Chapter III: Carmelite

WHILST the Carmelite School of spirituality tends towards contemplation, as the Prologue to the Constitutions of the Discalced Carmelites states – ‘ By a disposition of the Divine Will . . . our principal end is contemplation and the love of Divine things ’ – and so is largely affective even in the earlier stages of prayer, it does not neglect discursive prayer, a fact to be remembered by those who are tempted to tread the mystic path without it. St. Teresa herself, like St. Jane Frances de Chantal, though she desires her daughters to practise the simplest forms of affective prayer, and insists always that prayer consists ‘ not in thinking much but in loving much ’ (Foundations, Bk. III., chap. v.), yet has no doubt that mental prayer is necessary in the early ways of the spiritual life (Way of Perfection, Bk. V., chap. xix.). Indeed, in speaking of the highest degrees of prayer, she frequently insists on the need there may be of returning to meditation, which would hardly be possible if it had never been learnt and practised diligently.

St. John of the Cross says plainly, ‘ I do not want anyone to be mistaken as to what I think about the state of beginners ; meditation, the acts and discursive exercises in which the imagination plays its part are indispensable. This necessity arises from the fact that the soul requires matter upon which to exercise herself interiorly, of that which allows her to find a sensible taste of spiritual things ’ (The Dark Night of the Soul, Bk. II., p. 3, Spanish ed., 1912). Joseph of the Holy Spirit

(d. 1736), the last of the great Spanish mystics, says: 'Contemplation, unless preceded by meditation, is dangerous for the soul' (Theol. Myst., Scol. I., Disp. xxvii. 11).

In the nineteenth chapter of the Way of Perfection St. Teresa speaks of the 'many suitable books written by good authors . . . containing meditations for every day of the week . . . these books contain excellent teaching and a good method for the beginning and conclusion of mental prayer.' She had in mind such works as the Vita Christi of Ludolph the Carthusian, the Treatise on Prayer of Luis of Granada, the Art of Serving God of Alonzo of Madrid, and the Treatise on Prayer and Meditation of St. Pedro of Alcantara, all of which she was familiar with. She defines mental prayer as 'using the understanding much' (Inter. Castle, M. VI., chap. vii. 12) ; it consists 'in thinking over and realising what and with Whom we speak, and who we are that presume to address this great Sovereign. To consider this and other matters, such as how little we serve Him, and how greatly we should do so, is mental prayer' (Way, xxv. 2). The gate by which we enter the interior castle of the soul, and so gain that innermost mansion wherein God dwells, 'is prayer and meditation' – 'I advise everyone to practise it, even though they do not possess the virtues, for this is the first step to obtain them all ; it is most essential for all Christians to begin this practice' (Way, xvi. 2). Before vocal prayer, since this, to be good, must also be mental, 'a considerable time should be spent first in meditation . . . that you may realise Whose presence you are approaching, and to Whom you are about to speak, keeping in mind Whom you are addressing' (Way, xxii. 3, 5). 'To understand these truths is to practise mental prayer' (ibid. 6). In several places she mentions suitable subjects for this kind of prayer. 'The life and death of our Lord, and all we owe Him . . . let us begin by considering the mercy God showed us by giving us His only Son; let us not stop here, but go on to reflect upon all the mysteries of His glorious life . . . some part of the Passion, such as Christ's apprehension, dwelling on this mystery, and considering the points in detail to be pondered and thought over. . . . This is an admirable and very beautiful kind of prayer' (Inter. Castle, M. VI., chap. vii. 12, 13; cf. Life, xiii. 19, 20). Even those who have attained to contemplation, 'when the fire in our hearts does not burn and we do not feel the presence of God, must search for Him as He would have us do' (ibid. ii.), meditating upon the mysteries of the Incarnate Life, 'especially when these events are celebrated by the Catholic Church,' so that 'we shall not stand like blockheads, wasting our time in the hope of again receiving what we before enjoyed' (ibid. ii. 14). 'Meditation on the creature, and on His power in creating them, may be at times as pleasing unto Him as meditation on Himself, the Creator' (Foundations, vi. 7).

