very mature in my faith for a young fellow for God’s greater glory and I feel it is maybe a deeper calling to prayer.
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Don’t want to read to much between the lines of just a few sentences in a post but it’s possible your way of prayer is changing … the work of the passive night of sense. Take a look at chapters 13 and 14 of Book 2 of “The Ascent of Mount Carmel” to see if any of this speaks to you:

www.catholictreasury.info/books/ascent/asc29.php

The operative points are as follows:

St. John of the Cross said:
2. The first sign is his realization that he can no longer meditate or reason with his imagination, neither can take pleasure therein as he was wont to do aforetime; he rather finds aridity in that which aforetime was wont to captivate his senses and to bring him sweetness.
  1. The second sign is a realization that he has no desire to fix his mediation or his sense upon other particular objects, exterior or interior. I do not mean that the imagination neither comes nor goes (for even at times of deep recollection it is apt to move freely), but that the soul has no pleasure in fixing it of set purpose upon other objects.
  2. The third and surest sign is that the soul takes pleasure in being alone, and waits with loving attentiveness upon God, without making any particular meditation, in inward peace and quietness and rest, and without acts and exercises of the faculties – memory, understanding and will – at least, without discursive acts, that is, without passing from one thing to another; the soul is alone, with an attentiveness and a knowledge, general and loving, as we said, but without any particular understanding, and adverting not to that which it is contemplating.
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According to St. John of the Cross, the Dark Night is comprised of 4 distinct “crisis points” in our spiritual life that mark a transition to a deeper, more interior relationship with Christ. These are the active night of sense (Book 1, Ascent), passive night of sense (Book 1 Dark Night), the active night of spirit (Book 2&3, Ascent) and passive night of spirit (Book 2, Dark Night). Many people, though, principally have in mind just the passive night of spirit when they describe the Dark Night.

The chapters from “The Ascent” I gave you speak of the onset of contemplation … the work of the passive night of sense … but the presentation is a little different (and perhaps easier to understand) than what St. John shows in Book 1 of “The Dark Night.” Regardless, “The Ascent” and “Dark Night” are best viewed as one complete work … as they address different sides of the same coin.

Hope this helps,
Dave 🙂
 
Might be useful to try meditative prayer. Pick up a copy of the Imitation of Christ and use the short chapters as the fuel for meditation.
 
First, a scripture passage to encourage you … it is from Tobit and I love the implication that it’s somewhat of an honor to be tested:

12 Now this trial the Lord therefore permitted to happen to him, that an example might be given to posterity of his patience, as also of holy Job.
13 For whereas he had always feared God from his infancy, and kept his commandments, he repined not against God because the evil of blindness had befallen him,
14 But continued immoveable in the fear of God, giving thanks to God all the days of his life.
15 For as the kings insulted over holy Job: so his relations and kinsmen mocked at his life, saying:
16 Where is thy hope, for which thou gavest alms, and buriedst the dead?
17 But Tobias rebuked them, saying: Speak not so:
18 For we are the children of the saints, and look for that life which God will give to those that never change their faith from him.(Tobit 2)

Second, a book recommendation: The Ordinary Path to Holiness by R. Thomas Richard. In it, the author describes the stages of spiritual growth.

I think you may find you are growing into a new stage in your relationship with God. I’m sorry it’s painful - I understand that very well - but it is necessary and ultimately will be an enormous blessing to you!
 
Continue to read the Saints. Continue and increase Mass, continue the daily prayer recitation. Ask your confessor if you can speak with him about this. He should be your first choice as spiritual advisor.

I do not know where you are on your spiritual journey, nor what your daily Holy life looks like. For me to assume the Dark Night would be pure speculation.

The path to Heaven is long and requires a daily effort. The fustration and negative attitude often must be defeated. Prayer is the daily medicine when not at Mass. Offer all you suffering to the Lord for the reparation of sinners and world peace. When you pray your prayers are heard, without a doubt. Tribulation is sanctification. Accept submissively the sacrifices that the Lord will send you!

“We always find that those whom walk closest to Jesus, bear the most trials.”
St. Teresa of Jesus

Grace and Mercy.
 
DBT: All that St. John says I completely feel.

I find myself having to force myself to take the time to just sit and pray. And when I pray, I recognize I can’t always find the words and just say a few things here and there and let the Spirit guide me. I feel I let community prayer become a priority. I feel I pray ‘better’ when praying out loud with my prayer group…

I find myself also, easily letting Daily Mass pass by and reading Scripture. Although, I do ‘force’ myself, if I don’t go to Mass to read Scripture.

But I have noticed that when I read Scripture, I feel as if it is directly towards me… And I find myself talking to God and re-reading the verses to find if I missed anything.

I do not ‘feel’ any sense of joy or zealous as others do but what I use as fuel are the experiences I’ve had with God in my life. Knowing He is there even when I don’t feel Him near.

And I do recognize that it is a calling to a deeper relationship with Him. Thank you all for taking the time to read my post and for your prayers! It has been a long time since I’ve been on here.
 
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