Sixth Mansions Chapter 10 - More Effects of the Intellectual Vision on the Soul - TOG Ep 163

 In Tales of Glory episode 163, we are in chapter 10 of Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle. We explore further the effects of intellectual visions and how they shape the soul for deeper conversion in Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:38 Chapter X Outline for IC VI 10
 00:04:33 Chapter X Outline Topic I - Introduction to Intellectual Visions
 00:05:08  The Interior Castle Sixth Mansions Chapter X
00:05:17    Nos. 1. Reasons for speaking of these supernatural favors.
00:06:55    Nos. 2. An Intellectual Vision.
 00:17:51   Nos. 3. God compared to a palace to which His creatures dwell.
 00:20:46 Chapter X Outline Topic II - Jesus is Sovereign Truth
 00:21:15   Nos. 4. Forgive as we are forgiven.
00:22:22    Nos. 5. The vision shows God to be Truth itself.
00:26:17    Nos. 6. We should imitate God by truthfulness.
00:28:43    Nos. 7. Why God reveals these truths.
00:31:06 Spiritual Exercises 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION 

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Show Notes

The Interior Castle PDF (Zimmerman translation) from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Peers Translation) <- the translation used for the TOG podcasts.

 
The Interior Castle Sixth Mansions HTML  

The Sixth Mansions Chapter 10 audio mp3  - Discerning Hearts read by Kristin McGreggor

Commentary Notes

I. Introduction to Intellectual Visions

1. Reasons for speaking of these supernatural favors. 
2. An intellectual vision. 

Saint Teresa wrote here in nos 2.

These are not visions of the most sacred Humanity; although I say that the soul "sees" Him, it really sees nothing, for this is not an imaginary, but a notably intellectual, vision, in which is revealed to the soul how all things are seen in God, and how within Himself He contains them all.

Saint Teresa expands on this with her reference from her autobiography, Life.

Life, ch. xl. 13-16.


13. Once, when in prayer, I had a vision, for a moment,—I saw nothing distinctly, but the vision was most clear,—how all things are seen in God and how all things are comprehended in Him. I cannot in any way explain it, but the vision remains most deeply impressed on my soul, and is one of those grand graces which our Lord wrought in me, and one of those which put me to the greatest shame and confusion whenever I call my sins to remembrance. I believe, if it had pleased our Lord that I had seen this at an earlier time, or if they saw it who sin against Him, we should have neither the heart nor the daring to do so. I had the vision, I repeat it, but I cannot say that I saw anything; however, I must have seen something, seeing that I explain it by an illustration, only it must have been in a way so subtile and delicate that the understanding is unable to reach it, or I am so ignorant in all that relates to these visions, which seem to be not imaginary. In some of these visions there must be something imaginary, only, as the powers of the soul are then in a trance, they are not able afterwards to retain the forms, as our Lord showed them to it then, and as He would have it rejoice in them.

14. Let us suppose the Godhead to be a most brilliant diamond, much larger than the whole world, or a mirror like that to which I compared the soul in a former vision, only in a way so high that I cannot possibly describe it; and that all our actions are seen in that diamond, which is of such dimensions as to include everything, because nothing can be beyond it. It was a fearful thing for me to see, in so short a time, so many things together in that brilliant diamond, and a most piteous thing too, whenever I think of it, to see such foul things as my sins present in the pure brilliancy of that light.

15. So it is, whenever I remember it, I do not know how to bear it, and I was then so ashamed of myself that I knew not where to hide myself. Oh, that some one could make this plain to those who commit most foul and filthy sins, that they may remember their sins are not secret, and that God most justly resents them, seeing that they are wrought in the very presence of His Majesty, and that we are demeaning ourselves so irreverently before Him! I saw, too, how completely hell is deserved for only one mortal sin, and how impossible it is to understand the exceeding great wickedness of committing it in the sight of majesty so great, and how abhorrent to His nature such actions are. In this we see more and more of His mercifulness, who, though we all know His hatred of sin, yet suffers us to live.

16. The vision made me also reflect, that if one such vision as this fills the souls with such awe, what will it be in the day of judgment, when His Majesty will appear distinctly, and when we too shall look on the sins we have committed! O my God, I have been, oh, how blind! I have often been amazed at what I have written; and you, my father, be you not amazed at anything, but that I am still living,—I, who see such things, and know myself to be what I am. Blessed for ever be He who has borne with me so long!


3. God compared to a palace in which His creatures dwell. 

II. Jesus is Sovereign Truth

4. Forgive as we are forgiven.
5. The vision shows God to be Truth itself. 


Saint Teresa writes in nos. 5, 
This is a very good explanation of David's meaning in that Psalm where he says that every man is a liar.- One would never take those words in that sense of one's own accord, however many times one heard them, but they express a truth that is infallible.

Ps. cxv. 2. ‘Omnis homo mendax.’ (Latin Vulgate)

Psalm 116:11 (ESV)

11 I said in my alarm,
    “All mankind are liars.”


Saint Teresa also wrote in nos. 5,

I remember that story about Pilate, who asked Our Lord so many questions, and at the time of His Passion said to Him: ''What is truth?" And then I reflect how little we understand of this Sovereign Truth here on earth.

St. John xviii. 38: Quid est veritas? (Latin Vulgate)

John 18:38 (ESV)

38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

6. We should imitate God by truthfulness. 
7. Why God reveals these truths.

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!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cosmology and Demonology in Genesis 1-11: The Serpent, Divine Council, and Regional Spirits

I frequently discuss why we shouldn’t go outside our domain of authority and talk to angels, or try to put ourselves in the throne room of heaven. Do you know why? The modern church's view of angelology and demonology is wrong. It is not what Elijah, Ezekiel, and the saints believed. Where did the Apostle Paul get his language and context from Ephesians 6:12? It is not a choir of angels. They’re not even angels. An angel is specifically a messenger sent by God for a task. These bad guys in Ephesians 6:12 are divine spiritual beings - not messengers.  Did you know that demons are not fallen angels? Get the book! Highly recommended for the Tales of Glory audience!

