John of the. Cross as a kind of guide describing the mystical process of the transformation of the soul. from what he terms its old to its new self through an erotic, spiritual and participatory. union in God, a union requiring the soul’s passage through a night of detachment, purgation and purification.
Is St John of the Cross a mystic?
John of the Cross (born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez; Spanish: Juan de la Cruz; 24 June 1542 – 14 December 1591), venerated as Saint John of the Cross, was a Spanish Catholic priest, mystic, and a Carmelite friar of converso origin.
What are the teachings of St John of the Cross?
If you desire to be perfect, sell your will, give it to the poor in spirit, come to Christ in meekness and humility, and follow him to Calvary and the sepulcher. Those who trust in themselves are worse than the Devil. Those who do not love their neighbor abhor God. Suffering for God is better than working miracles.
What did Saint John believe in?
St. John the Baptist was an ascetic Jewish prophet known in Christianity as the forerunner of Jesus. John preached about God’s Final Judgment and baptized repentant followers in preparation for it.
How did St John of the Cross become a Doctor of the Church?
He remains one of the most expressive and profound mystical theologians in the long history of the Church. Beatified in 1675, he was canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII (r. 1724-1730) and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926 by Pope Pius XI (r. 1922-1939).
Is St John of Avila the same as St John of the Cross?
After spending some time learning from Teresa, John began the reform of the male side of their order. On November 28, 1568, he established a new monastery at a place called Duruelo and took the new name we know him by today: John of the Cross.
What did St John of the Cross mean by the dark night of the soul?
The term “dark night (of the soul)” in Roman Catholic spirituality describes a spiritual crisis in the journey toward union with God, like that described by St. John of the Cross. While this spiritual crisis is usually temporary, it may endure for a long time.
Was St John at the crucifixion?
The “beloved disciple” alone, among the Apostles, remained near Jesus at the foot of the cross on Calvary alongside myrrhbearers and numerous other women. Following the instruction of Jesus from the Cross, the beloved disciple took Mary, the mother of Jesus, into his care as the last legacy of Jesus.
What is Saint John known for?
John (active 1st century A.D.), one of the 12 Apostles chosen by Jesus, is traditionally considered the author of the Fourth Gospel, of the Book of Revelation, and of three Letters, or Epistles, bearing his name. His father was a fisherman, a trade which John was plying when he met and joined Jesus (Mark 5:37).
Are John the Apostle and John the Evangelist the same?
John the Apostle, also called Saint John the Evangelist or Saint John the Divine, (flourished 1st century ce; Western feast day December 27; Eastern feast days May 8 and September 26), one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and traditionally believed to be the author of the three Letters of John, the Fourth Gospel, and …
What is the significance of Saint John of the cross?
KEY PRELIMINARY POINT # 2: Saint John of the Cross emphasizes the nearness of God, who is “nearer to us than we are to ourselves.”
What is mystical theology and mysticism?
Mystical theology meant that hidden state of experiencing God without images or concepts. Mysticism, by contrast, was a term coined after John’s death to describe deep spiritual experience detached from formal practices of religion, as the late Michel de Certeau has shown in his classic work The Mystic Fable.
What does John of the cross mean by transformation of desire?
John of the Cross refers to this change of heart as a “transformation” or “reformation of desire”. In this transformation, we begin to love God with our whole heart and soul (thus fulfilling the great commandment), whereas our love for the passing things of this world wanes (and we use them primarily in the service of God).
Did St John of the Cross say “the dark night of the soul?
There are so many mistaken notions about St. John of the Cross (1542-91) that we might do well to clarify some of them at the outset. He is, of course, most identified with the phrase dark night of the soul, but in fact he never uses the term.
