November 24 — Saint John of the Cross. &

" with different eyes now, for the light and grace of "the Holy Ghost differ from those of sense, the " divine from the human. 1 The dark night, through "whioh the soul passes, on its way to the divine " light of the perfect union of the love of Grod — so " far as it is in this life possible — requires for its " explanation greater experience and light of know- " ledge than I possess. For so great are the trials, " and so profound the darkness, spiritual as well as " corporal, which souls must endure, if they will " attain to perfection, that no human knowledge can " comprehend them, nor experience describe them. 2

" The journey of the soul to the divine union is " called night, for three reasons. The first is derived " from the point from which the soul sets out, the " privation of the desire of all pleasure in all the " things of this world, by an entire detachment " therefrom. This is as night for every desire and " sense of man. The second, from the road by which " it travels ; that is, faith, for faith is obscure like " night to the intellect. The third, from the goal "to which it tends, Grod, incomprehensible and " infinite, who in this life is as night to the soul. " We must pass through these three nights if we are " to attain to the divine union with Grod.

" They are foreshadowed in holy Scripture by the " three nights which were to elapse, according to the " command of the angel, between the betrothal and " the marriage of the younger Tobias. 3 On the first " night he was to burn the liver of the fish in the " fire, which is the heart whose affections are set on " the things of this world, and whioh, if it will enter " on the road that leadeth unto God, must be burned

1 Complete works of St John of the Cross, translated from the original Spanish by David Lewis, M. A. The obscure night of the Soul, Book ii. chap. ix. 2 The Ascent of Mount Carmel. Prologue.

8 Tob. vi. 18.

TIMB AFTER PENTECOST.

" up, and purified of all created things in the fire of " this love. This purgation drives away the evil " spirit who has dominion over our soul, because of " our attachment to those pleasures which flow from " temporal and corporeal things.

" The second night, said the angel, thou shalt be " admitted into the society of the holy Patriarchs, " the fathers of the faith. The soul having passed " the first night, which is the privation of all sensible " things, enters immediately into the second night, " alone in pure faith, and by it alone direoted : for " faith is not subject to sense.

" The third night, said the Angel, thou shalt obtain a blessing — that is, God, who in the second "night of faith communicates himself so secretly " and so intimately to the soul. This is another " night, inasmuch as this communication is more ob- " scure than the others. When this night is over, " which is the accomplishment of the communication " of God in spirit, ordinarily effected when the soul " is in ^reat darkness, the union with the bride, " which is the Wisdom of Go/L immediately ensues. 1

" 0 spiritual soul, when ttiou seest thy desire "obscured, thy will arid and 'constrained, and thy " faoulties incapable of any interior aot, be not " grieved at this, but look upon it rather as a great "good, for God is delivering thee from thyself, " taking the matter out of thy hands ; for however " strenuously thou mayest exert thyself, thou wilt " never do anything so faultlessly, so perfectly, and " seourely as now — because of the impurity and " torpor of thy faculties — when God takes thee by " the hand, guides thee safely in thy blindness, " along a road and to an end thou knowest not, and " whither thou couldst never travel guided by thine

1 The Asoent of Mount Carmel, Book i. chap. ii.

NOV. 24. SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS.

" own eyes, and supported by thy own feet." 1

We love to hear the Saints describe the paths which they themselves have trodden, and of which, in reward for their fidelity, they are the recognized guides in the Church. Let us add that " in sufEer- " ings of this kind, we must take care not to excite " our Lord's compassion before his work is com- " pleted. There can be no mistake about it, certain " graces which God gives to the soul are not neces- " sary for salvation, but they must be obtained at a " price. If we were to make too many difficulties, " it might happen that, to spare our weakness, our " Lord would let us fall back into a lower way. " This, to the eye of faith, would be a terrible and " irreparable misfortune.'' 2

<k For the interests of holy Church and the glory " of God, it is more important than we are able to " say, that truly contemplative souls should be mul- " tiplied upon the earth. They are the hidden " spring, the moving principle of everything that " is for the glory of God, for the kingdom of his " Son, and for the perfect fulfilment of his divine " Will. Vain would it be to multiply active works " and contrivances, yea, and even deeds of sacrifioe ; " all will be fruitless if the Church militant have not " her saints to uphold her, saints still wayfarers " (in via), which is t the state in which the Master " chose to redeem the world. Certain powers and a " certain fruitfulness are inherent to the present life ; " it has in itself so few charms that it will not have " been useless to show, as we have done, that it has " also some advantages." 3

1 The Obscure night of the soul. Book. ii. chap. xvi. 2 The Spiritual Life and Prayer, according to holy Scripture and monastic Tradition, Solesmes 1899. Translated by the Benedictine* of Stan-» brook. Chap. xiv. 3 Ibid. Chap. xix.

TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

Let us now read th Catharine in the book of

Catharina, nobilis yirgo Alexandrina, a prima setate studia liberalium artium cum fidei ardore conjungens, brevi ad earn sanctitatis et doctrinae perfectionem pervenit, ut decern et octo anuos nata eruditissimum quemque superaret. Quae cum Maximini jussu multos propter christians religionis professionem varie tormentis cruciatos, ad supplicium rapi videret, non dubitanter ipsum adiit Maximinum, eique nefariam immanitatem objiciens, sapientissimis rationibus Christi fidem ad salutem necessariam esse affirmavit.

