The Interior Castle

THIS CHAPTER SPEAKS OF THE MANNER IN WHICH GOD COMMUNICATES WITH THE
SOUL BY IMAGINARY VISIONS. STRONG REASONS ARE GIVEN FOR NOT DESIRING TO
BE LED IN THIS WAY; THIS IS VERY PROFITABLE READING.

1. The jewel in the locket. 2. The simile explained. 3. The apparition
explained. 4. Awe produced by this vision. 5. False and genuine
visions. 6. Illusive visions. 7. Effects of a genuine vision. 8.
Conviction left by a genuine vision. 9. Its effects upon the after
conduct. 10. A confessor should be consulted. 11. How to treat visions.
12. Effects of seeing the face of Christ. 13. Reasons why visions are
not to be sought. 14. The second reason. 15. Third reason. 16. Fourth
reason. 17. Fifth reason. 18. Sixth reason. 19. Additional reasons. 20.
The virtues more meritorious than consolations. 21. Fervent souls
desire to serve God for Himself alone.

1. Now we come to treat of imaginary visions, whereby it is held that
the devil is more liable to deceive people than by the other visions I
have already described. This is probably true. Yet when imaginary
visions are divine, they seem, in a certain manner, more profitable for
us than the others, as being more suited to our nature--with the
exception of the visions sent by our Lord in the seventh mansion which
far surpass all others. The presence of our Lord described in the last
chapter may thus be symbolized. Let us suppose that we have in our
possession a gold locket containing a precious stone of the highest
value and powers, which, though we have not seen it, we are certain is
in the case, and its virtues benefit us when we wear the pendant.
Although we have never gazed on it we value it highly, knowing by
experience that it has cured us of maladies for which it is remedial.
However, we dare not look at it nor open the locket nor could we do so
even if we wished, for the owner of the jewel alone knows the secret of
unfastening its casket. Although he lent it us for our use, yet he kept
the key for himself; he will open the trinket when he chooses to show
us its contents and close it again when he sees fit to do so.

2. Our Lord treats us here in this way. Now, suppose the owner of this
locket suddenly opened it at times for the benefit of the person to
whom he has entrusted it; doubtless the latter would value the diamond
more highly through remembering its wonderful lustre. This may be
compared to what happens when our Lord is pleased to caress the soul.
He shows it in vision His most sacred Humanity under whatever form He
chooses; either as He was during His life on earth [357] or after His
resurrection. [358] The vision passes as quickly as a flash of
lightning, yet this most glorious picture makes an impression on the
imagination that I believe can never be effaced until the soul at last
sees Christ to enjoy Him for ever. Although I call it a picture,' you
must not imagine that it looks like a painting; Christ appears as a
living Person Who sometimes speaks and reveals deep mysteries. You must
understand that though the soul sees this for a certain space of time,
it is no more possible to continue looking at it than to gaze for a
very long time on the sun; therefore this vision passes very quickly,
although its brightness does not pain the interior sight in the same
way as the sun's glare injures our bodily eyes.

3. The image is seen by the interior sight alone; but of bodily
apparitions I can say nothing, for the person I know so intimately
never having experienced anything of the kind herself could not speak
about them with certainty. [359] The splendour of Him Who is revealed
in the vision resembles an infused light like that of the sun covered
with a veil as transparent as a diamond, if such a texture could be
woven, while His raiment looks like fine linen. The soul to whom God
grants this vision almost always falls into an ecstasy, nature being
too weak to bear so dread a sight. I say dread,' though this apparition
is more lovely and delightful than anything that could be imagined even
though any one should live a thousand years and spend all that time in
trying to picture it, for it far surpasses our limited imagination and
understanding; yet the presence of such surpassing majesty inspires the
soul with great fear.

