Sermons & Devotionals by St. John of the Cross

CHAPTER XXVIII Of seven evils into which a man may fall if he set the rejoicing of his will upon moral good. THE principal evils into which a man may fall through vain rejoicing in his good works and habits I find to be seven; and they are very hurtful because they are spiritual. 2. The first evil i... Read More

CHAPTER XXX Which begins to treat of the fifth kind of good wherein the will may rejoice, which is the supernatural. Describes the nature of these supernatural good things, and how they are distinguished from the spiritual, and how joy in them is to be directed to God. IT now behoves us to treat of ... Read More

CHAPTER XXXI Of the evils which come to the soul when it sets the rejoicing of the will upon this kind of good. THEE principal evils, it seems to me, may come to the soul when it sets its rejoicing upon supernatural good. These are: that it may deceive and be deceived; that it may fall away from the... Read More

CHAPTER XXXII Of two benefits which are derived from the renunciation of rejoicing in the matter of the supernatural graces. BESIDES the benefits which the soul gains by being delivered from the three evils aforementioned through its renunciation of this joy, it acquires two excellent benefits. The ... Read More

CHAPTER XXXIII Which begins to treat of the sixth kind of good wherein the soul may rejoice. Describes its nature and makes the first division under this head. SINCE the intention of this work of ours is to lead the spirit through these good things of the spirit even to the Divine union of the soul ... Read More

CHAPTER XXXIV Of those good things of the spirit which can be distinctly apprehended by the understanding and the memory. Describes how the will is to behave in the matter of rejoicing in them. WE might spend much time here upon the multitude of the apprehensions of the memory and the understanding,... Read More

CHAPTER XXXIX Of the way in which oratories and churches should be used, in order to direct the spirit to God. WITH regard to the direction of the spirit to God through this kind of good, it is well to point out that it is certainly lawful, and even expedient, for beginners to find some sensible swe... Read More

CHAPTER XXXV Of the delectable spiritual good things which can be distinctly apprehended by the will. Describes the kinds of these. WE can reduce all the kinds of good which can distinctly cause joy to the will to four: namely, motive, provocative, directive and perfective. Of these we shall speak i... Read More

CHAPTER XXXVI Which continues to treat of images, and describes the ignorance which certain persons have with respect to them. THERE is much that might be said of the stupidity which many persons display with regard to images; their foolishness reaches such a point that some of them place more confi... Read More

CHAPTER XXXVII Of how the rejoicing of the will must be directed, by way of the images, to God, so that the soul may not go astray because of them or be hindered by them. JUST as images are of great benefit for remembering God and the saints, and for moving the will to devotion when they are used in... Read More

CHAPTER XXXVIII Continues to describe motive good. Speaks of oratories and places dedicated to prayer. I THINK it has now been explained how the spiritual person may find as great imperfection in the accidents of images, by setting his pleasure and rejoicing upon them, as in other corporeal and temp... Read More

Wherein the soul sings of the happy chance which it had in passing through the dark night of faith, in detachment and purgation of itself, to union with the Beloved. 1. On a dark night, Kindled[67] in love with yearnings -- oh, happy chance! -- I went forth without being observed, My house being now... Read More