Of her own prayer she writes: 'At first, meditation on Thy grandeurs was an aid to me, and showed me more clearly my own immeasurable baseness' (Exclamation i.), and, 'This was my method of prayer; as I could not make reflections with my understanding, I contrived to picture Christ within me; and I used to find myself the better for thinking of those mysteries of His life during which He was most lonely. . . . I did many simple things of this kind; and in particular I used to find myself most at home in the prayer of the Garden, whither I went in His company. I wished, if it had been possible, to wipe away that painful sweat from His face. . . . I believe my soul gained very much in this way, because I began to practise prayer [oracion] without knowing what it was' (Life, ix. 4; cf. iv. 10). Later, in speaking of the difficulties and rewards of fidelity to meditation she adds, 'These labours have their reward, I know it; for I am one who underwent them for many years' (Life, xi.).

For those who, like herself, as she frequently tells us, 'cannot pursue a train of thought nor restrain the freaks of imagination,' she suggests the reading of a book of devotion so as to learn how to collect the thoughts (her own early practice for many years), to meditate on the words those Divine lips uttered'; and, more especially, 'first of all, you must make your examen of conscience, say the Confiteor and make the Sign of the Cross - then, as you are alone, seek for some companion - and where could you find a better one than the Master? . . . Picture this same Lord close beside you. See how lovingly, how humbly He is teaching you . . . practise it, practise it! . . . I am not now asking you to meditate upon Him, nor to produce great thoughts, nor to feel deep devotion: I only ask you to look at Him' (Way, xxvi.).

Even those who can make use of their understanding she advises not 'to spend the whole of their time in that way; for though it be most meritorious, yet they must not, when prayer is sweet, suppose that there will never be a Sunday or a time when no work ought to be done. They think it lost time to do otherwise; but I think that loss is their greatest gain. Let them rather place themselves in the presence of Christ and, without fatiguing the understanding, converse with Him, and in Him rejoice without wearying themselves in searching out reasons' (Life, xiii. 17). She outlines a meditation on the scourging of our Lord, in which 'it is well that we should make reflections for a time . . . but a person should not always fatigue himself in making these reflections, but rather let him remain there with Christ, in the silence of his understanding. If he is able, let him employ himself in looking upon Christ, Who is looking upon him; let him accompany Him and make his petitions to Him; let him humble himself and delight himself in Christ, and keep in mind that he never deserved to be there' (Life, xiii. 31, 32).

St. Teresa's teaching as to the conditions of mental prayer is so valuable and so imbued with her own spirit that it must be considered in any attempt to understand the Carmelite ideal. The Way of Perfection, specially written for her nuns, naturally begins by referring to the Rule and Constitutions and her own previous teaching upon them, but she deals especially with three matters, taken from the Constitutions, of which, she says, 'it is essential for us to understand how much they help us to preserve that peace, both interior and exterior, which our Lord so strongly enjoined' (Way, iv. 3). They are love of one another, detachment from all created things, and true humility. The latter, fruit of self-knowledge, she continually insists upon as the one and only foundation of the life of prayer. 'Your foundation must not consist of prayer and contemplation alone; for if you do not acquire the virtues and practise them, you will always be dwarfs, and please God no worse may befall you' (Inter. Castle, M. VII., chap. iv. 12, 13). Humility 'is the principal aid to prayer' (Way, xvii. 1); 'it is not only a good way, but the best of all ways, to try and enter first by the rooms where humility is practised,' but in order to gain self-knowledge 'the soul should sometimes cease thinking of itself to rise in meditation on the greatness and majesty of its God. . . . It is a great grace of God to practise self-examination, but too much is as bad as too little, as they say, believe me, by God's help, we shall advance more by contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves. . . . I think we shall never learn to know ourselves, except by endeavouring to know God, for beholding His greatness we are struck by our own baseness. His Purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His Humility we find how very far we are from being humble' (Inter. Castle, M. I., chap. i. 9, 10).

