Timeline:
00:00:00 Opening Scripture Song of Solomon 3:1-4
00:03:11 Tales of Glory Episode 153 Intro
00:05:43 What will Saint Teresa be discussing in Sixth Mansions iv Part 2?
00:09:02 Sixth Mansions Chapter 4 Outline
00:09:42 Outline V Seek the Bridegroom
00:10:01 nos. 14. The soul’s preparation.
00:14:22 nos. 15. The soul blinded by its faults.
00:15:59 nos. 16. God ready to give these graces to all.
00:18:45 Outline VI The Souls Experience During Ecstasy
00:19:07 nos. 17. Faculties lost during ecstasy.
00:25:40 nos. 18. Spiritual inebriation.
00:28:17 nos. 19. Fervor and love of suffering left in the soul.
00:32:30 Outline VII Teresa Experiences Her Ecstasy in Public
00:32:44 nos. 20. Scandal caused to spectators by such favors.
00:35:47 nos. 21. Our Lord’s predilection for such a soul.
00:37:48 nos. 22. Illusionary raptures.
00:42:49 Conclusion
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Show Notes
Discerning Hearts Ep. 21 Sixth Mansions Chapter 4 - The Interior Castle -/w Dr. Anthony Lilles
Opening Scripture Song of Solomon 3:1-4
Commentary Notes
V. Seek the Bridegroom
A. nos. 14. The soul’s preparation.
Canticles iii 2
3:2. I will rise, and will go about the city: in the streets and the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, and I found him not.
B. nos. 15. The soul blinded by its faults.
C. nos. 16. God ready to give these graces to all.
VI. The Souls Experience During Ecstasy
A. nos. 17. Faculties lost during ecstasy.
Life ch XX 18
18. (14.) This sorrow is so intense that I do not seek the solitude I usually prefer, nor company, except for someone to whom I might unburden myself. It is like someone with a noose around their neck, desperately gasping for air. Perhaps this yearning for companionship arises from human frailty, as the body and soul are pushed to the brink of death by this sorrow, seeking some relief to continue living, even against the spirit's desire, which would rather remain in this pain.
Life ch XX 23
23. (17.) It seems I have strayed from the topic, as I began speaking of raptures, and what I described earlier is something even higher than a rapture. However, the effects it produces are the same as those I previously mentioned. (18.) Let us now return to the subject of rapture itself, focusing on what is most commonly experienced in them. Many times, after returning from a rapture, I would feel my body so light as though all its heaviness had vanished. On some occasions, it was so pronounced that I barely noticed if my feet touched the ground. During the rapture, the body becomes like a lifeless thing, incapable of movement or reaction. It remains in whatever position it was in when the rapture began: if standing, it remains standing; if sitting, sitting; if the hands are open or closed, they remain so.
Although it is rare to completely lose consciousness, I have experienced it on a few occasions and only for a brief time. Usually, there is a kind of daze. The body cannot act, but the soul, in some way, understands and listens, though it feels as if everything comes from a great distance.
B. nos. 18. Spiritual inebriation.
C. nos. 19. Fervor and love of suffering left in the soul.
Life, ch XX. 30.
Life, ch XX. 29-30
29. So then, though I do all I can, my body has no strength to move for some time; the soul took it all away. Very often, too, he who was before sickly and full of pain remains healthy, and even stronger; for it is something great that is given to the soul in rapture; and sometimes, as I have said already, our Lord will have the body rejoice, because it is obedient in that which the soul requires of it. When we recover our consciousness, the faculties may remain, if the rapture has been deep, for a day or two, and even for three days, so absorbed, or as if stunned,—so much so, as to be in appearance no longer themselves.
30. Here comes the pain of returning to this life; here it is the wings of the soul grew, to enable it to fly so high: the weak feathers are fallen off. Now the standard of Christ is raised up aloft, which seems to be nothing else but the going up, or the carrying up, of the Captain of the fort to the highest tower of it, there to raise up the standard of God. The soul, as in a place of safety, looks down on those below; it fears no dangers now—yea, rather, it courts them, as one assured beforehand of victory. It sees most clearly how lightly are the things of this world to be esteemed, and the nothingness thereof. The soul now seeks not, and possesses not, any other will but that of doing our Lord's will, and so it prays Him to let it be so; it gives to Him the keys of its own will. Lo, the gardener is now become the commander of a fortress! The soul will do nothing but the will of our Lord; it will not act as the owner even of itself, nor of anything, not even of a single apple in the orchard; only, if there be any good thing in the garden, it is at His Majesty's disposal; for from henceforth the soul will have nothing of its own,—all it seeks is to do everything for His glory, and according to His will.
VII. Teresa Experiences Her Ecstasy in Public
A. nos. 20. Scandal caused to spectators by such favors.
Life, ch XX. 5-6
5. This has not happened to me often: once, however, it took place when we were all together in choir, and I, on my knees, on the point of communicating. It was a very sore distress to me; for I thought it a most extraordinary thing, and was afraid it would occasion much talk; so I commanded the nuns—for it happened after I was made Prioress—never to speak of it. But at other times, the moment 156I felt that our Lord was about to repeat the act, and once, in particular, during a sermon,—it was the feast of our house, some great ladies being present,—I threw myself on the ground; then the nuns came around me to hold me; but still the rapture was observed.
6. I made many supplications to our Lord, that He would be pleased to give me no more of those graces which were outwardly visible; for I was weary of living under such great restraint, and because His Majesty could not bestow such graces on me without their becoming known. It seems that, of His goodness, He has been pleased to hear my prayer; for I have never been enraptured since. It is true that it was not long ago.
B. nos. 21. Our Lord’s predilection for such a soul.
Life, ch. XXXI, nos. 15
15. Once, when I was much distressed at this, our Lord said to me, What was I afraid of? one of two things must happen—people would either speak ill of me, or give glory to Him. He made me understand by this, that those who believed in the truth of what was going on in me would glorify Him; and that those who did not would condemn me without cause: in both ways I should be the gainer, and I was therefore not to distress myself. This made me quite calm, and it comforts me whenever I think of it.
C. nos. 22. Illusionary raptures.
Supplemental References on the Interior Castle
Interior Castle: The Classic Text with Spiritual Commentary - My favorite reference.
Fire Within: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and the Gospel on Prayer -excellent reference!
Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer - Dan Burke great book!
The Essential Teresa of Avila - Interior Castle, Life, Way of Perfection in Modern English!!!
Till Next Time
Thank you for attending the "Interior Castle: Sixth Mansions" workshop. We finished chapter 4 on Raptures. Next time we move into another interesting topic, the flight of the spirit in chapter 5. We will likely move to Chapter 5, but the Holy Spirit controls the Tales of Glory programming schedule, and something else could be added in for Episode 154.
God Bless,
Rev. Mike
