Timeline:
00:00:00 Opening Scripture 2 Corinthians 12:1-6
00:03:05 Tales of Glory Episode 152 Intro
00:13:38 What will Saint Teresa be discussing in Sixth Mansions iv?
00:16:06 What is a rapture?
00:23:50 Sixth Mansions Chapter 4 Outline
00:26:00 Outline I Courage of the Soul and Raptures
00:26:42 nos. 1. Courage required by the soul for the divine espousals.
00:31:26 nos. 2. Raptures.
00:35:05 Outline II One Particular Kind of Rapture
00:35:16 nos. 3. Rapture caused by the spark of love.
00:37:03 nos. 4. The powers and senses absorbed.
00:33:30 nos. 5. Mysteries revealed during ecstasies.
00:46:55 nos. 6. These mysteries are unspeakable.
00:50:17 Outline III Understanding the Experience
00:50:43 nos. 7. Moses and the burning bush.
00:55:12 nos. 8. Simile of the museum.
00:57:30 nos. 9. St. Teresa’s visit to the Duchess of Alva.
01:00:13 nos. 10. Joy of the soul during raptures.
01:03:43 Outline IV Enraptured in an Intellectual Vision
01:04:11 nos. 11. No imaginary vision.
01:05:33 nos. 12. True and false raptures.
01:08:29 nos. 13. Revelations of future bliss.
01:10:47 Conclusion
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Show Notes
Discerning Hearts Ep. 21 Sixth Mansions Chapter 4 - The Interior Castle -/w Dr. Anthony Lilles
Commentary Notes
##Commentary 1.Interior Castle: The Classic Text With a Spiritual Commentary (Classics With Commentary)
by Teresa of Avila and Dennis Billy C.Ss.R. | Apr 1, 2007
Life XXXIX 30
30. These words of our Lord, and the consolation He gives me, fill me with the utmost shame, when I remember what I am. I have said it before, I think, and I still say now and then to my confessor, that it requires greater courage to receive these graces than to endure the heaviest trials. When they come, I forget, as it were, all I have done, and there is nothing before me but a picture of my wretchedness, and my understanding can make no reflections; this, also, seems to me at times to be supernatural.
IC M IV iii nos. 11
11. You, my sisters, are free from such dangers, as far as we can tell: God keep you from pride and vainglory! The devil sometimes offers counterfeits of the graces I have mentioned: this can easily be detected—the effects being exactly contrary to those of the genuine ones. Although I have spoken of it elsewhere, I wish to warn you here of a special danger to which those who practice prayer are subject, particularly women, whose weakness of constitution makes them more liable to such mistakes. On account of their penances, prayers, and vigils, or even merely because of debility of health, some persons cannot receive spiritual consolation without being overcome by it. On feeling any interior joy, their bodies being languid and weak, they fall into a slumber—they call it spiritual sleep—which is a more advanced stage of what I have described; they think the soul shares in it as well as the body, and abandon themselves to a sort of intoxication. The more they lose self-control, the more do their feelings get possession of them, because the frame becomes more feeble. They fancy this is a trance and call it one, but I call it nonsense; it does nothing but waste their time and injure their health.
##Commentary 2.
Life XX nos. 3-5
3. A rapture is absolutely irresistible; whilst union, inasmuch as we are then on our own ground, may be hindered, though that resistance be painful and violent; it is, however, almost always impossible. But rapture, for the most part, is irresistible. It comes, in general, as a shock, quick and sharp, before you can collect your thoughts, or help yourself in any way, and you see and feel it as a cloud, or a strong eagle rising upwards, and carrying you away on its wings.
4. I repeat it: you feel and see yourself carried away, you know not whither. For though we feel how delicious it is, yet the weakness of our nature makes us afraid at first, and we require a much more resolute and courageous spirit than in the previous states, in order to risk everything, come what may, and to abandon ourselves into the hands of God, and go willingly whither we are carried, seeing that we must be carried away, however painful it may be; and so trying is it, that I would very often resist, and exert all my strength, particularly at those times when the rapture was coming on me in public. I did so, too, very often when I was alone, because I was afraid of delusions. Occasionally I was able, by great efforts, to make a slight resistance; but afterwards I was worn out, like a person who had been contending with a strong giant; at other times it was impossible to resist at all: my soul was carried away, and almost always my head with it,—I had no power over it,—and now and then the whole body as well, so that it was lifted up from the ground.
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.
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
I hope you were blessed with our series on going deeper in prayer with Jesus. The Sixth Mansions is an incredible stop on our journey in prayer stage development. It's where most of the supernatural happens in our prayer life. We are halfway through the Sixth Mansions chapter 4, and we will complete this chapter next time in part 2.
God Bless
Rev. Mike