4. There is no need to ask how the soul knew Who He was or who declared
with absolute certainty that He was the Lord of heaven and earth. This
is not so with earthly kings; unless we were told their names or saw
their attendant courtiers, they would attract little notice. O Lord,
how little do we Christians know Thee! What will that day be in which
Thou comest as our Judge, since now, when Thou comest as a Friend to
Thy spouse, the sight of Thee strikes us with such awe? O daughters!
what will it be when He says in wrath: Go, accursed of my Father?'
[360] Let this impression be the result of this favour granted by God
to the soul and we shall reap no little benefit from it, since St.
Jerome, saint as he was, ever kept the thought of the last judgment
before his eyes. [361] Thus we shall care nothing what sufferings we
endure from the austerities of our Rule, for long as they may last, the
time is but a moment compared to this eternity of pain. I sincerely
assure you that, wicked as I am, I have never feared the torments of
hell [362] for they have seemed to me as nothing when I remembered
that the lost would see the beautiful, meek and pitiful eyes of our
Lord turned on them in wrath. [363] I have thought all my life that
this would be more than my heart could bear.

5. How much more must any one fear this to whom our Lord so revealed
Himself in vision here as to overcome her feelings and produce
unconsciousness! This must be the reason that the soul remains in a
rapture: our Lord strengthens its weakness so as to unite it to His
greatness in this sublime communion with God. When any one can
contemplate this sight of our Lord for a long time, I do not believe it
is a vision but rather some overmastering idea which causes the
imagination to fancy it sees something; but this illusion is only like
a dead image in comparison with the living reality of the other case.

6. As not only three or four, but a large number of people have spoken
to me on the subject, I know by experience that there are souls which,
either because they possess vivid imaginations or active minds, or for
some other reason of which I am ignorant, are so absorbed in their own
ideas as to feel certain they see whatever their fancy imagines. If
they had ever beheld a genuine vision, they would recognize the
deception unmistakably. They themselves fabricate, piece by piece, what
they fancy they see: no after effects are produced on the mind, which
is less moved to devotion than by the sight of a sacred picture. It is
clear that no attention should be paid to such fancies, which pass more
quickly than dreams from the memory.

7. In the favour of which I speak, the case is very different. A person
is far from thinking of seeing anything, no idea of which has crossed
the mind, when suddenly the vision is revealed in its entirety, causing
within the powers and senses of the soul a fright and confusion soon
changed into a blissful peace. Thus, after St. Paul was thrown to the
ground, a great tempest and noise followed from heaven; [364] so, in
the interior world of the soul, there is a violent tumult followed
instantly, as I said, by perfect calm. Meanwhile certain sublime truths
have been so impressed on the mind that it needs no other master, for
with no effort of its own, Wisdom Himself has enlightened its former
ignorance.

8. The soul for some time afterwards possesses such certainty that this
grace comes from God that whatever people may say to the contrary it
cannot fear delusion. Later on, when her confessor suggests doubts to
her, God may allow such a person to waver in her belief for a time and
to feel misgivings lest, in punishment for her sins, she may possibly
have been left to go astray. However, she does not give way to these
apprehensions, but (as I said in speaking of other matters) [365]
they only affect her in the same way as the temptations of the devil
against faith, which may disturb the mind but do not shake the firmness
of belief. In fact, the more severe the assault, [366] the more
certain is she that the evil one could never have produced the great
benefits she is conscious of having received, because he exercises no
such power over the interior of the soul. He may present a false
apparition but it does not possess such truth, majesty, and efficacy.

9. As confessors cannot see these effects, which perhaps the person to
whom God has shown the vision is unable to explain, they are afraid of
deception, as indeed they have good reason to be. Therefore caution is
necessary and time should be allowed to see what effects follow. Day by
day, the progress of the soul in humility and in the virtues should be
watched: if the devil is concerned in the matter, he will soon show
signs of himself and will be detected in a thousand lies. If the
confessor is experienced and has received such favours himself, he will
not take long in discovering the truth. In fact, he will know
immediately, on being told of the vision, whether it is divine or comes
from the imagination or the demon: more especially if he has received
the gift of discerning spirits--then, if he is learned, he will
understand the matter at once even though he has not personally
experienced the like.

