Timeline:
00:00:00 Show Opener - Interior Castle Fifth Mansions Chapter 2
00:00:33 Introduction - Welcome
00:02:07 Introduction to the Fifth Mansions (Fourth Water)
00:08:56 Fifth Mansions Chapter 4
00:09:18 Paragraph 1. The Spiritual Espousals.
00:12:25 Paragraph 2. The Prayer of Union Resembles a Betrothal.
00:17:46 Paragraph 3. Before the Spiritual Nuptials Temptations are Dangerous.
00:21:43 Paragraph 4. The Great Good Done by Souls Faithful to These Graces.
00:30:29 Paragraph 5. Religious Subject to the Devil's Deceptions.
00:38:22 Paragraph 6. satan's Strata-gems.
00:45:03 Spiritual Exercises - Contemplation
00:51:28 Conclusion
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Show Notes
Fifth Mansions Chapter 4 MP3 audio from Discerning Hearts
Paragraph Footnotes from this episode.
1. The spiritual espousals.
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199 Compare: ‘habebit fructum in respectione animarum sanctarum’ (Breviar. Rom. Ant. ad Laudes de Com. Virg.); ‘quasi apis argumentosa Domino deservisti’ (Ibid. Feast of St. Cæcilia.)
2. The prayer of union resembles a betrothal.
2
200 Life, ch. xviii.
3. The senses were permitted before, as I have said/ to give some signs of the great joy they feel ; but now, in this state, the joy of the soul is incomparably greater, and the power of showing it is still less for there is no; power in the body, and the soul has none, whereby this fruition can be made known. Everything of that kind would be a great hindrance, a torment, and a disturbance of its rest. And I say, if it really be a union of all the faculties, that the soul, even if it wished, I mean, when it is in union, cannot make it known; and if it can, then it is not union at all.
4. How this, which we call union, is effected, and what it is, I cannot tell. Mystical theology explains it, and I do not know the terms of that science nor; can I understand what the mind is, nor how it differs from the soul or the spirit either: all three seem to me but one ; though I do know that the soul sometimes leaps forth out of itself, like a fire that is burning and is become a flame; and occasionally this fire increases violently the flame ascends high above the fire but; it is not therefore a different thing: it is still the same flame of the same fire. Your learning, my fathers, will enable you to understand the matter; I can go no further.
201 Way of Perf. ch. xxxi. 10.
10. O holy prayer, wherein unwittingly we crave so great a good! What a blessed petition to make! This, sisters, is the reason I want us to say the Pater Noster and other prayers with care and to think about what we ask for in them. Most certainly, when once God has shown us this favour, we ought to forget all worldly things, for the Lord of the whole earth has come and cast them forth. I do not mean that all who have enjoyed the prayer of quiet must necessarily be detached from everything in this world; but I wish them to know what they ought to be, and to try to mortify themselves in every way, otherwise they will stop here. They should not ask for so precious a gift as if it were worthless, and if God grants it them, let them not throw it back at Him.
3. Before the spiritual nuptials temptations are dangerous.
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202 Phil. a SS. Trinit. l.c. p. iii. tract. i. disc. ii. art. 2.
4. The great good done by souls faithful to these graces.
203 Contrast with this paragraph what the Saint says in her Life, ch. xix. § 8.
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Life ch. xix. 8
8. In this the devil turned his batteries against me, and I suffered so much because I thought it showed but
little humility if I persevered in prayer when I was so wicked, that as I have already said I gave it up for a year and a half at least, for a year, but I do not remember distinctly the other six months. This could not have been, neither was it, anything else but to throw myself down into hell; there was no need of any devils to drag me thither. O my God, was there ever blindness so great as this ? How well Satan prepares his measures for his purpose, when he pursues us in this way! The traitor knows that he has already lost that soul which perseveres in prayer, and that every fall which he can bring about helps it, by the goodness of God, to make greater progress in His service. Satan has some interest in this.
5. Religious subject to the devil’s deceptions.
204 Life, ch, xxxvi. 26; xxxix. 14. Found. ch. i. 1-4.
205 Way of Perf. ch. i, 2; xiii. 3. Found. ch. i. 3.
204 Life, ch, xxxvi. 26;
26. It is the greatest consolation to me to find myself among those who are so detached. Their occupation is to learn how they may advance in the service of God. Solitude is their delight; and the thought of being visited by any one, even of their nearest kindred, is a trial, unless it helps them to kindle more and more their love of the Bridegroom. Accordingly, none come to this house who do not aim at this otherwise; they neither give nor receive any pleasure from their visits. Their conversation is of God only; and so he whose conversation is different does not understand them, and they do not understand him.
6. Satan’s strata-gems.
None
Till Next Time
Next episode wherever the Holy Spirit lands us. Fifth Mansions Chapter 4 Part II? Exodus 34? Other? See you in episode 140!
God Bless
Rev. Mike
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