Dark Night of the Soul: St. John of the Cross (Book I, Ch. III & IV)

Chapter III
Of some imperfections which some of these souls are apt to have, with respect to the second capital sin, which is AVARICE, in the spiritual sense.
- Many can never have enough of listening to counsels and learning spiritual precepts, and of possessing and reading many books which treat of this matter, and they spend their time on all these things rather than on works of mortification and the perfecting of inward poverty of spirit which should be theirs.
- They burden themselves with images and rosaries...they put one down, now they take up another.
- Others you will see adorned with medals and relics [wearing these supersititiously thinking they will become holy just by wearing them instead of using them for their true purpose of devotion and in the true sacramental nature]
- I condemn the curiosity and multitude of these things, inasmuch as it is quite contrary to poverty of spirit. True devotion must issue from the heart, and consists in the truth and substance alone of what is represented by spiritual things; all the rest is attachment and affection proceeding from imperfection, and in order for one to pass from this to any kind of perfection, it is necessary for such desires to be killed.
- I know a person who for more than ten years made use of a cross roughly formed from a branch that had been blessed, fastened with a pin twisted round it; he had never ceased using it, and he always carried it about with him until I took it from him; and this was a person of no small sense and understanding.
- [Those of advanced spirituality] set their eyes only on being right with God and on pleasing Him. Thus with great generosity they give away all that they have, and delight to know that they have it not, for God's sake and for charity to their neighbor, no matter whether these be spiritual things or temporal.
- It befits the soul to contrive to labor, in so far as it can, on its own account, to the end that it may purge and perfect itself, and thus may merit being taken by God into that Divine care wherein it becomes healed of all things that it was unable to itself cure.

Chapter IV
Of other imperfections which these beginners are apt to have with respect to the third sin, which is LUXURY

- Some have many imperfections which may be described as spiritual luxury, not because they are so, but because the imperfections proceed from spiritual things. For it often comes to pass that in their spiritual exercises they are powerless to prevent it, there arises and assert themselves in the sensual part of the soul impure acts and motions, and sometimes this happens even when the spirit is deep in prayer. This can proceed from three causes.
1. The first cause from which they often proceed is the pleasure which human nature takes in spiritual things. For when the spirit is moved to pleasure and delight in God, the sensual nature, which is the lower part, is moved to pleasure and delight of the senses because it cannot [yet] possess and lay hold upon aught else, and therefore it lays hold upon that which comes nearest to itself, which is the impure and sensual.
- For example, this happens often in Communion, for when the soul receives joy and comfort in this act of love, because this Lord bestows it, the sensual nature takes that which is its own likewise, as we have said, after its manner. But when this sensual part is renewed by the purgation of the dark night, it no longer has these weaknesses.
2. The second cause whence tehse rebellions sometimes proceed is the devil, who, in order to disquiet and disturb the soul, at times when it is at prayer or is striving to pray, contrives to stir up these motions of impurity in its nature. Therefore, not only do persons become lax in prayer (for fear of these impurities), but some give up prayer altogether...since the devil attacks them then more than at other times, so that they may give up spiritual exercises.
- He succeeds in portraying to them very vividly things that are most foul and impure, and at times are very closely related to certain spiritual things and persons that are of profit to their souls, in order to terrify them and make them fearful; so that those who are affected by this dare not even look at anything or meditate upon anything, because they immediately encounter this temptation. And upon those who are inclined to melancholy this acts with such effect that they become greatly to be pitied since they are suffering so sadly; they believe it to be clear that the devil is ever present with them and that they have no power to prevent this.
3. The third source whence these impure motions are apt to proceed in order to make war upon the soul is often the fear which such persons have conceived for these impure representations and motions. Something that they see or say or think brings them to their mind, and this makes them afraid, so that they suffer from them through no fault of their own.
- There are also certain souls of so tender and frail a nature that when there comes to some spiritual consolation or some grace in prayer, the spirit of luxury is with them immediately, inebriating and delighting their sensual nature in such manner that it is as if they were plunged into the enjoyment and pleasure of this sin...the same thing happens to such souls when they are enkindled with anger or suffer and disturbance or grief.
- Some of these persons make friendships of a spiritual kind with others, which oftentimes arise from luxury and not from spirituality; this may be known to be the case when the remembrance of that friendship causes not the remembrance and love of God to grow, but occasions of remorse of conscience. When the friendship is purely spiritual, the love of God grows with it.
- But, when this lvoe arises from the vice of sensuality aforementioned, it produces the contrary effects; for the more the one grows, the more the other decreases, and the remembrance of it likewise...and again comes a certain remorse of conscience.
- Our Savior said in the Gospel: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (Jn 3:6)
- When the soul enters the dark night, it brings these kinds of love under control. It strengthens and purifies the one, namely that which is according to God; and it removes and brings the others to an end.

Dark Night of the Soul: St. John of the Cross (Book I, Ch. I & II)

BOOK THE FIRST
Which treats of the Night of Sense

On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings - oh, happy chance!
I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest.

- In this first stanza the soul relates how it dies to all things and to itself by means of true mortification, in order to attain to living the sweet and delectable life of love with God.
- A "dark night" is here understood as a purgative contemplation, which causes passively in the soul the negation of itself.
- Herein it extols the great happiness that none of the three enemies - which are the world, the flesh and the devil - could hinder; the aforementioned night of purgative contemplation lulled to sleep and mortified, in teh house of its sensuality, all the passions and desires with resepect to the mischievous desires and motions.