10. The great point is, sisters, that you should be perfectly candid
and straightforward with your confessor: I do not mean in declaring
your sins that is evident enough--but in giving him an account of your
prayer. [367] Unless you do this, I cannot assure you of your safety
nor that you are led by God. Our Lord desires that we should be as
truthful and open with those who stand in His place as we should with
Himself; that we should wish them to know not only our thoughts but
especially all relating to our actions, however insignificant. Then you
need feel no trouble nor anxiety [368] because even if your vision
were not from God, it could do you no harm if you are humble and
possess a good conscience, for His Majesty knows how to glean good from
evil. What the devil intended to injure you will benefit you instead:
believing that God has granted you such signal favours, you will strive
to please Him better and will keep His image ever before your memory.

11. A great theologian [369] once said that he should not trouble
himself though the devil, who is a clever painter, should present
before his eyes the living image of Christ, which would only kindle his
devotion and defeat the evil one with his own weapons. However wicked
an artist may be, we should reverence his picture if it represents Him
Who is our only good. This great scholar held that it was very wrong to
advise any one who saw a vision of our Lord to offer it signs of scorn,
[370] because we are bound to show respect to the portrait of our
King wherever we see it. I am sure that he was right, for even in the
world any one who was on friendly terms with a person would take it as
an offence were his portrait treated with contempt. How much more
should we always show respect to a crucifix or a picture of our
heavenly Sovereign wherever it meets our gaze! Although I have written
about this elsewhere, I am glad of the opportunity of saying it now for
I know some one who was deeply pained at being bidden to behave in this
way. I know not who can have invented such a torture for one who felt
bound to obey the counsel given by her confessor, for she would have
thought her soul was at stake had she disobeyed him. My advice is, if
you are given such an order, that humbly alleging the reasons I have
set before you to your confessor, you should not carry it out. I am
perfectly satisfied with the motives given for doing so by him who
counselled me on this subject.

12. One great advantage gained by the soul from this favour shown by
our Lord is that when thinking of Him or of His life and Passion, the
remembrance of His most meek and beautiful face brings with it the
greatest consolation. In the same way, we feel happier after having
seen a benefactor than if we had never known him personally. I can
assure you that the remembrance of the joy caused by this vision gives
us the greatest comfort and assistance.

13. Many other advantages result; but as I have written elsewhere [371]
at length about the effect these visions produce, and must do so
again later on, I will say no more now lest I weary us both. But I most
earnestly advise you, when you know or hear of God's bestowing these
graces on others, never to pray nor desire to be led by this way
yourself though it may appear to you to be very good; indeed, it ought
to be highly esteemed and reverenced, yet no one should seek to go by
it for several reasons. Firstly, as it is a want of humility to desire
what you have never deserved, I do not think any one who longs for
these graces can be really humble: a common labourer never dreams of
wishing to be made a king--the thing seems impossible and he is unfit
for it; a lowly mind has the same feeling about these divine favours. I
do not believe God will ever bestow these gifts on such a person, as
before doing so He always gives thorough self-knowledge. How can that
soul, while filled with such lofty aspirations, realize the truth that
He has shown it great mercy in not casting it into hell?

14. The second reason is that such a one is certain to be deceived or
at least is in great danger of delusion, for an entrance is thus left
open to the devil, who only needs to see the door left ajar to slip in
at once and play us a thousand tricks.

15. Thirdly: when people strongly desire a thing, the imagination makes
them fancy they see or hear it, just as when a man's mind is set upon a
subject all day he dreams of it at night.

16. Fourthly: it would be very presumptuous of me to choose a way for
myself without knowing what is good for me. [372] I should leave our
Lord, Who knows my soul, to guide me as is best for me so that His will
may be done in all things.

