The Interior Castle

EGINS TO TREAT OF THE UNION OF THE SOUL WITH GOD IN PRAYER. HOW TO BE
SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DECEIVED IN THIS MATTER.

1. Graces of the fifth mansions. 2. Contemplation to be striven for. 3.
Physical effects of the Prayer of union. 4. Amazement of the intellect.
5. The Prayer of union and of quiet contrasted. 6. Divine and earthly
union. 7. Competent directors in these matters. 8. Proof of union. 9.
Assurance left in the soul. 10. Divine union beyond our Power to
obtain.

1. OH, my sisters, how shall I describe the riches, treasures, and joys
contained in the fifth mansions! Would it not be better to say nothing
about them? They are impossible to depict, nor can the mind conceive,
nor any comparisons portray them, all earthly things being too vile to
serve the purpose. Send me, O my Lord, light from heaven that I may
give some to these Thy servants, some of whom by Thy good will often
enjoy these delights, lest the devil in the guise of an angel of light
should deceive those whose only desire is to please Thee.

2. I said some,' but in reality there are very few [154] who never
enter this mansion: some more and some less, but most of them may be
said at least to gain admittance into these rooms. I think that certain
graces I am about to describe are bestowed on only a few of the nuns,
but if the rest only arrive at the portal they receive a great boon
from God, for many are called, but few are chosen.' [155] All we who
wear the holy habit of the Carmelites are called to prayer and
contemplation. This was the object of our Order, [156] to this
lineage we belong. Our holy Fathers of Mount Carmel sought in perfect
solitude and utter contempt of the world for this treasure, this
precious pearl, [157] of which we speak, and we are their
descendants. How little do most of us care to prepare our souls, that
our Lord may reveal this jewel to us! Outwardly we may appear to
practise the requisite virtues, but we have far more to do than this
before it is possible to attain to contemplation, to gain which we
should neglect no means, either small or great. Rouse yourselves, my
sisters, and since some foretaste of heaven may be had on earth, beg
our Lord to give us grace not to miss it through our own fault. Ask Him
to show us where to find it--ask Him to give us strength of soul to dig
until we find this hidden treasure, which lies buried within our
hearts, as I wish to show you if it please God to enable me. I said
strength of soul,' that you might understand that strength of body is
not indispensable when our Lord God chooses to withhold it. He makes it
impossible for no one to gain these riches, but is content that each
should do his best. Blessed be so just a God!

3. But, daughters, if you would purchase this treasure of which we are
speaking, God would have you keep back nothing from Him, little or
great. He will have it all; [158] in proportion to what you know you
have given will your reward be great or small. There is no more certain
sign whether or not we have reached the prayer of union. Do not imagine
that this state of prayer is, like the one preceding it, a sort of
drowsiness (I call it 'drowsiness' because the soul seems to slumber,
being neither quite asleep nor wholly awake). In the prayer of union
the soul is asleep, fast asleep, as regards the world and itself: in
fact, during the short time this state lasts it is deprived of all
feeling whatever, being unable to think on any subject, even if it
wished. No effort is needed here to suspend the thoughts: if the soul
can love it knows not how, nor whom it loves, nor what it desires. In
fact, it has died entirely to this world, to live more truly than ever
in God. This is a delicious death, for the soul is deprived of the
faculties it exercised while in the body: [159] delicious because,
(although not really the case), it seems to have left its mortal
covering to abide more entirely in God. So completely does this take
place, that I know not whether the body retains sufficient life to
continue breathing; on consideration, I believe it does not; at any
rate, if it still breathes, it does so unconsciously.

4. The mind entirely concentrates itself on trying to understand what
is happening, which is beyond its power; it is so astounded that, if
consciousness is not completely lost, at least no movement is possible:
the person may be compared to one who falls into a dead faint with
dismay. [160]