On a dark night

Chapter I
- Into this dark night souls begin to enter when God draws them forth from the state of beginners - which is the state of those that meditate on the spiritual road - and begins to set them in the state of progressives...that they may arrive at the state of the perfect, which is that of the divine union of the soul with God.
- The soul, after it has been definitely converted to the service of God, is, as a rule, spiritually nurtured ad caressed by God, even as is the tender child by its loving mother, who warms it with the heat of her bosom and nurtures it with sweet milk and soft and pleasant food, and carries it and caresses it in her arms; but, as the child grows bigger, the mother gradually ceases caressing it, and, hiding her tender love, puts bitter aloes upon her sweet breast, sets downthe child from her arms, and makes it walk upon its feet, so that it may lose the habits of a child and betake itself to more important and substantial occupations.
- Therefore, such a soul finds its delight in spending long periods - perchance whole nights - in prayer; penances are its pleasures; fasts its joys; and its consolations are to make use of the sacrements and to occupy itself in divine things...but then these souls will often find themselves, spiritually speaking, very weak and imperfect. For since they are moved to these things and to these spiritual exercises by the consolation and pleasure they find in them...[they will find it very difficult once God withdraws such consolations for the purpose of drawing them closer to Himself]
- [Let us take a look at the seven capital sins from a spiritual perspective and see how they affect beginners]

Chapter II
Of certain spiritual imperfections which beginners have with respect to the habit of PRIDE

- As these beginners feel themselves to be very fervent and diligent in spiritual things and devout exercises, there often comes to them, through their imperfections, a certain kind of secret pride, whence they come to have some degree of satisfaction in their works and in themselves.
- They have a certain desire to speak of spiritual things in the presence of others, and sometimes even to teach such things rather than to learn them. They condemn others in their heart when they see that they have no the kind of devotion which they themselves desire; and sometimes they even say this in words, herein resembling the Pharisee.
- In these persons the devil often increases the fervour that they have and the desire to perform these and other works more frequently, so that their pride and presumption may grow greater.
- Some reach such a degree of evil that these persons are wont to reach that they would have none appear good save themselves
- Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior, they consider that they do not understand them...and that their confessors themselves are not spiritual. And so they immediately desire and contrive to find some one else who will fit in with their tastes...Sometimes they even harbour ill-will against them.
- They occasionally give outward evidence of inward movements - sighs, ecstasies - in public rather than in secret, wherein the devil aids them, and they are pleased that this should be noticed, and are often eager that it should be more noted.
- They are too much embarrassed to confess their sins nakedly, lest their confessors should think less of them, so they palliate them and make them appear less evil, to excuse themselves rather than accuse themselves. Sometimes they seek another confessor to tell the wrongs that they have done, so that their own confessor shall think they have done nothing wrong at all, but only good.
- Some of these beginners, too, make little of their faults, and at other times become over-sad when they see themselves fall into them, thinking themselves to have been saints already; and thus they become angry and impatient with themselves, which is another perfection.
- They often dislike praising others and love to be praised...sometimes even seeking out such praise.
- There are hardly any beginners who, at the time of these signs of favor (consolation), fall not into some of these errors.

- Those who are moving on to perfection progress by means of humility and are greatly edified, having very little satisfaction with themselves; they consider all others as far better...the more they do, the less they are satisfied. All they do seems to them to be naught, and they never notice what others do or do not...they always believe others are better. If men should esteem and praise them, it seems to them strange that anyone should say these good things of them.
- These souls have a deep desire to be taught by anyone who can bring them profit; they are the complete opposite of those of whom we have spoken above, who would fain be always teaching, and who, when others seem to be teaching them, take the words from their mouths as if they knew them already.
- They rejoice when others are praised; they grieve only because they serve not God like them. They have no desire to speak of the things that they do, because they think so little of them that they are ashamed to speak of them even to their spiritual masters.
- They are more anxious to speak of their faults and sins, or that these should be recognized rather than their virtues...This is a characteristic of the spirit which is simple, pure, genuine, and very pleasing to God.
- The imperfections into which they see themselves fall they bear with humility, meekness of spirit and a loving gear of God, hoping in Him.
- God leads into the dark night those whom He desires to purify from all these imperfections so that He may bring them farther onward.

Chapter Five - The Mistake of Considering Cowardice a Virtue

- Many ascribe to virtue the cowardice and anxiety that arises from sin. Although this weakness is accompanied by some sorrow, it is founded on a hidden pride and presumption of one's own strength.
- Thus man who thinks he is far advanced in virtue looks with too much indifference on temptations
- He feels astonished at his fall, and finding himself deceived in his expectations, sinks into sorrow and despair.

Chapter Four - How to Discover Whether We Distrust Ourselves and Place Our Confidence in God

- If a man yields to anger and despairs of advancing in the way of virtue, it is evident that he places his confidence in himself and not in God. The greater the anxiety and despondence, the greater is the certainty of his guilt.
- The man who has a deep distrust of himself and places great  confidence in God is not at all surprised if he commits a fault. He does not abandon himself to confused despair; he correctly attributes what has happened to his own weakness and lack of confidence in God.
- He detests beyond all things the sin into which he has fallen; he condemns the passion or criminal habit that occasioned his fall; he conceives a deep sorrow for his offense against God.
- I sincerely wish that what has been proposed here would be attentively considered by many who think they are very devout.

Chapter Three - Confidence in God

- To distrust of self, we must add confidence in God

FOUR STEPS
1.) To ask it with great humility.
2.) To contemplate with an ardent faith the immense power and infinite wisdom of the Supreme Being. All that he demands is that we turn to Him with complete confidence. When this devoted Shepherd sees His strayed sheep finally returning to Him with a sincere, though perhaps weak intention of obeying Him, He is greatly please to see him united again to the flock, and invites the Angels to rejoice with Him on the occasion.
3.) We must frequently recall what we are assured of in the Holy Scriptures, the witnesses of truth in a thousand different places, that no one who puts his trust in God will be defeated.
4.) Before attempting to perform any good action, or to encounter some failing, we should look at our own weakness on the one hand, and on the other hand contemplate the infinite power, wisdom and goodness of God.