17. Fifthly: do you think people on whom our Lord bestows these favours
have little to suffer? No, indeed! their trials are most severe and of
many kinds. How can you tell whether you would be able to bear them?

18. Sixthly: perhaps what you think would be your gain might prove your
loss, as happened to Saul when he was made king. [373] In short,
sisters, there are other reasons besides these; believe me, it is safer
to wish only what God wishes, Who knows us better than we know
ourselves and Who loves us. Let us place ourselves entirely in His
hands so that His will may be done in us; we can never go astray if our
will is ever firmly fixed on this.

19. Know that for having received many favours of this kind, you will
not merit more glory but will be the more stringently obliged to serve,
since you have received more. God does not deprive us of anything by
which we merit more, for this remains in our own control. There are
many saints who never knew what it was to receive one such favour,
while others who have received them are not saints at all. Do not
imagine that these gifts are continually bestowed; indeed, for one that
is granted, the soul bears many a cross, so that instead of longing to
receive more favours, it only strives to use them better.

20. True, such a grace is a most powerful aid towards practising the
virtues in their highest perfection, but it is far more meritorious to
gain them at the cost of one's own toil. I was acquainted with some
one, [374] indeed with two people (of whom one was a man), on whom
our Lord had bestowed some of these gifts. They were both so desirous
of serving His Majesty at their own cost without these great
consolations and so longed to suffer for His sake, that they
remonstrated with Him for giving them these favours, and if it had been
possible would have refused to receive them. When I say consolations,'
I do not mean these visions which greatly benefit the soul and are
highly to be esteemed, but the delights given by God during
contemplation.

21. I believe that these desires are supernatural and proper to very
fervent souls who wish to prove to God that they do not serve Him for
pay; so as I said, such people do not urge themselves to work harder
for Him by the thought of the glory they will gain, but rather labour
to satisfy their love, of which the nature is to toil for the Beloved
in a thousand ways. Such souls would fain find a way to consume
themselves in Him, and were there need that, for the sake of God's
greater glory, they should be annihilated for ever, they would count it
great gain. May He be for ever praised Who, in abasing Himself to hold
converse with us miserable creatures, vouchsafes to manifest His
greatness! Amen.
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[357] Life, ch, vii, 11.

[358] Ibid. xxix, 4.

[359] Life, ch, vii. 11, 12.

[360] St. Matt. xxv. 41: Discedite a me, maledicti, in ignem æternum.'

[361] 'Whenever I ponder on the Day of Judgment I am overwhelmed by the
thought and tremble from head to foot.' (St. Jerome). The following
saying is by some attributed to St. Jerome, though not to be found in
his works: Whether I eat or drink, or whatever else I do, the dreadful
trumpet of the last day seems always sounding in my ears: Arise, ye
dead, and come to judgment.' (Alban Butler, Life of St. Jerome). The
Life of Christ by Ludolf of Saxony gives this quotation with the word
vox instead of tuba (part ii. ch. lxxxvii. 9).

[362] Life, ch. iii.

[363] Excl. xiii, 3.

[364] Acts ix. 3, 4.

[365] Castle, M. vi. ch. iii. 12.

[366] Way of Perf ch, xl. 4.

[367] Life, ch. xxvi. 5; xxviii. 21.

[368] Way of Perf. ch. xl. 3.

[369] This was Father Dominic Bañez. Found. ch. viii. 3. Life, ch.
xxix. 6, 7 and note.

[370] Letters of Blessed John of Avila (translated by the Benedictines
of Stanbrook), i. 5, p. 19.

[371] Life, ch. xxviii. 13, 4.

[372] St. Teresa, when led in this way, always asked to be delivered
from favours so dangerous as visions, etc. See Life, ch. xxv. 20;
xxvii. 3.

[373] I. Reg. xv. 26-28.

[374] Life, ch. xl. 27. She herself was one, and the other, no doubt,
was St. John of the Cross.
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