5. Oh, mighty secrets of God! Never should I weary of trying to explain
them if I thought it possible to succeed! I would write a thousand
foolish things that one might be to the point, if only it might make us
praise God more. I said this prayer produced no drowsiness in the mind;
on the other hand, in the prayer (of quiet) described in the last
mansion, until the soul has gained much experience it doubts what
really happened to it. Was it nothing but fancy, or was it a sleep? Did
it come from God or from the devil, disguised as an angel of light?'
The mind feels a thousand misgivings, and well for it that it should,
because, at I said, nature may sometimes deceive us in this case.
Although there is little chance of the poisonous reptiles entering
here, yet agile little lizards will try to slip in, though they can do
no harm, especially if they remain unnoticed. These, as I said, are
trivial fancies of the imagination, which are often very troublesome.
However active these small lizards may be, they cannot enter the fifth
mansion, for neither the imagination, the understanding, nor the memory
has power to hinder the graces bestowed on it. 6. I dare venture to
assert that, if this is genuine union with God, the devil cannot
interfere nor do any harm, for His Majesty is so joined and united with
the essence of the soul, that the evil one dare not approach, nor can
he even understand this mystery. This is certain, for it is said that
the devil does not know our thoughts, much less can he penetrate a
secret so profound that God does not reveal it even to us. [161] Oh,
blessed state, in which this cursed one cannot injure us! What riches
we receive while God so works in us that neither we ourselves nor any
one else can impede Him! What will He not bestow, Who is so eager to
give, and Who can give us all He desires! You may perhaps have been
puzzled at my saying if this is genuine union with God,' as if there
might be other unions. There are indeed--not with God, but with
vanities--when the devil transports the soul passionately addicted to
them, but the union differs from that which is divine and the mind
misses the delight and satisfaction, peace and happiness of divine
union. These heavenly consolations are above all earthly joys,
pleasure, and satisfaction. As great a difference exists between their
origin and that of worldly pleasures as between their opposite effects,
as you know by experience.

7. I said somewhere [162] that the one seems only to touch the
surface of the body, while the other penetrates to the very marrow: I
believe this is correct, and I cannot express myself better. I fancy
that you are not yet satisfied on this question, but are afraid of
deception, for spiritual matters are very hard to explain. Enough,
however, has been said for those who have received this grace, as the
difference between divine union and any other is very striking.
However, I will give you a clear proof which cannot mislead you, nor
leave any doubt whether the favour comes from God or no. His Majesty
brought it back to my memory this very day; it appears to me to be an
unmistakable sign. In difficult questions, although I think I
understand them and am speaking the truth, I always say it appears to
me'; for, in case my opinion is wrong, I am most willing to submit to
the judgment of theologians. Although they may not have had personal
experience in such matters, yet in some way I do not understand, God
Who sets them to give light to His Church enables them to recognize the
truth when it is put before them. If they are not thoughtless and
indevout, but servants of God, they are never dismayed at His mighty
works, knowing perfectly well that it is in His power to perform far
greater wonders. If some of the marvels told are new to them, yet they
have read of others of the same kind, showing the former to be
possible. I have had great experience as to this and have also met with
timid, half-instructed people whose ignorance has cost me very dear.
[163] I am convinced that those who refuse to believe that God can do
far more than this, and that He is pleased now, as in the past, to
communicate Himself to His creatures, shut fast their hearts against
receiving such favours themselves. Do not imitate them, sisters: be
convinced that it is possible for God to perform still greater wonders.
Do not concern yourselves as to whether those who receive these graces
are good or wicked; as I said, He knows best and it is no business of
yours: you should serve Him with a single heart and with humility, and
should praise Him for His works and wonders. [164]

8. Let us now speak of the sign which proves the prayer of union to
have been genuine. As you have seen, God then deprives the soul of all
its senses that He may the better imprint in it true wisdom: it neither
sees, hears, nor understands anything while this state lasts, which is
never more than a very brief time; [165] it appears to the soul to be
much shorter than it really is. God visits the soul in a manner which
prevents its doubting, on returning to itself, that it dwelt in Him and
that He was within it, and so firmly is it convinced of this truth
that, although years may pass before this favour recurs, the soul can
never forget it nor doubt the fact, [166] setting aside the effects
left by this prayer, to which I will refer later on. The conviction
felt by the soul is the main point.

9. But, you may ask, how can a person who is incapable of sight and
hearing see [167] or know these things? I do not say that she saw it at
the time, but that she perceives it clearly afterwards, not by any
vision but by a certitude which remains in the heart which God alone
could give. I know of some one who was unaware of God's being in all
things by presence, power and essence, yet was firmly convinced of it
by a divine favour of this sort. [168] She asked an ill-instructed
priest of the kind I mentioned to tell her in what way God dwelt within
us: he was as ignorant on the subject as she had been before our Lord
revealed to her the truth, and answered that the Almighty was only
present in us by grace. [169] Yet so strong was her conviction of the
truth learnt during her prayer that she did not believe him and
questioned other spiritual persons on the subject, who confirmed her in
the true doctrine, much to her joy. Do not mistake and imagine that
this certainty of God's having visited the soul concerns any corporal
presence such as that of our Lord Jesus Christ Who dwells in the
Blessed Sacrament, although we do not see Him: it relates solely to the
Divinity. If we did not see it, how can we feel so sure of it? That I
do not know: it is the work of the Almighty and I am certain that what
I say is the fact. I maintain that a soul which does not feel this
assurance has not been united to God entirely, but only by one of its
powers, or has received one of the many other favours God is accustomed
to bestow on men. In all such matters we must not seek to know how
things happened: our understanding could not grasp them, therefore why
trouble ourselves on the subject? It is enough to know that it is He,
the all-powerful God, Who has performed the work. We can do nothing on
our own part to gain this favour; it comes from God alone; therefore
let us not strive to understand it.