'We must walk in great humility; it is failure in this, I believe, which is the fault of those who make no progress' (Inter. Castle, M. III., chap. ii.). 'Where there is true humility, although God should never grant supernatural gifts [regalos] He will give a peace and resignation which will satisfy the soul even more' (Inter. Castle, M. III., chap. i.).

On this foundation 'always begin and finish your prayer with the thought of your own nothingness'; continually looked to and renewed, we must build up the house of our prayer life, beginning with a 'great and most resolute determination never to halt until we reach our journey's end, happen what may, whatever the consequences are, cost what it will' (Way, xxi. 1). Especially she warns us against those who tell us that we may injure our health or may fall into illusions. 'Take no notice of the warnings people give you or the dangers they suggest. It is absurd to suppose that one could travel along a road full of bandits to reach a costly treasure without running any risks. . . . A want of humility, of the virtues, may endanger you, but prayer - prayer! Never would God permit this!' (Way, xxi. 4).

An entire generosity is another requisite; we must give ourselves wholly 'not as one who gives a thing, meaning to take it back again.' Another reason why our resolution should be firm is that it 'lessens the Devil's power of tempting us. He is very frightened of determined souls, knowing by experience how they hurt him - if the enemies of our souls find us fickle, irresolute and wanting in perseverance in the right path, they will never leave it alone, day or night, and will suggest to it endless fears and difficulties. We must act courageously, then, knowing that all depends upon our gaining the victory, and without any doubt that unless we allow ourselves to be defeated, we are sure to succeed' (Way, xxiii.; cf. Life, xi. 20, xiii. 3, 4).

' His Majesty loves and seeks courageous souls ; but they must be humble in their ways and have no confidence in themselves ' (Life, xiii. 3).

Nothing is more important in the early stages of the spiritual life than to resist that ' temptation of beginners, ' the reformation of others. ' Let us look at our own faults, and not at other people's. . . . We ought not to insist on everyone following in our footsteps, nor to take upon ourselves to give instructions in spirituality when, perhaps, we do not even know what it is. Zeal for the good of souls, though given us by God, may often lead us astray ' (Inter. Castle, M. III., chap ii. 19).

' There is another temptation, which is very common ; when people begin to have pleasure in the rest and the fruit of prayer, they will have everyone else be very spiritual also. To desire this is not wrong, but to try to bring it about may not be right, except with great discretion and great reserve, without any appearance of teaching.' She gives an illustration from her own experience, for she had made others endeavour to pray, only to find that they contrasted what she said of the blessedness of prayer with her lack of the virtues, in spite of her prayer. ' And thus, during many years, only three persons were the better for what I said to them ; but now that our Lord has made me stronger in virtue, in the course of two or three years, many persons have profited ' (Life, xiii. 11, 12).

The soul that would enter the second mansion must seek to ' withdraw itself from all unnecessary cares and business, as far as compatible with one's state of life. This is so essential, that unless done at first, I think it impossible ever to reach the principal room [i.e. Divine union], or even to remain where he is, without great risk of losing what is already gained ' (Inter. Castle, M. I., chap. ii. 16). ' You know that His Majesty taught us (Matt. vi. 6) that the first point is that prayer should be made in solitude ' (Way, xxiv. 3).

We must gain the habit of retiring within ourselves, and this means both detachment and mortification. ' Prayer and self-indulgence do not go together ' (Way, iv. 2).

No advice is more necessary than that no one ' must expect to reap the reward at the beginning ; . . . what a farce it is ! Here we are, with a thousand obstacles, drawbacks and imperfections within ourselves, our virtues so newly-born that they have scarcely the strength to act (and God grant that they exist at all !), yet we are not ashamed to expect sweetness in prayer and to complain of feeling dryness in prayer.' If our Lord gives us consolations, let us thank Him for them, but ' His Majesty knows what is good for us, it is not for us to advise Him how to treat us . . . the sole aim of one beginning to practise prayer should be to endure trials, and to resolve to the utmost of her power to conform her own will to the will of God ' (Inter. Castle, M. II., chap. i. 14, 15).

