J
JoyToBeCatholic
Guest
I’ve been reading St. John of the Cross and have a simple question. In his “Ascent” he says that one must be purged of all one’s affection for all things that are not God. Maybe I’m jumping the gun by asking this, as I haven’t even gotten 1/2 way through the book, but I’m uneasy about continuing without finding out if this can really be a good thing, or perhaps I am misunderstanding something?
He talks about depriving the senses. My question is: If God made us with senses, and made things pleasing to those senses, isn’t it wrong to abandon taking pleasure in those things? For instance: I like music. Is it really an obstacle to the way of perfection if I listen to it? Or is he saying here that we just shouldn’t be attached to it? Or is he saying that we should abstain for something greater (God) even if it’s hard to do. Or are we waiting for God to give us the grace to want to abstain; to no longer have any pleasure in anything but Him?
I’m sure I haven’t articulated my question the way I’d like, but this was the best way I could put it.
Thanks,
~donna
He talks about depriving the senses. My question is: If God made us with senses, and made things pleasing to those senses, isn’t it wrong to abandon taking pleasure in those things? For instance: I like music. Is it really an obstacle to the way of perfection if I listen to it? Or is he saying here that we just shouldn’t be attached to it? Or is he saying that we should abstain for something greater (God) even if it’s hard to do. Or are we waiting for God to give us the grace to want to abstain; to no longer have any pleasure in anything but Him?
I’m sure I haven’t articulated my question the way I’d like, but this was the best way I could put it.
Thanks,
~donna