Chapter Two - Concerning Distrust of Self

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa

- Without this virtue, we cannot expect to defeat our weakest passions

- We are too apt to overestimate our own abilities and to conclude falsely that we are of some importance

- This distrust of our own strength is a gift from Heaven, bestowed by God on those He loves.

- He expects that we will do everythng within our power to obtain it.

HOW TO OBTAIN DISTRUST OF SELF

1.) We must meditate upon our own weakness; we cannot, without Divine assistance, accomplish even the smallest good 

2.) We must beg of God, with great humility and fervor. Then let us cast ourselves at the feet of Our Lord and earnestly beg Him to grant our request. We must do this with firm confidence  that we will be heard if we patiently await the effect of our prayer.

3.) We must gradually accustom ourselves to distrust our own strength, to dread the illusions of our own mind, the strong tendency of our nature to sin, and the overwhelming number of enemies that surround us.

4.) As often as we commit a fault, we must examine ourselves in order to discover our vulnerable points. God permits us to fall only that we may gain a deeper insight into ourselves, that we may learn to despise ourselves as wretched creatures and to desire honestly to be disregarded by others.

- Whoever seeks to approach the eternal truth and fountain of all light must know himself thoroughly.

- Disgraceful and unforeseen debacles happen through God's permission that they may know their own weakness, and, by sad experience, learn not to rely on their own strength.

- He permits persons to sin more or less grievously in proportion to their pride.

- As often as you commit a fault, immediately strive to probe your inner consciousness; earnest beg our Lord to enlighten you, that you may see yourself as you are in His sight, and presume no more on your strength. Otherwise you will fall again into the same faults, or perhaps much greater ones to the eternal ruin of your soul.

Chapter One - Preliminary Words on Perfection

- CHRISTIAN SOUL!  If you seek to reach the loftiest peak of perfection, and to unite yourself so intimately with God that you become one with spirit with Him, you must first know the true nature and perfection of spirituality.
- Some, who judge by appearances, make it consist in penances, in hair shirts, austerities of the flesh, vigils, fasting, and similar bodily mortifications.
- Others, especially women, fancy themselves extremely virtuous when they indulge in long periods of vocal prayers, hear several Masses, spend many hours in church.
- Others, and this does not exclude some of the religious who have consecrated themselves to God, think that perfection consist in perfect attendance in choir, in observing silence and in a strict observance of their rule. Consequently, different people place perfection in different practices. It is certain that they all equally deceive themselves.
- Since exterior works are nothing more than dispositions for achieving true piety, or the effects of real piety, it cannot be said that Christian perfection and true piety consist in them. They are, without doubt, powerful means for becoming truly perfect and truly holy.
- When used with discretion they are of unique value in supporting our nature which is always indifferent to good and inclined to evil; in repelling the attacks and escaping the snares of our common enemy.

TRULY HOLY MEN
1.) Such men chastise their bodies for past offenses or for greater humiliation and subjection to their Creator
2.) They seek solitude and observe silence that, withdrawn from the world, they may perserve themselves free from the least stain of sin
3.) Their time is spent in works of piety and in the service of God
4.) They pray and meditate on the life and Passion of our Redeemer, not through curiosity, but from a desire of knowing better the grandeur of the Divine Goodness and the depth of their own ingratitude
5.) They increase their love of God and detestation of self, to follow their Lord in shouldering His Cross, and in renouncing their own will.
6.) They receive sacraments for no other reason than the honor of God, a closer union with Him and greater security from the power of the devil.

- Those who are ignorant place their devotional in external acts; they are so attached to these acts that they utterly neglect to watch the inner movements of their hearts
- They [become vulnerable to] tricks of the devil, who fills their imagination with empty ideas, making them believe that they already taste the joys of Paradise, the delights of Angels, that they see God face to face!
- In every circumstance they love to be shown preference to others. They know no guide but their own private judgment, no rule but their own will. They are blind in their own affairs, ferret-eyed in regard to those of the neighbors, always ready to find fault.
- If God Himself, in order to open their eyes and to show them the true path of perfection, should send them crosses, sickness, or severe persecutions, the surest trials of His servant's fidelity, which never happen unless by his plan and permission, then the degenerate condition of their hearts is laid bare through their own extravagant pride.
- They know nothing of a proper conformity to the Will of God.
- They do not know how to imitate Christ Crucified, as He humbled Himself before all men; nor do they know how to love their enemies as the instruments used by God's goodness to train them to self-denial and to help not only in their future salvation, but in greater sanctification of their daily life.
- They are in imminent danger of being lost with eyes blinded by self-love
- They conclude that they are far advanced towards God and they readily look down on their neighbor.

- Spiritual life consists in a true sense of our weakness and tendency to evil, in loving God and hating ourselves, in humbling ourselves not only before Him, but for His sake, before all men, in renouncing entirely our own will in order to follow His.
- This is why we must practice self-denial...This it is that renders His yoke so sweet.
- Since, therefore, you seek the highest degree of perfection, you must wage continual warfare against yourself and employ your entire strength in demolishing each vicious inclination, however trivial. Consequently, in preparing for the combat you must summon up all your resolution and courage.
- Every person, in his own particular sphere, should begin with what is immediately required of him (before focusing on helping others)
- What God expects of us, above all else, is a serious application to conquering our passions...in a perpetual war with yourself.

FOUR WEAPONS
1.) Distrust of one's self
2.) Confidence in God
3.) Proper use of the faculties of body and mind
4.) The duty of prayer

The Spiritual Combat by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli (TAN, 1945)

Therefore take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice,

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace:

In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one.

And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).

- Ephesians 6:13-17

So begins this book, The Spiritual Combat, written by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, a Theatine priest of the 16th Century.

As with other books, I will not type out the full text but rather highlight some key points in a hopefully coherent manner.