10. Concerning my words: We can do nothing on our own part,' I was
struck by the words of the Bride in the Canticles, which you will
remember to have heard: 'The King brought me into the cellar of wine,'
[170] (or placed me' I think she says): she does not say she went of
her own accord, although telling us how she wandered up and down
seeking her Beloved. [171] I think the prayer of union is the cellar'
in which our Lord places us when and how He chooses, but we cannot
enter it through any effort of our own. His Majesty alone can bring us
there and come into the centre of our souls. In order to declare His
wondrous works more clearly, He will leave us no share in them except
complete conformity of our wills to His and abandonment of all things:
He does not require the faculties or senses to open the door to Him;
they are all asleep. He enters the innermost depths of our souls
without a door, as He entered the room where the disciples sat, saying
Pax vobis,' [172] and as He emerged from the sepulchre without
removing the stone that closed the entrance. You will see farther on,
in the seventh mansion, far better than here, how God makes the soul
enjoy His presence in its very centre. O daughters, what wonders shall
we see, if we keep ever before our eyes our own baseness and frailty
and recognize how unworthy we are to be the handmaids of so great a
Lord, Whose marvels are beyond our comprehension! May He be for ever
praised! Amen.
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[154] Found. ch. iv. 8.

[155] St. Matt. xx. 16: Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.'

[156] Maneant singuli in cellulis suis, vel juxta eas, die ac nocte in
lege Domini meditantes et in orationibus vigilantes.' (Carmelite Rule).

[157] St. Matt, xiii. 46.

[158] 'The reason why there are so few contemplatives is that there are
so few persons who wholly withdraw themselves from transitory and
created things' (Imitation, bk. iii. ch. xxxi. 1). See also Way of
Perf. ch. xvi. 5. Life, ch. xi. 2-4; xxii. 18, 19.

[159] Way of Perf. ch. xxv. 1. Life, ch. xvi. Rel. I. i; viii. 7.

[160] Life, ch. xvii. 2.

[161] According to St. Thomas, angels--whether good or bad--do not know
the thoughts of man unless they become manifest by some exterior sign.
S. Theol. I. q. lvii. art. 4. See also St. John of the Cross, Dark
Night, bk. II, ch. xxiii. 2, 5.

[162] Mansion iv. ch. i, 5.

[163] Life, ch. viii. 15.

[164] Life, ch. xviii. 16.

[165] Life, ch. xx. 13, 24.

[166] Philippus a SS. Trinitate, l.c., pars iii. tr. i. disc. iv. art,
2, where he adds some further signs. Anton. a Sp. S., l.c., tract. i.
no. 116 and 117.

[167] 'The soul does not see the good Master who teaches it, although
clearly conscious of His presence.' (Concept. ch. iv. 3.)

[168] 'There are three ways in which God is present in the soul. The
first is His presence in essence, not in holy souls only, but in
wretched and sinful souls as well, and also in all created things; for
it is by this presence that He gives life and being, and were it
withdrawn at once all things would return to nothing. This presence
never fails in the soul. The second is His presence by grace, whereby
He dwells in the soul, pleased and satisfied with it. This presence is
not in all souls; for those who fall into mortal sin lose it, and no
soul can know in a natural way whether it has it or not. The third is
His presence by spiritual affection. God is wont to show His presence
in many devout souls in divers ways, in refreshment, joy and gladness.'
(St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, stanza xi. 2.) 'In every
soul, even that of the greatest sinner in the world, God dwells and is
substantially present. This way of union or presence of God, in the
order of nature, subsists between Him and all His creatures; by this He
preserves them in being, and if He withdraws it they immediately perish
and cease to be. And so, when I speak of the union of the soul with
God, I do not mean this substantial presence which is in every
creature, but that union and transformation of the soul in God by love
which is only then accomplished when there subsists the likeness which
love begets.' (St. John of the Cross, Ascent, bk. ii. ch. v. 3.) Fr.
Gracian, Peregrinacion de Anastasio (Burgos, 1905), p. 171.

[169] Life, ch. xviii. 20. Rel. ix. 17; xi. 8. St. Teresa was so deeply
impressed by the ignorance of this priest that she very frequently
referred to it.

[170] Cant. i. 3: Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua.' Castle, M. v. ch.
i. Way of Perf. ch. xviii. I. Concep. ch. iv. 4-8; v. 5; vi. 7; vii.
2-5. Life, ch. xviii. 17.

[171] Cant. iii. 2: Per vicos et plateas quæram quem diligit anima
mea.'

[172] St. John, xx. 19.
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