John of the Cross: Selected Writings

by John of the Cross

Publisher:

Paulist Press

, 1987

Overview

This volume contains carefully chosen texts that give a picture of the “essential” St. John of the Cross (1542–1591), a Spanish Carmelite. Included are selections from The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night, and Spiritual Canticle. This curated collection presented in one volume allows readers to gain the clearest picture of the emphases and teaching from this prominent historical figure.

Key Features

• A collection including St. John of the Cross’s classic spirituality in an accessible form
• Fully integrates and cross references with other resources from your Logos library
• A primary source that is useful for researching biography, church history, and ancient literature

Contents

Top Highlights

“The road and ascent to God, then, necessarily demands a habitual effort to renounce and mortify the appetites; the sooner this mortification is achieved, the sooner the soul reaches the top. But until the appetites are eliminated, one will not arrive no matter how much virtue one practices. For one will be failing to acquire perfect virtue, which lies in keeping the soul empty, naked, and purified of every appetite.” (Page 71)

“We are using the expression ‘night’ to signify a deprival of the gratification of the soul’s appetites in all things” (Page 64)

“Now this road is faith, and for the intellect faith is also like a dark night.” (Page 63)

“The entire corpus of his works describes the process of assimilation into the Paschal Mystery. There are three phases: It begins with the halcyon days of first conversion, when the gifts of creation, especially other human beings, lead the person into deeper appreciation and love of God; then there is the eclipse of that optimism in the purifying dark nights; finally the journey culminates in divine union, when transcendence and incarnation are complete and the divine and the human interpenetrate.” (Pages 3–4)

“Only those who set aside their own knowledge and walk in God’s service like unlearned children receive wisdom from God” (Page 67)

Product Details

• Title: John of the Cross: Selected Writings
• Author: John of the Cross
• Series: The Classics of Western Spirituality
• Publisher: Paulist Press
• Print Publication Date: 1987
• Logos Release Date: 2016
• Pages: 326
• Era: era:reformation
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Mysticism › Catholic Church; Spiritual life › Catholic authors; Catholic Church › Doctrines
• ISBN: 080912839
• Resource ID: LLS:JHNCRSSSLWRTNGS
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:07:54Z

About John of the Cross

John of the Cross was born Juan de Yepes Alvarez at Fontiveros, Old Castile, Spain. He was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, as well as a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar, and priest. John of the Cross reformed the Carmelite Order and is considered—along with Saint Teresa of Ávila—as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He is a Doctor of the Church and venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran Traditions.