I will do something different than ever previous by posting the Table of Contents below, subsequently linking those chapter titles to each future separate post as I do them.

God Bless


PREFACE

    The Spiritual Combat is known as one of the greatest classics in ascetic theology, along with The Imitation of Christ. In both cases the authors are shrouded in mystery. Several 17th century editions were published under the name of the Spanish Benedictine, John of Castanzia. Some writers of the Society of Jesus have ascribed the book to the Jesuit, Achilles Gagliardi, but most critics however consider Fr. Lawrence Scupoli as the author of this famous treatise. The first known edition was published in Venice in 1589 and contained but 24 chapters; later editions appeared with more chapters, so it is possible that the Theatines or another religious order may have been part of the composition. Whatever may be the solution of the problem of the author, doubt of the actual one or ones, can take nothing away from the value and efficacy of this "golden book" as St. Frances de Sales called it. It was "the favorite, the dear book" of this great master of the spiritual life who, for 18 years, carried in a pocket a copy which he had received from Fr. Scupoli in Padua himself. The Saint read some pages of it every day, entrusted to its supernatural and human wisdom, the guidance of his soul, and recommended it to all under his direction. The purpose of the work is to lead the soul to the summit of spiritual perfection, by means of a constant, courageous struggle against our evil nature, which tends to keep us away from that goal.

    The author was a genius, the kind that can only be inspired by the grace of God and his book is a Catholic treasure and one of the greatest gifts God could have given any age, but most especially this benighted age which has lost its appreciation for the kind of simplicity necessary for sanctity.

    Catholic Tradition is presenting here chapters in installments of several per month until completed, for a total of 66 chapters.



1. PRELIMINARY WORDS ON PERFECTION
2. CONCERNING DISTRUST OF SELF
3. CONFIDENCE IN GOD
4. HOW TO DISCOVER IF WE DISTRUST OURSELVES AND PLACE CONFIDENCE IN GOD
5. MISTAKE OF CONSIDERING COWARDICE  A VIRTUE
6. FURTHER ADVICE TO ACQUIRE CONFIDENCE IN GOD
7. THE RIGHT USE OF OUR FACULTIES
8. AN OBSTACLE TO FORMING A CORRECT JUDGMENT
9. ANOTHER METHOD TO PREVENT DECEPTION OF THE UNDERSTANDING
10. EXERCISE OF THE WILL
11. SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO INLCINE THE WILL TO SEEK PLEASING GOD ONLY
12. THE OPPOSITION WITHIN MAN'S TWOFOLD NATURE
13. HOW WE ARE TO ENCOUNTER SENSUALITY
14. WHAT TO DO WHEN THE WILL IS APPARENTLY OVERPOWERED
15. FURTHER ADVICE ON HOW TO FIGHT SKILLFULLY
16. THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST MUST PREPARE EARLY FOR BATTLE
17. THE METHOD OF FIGHTING YOUR PASSIONS AND VICES
18. HOW TO CURB THE SUDDEN IMPULSES OF YOUR PASSIONS
19. HOW WE ARE TO FIGHT AGAINST IMPURITY
20. HOW TO COMBAT SLOTH
21. THE PROPER USE OF OUR SENSES TO CONTEMPLATE DIVINE THINGS
22. HOW SENSIBLE MAY AID US TO MEITATE ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST
23. OTHER DANGEROUS USES OF THE SENSES IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS
24. HOW TO GOVERN ONE'S SPEECH
25. THE SOLDIER OF CHRIST MUST AVOID THAT WHICH INTRUDES UPON PEACE OF MIND
26. WHAT WE ARE TO DO WHEN WOUNDED
27. THE METHODS USED BY THE DEVIL TO SEDUCE THOSE WHO DESIRE TO ACQUIRE VIRTUE
28. THE DEVIL'S CUNNING DEVICES
29. THE EFFORTS OF THE DEVIL TO PREVENT CONVERSION
30. CONCERNING THE DELUSIONS OF SOME WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES BEING PERFECTED
31. CONCERNING THE ARTIFICES OF THE DEVIL TO MAKE US FORSAKE THE VIRTUOUS LIFE
32. THE LAST ARTIFICE OF THE DEVIL IN MAKING EVEN THE PRACTICE OF
VIRTUE AN OCCASION OF SIN
33. SOME IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO MORTIFY THEMSELVES
34. VIRTUES ARE TO BE ACQUIRED ONE AT A TIME AND BY DEGREES
 35. THE MOST PROFITABLE MEANS OF ACQUIRING VIRTUE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH
WE APPLY OURSELVES TO A PARTICULAR VIRTUE FOR A TIME
36. THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE REQUIRES CONSTANT APPLICATION
37. CONCERNING THE NECESSITY OF SEIZING EAGERLY ALL OPPORTUNITIES
OF PRACTICING VIRTUE
38. THE NECESSITY OF ESTEEMIMG ALL OPPORTUNITIES OF FIGHTING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF VIRTUE
39. THE MANNER IN WHICH WE MAY EXERCISE THE SAME VIRTUE ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS
40. THE TIME TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE ACQUISTION OF EACH VIRTUE AND INDICATIONS OF PROGRESS
41. THE NEED OF MODERATION IN THE DESIRE TO BE FREED OF THOSE EVILS PATIENTLY BORNE,
AND THE MANNER IN WHICH OUR DESIRES ARE TO BE REGULATED
42. THE DEFENSE AGAINST THE ARTIFICES OF THE DEVIL WHEN HE SUGGESTS INDISCREET DEVOTIONS
43. THE TENDENCY OF OUR CORRUPT NATURES, PROMPTED BY THE DEVIL,
TO INDULGE IN RASH JUDGMENT, AND THE REMEDY FOR THIS EVIL
44. PRAYER
45. MENTAL PRAYER
46. MEDITATION
47. ANOTHER METHOD OF MEDITATION
48. PRAYER BASED ON THE INTERCESSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
49. SOME CONSIDERATIONS TO INDUCE CONFIDENCE IN THE ASSISTANCE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
50. A METHOD OF MEDITATION AND PRAYER INVOLVING THE INTERCESSION OF
THESAINTS AND THE ANGELS
51. MEDITATION ON THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST
52. THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM MEDITATIONS ON THE CROSS
 AND THE IMITATION OF THE VIRTUE OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED
53.CONCERNING THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
54. THE MANNER IN WHICH WE OUGHT TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION
55. PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION, AND THE ROLE OF THE EUCHARIST
INEXCITING IN US A LOVE OF GOD
56. CONCERNING SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
57. CONCERNING THANKSGIVING
58. THE OFFERING OF SELF TO GOD
59. CONCERNING SENSIBLE DEVOTION AND DRYNESS
60. CONCERNING THE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
61. CONCERNING THE MANNER IN WHICH WE ARE TO PERSEVERE
IN THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT UNTIL DEATH
62. CONCERNING OUR PREPARATION AGAINST THE ENEMIES WHO ASSAIL US
AT THE HOUR OF DEATH
63. CONCERNING THE FOUR ASSAULTS OF THE ENEMY AT THE HOUR OF DEATH-----THE FIRST
ASSAULT AGAINST FAITH AND THE MANNER OF RESISTING IT
64. CONCERNING THE ASSAULT OF DESPAIR AND ITS REMEDY
65. CONCERNING TEMPTATION TO VAINGLORY
66. CONCERNING THE VARIOUS ILLUSIONS EMPLOYED BY THE DEVIL
AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH

We Resist You to the Face - Part I

by Atila Sinke Guimarães, Michael J. Matt, John Vennari, Marian Therese Horvat, Ph.D

Chapter 1 - Status Quaestionis
- Since Vatican Council II, the Holy, Roman, Catholic and Apostolic Church has been passing through a radical change.
- Cardinal Leo Jòzef Suenens described it as the French Revolution in the Church; Cardinal Yves Congar compared it to the Communist Revolution of 1917; Fr Hans Küng affirmed that with the Council, by means of "a revolution within the order," the Church had "changed her course in an extraordinary way."
(citations available from the book)

A few notes on these men who helped shape the Council:
- Cardinal Suenens: Proponent of the so-called 'Charismatic Renewal,' opponent of Humanae Vitae (and believer that conjugal love takes precedence over procreation), at the forefront of ecumenism, proponent of collegiality, religious liberty, increased role of the laity, and relaxation of religious life rules. If there was ever a singular "poster boy" for the post-conciliar changes, it is Cardinal Suenens. He controversially wrote that the God known historically to the Catholic faith should die. (Here) He also published the following: "The Second Vatican Council marked the end of an epoch, or even several epochs, depending on one's historical perspective. It brought to a close the Constantinian era, the era of "Christendom" and the era of the "Counter-Reformation" and the era of Vatican I. In reference to that past, it marks a turning point in the history of the Church." (Co-Responsability: Dominating Idea of the Council and its Pastoral Consequences," in Theology of Renewal, Montreal: Palm Publishers, 1968, vol. II, p. 7)

- Yves Congar: Active in the ecumenical movement, Congar was once removed from teaching or publishing for a time by the Holy See, during the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. At least one of his books was placed on the Index of Banned Books by the Vatican. However, his reputation was rehabilitated, as he was made a cardinal, in 1994, by Pope John Paul II. Congar encouraged openness to ideas stemming from Protestant Christianity and has been described as the single most formative influence on Vatican II. He rejected the idea of the monarchical structure of the Church under the sovereign rule of the papacy and the notion of the "Vicar of Christ" advocating instead for collegiality and a democratic Church (Here in the book "Jean Puyo Interviews Fr. Congar"). He was one of the leading influences in the post-conciliar "humanocentric" (man focused) theology instead of theocentric (God focused); the abused terminology "human dignity" could have potentially stemmed from his ideas about turning all of the focus onto humanism versus love of neighbor for love of God.

- Hans Küng: In the late 1960s, he became the first major Roman Catholic theologian since the late 19th century Old Catholic Church schism to publicly reject the doctrine of papal infallibility. Consequently, on December 18, 1979, he was stripped of his missio canonica, his licence to teach as a Roman Catholic theologian, but carried on teaching as a tenured professor of ecumenical theology at the University of Tübingen until his retirement (Emeritierung) in 1996. To this day he remains a persistent critic of papal infallibility, which he claims is man-made (and thus reversible) rather than instituted by God. He was not excommunicated...and is considered "a Catholic priest in good standing." He appeared on the Phil Donahue Show. In October 1986, he participated in the Third Buddhist-Christian Theological Encounter held at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. In the early 1990s, Küng initiated a project called Weltethos (Global Ethic), which is an attempt at describing what the world's religions have in common (rather than what separates them) and at drawing up a minimal code of rules of behaviour everyone can accept. He visited the nearby Beth El synagogue and spoke there on modern German-Jewish relations. In 1998, he published Dying with Dignity, co-written with Walter Jens, in which he affirms acceptance of euthanasia from a Christian viewpoint. On September 26, 2005, he had a friendly discussion about Catholic theology over dinner with Pope Benedict XVI, surprising some observers. In a 2009 interview with Le Monde, Küng deeply criticised the lifting of the excommunications on the bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X. His latest publication, Der Anfang aller Dinge (The beginning of all things), discusses the relationship between science and religion. In an analysis spanning from quantum physics to neuroscience, he comments on the current debate about evolution in the United States, dismissing those opposed to the teaching of evolution as "naive [and] un-enlightened." 