We must learn, too, how to treat our faults aright. God allows us to fall in order ' to teach us to be more on our guard in future, and to see whether we grieve much at offending Him. Therefore if you lapse into sin sometimes, do not lose heart and give up trying to advance, for God will draw good even out of our falls ' (Inter. Castle, M. II., chap. i. 16).

Much that the Saint says about the treatment of distractions and aridity will be found in the chapter on difficulties. The last thing to be noted here is her insistence that the true test of prayer is the practice of the virtues and good works - ' not sweetness in prayer, ecstasies, visions and other divine favours of the same kind ' (Way, xviii. 5). ' When I see people very anxious to know what sort of prayer they practise, covering their faces and afraid to move or think, lest they should lose what tenderness and devotion they feel, I know how little they understand how to attain union with

God, since they think it consists in such things as this. No, my sisters, no; our Lord expects works from us !' (Inter. Castle, M. V., chap. iii. 11).

The first Carmelite to give a distinct method of mental prayer is John of Jesus-Mary (1564-1615), who was mainly instrumental in spreading the reform beyond the borders of Spain, notably in Italy. His Instruccion de los novicies became the text-book of the Carmelite novitiate, and it is in the second chapter of Part III. of this work that we find his Method of Mental Prayer. He follows the divisions given by Luis of Granada and St. Pedro of Alcantara, preparation, reading, meditation, thanksgiving, oblation and petition.

I. Preparation.

Remote

(a) The avoidance of occasions of distraction.

(b) The renouncement of superfluous occupations.

Immediate

(1) Consideration of the Divine Majesty, leading to reverential awe inspired by His transcendence and to love evoked by the thought of His condescension.

(2) Consideration of our own nothingness and sinfulness in order to gain humility and penitence, basis of true prayer.

II. The Reading, which may precede or follow the preparation. We must not seek for knowledge in itself, as in study, but for such knowledge as shall lead us to love God more. Any point which especially strikes us should be dwelt upon, for it is such thoughts which move the affections and the will.

III. The Meditation 'is nothing else than a discourse addressed by the intellect to the will,' with the end that we may assimilate and be penetrated by a particular truth, and so led to prayer, 'which nourishes and fortifies the will and impels it to action.' Thus, the shorter and more condensed the meditation is, the better the prayer will be.

IV. The Thanksgiving for the blessings of God, particularly those which our meditation has brought before our mind. In this act we should unite ourselves with the whole family of God in heaven and earth, especially with the heart of Jesus and of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in order to offer to so good a God all that immense sum of thanksgiving as from a single heart.

V. The Oblation. A fourfold act, springing from a heart full of gratitude.

(1) As a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise in union with the merits of our Lord and His Holy Mother.

(2) As a sacrifice of expiation for our sins.

(3) As a peace-offering, in order to obtain all that we need in order to arrive at the possession of God Himself.

(4) As an affirmation of our faith in God and of the homage we desire to render to Him, and of closer union with Him.

VI. The Petition – ' for have we not the right to claim that for which we have offered the price in advance ? '

With confidence, then, in the goodness of God, the Passion of His Son and the Divine promise, ' Whatsoever ye ask, believe that you shall have it and it shall be given you,' we beg the pardon of our sins, and for all things of which we have need; above all, for that sovereign good, the joy of the Vision of God. And that we may attain to that blessed end we ask for humility and all other virtues, for victory over our temptations, especially over our ruling passion. Nor shall we forget the needs of others, excluding no one and especially interceding for Holy Church.

The Ven. John adds several notes of explanation which, he says, require serious attention. Answering the question as to whether it is necessary always to adhere strictly to the method, he replies that whilst it will be found useful to do so unless God gives the soul some particular attrait, yet it is not absolutely necessary. For to pray by affective motions of the will is the whole purpose of the method, and whatever part most aids to this should be centred upon and remained in.

