Spiritual Canticle Saint John of the Cross

by John of the Cross

Book by Saint John of the Cross

300 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

About the author

St. John of the Cross (Spanish: Juan de la Cruz), born June 24 1542, Juan de Yepes Álvarez, was a major Counter-Reformation figure, a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar and priest. He was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered, along with St Teresa of Ávila, as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He's also known for his writings. Both his poetry & his studies on the growth of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature & a peak of all Spanish literature. He was canonized as a saint in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII. He is one of the 33 Doctors of the Church. (less)

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

September 9, 2018: As I seem to have permanently lost this book, I am closing out my review for now. My hope is that someone who needed the book more than me is benefiting from its vast store of wisdom. I did finish 90% of the book and glean a great deal, yet even so I thought I had barely scratched the surface. At some time I may need to invest in another copy.

August 17, 2018: Have wanted to be finished with this book for a long time, but there is no hurrying through it. What is the hurry anyway? Why am I so eager to finish it? My neat-and-tidy-put-everything-away-so-the-house-looks-nice side, I suppose. But almost every week at Adoration I read a few pages and come across something like this and cannot go any further: “....this new capacity for adoration is a special gift of God—for before this they deserved neither to adore nor to see, such is the blindness of the soul without grace. Do we sufficiently appreciate adoration in prayer—that it is a gift of God?” p235


My sister recommended this author as a good source for supplementary material for John of the Cross. From past experience with him, I know I will need all the help I can get.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS OF JOHN'S MYSTICAL BOOKS

John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a Spanish mystic, Carmelite friar and priest, who was---along with Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582)---a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He wrote many famous books of mysticism, such as 'Dark Night of the Sou,' 'Ascent of Mount Carmel,' 'Living Flame of Love,' and 'Counsels of Light and Love.'

He wrote, "souls possess these same blessings by participation as He possesses by nature; for the which cause they are truly gods by participation, equals of God and His companions." (Pg. 219) He outlines "three estates or ways of spiritual exercise through which the soul passes until it reaches the said estate": the Purgative, the Illuminative, and the Unitive. (Pg. 239)

He suggests that "This, I think, one who has not experienced it will not succeed in understanding; but the soul that experiences it, seeing that it has yet to understand that which it feels so profoundly, calls it a 'something'; for, as it is not understood, so neither can it be expressed---although, as I have said, it can be felt." (Pg. 280)

He admits that "at times the torture felt in such visits of rapture is so great that there is no torture which so wrenches asunder the bones and strai(gh)tens the physical nature---so much so that unless God provided for the soul its life would come to an end." (Pg. 309) He declines to treat of "different kinds of rapture and ecstasy," because "the Blessed Teresa of Jesus, our mother, left notes admirably written upon these things of the spirit, the which notes I hope in God will speedily be printed and brought to light." (Pg. 311) He asserts that mystical theology, "the secret science of God, which spiritual men call contemplation... is most delectable." (Pg. 408)

John of the Cross, and Teresa of Avila, are essential reading for anyone even remotely interested in Christian mysticism.

[Mary Helene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on page 59 of 300 of Spiritual Canticle Saint: The problem with reading someone's else's notes on a spiritual classic is that those comments are often timebound and not in sync.
— Mar 29, 2013 05:24PM — update status