- [Questions began to surface about the "purpose of the Catholic Church."] From this perspective the omnifarious glorification of God per omnia saecula saeculorum [forever and ever], we understand the salvific mission of the Catholic Church. The Glory of God and the exaltation of Holy Mother Church are her principal ends, along with the distribution of grace for the salvation of the elect.
- Innumerable times Catholics who have expressed the voice of the two-thousand-year-old tradition of the Church have directed themselves to the Chair of Peter...humbly they have begged Pope John Paul II and Paul VI to clarify the confusion that those reforms have caused and to show them how these conciliar reforms could harmonize with Catholic doctrine. However, their pleas have not been heard by the Pope or other representatives of the Church. Pope John Paul II has listened to and honored persons from the most varied of backgrounds, has been open to some of the most audacious initiatives, and has nourished certain dreams of the vanguard of progressivism. At the same time, he seems to regard with suspicion and turn his back on those who represent the Catholic tradition.
For example, while apologizing to the world for the "sins" of Catholics throughout history, he seems to have forgotten about an apology to the concerned faithful of the Church who have experienced unprecedented confusion and discouragement as a result of the Conciliar Revolution.
   Unfortunately, it is not only silence that greets the voice of traditionalists. There is also a process of trying to extinguish their voice.
- Some laymen who remain faithful to the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church see themselves forced, as a question of conscience, to take a stand.

Chapter II - The Principal Initiatives That Advance the Conciliar Revolution: Secularization and Ecumenism
- Two great initiatives: secularization (ad intra), or the adaption of the Church to the modern world; and ecumenism (ad extra), or the adaptation of the Church to false religions.

1. The Revolution ad intra, or SECULARIZATION
- With his aggiornamento, John XXIII initiated the work of the adaptation of the Church to the modern world...The alleged pretext was to "bring Christ to the world," but instead what took place was the opposite: the world entered inside the Church.
- In Gaudium et Spes, we can note the euphoria and enthusiasm about the Church's union with the world that prevailed at that time.
- The modern world is the fruit of three revolutions that have aimed to destroy Christendom: The Protestant Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Communist Revolution.
- Almost everything in the modern world is different from the society inspired by the principles of the Gospel. Thus, by adapting to the modern world, the conciliar Church in truth adapted herself to the Revolution. It is not surprising that this decision has inagurated, as Paul VI termed it, the process of the autodemolition of the Church.

A. Desacralization
- Liturgical reforms have brought about the following:
1. The destruction of the altars versus Deum (turned toward God)
2. The abolition of the communion rail and discontinuing the separation etween the presbytery and the nave of the faithful
3. Doing away with the Latin and replacing it with the vernacular
4. The introduction of "dialogue" between the celebratn and the faithful which disturbs recollection, prayer, and the act of adoration
5. The continuous impoverishment of liturgical vestments, altar cloths, and linens
6. The gradual abandonment of sacred chant and music and the introduction of popular music

- In addition, Churches themselves have been despoiled:
1. The end of side altars
2. The elimination of pulpits
3. The removal of the confessionals and statues
4. The selling of the rich objects
5. The silencing of church bells and hand bells (note, he means the bells rung during the Consecration, not choir hand bells like during Novus Ordo Christmas mass)
6. The adoption of the modern architecture in the building of new edifices.

[Further damage to the ecclesial hierarchy is as follows:]
1. The bishops rejected their position as the Princes of the Church, symbolized by the abandonment of their episcopal palaces, mantles, and amethyst rings
2. Many priests put aside their cassocks, discontinued praying the Breviary, and generally mitigated the life of piety. Their promises of obedience and chastity were strongly relativized.
3. In the seminaries, the serious study of History of the Church was replaced by social studies and keeping up with teh secular daily news
4. The study of Morals was substituted in part with sex education
5. reading from the lives of the Saints was left aside to watch the latest films and television programs
6. Religious formation ceded way to a political formation
7. Spiritual direction was supplanted by psychiatric orientation
8. Recollection and asceticism were abolished
9. The study of Latin was abandoned altogether in most seminaries
10. Religious rules were either relaxed or set aside
11. Centuries-old Catholic spirituality saw itself replaced with Buddhist asceticism and the practice of yoga
*An important consequence (aka [rotten] fruit) of this desacralization has been the crisis of vocations.

B. Egalitarianism

We Resist You to the Face by Catholic Journalists (TIA Inc. 2000)

This book can be purchased here.

As with all the books I summarize, I take no credit for anything written in them.
With this particular book, I do not necessarily espouse everything these authors suggest, but overall - at least a few chapters in - it does a pretty good job giving a cursory glance at the problems facing the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council.

Right from the inside cover the reference is to Galatians 2:11:
"But when Cephas was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed."

It is based upon the true notion that one may, in very select circumstances and with all due patience, prudence and wisdom - resist lawful superiors, even the Pope, if he is found to be contradicting Catholic doctrine.

Without further explanation, I will get to Part I.

Continue to Part I...

Open Letter to Confused Catholics: Chapter III - What They Are Doing to the Mass

- I have before me some photos published in Catholic newspapers representing the mass as it is now often said (see “Examples” at the end of this chapter)…One common feature emerges from these scandalous pictures: the Eucharist is reduced to an everyday act, in commonplace surroundings, with commonplace utensils, attitudes and clothing. Now the so-called Catholic magazines which are sold on church bookstalls do not show these photos in order to criticize such ways, but on the contrary to recommend them…It says, “the Liturgical reform must go further…the unnecessary repetitions, the same form of words ever repeated, all this regulation holds back creativeness.”

- Certainly people come away from the Mass which strives to bring itself down to the level of mankind instead of raising them up to God…the encouragement given to go even further demonstrates a deliberate intention to destroy what is sacred.

Looks like a snack...

- Why make the hosts that are grey or brown by leaving in part of the bran? Are they trying to make us forget that phrase omitted from the new Offertory: hanc immaculatam hostiam, this immaculate and spotless Host?

Preparing the cakes?

