Praised be Jesus and Mary.
Saint John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, was born near Avila in Spain.
As a child, he was playing near a pond one day and slid into the deep water, but came up unharmed and he didn't sink again.
And a tall and beautiful lady came to offer him her hand.
And he said, no, no, you're too beautiful. My hand will dirty yours.
And then an elderly man appeared.
On the shore and extended his staff to the child to bring him to shore.
And these two were Mary and Joseph.
And another time he fell into a well and it was expected that he would be retrieved dead.
But he was seated, waiting peacefully.
And a beautiful lady, he said, took me into her cloak and sheltered me.
So we see that.
Our lady surrounded him with her protection.
And one day he was praying to our Lord to make known to him his vocation.
And an interior voice said to him, you will enter a religious order whose primitive fervor you will restore.
He was 21 years old when he entered Carmel.
And although.
He concealed his talents, he excelled all of his brethren.
His soul was an obscure.
It was in an obscure corner whose window opened to the chapel just opposite the most blessed sacrament.
He wore around his waist an iron chain full of sharp.
Points.
And.
Over a tight.
Vestment made of reeds that were joined by large knots.
And the priesthood.
Only redoubled his desire for perfection.
He thought.
Of going to to bury his existence in the Carthusian solitude.
When.
St.
John, whom God enlightened.
To his merit.
Made him.
The confidant of her projects for the reform of Carmel and asked him to help her.
St.
John.
Moved to a poor and inadequate dwelling and began a new kind of life conformed to the primitive rules of the order.
And shortly afterwards.
Two companions came to join him and the reform was founded.
With permission.
It wasn't without storms that it developed for.
Hell.
Seemed to rage and labor against it.
And if.
The people.
Generated John as a saint.
He still had to accept.
You know from those who should support him.
Incredible.
Persecutions.
Insults and.
Even prison.
When.
Our Lord told him that he was pleased with him.
And asked him.
What reward he wished.
He replied to suffer.
And to be scorned for you.
His reform.
Though approved by the general of the order was rejected.
By the older friars.
Who condemned him as a fugitive and an apostate and.
Cast him into prison.
And.
From which he.
Only escaped after nine months.
Of suffering.
And at that with the help of.
Heaven and at the risk of his life.
He took refuge.
In.
With the Carmelite nuns for a time saying.
His experience in prison had been an extraordinary grace for him.
It was there he wrote much of his poetry and.
He read it to the sisters.
And.
Then before his death he was persecuted.
By his.
Brothers and publicly disgraced.
When he fell ill.
He was given the choice of monasteries.
To which he might go.
And.
He chose the one that was governed by a religious who he had once.
Reprimand.
And.
Who could never forgive him.
For it.
And in effect.
You know he was left.
Unattended most of the time during his illness.
But at.
His death.
The.
Room was filled with a marvelous light.
And.
His unhappy.
Prior recognized.
His.
Sin.
And.
His.
Unhappiness.
And.
His.
Unhappiness.
And.
His.
Unhappiness.
And.
His.
Unhappiness.
And.
His.
Sin.
That he had mistreated a saint.
St.
John has left us many books.
Of practical.
Advice on spiritual.
Growth.
And prayer.
And they're just.
As relevant today.
As they were in his day.
These books include a scent.
To.
Of Mount Carmel.
Dark Night of the Soul, and a Spiritual Canticle of the Soul, and the Bridegroom of Christ.
And there are others.
St. John of the Cross believed that it was dangerous to get attached to spiritual delights,
and just as much as it is dangerous to get attached to worldly pleasures.
So let us not expect to get something from our prayer or our worship.
St. John would ask, you know, what more do you want, O soul?
And what else do you search for outside?
When within yourself you possess your riches,
delights, satisfaction, and kingdom,
your beloved, whom you desire and seek.
Desire him there, adore him there.
Do not go in pursuit of him outside of yourself.
You only become distracted, and you won't find him.
Enjoy him, more than by seeking him within you.
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