In the meditation proper we should picture the persons and things of the particular subject we have chosen as near to us, or even within us, as a help to avoid distractions. Yet this exercise of the imagination must not be too vivid, for it is possible ' to mistake our representations for the reality itself' and so fall into illusion. The warning is, of course, as old as Cassian, and is constantly repeated by spiritual writers, nor is it unneeded to-day, as priests who have to do with the devout are well aware.

It is necessary to guard ourselves against too much reliance in images formed in our minds by our thoughts, for, as a matter of fact, the same image – that of our Lord, for instance – may be the work of God, of the Devil or of our own imagination, and in all cases we must not trust our own judgment on such matters, but that of an experienced director.

Reflections should be used with moderation, more insistence being laid on the affections of the will. In all things the will should govern; care must be taken not to strain the mind by violent efforts; we shall only come to taste God by habituating ourselves in peace. We must not rest in every emotion (tout goût spirituel) which we may experience, for some are but on the surface and easily dissipate themselves without bearing any real fruit.

' The spirit bloweth where it listeth' ; it is as the whistling of the shepherd calling his sheep to pasture, so that if in our prayer we are drawn towards some thought which is not in the subject we have prepared, we must not hesitate to follow its call, since it will lead us to true prayer.

Those who are experienced, by long use, in meditation need but spend a short time in reflections, for their will, strongly convinced, will be habitually well disposed to prayer, and this is a sign of virtue or force of soul; there are others who also need to reflect little, being of a sensitive and impressionable nature: great attention is necessary to distinguish between these two quite different classes.

In the case of distractions, he recommends great care in coming to our prayer – guard of the eyes and against idle gossiping; if at the time of prayer distractions persist in spite of our efforts to drive them away, we should recite some vocal prayers slowly and meditatively, or even read some book in the same way.

No fixed rule can be given as to subjects of prayer for each individual, ' the best is that out of which each one draws most profit' ; but as this depends both on the individual mentally and the Divine attraction, nothing should be decided without advice.

It will be seen that the Ven. Carmelite holds the balance very wisely between the action of grace upon the soul and the need of human efforts under the influence of a responding to grace. He knows that prayer is an art, and so needs a sound and strong discipline as its foundation. He will have his disciples follow a method, not, however, for the sake of the method, but that, as in all art, they may rise to that perfect execution which is only possible to those who have submitted themselves to the guidance of a master and the rules he imposes. But he never loses sight of the fact – and it is a characteristic of all the true teachers of the spiritual life – that the Holy Spirit is the one

Conductor in the path of prayer, and that no method or director is meant to do more than aid the soul to follow the attrait of the Divine Spirit the more easily and freely.

A brief reference may be made to two other Carmelites of the Reform who speak of mental prayer.

The first, the Ven. Thomas de Jésus (1568-1627), was the founder of the Carmel Reform in Belgium and the author of treatises De Oratione Divina and La Meilleure Part, in which he defines meditation as ' not a dry research into Divine things, but an investigation accompanied by prayers, affections and compunction of heart.' A later writer, Joseph of the Holy Spirit (d. 1736), makes the common six divisions of mental prayer and says that meditation ' is an act of the intellect passing from one consideration to another . . . its occupation above all is the search for that devotion which determines the will to love, so that love is really the final end of the act of the intellect ' (Mystica Isagoge, Lib. IV., ix. 2, Tom. I., edit. 1720). Meditation proper contains three acts, the representation, the reflection and the calm attention. ' The first is an act of the memory, representing to the intelligence, after the reading and preparation, the subject to be meditated. Much time need not be spent on this. Then follows the reflection, more prolonged : then the tranquil attention, by means of which, without effort, the intellect perceives quietly, for example, all the ingratitude of the sinner and the goodness of his Saviour, the Christ suffering. The soul will dwell more upon this act than upon the preceding in order to pass to the rest of the classical parts of mental prayer.'