Contemplative Haven: Fifth Mansions (Part 2 of 4) 
Fifth Mansions (Part 2 of 4)
In the Fifth Mansions, St. Teresa uses imagery of a silkworm to teach us about the soul. The silkworm, she says, starts as a seedlike entity which appears to be dead until the warm weather arrives. Then it begins to feed upon the leaves of the mulberry tree, and when full-grown, attaches itself to a twig, spinning its silk into a cocoon. It enters the cocoon as a large, ugly worm, is transformed, and emerges as a beautiful, white butterfly.
In St. Teresa's analogy, the silkworm is the soul; the warm weather is "the heat which comes from the Holy Spirit"; the twigs are general help from God, as well as such things as frequent confession, good books and sermons, all of which become life-sustaining nourishment for the soul. The cocoon, or house in which it is to die, is Christ, and it will die with the practice of penance, prayer, mortification, obedience and other good works. In the Prayer of Union, the soul is the worm in the cocoon, completely "hidden in His greatness", and "quite dead to the world", but when the soul emerges from this prayer, it has been transformed into a "little white butterfly".
Upon emerging, the soul is anxious to praise the Lord, is unable to understand why it was so blessed since it did not merit it, seeks penance, longs for solitude, desires to suffer trials, and is deeply distressed whenever it sees the Lord being offended.
Now comes a difficult, restless period in life; there is a real sense of conflict and sad confusion. In its cocoon, hidden in the greatness of God, the soul was happy, yet it wouldn't wish to be a worm again. Though it has been transformed into a butterfly by feeding on the things of the Lord, it cannot seem to find true happiness or rest - there are few places in the world for a transformed soul, and few ways for it to accomplish its desires. St. Teresa tells us, "this little butterfly feels a stranger to things of the earth". This discontentment is a trial, but one from a "noble source". It is a "sublime" trial, and so the soul, paradoxically, can enjoy peace at the same time, and "to a very high degree".
Another trial for the soul in the Fifth Mansions is sadness arising from the fact that it cannot perform greater things for the Lord, and also that it so often sees Him being offended. This is not the same kind of natural sorrow or grief that arises from meditating on the Passion or on how greatly humanity has offended God; this grief "seems to tear it to pieces and grind it to powder". This is a supernatural grief, given to a soul who has handed over its will to the Lord.
But why would the Lord desire to give a soul grief? What is His will in this matter? St. Teresa says that, "the soul shall go thence sealed with His seal". The soul has become like wax, and the "seal is impressed upon it". This supernatural grief, beyond all human understanding, is a tremendous gift from God, for, "He gives the soul something of His own, which is what His Son had in this life." And what did the Son have, the Son who:
"...saw everything and was continually witnessing the great offences which were being committed against His Father."
Grief. Unimaginable grief. Grief so deep that we can only be allowed a share of it through a supernatural infusion. We are given, in the Fifth Mansions, a participation in the interior sufferings of Christ.
In St. Teresa's analogy, the silkworm is the soul; the warm weather is "the heat which comes from the Holy Spirit"; the twigs are general help from God, as well as such things as frequent confession, good books and sermons, all of which become life-sustaining nourishment for the soul. The cocoon, or house in which it is to die, is Christ, and it will die with the practice of penance, prayer, mortification, obedience and other good works. In the Prayer of Union, the soul is the worm in the cocoon, completely "hidden in His greatness", and "quite dead to the world", but when the soul emerges from this prayer, it has been transformed into a "little white butterfly".
Upon emerging, the soul is anxious to praise the Lord, is unable to understand why it was so blessed since it did not merit it, seeks penance, longs for solitude, desires to suffer trials, and is deeply distressed whenever it sees the Lord being offended.
Now comes a difficult, restless period in life; there is a real sense of conflict and sad confusion. In its cocoon, hidden in the greatness of God, the soul was happy, yet it wouldn't wish to be a worm again. Though it has been transformed into a butterfly by feeding on the things of the Lord, it cannot seem to find true happiness or rest - there are few places in the world for a transformed soul, and few ways for it to accomplish its desires. St. Teresa tells us, "this little butterfly feels a stranger to things of the earth". This discontentment is a trial, but one from a "noble source". It is a "sublime" trial, and so the soul, paradoxically, can enjoy peace at the same time, and "to a very high degree".
Another trial for the soul in the Fifth Mansions is sadness arising from the fact that it cannot perform greater things for the Lord, and also that it so often sees Him being offended. This is not the same kind of natural sorrow or grief that arises from meditating on the Passion or on how greatly humanity has offended God; this grief "seems to tear it to pieces and grind it to powder". This is a supernatural grief, given to a soul who has handed over its will to the Lord.
But why would the Lord desire to give a soul grief? What is His will in this matter? St. Teresa says that, "the soul shall go thence sealed with His seal". The soul has become like wax, and the "seal is impressed upon it". This supernatural grief, beyond all human understanding, is a tremendous gift from God, for, "He gives the soul something of His own, which is what His Son had in this life." And what did the Son have, the Son who:
"...saw everything and was continually witnessing the great offences which were being committed against His Father."
Grief. Unimaginable grief. Grief so deep that we can only be allowed a share of it through a supernatural infusion. We are given, in the Fifth Mansions, a participation in the interior sufferings of Christ.
posted by Gabrielle at 11:30 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home