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Friday, October 22, 2010
In this mansion are people who have begun to pray. They want to move on with their spiritual life but lack the discipline to do so because of attachment to sin. In spite of that attachment though, the Lord continually calls souls that reside in this second room of the Castle.
God holds these souls dear, she tells us, and speaks to them through others, through sickness and troubles, through spiritual reading and sometimes in prayer.
The more we open ourselves to hearing God, however, the more the devil comes after us, so we must be on guard. Souls in this mansion struggle with the pleasures of this world and of the opinion of others. The temptation is to return to the first mansion and not to go forward. The temptation is also there to run away altogether like the Prodigal Son in the Bible. The examples of others' whose good opinions we crave, sometimes sway us away from the Faith.
St. Teresa advises that we surround ourselves with those advanced in the spiritual life and not be tempted by those who would call us out from the journey to union with God. It is important to follow God's will and not to expect Him to follow ours. There is no magic formula that is necessary--only perseverance.
It is important to meditate on Christ. This, she says, is the only way to heaven.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Today is the feast of St. Teresa of Avila. Although she is my saint for 2010, I have done almost no work on her in the past year.
Today I began to read her Interior Castle, which is a description of a vision she had of the 7 mansions, an allegory of the stages of union with God.
We enter the first of the seven rooms in the castle through prayer. Teresa says it is crucial to keep in mind to Whom we are praying and to turn our minds towards Him. Contemplate Him, rather than focus our energy on contemplating ourselves and the cares of this world.
It is critical to keep in a state of grace and go to confession frequently.
Also, don't allow yourself to be too easily discouraged by a sense of false humility.
All are made for this union with God.
As I read more, I will post something about each room or mansion.
