Looking for a Carmelite Quote?

[carmelitequotes]

I have the Collected Works of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila right here on my laptop, ready to search by keyword or phrase or citation in Spanish and two English translations.

Got any questions? Just ask! After decades in Carmelite life, I’ve probably got your answers, and I also know where to search additional resources for both the Ancient Observance (O.Carm.) and the Teresian Carmel (O.C.D.).

I’m glad to help!

P.S. I can search for St. Therese and St. Louis & St. Zelie quotes, too, but that takes a little more time and patience

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Hmm, I recall trying to find the quote by St John of the Cross, about a soul that has experienced divine love, will be transformed and will love “everyone and everything.”

I suppose the part in quotations would help the search ?

 

[carmelitequotes]

Well, @JimR-OCDS tuck this quote away for future reference, it could be helpful to you or someone else! Letter 19 from St John to Doña Juana de Pedraza, in Granada Segovia, October 12, 1589 was the result of searching for “everyone and everything”… in both the ICS edition translated by Fathers Rodriguez & Kavanaugh, as well as the Allison Peers translation. Here’s the choice excerpt:

Since you walk in these darknesses and voids of spiritual poverty, you think that everyone and everything is failing you. It is no wonder that in this it also seems God is failing you. But nothing is failing you, neither do you have to discuss anything, nor is there anything to discuss, nor do you know this, nor will you find it, be cause all of these are doubts without basis. Those who desire nothing else than God walk not in darkness, however poor and dark they are in their own sight. And those who walk not presumptuously, or according to their own satisfactions, whether from God or from creatures, nor do their own will in anything, have nothing to stumble over or discuss with anyone. You are making good progress. Do not worry, but be glad! Who are you that you should guide yourself? Wouldn’t that end up fine!

So it seems that a different search tactic is needed. This could take some time. Could you give me a little more context, please? In the meantime, I will search for the keywords “soul”, “divine love”, “transformed”… glad to help!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Thanks !

My wife had the quote tapped to our computer desk years back, and we since lost it.

As you know, often people are attributed with quotes on things they never said, Mother Teresa is an example.

 

[carmelitequotes]

Happy Feast Day by the way. I’m doing research on Pope Pius X and US press coverage of the beatification of the martyrs of Compiègne, so forgive me if I got distracted while I was searching Our Holy Father. Let me get back to your task now, since I’m a little cross-eyed from searching old newspaper clippings. Turns out the Carmels in St Louis and New Orleans held triduums in honor of the beatification, at least their local newspapers said so.

More to follow…

 

[carmelitequotes]

Hmm, I recall trying to find the quote by St John of the Cross, about a soul that has experienced divine love, will be transformed and will love “everyone and everything.”

T H R E A D . . . 1/2

Searching with the keywords "divine love"

• The Dark Night, Book Two, Chap 19: The entire chapter is “An explanation of the first five of the ten steps on the mystical ladder of divine love.”
• The Dark Night: Book Two, Chapter 11, no. 5: “The touch of this divine love and fire so dries up the spirit and so enkindles the soul’s longings to slake its thirst for this love that such persons go over these longings in their mind a thousand times and pine for God in a thousand ways.”

Searching with the keywords “divine love” and "transformed"

• The Ascent of Mount Carmel: Book Two, Chapter 15, no. 4–5: “What clearly follows is that when individuals have finished purifying and voiding themselves of all forms and apprehensible images, they will abide in this pure and simple light and be perfectly transformed in it. (…) When spiritual persons cannot meditate, they should learn to remain in God’s presence with a loving attention and a tranquil intellect, even though they seem to themselves to be idle. For little by little and very soon the divine calm and peace with a wondrous, sublime knowledge of God, enveloped in divine love, will be infused into their souls.”

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

 

[carmelitequotes]

T H R E A D . . . 2/2
:medal_sports: Finally, I think that this passage is the closest to what you are looking for (although they all are winners). Here it is in two translations:

• Dark Night of the Soul: Book II, Chapter IV, no. 2 (Peers):

This was a great happiness and a good chance for me; for, when the faculties had been perfectly annihilated and calmed, together with the passions, desires and affections of my soul, wherewith I had experienced and tasted God after a lowly manner, I went forth from my own human dealings and operations to the operations and dealings of God. That is to say, my understanding went forth from itself, turning from the human and natural to the Divine; for, when it is united with God by means of this purgation, its understanding no longer comes through its natural light and vigour, but through the Divine Wisdom wherewith it has become united. And my will went forth from itself, becoming Divine; for, being united with Divine love, it no longer loves with its natural strength after a lowly manner, but with strength and purity from the Holy Spirit; and thus the will, which is now near to God, acts not after a human manner, and similarly the memory has become transformed into eternal apprehensions of glory. And finally, by means of this night and purgation of the old man, all the energies and affections of the soul are wholly renewed into a Divine temper and Divine delight.

• The Dark Night: Book Two, Chapter 4, no. 2 (Kavanaugh/Rodriguez):

This was great happiness and a sheer grace for me, because through the annihilation and calming of my faculties, passions, appetites, and affections, by which my experience and satisfaction in God were base, I went out from my human operation and way of acting to God’s operation and way of acting. That is:

• My intellect departed from itself, changing from human and natural to divine. For united with God through this purgation, it no longer understands by means of its natural vigor and light, but by means of the divine wisdom to which it was united. And my will departed from itself and became divine. United with the divine love, it no longer loves in a lowly manner, with its natural strength, but with the strength and purity of the Holy Spirit; and thus the will does not operate humanly in relation to God.

• The memory, too, was changed into presentiments of eternal glory.

• And finally, all the strength and affections of the soul, by means of this night and purgation of the old self, are renewed with divine qualities and delights.

For a deep dive, it might be good to start at the top with Dark Night II.19 and keep reading his explanation.

For more quotes from all of our saints and blesseds and Servants of God, visit our blog, where we feature a quote of the day, every day.
Happy reading!