- We frequently hear of the consecration of ordinary bread, levened with yeast, instead of the pure wheat flour prescribed…there has even been an American bishop who recommends little cakes containing milk, eggs, baking-powder,

honey and margarine.

- The desacralization extends to the persons vowed to the service of God, with the disappearance of ecclesiastical habit for priests and religious, the use of Christian names, familiarity and a secularized way of living, all in the name of a new principle and not, as they have tried to make us believe, for practical needs.

- It is not my intention here to establish a catalogue of the abuses that are to be met with (that can be found at www.traditioninaction.com , especially under the pictures ), but to give a few examples showing why Catholics today have so much at which to be perplexed and even scandalized.

- Places of worship are made available for rock events…Some churches and cathedrals have been given over to debauchery, drugs and filth of all kinds…How can the bishops and priests who have encouraged these things not fear to bring down divine punishment upon themselves and their people? It is already apparent in the fruitlessness of their work. It is all wasted because the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, desecrated as it is, no longer confers grace and no longer transmits it.

Photo from The Remnant

- The Council of Trent explained without any possible doubt that Our Lord is present in the smallest particles of the consecrated bread. What are we to think then of the Communion in the hand?...If people come to mass to break the bread of friendship, of the community meal, of the common faith, then it is quite natural that no excessive precautions should be taken. If the Eucharist is a symbol expressing simply the memory of a past event and the spiritual presence of Our Lord, it is quite logical

not to worry about a few crumbs which may fall on the floor.

- The faithful are obliged to communicate standing…Is it fitting that when we go to receive Christ before whom, says St. Paul, every knee shall bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth, we should do so without the least sign of respect or allegiance?

- Am I just getting up a case against the so-called Conciliar Church? No, I am not inventing anything. [Even the Dean of Faculty of Theology of Strasbourg that the Eucharist is only a symbol, and that Christ is present in the people and the music]

Examples:

- Photos:

Modern Band...or priests ready for mass?

  (1) Behind an ordinary wooden table, which does not appear very clean and which has no cloth covering it, two persons wearing suits and ties elevate or present, one a chalice, the other a ciborium. The text informs me that they are priests, one of them the federal chaplain of Catholic Action. On the same side of the table, close to the first celebrant, are two girls wearing trousers, and near the second celebrant two boys in sweaters. A guitar is placed against a stool.

Youth Club Mass

(2) In another photo, the scene is the corner of a room which might be the main room of a youth club. The priest is standing, wearing a Taizé-like alb, before a milking stool which serves as an altar; there is a large earthenware bowl and a small mug of the same sort, together with two lighted candle-ends. Five young people are sitting cross-legged on the floor, one of them strumming a guitar.

Hopefully NOT saying mass..

(3) The third photo shows an event which occurred a few years ago…a priest who celebrated Mass on the deck of the sailing ship, in the company of two other men. All three were wearing shorts, one is even stripped to the waist. The priest is raising the Host, no doubt for the elevation. He is neither standing nor kneeling, but sitting or rather slumped against the boat’s

superstructure.

Self-Serve Communion

- [There was a] Mass televised November 22, 1981, where the ciborium was replaced by baskets which the congregation passed from one to another to be finally placed on the floor with what remained of the Sacred Species!

- In Poiters on Holy Thursday the same year, a big spectacular celebration consisted of the indiscriminate consecration of loaves and jugs of wine upon the tables from which everyone came and helped himself.

More Troubling Images:

Disco Mass w/Bishop

Gaucho Mass 

Lake Mass

Youth Mass

?????

Open Letter to Confused Catholics: Chapter II - "They are Changing Our Religion!"

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre

- First I must dispel a misunderstanding…I am not the head of a movement, even less the head of a particular church. I am not, as they never stop writing, “the leader of the traditionalists.” They have come to describe certain persons as “Lefebvrists.” I have no personal doctrine in the matter of religion. All my life I have held to what I was taught at the French Seminary in Rome, namely Catholic doctrine according to the interpretation given it by the teaching authority of the Church from century to century, since the death of the last Apostle which marked the end of Revelation.

- [The bishops are no longer saying the same things]; how often, for example, have you heard them speak of the social reign [Kingship] of Our Lord Jesus Christ? My personal experience never ceases to amaze me. These bishops for the most part were fellow students with me in Rome, trained in the same manner. And then, all of the sudden, I found myself alone. But I have invented nothing new; I was carrying on.

Flood Gates Opened

- Vatican II only opened the gates which were holding back the devastating flood…it was catastrophic. Everything, almost, was to be swept away; prayer first. Learning prayers by heart, as we did, is now denigrated as “parrot-fashion.” Children are no longer taught the words…except the Our Father. And even that is in a new version…which makes the child address God as “tu.” (This is the informal version of “you” rather than the formal “vous” commonly used for authority figures and, above all, for God) The familiar style of speech has also invaded the whole body of  vernacular liturgy: the new Sunday missal makes it exclusive and obligatory, though one can see no reason for a change so contrary to French style and custom.

-Prayer must be “spontaneous,” we must speak to God out of the abundance of our hearts, so they tell us now; and they scorn the marvelous educational system of the Church which has produced and perfected all these prayers, which have been the support of the greatest saints (Not to mention that the Our Father and Hail Mary are directly from Our Lord and Sacred Scripture respectively)

- In many Catholic schools they no longer want the prayer at the start of the lesson, on the pretext that some of the pupils are unbelievers or belong to other religions…young Catholics, meanwhile, must conceal their faith: this on the pretext of respecting the opinions of their schoolmates.