Till Next Time

I hope you were blessed with this teaching on Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle, Six Mansions, Chapter 10, More on the effects of the Intellectual Vision.

God Bless

Rev. Mike

 

Saint Teresa of Avila - Interior Castle Fifth Mansions Chapter 01

 

Tales of Glory dives into Santa Teresa of Avila's Fifth Mansions Chapter 01. We are entering the Teresan Third Water stage of mystical prayer. In this episode we are edified by Saint Teresa with her fifth mansion experiences of union with God. How does the soul know this union takes place? What is certitude of the soul? And she warns us of being on guard with these experiences from our soul and satan fabricating false union experiences. Pull up your cozy lounge chair next to the fireplace. Pour your self your favorite beverage and sit back as the Doctor of Prayer of the Catholic Church edifies us in these amazing experiences with God in our interior life.

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Show Notes

Here you'll find notes from content I mention in the podcast.

Interior Castle Fifth Mansions Chapter 01 HTML

Discerning Hearts Fifth Mansions Chapter 01 Podcast

Discerning Hearts Audio Reading of Saint Teresa's Fifth Mansions Chapter 01

Notes on Fifth Mansions Chapter 01 No. 7 - the deep feeling on union

The Way of Perfection Ch 31 No. 10

This is a supernatural state, and, however hard we try, we cannot reach it for ourselves; for it is a state in which the soul enters into peace, or rather in which the Lord gives it peace through His presence, as He did to that just man Simeon.106 In this state all the faculties are stilled. The soul, in a way which has nothing to do with the outward senses, realizes that it is now very close to its God, and that, if it were but a little closer, it would become one with Him through union. This is not because it sees Him either with its bodily or with its spiritual eyes. The just man Simeon saw no more than the glorious Infant—a poor little Child, Who, to judge from the swaddling-clothes in which He was wrapped and from the small number of the people whom He had as a retinue to take Him up to the Temple, might well have been the son of these poor people rather than the Son of his Heavenly Father. But the Child Himself revealed to him Who He was. Just so, though less clearly, does the soul know Who He is. It cannot understand how it knows Him, yet it sees that it is in the Kingdom (or at least is near to the King Who will give it the Kingdom), and it feels such reverence that it dares to ask nothing. It is, as it were, in a swoon, both inwardly and outwardly, so that the outward man (let me call it the “body”, and then you will understand me better) does not wish to move, but rests, like one who has almost reached the end of his journey, so that it may the better start again upon its way, with redoubled strength for its task.

The body experiences the greatest delight and the soul is conscious of a deep satisfaction. So glad is it merely to find itself near the fountain that, even before it has begun to drink, it has had its fill. There seems nothing left for it to desire. The faculties are stilled and have no wish to move, for any movement they may make appears to hinder the soul from loving God. They are not completely lost, however, since, two of them being free, they can realize in Whose Presence they are. It is the will that is in captivity now; and, if while in this state it is capable of experiencing any pain, the pain comes when it realizes that it will have to resume its liberty. The mind tries to occupy itself with only one thing, and the memory has no desire to busy itself with more: they both see that this is the one thing needful and that anything else will unsettle them. Persons in this state prefer the body to remain motionless, for otherwise their peace would be destroyed: for this reason they dare not stir. Speaking is a distress to them: they will spend a whole hour on a single repetition of the Paternoster. They are so close to God that they know they can make themselves understood by signs. They are in the palace, near to their King, and they see that He is already beginning to give them His Kingdom on earth. Sometimes tears come to their eyes, but they weep very gently and quite without distress: their whole desire is the hallowing of this name. They seem not to be in the world, and have no wish to see or hear anything but their God; nothing distresses them, nor does it seem that anything can possibly do so. In short, for as long as this state lasts, they are so overwhelmed and absorbed by the joy and delight which they experience that they can think of nothing else to wish for, and will gladly say with Saint Peter: “Lord, let us make here three mansions.”

Notes on Fifth Mansions Chapter 01 No. 7 Spiritual Directors

Life Chapter 5 No. 3

Life Chapter 13 No. 19

Life Chapter 25 No. 22

Life Chapter 18 p 20 (I believe it is really 21-22)

21. He who begins is in need of instruction, whereby he may ascertain what profits him most. For this end 99it is very necessary he should have a director, who ought to be a person of experience; for if he be not, he will make many mistakes, and direct a soul without understanding its ways, or suffering it to understand them itself; for such a soul, knowing that obedience to a director is highly meritorious, dares not transgress the commandments it receives. I have met with souls cramped and tormented, because he who directed them had no experience: that made me sorry for them. Some of them knew not what to do with themselves; for directors who do not understand the spirit of their penitents afflict them soul and body, and hinder their progress.195

22. One person I had to do with had been kept by her director for eight years, as it were, in prison; he would not allow her to quit the subject of self-knowledge; and yet our Lord had already raised her to the prayer of quiet; so she had much to suffer.

Notes on Fifth Mansions Chapter 01 No. 10 The Canticles - the Song of Songs

Song of Songs 2

Song of Songs 3

'Til Next Time

Thank you for tuning in! We're moving through the mansions, and next time we enter into the Fifth Mansions - Chapter 2!

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God Bless!!!!

Rev. Mike