Oujus prudentiam Maximums admiratus, retineri earn jubet, accersitis undique doctissimis hominibus, magnisque propositis praemiis, qui convictam Catharinam a Ohristi fide ad idolorum cultum perduxissent. Quod contra accidit. Nam plures philosophi, qui ad earn coarguendam convene - rant, vi ac subtilitate ejus disputationis tanto Jesu Christi amore sunt incensi, ut pro illo mori non dubitaverint. Quamobrem Maximinus blanditiis ac promissis Oatharinam de sententia deducere aggreditur : verum id frustra fieri intelligens, verberibus affectam, plumbatisque contusam, di-

3 abridged Legend of St. holy Church.

Catharine, a noble virgin of Alexandria, united from early youth the study of the liberal arts with an ardent faith ; and attained in a short time to such a degree of holiness and science, mat at the age of eighteen she surpassed the most learned men. Seeing many, at the command of Maximin, cruelly tortured and executed for professing the Christian religion, she went boldly to Maximin himself and reproached him for his impious cruelty, showing him by wise reasons that faith in Christ is necessary for salvation.

Maximin, marvelling at her wisdom, caused her to be kept in custody. Then he summoned the most learned men from all parts, and promised a large reward to him that should refute Catharine's arguments, and lead her from the faith of Christ to the worship of idols. Bat the result was contrary to his expectations. For many of the philosophers who had assembled to refute her were, by the force and subtility of her reasoning, so enkindled with love of Jesus Christ, that they were ready to die for him. Maximin next tried to seduce her by flatteries and promises ; but Seeing his labour lost, he caused her to be lashed and airimas Ecclesiam Dei id temporis illustrantes recenseretur.

Singulari vitse austeritate, et omnium virtutum praesidio munitus, prae assidua rerum divinarum contemplatione, diuturnas et mirabiles extases frequenter patiebatur : tantoque in Deum sestuabat amore, ut, cum divinu ignis sese intro diutius continere non posset, foras erumpere, 03 usque vultum irradiare visus sit. Proximorum saluti summopere intentus, turn in verbi Dei praedicatione, turn in sacramentorum administration© fuit assiduus. Hinc tot meritis auctus, strictiorisque disciplines promovendae ardore vehementer accensus, sanctae Teresiae comes divinitus datus est, ut quam ipsa inter sorores primaevam Carmeli ordinis observantiam instauraverat, eamdem et inter fratres, Joanne adjutore, restitueret. Innumeros itaque una cum Dei f amula in divino opere promovendo perpessus labores, ccenobia quae ejusdem sanctaa Virginis cura per totam Hispaniam erecta fuerant, nullis vitae incommodis et periculis territu, singula perlustravit: in quibus aliisque quamplurimis ejus opera erectis, restauratam observantiam propagando, verbo et exemplo firmayit ; ut me- sa considered him worthy to be numbered among the holiest and purest souls then adorning God's Church.

Besides his singular austerity of life, John was equipped for the spiritual combat with the armour of all the virtues. He devoted himself assiduously to the contemplation of divine things, in which he frequently experienced long and wonderful ecstasies ; and his heart burned with such love of God that this divine fire could not be contained within, but would break forth and light up his countenance. He was exceedingly zealous for his neighbour's salvation, and devoted himself to preaching the word of God and administering the Sacraments. Enriched with all these merits and kindled with the desire of promoting stricter discipline, he was given by God as a companion to St. Teresa, that as she had restored primitive observance among the Sisters of the Order of Carmel, she might with John's help do the same among the Brethren. In carrying out this divine work, he together with that handmaid of God underwent innumerable labours ; and fearing neither sufferings nor dangers, he visited all the monasteries founded by the holy virgin in Spain, and himself erected others, propagating in all the restored observance and strengthening it by his words and example. Ha

TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

Nostra sonet Conditori,

Qui disponit omnia, Per quern dimicat iinbellis, Per quern datur et puellis De viris victoria ;

Perquem plebs Alexandrina

Feminse non feminina

Stupuit ingenia, Quum beata Catharina Doctos vinceret doctrina^

Ferrum patientia. Haeo ad gloriam parentum Pulchrum dedit ornamentum

Morum privilegia, Clara per progenitores, Ciaruit per sacros mores

Ampliori gratia. Florem teneri decoris, Lectionis et laboris

Attrivere studia : Nam perlegit disciplinas Sseculares et divinas

In adolescentia. Vas electum, vas virtutum, Beputavit sicut lutum

Bona transitoria, Et reduxit in contemptum Patris opes et parentum

Larga patrimonia. Vasis oleum includens, Virgo sapiens et prudens

Sponso pergit obvia, Ut, adventus ejus hora, Prseparata, sine mora

Intret ad convivia. Sistitur imperatori, Cupiens pro Christo mori ;

Cujus in praesentia Quinquaginta sapiente Mutos reddit et silentes

Virginia facundia. resound in praise of our Creator, who disposes all things; by whom they fight who are unskilled in war, by whose power maidens triumph over men.

Through him, the people of Alexandria stand amazed to see in blessed Catharine qualities that seem above her sex, when she vanquishes learned men by her science and the sword by her courage.

To the glory of her race she adds the precious ornaments of incomparable virtue; and noble by birth, she becomes more noble still by grace and holy living.

Tender is the flower of her beauty, yet she spares it neither labour nor study ; and in early youth she masters earthly science and that which is of God.

A chosen vessel full of virtue, she considers transitory goods as mire, contemning her father' 8 wealth and her ample patrimony.

Filling her vessel with oil, as a wise and prudent virgin, she goes to meet the Spouse ; that, ready at the hour of his coming, she may enter without delay to the feast.

Longing to die for Christ, she is led Tbefore the emperor; and in his presence, by her eloquence, puts fifty philosophers to silence.