Must now respect consciences...religious liberty

-The genuflection is now practiced by only a small number of the faithful; the furniture has been changed and the prie-dieus (kneelers) have been broken up for firewood….what we see here is a desire to modify the relationship of man to God in the direction of familiarity and casualness, as if we were dealing with Him as equals.
- Everything that contributed  to the beauty of the buildings and the splendor of the ceremonies is decried as “triumphalism.” The décor must now be nearer to that of everyday life. But in the ages of faith, they offered to God the most precious things they had…Christians made financial sacrifices to honor Almighty God in the best way they could…when the three Magi came to visit the poor crib at Bethlehem, they brought with them gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

- Those readers who remember the years before the war will recall the fervor of the Corpus Christi processions with their numerous stations, the chants, the thuribles, the monstrance gleaming in the sun, carried by the priest under the gold-embroidered canopy; the banners, the flowers, the bells. The sense of adoration was born into the children’s souls and ingrained there for life. This primordial aspect of prayer seems greatly neglected. Do I hear somebody still taking about the necessary evolution and new habits of life?

Corpus Christi Procession

- The almost total disappearance in France of processions is not caused by a lack of interest on the part of the faithful. It is proscribed by the new pastoral theory which, however, is ceaselessly urging the “active participation of the People of God.”

- Priests no longer offer the Holy Sacrifice each day; and when they do, they concelebrate, and the number of Masses has diminished accordingly. In country districts, it is practically impossible to attend Mass during the week; on Sundays, a car is needed to travel out the locality whose turn it is to receive the “sector priest.”…It is impossible to receive Communion on First Fridays and First Saturdays of the month…Sunday is split up between different language groups; a Portuguese Mass, a French Mass, a Spanish Mass…It is commonplace for Catholics to find themselves attending Masses where they do not understand a single word.

Purchase Here

- No more Masses, or very few; no more processions, no more Benedictions of the Blessed Sacrament, no more Vespers….There is the intrusion of secular rhythms with all kinds of percussion instruments, guitars and saxophones. A musician [in France] wrote: “The music of these songs is not modern; this musical style is not new, but has been played in the most profane places and surroundings (cabarets, music halls, often for more or less lascivious dances with foreign names). The people are led on to rock or swing. They all feel an urge to dance about.” The more elaborate pieces, executed by choirs, show a secular influence, and excite the feelings rather than penetrate the soul as plainchant does.

"Gregorian Chant has always been regarded as the supreme model for sacred music...Special efforts are to be made to restore the use of the Gregorian Chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take a more active part in the ecclesiastical offices." - Tra le Sollecitudini

- A novelty appeared little while ago: posters placed in church porches reading “to praise God, clap your hands.” So during the celebration, at the sign of the leader, the congregation raised their hands above their heads and clapped rhythmically and loudly, producing an unfamiliar din within the sanctuary.

- The liturgy in French deafens the congregation with a flooding of words so that many complain that they can no longer pray during Mass. When, then, will they pray?

- [Finally], Yoga and Zen are the strangest, a disastrous orientalism which, claiming to lead to a “hygiene of the soul,”directs devotion in false ways. [This is leading many to say], “They are changing our religion.”

Trappist priest as instructor of Zen in Massachusetts

Examples:

- I have been told of the case of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in a big parish in Paris, which used to be visited by a number of people working nearby during their lunch hour. One day it was closed for work to be carried out. When the doors were opened again, the prie-dieus had disappeared. On a comfortable pile carpet were deep upholstered seats, evidently expensive and of the sort found in the reception foyers of big companies or airlines. The comportment of the faithful changed at once: some knelt on the carpet, but most made themselves comfortable and meditated before the tabernacle cross-legged.

No Kneelers...Common to see people cross-legged on floor

- They organize “domestic eucharists” in dining rooms or even in kitchens. I have been told of one of these, celebrated in the home of a deceased person in the presence of his family and friends. After the ceremony, the chalice was removed and then, on the same table covered with the same table cloth, they setup a buffet meal. At the same time, only a few hundred yards away, only the birds were singing to the Lord around the thirteenth-century church decorated with magnificent stained glass windows.

Mass Apperitif in Dining or Living Room

- In 1969, a parish priest in the Oise section of France was expelled by his bishop who had forbidden the organization of the traditional procession of Corpus Christi. The procession took place nevertheless and drew ten times more people than the village had inhabitants. Can anyone say that the new pastoral style is in accordance with the deep longings of those Christians who remain attached to such forms of piety?

- [A group called the pastorale d’ensemble was assembled in France to encourage échanges (exchanges) or sharing- of speech, of views, on the Gospel, and of handshakes too…but the results in Paris were as follows]:  From time to time during the last two years, the 9:30 mass has been in a rather special style, inasmuch as the proclaiming of the Gospel was followed by an échange for which those present formed groups of about ten persons. The first time the celebration was tried, only 69 people joined and 138 remained outside. One would have thought that with the help of time there would have been an improvement. This has not been the case. The parish team then organized a meeting to see whether or not to continue with the “Masses with Sharing.”



More Disturbing Images:

Mass in Buddhist Temple

Cardinal Dias burns incense to Hindu deity

Archbishop Anointed by Hindu Priest

Jesuit Priest performs Hindu dance

Continue to Chapter III...

Open Letter to Confused Catholics by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press 1986)

This book can be purchased here.
As with other books I post summaries of, I take no credit for them nor do I intend to make any p
rofit off of this. It is strictly for the spiritual nourishment of any readers and in fact encourage them to purchase the books for themselves.




I will be breaking down this book as I do with many others. This book is a combination of general assessments of "things gone wrong" since the Second Vatican Council coupled with actual examples of those things. I think it is more effective to keep the general together and to type out the examples at the end. Once I post the first chapter, it should be more clear what I am saying.

I will start with Chapter II because Chapter I has already been put into a beautiful video on YouTube which I have embedded below:

It is just the entire first chapter narrated verbatim.
I may decide later to narrate and record the other chapters, but for now the cliffnotes version will be what I post.

~ Pax Domini sit semper Vobiscum


Continue to Chapter II...