St. John of the Cross - Book Sequencing

[Lux_et_veritas]

Over 20 years ago I was into St. John of the Cross and I was into mental prayer. My spiritual director handed me one of the books (in another language as I was in Europe at the time). I had a little language barrier to work through.

Anyway, I would like to know if there is a recommended sequence. It’s been so long I can’t recall. I do know that i was into the Dark Night of the Soul and if I remember correctly, prior to that was the Living Flame of Love. I just read what my spiritual director gave me.

Is there a typical sequence? I’m wanting to go back to the Dark Night, but I feel like I have much brushing up to do. Is this a good place to start again? Or, should I go back to another book?

 

[DBT]

I guess it all depends what the context is behind the reading . . . intellectual curiosity or spiritual direction.

I once heard a Carmelite Friar say not to read in order . . . that in many cases it might be best to start with Spiritual Canticle or Living Flame before trying to tackle the Ascent or Dark Night. His thinking was that the road map might be clearer if one has at least some sense of the final destination.

Dave.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

DBT:

I guess it all depends what the context is behind the reading . . . intellectual curiosity or spiritual direction.

I once heard a Carmelite Friar say not to read in order . . . that in many cases it might be best to start with Spiritual Canticle or Living Flame before trying to tackle the Ascent or Dark Night. His thinking was that the road map might be clearer if one has at least some sense of the final destination.

Dave.

Thanks. I’ve decided to hold off until I go to confession and talk about what’s been happening spiritually and ask Father where I should start. He is fluent in all of those books and is a T.O. Carmelite as well.

 

[DBT]

Lux_et_veritas:

Thanks. I’ve decided to hold off until I go to confession and talk about what’s been happening spiritually and ask Father where I should start. He is fluent in all of those books and is a T.O. Carmelite as well.

I didn’t know you had access to a confessor with a background in Carmelite spirituality . . . lucky you

What you say here is probably the best thing you can do.

Dave.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

DBT:

I didn’t know you had access to a confessor with a background in Carmelite spirituality . . . lucky you

What you say here is probably the best thing you can do.

Dave.

Well, I’ll tell you a little more about all of this.

Twenty years ago I was in a Franciscan convent and the Novice Mistress herself was a contemplative and was into St. John of the Cross. She didn’t really mention it much, but I was drawn to her like a magnet because I could sense she was profoundly prayerful. She was also everything I wasn’t with regards to virtue. One day I had an experience - a very sweet one - and spoke to her about it. She gave me the Living Flame of Love and I wanted to fall out of my chair as I read the stanzas. Next she gave me the Dark Night of the Soul and it was in the midst of that book I got sick and needed to come back stateside after 2.5 years there. I had intended to enter an order here in the states but had difficulties with health.

My Novice Mistress, who was my spiritual director, urged me to find a new spiritual director here in the US who was well versed on St. John of the Cross and on contemplative natures. She told me I would be met with a lot of blank stares and I was. I gave up and it was a big mistake because I made a beginners mistake and it cost me 15 years before I would find it.

I emailed the Reverend Mother in a Carmelite community near my house asking for assitance a number of weeks back telling her I just had to find that spiritual director. I asked if there was someone there in her community who could help me. She replied that she herself was not trained as a Spiritual Director, but referred me to a Fr. Perrone at Assumption Grotto Parish in Detroit, which turns out to be just 12-15 minutes from my home.

Best thing that ever happened to me was finding that priest and that parish. Not only is it a base for T.O. Carmelites, the contemplative order called the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross and Holy Cross Sisters are there. They are related to Opus Sanctum Angelorum - Work of the Angels and their website has a lot of good info for any contemplative spirit to ponder. This particular order is an ancient order that had gone through “civil extinction” when it was ordered closed by the Portuguese Govt a long time ago. Their principles were so close to Opus Sanctum Angelorum that they resurrected this Holy Order to continue its work in 1979. I find Assumption Grotto very inviting to any contemplative spirit.

opusangelorum.org/