199- Letter for a Young Person Called to Work in the Field of Spiritual Life

How we Become "Masters in Spiritual Life"

“Working in the field of Spiritual Life” means one or more of the following activities:

- Teaching Spiritual Life (Spiritual Theology)

- Offering Formation in Spiritual Life (Masters of Novices, Masters in Institutes,…)

- Offering Personal Tuition in Spiritual Life

- Offering Spiritual Direction.

Dear B,

I would just like to clarify something important regarding how we are enabled to fulfil the mission of teaching, forming and guiding in Spiritual Life, according to the Catholic Tradition. You certainly intuit it or have even heard me talking about it. First, I want to remind you of the conditions to become a master in spiritual life, then I will give you a specific warning.

I- A reminder of what you already know: what makes us Masters in Spiritual Life is a prudent blending of three capacities (see this in St. Teresa of Avila):

1- Science (Degree in Spiritual Theology).

2- Personal Experience of God (intense spiritual life, receiving manifold graces related to our spiritual growth, practising Lectio Divina and Prayer of the Heart).

3- Discernment that comes from discipleship: many years of personal tuition/supervision and Spiritual Direction from a very knowledgeable master.

When the three are combined under the supervision of the Tutor, this helps re-cognise i.e. it makes the connection between two things: a- what was learnt (science, the Degree, the books, the readings, the study) and b- what has been felt or perceived or understood in our experience (or that which is not experienced) of God.

Re-cognising is a very delicate and subtle operation where two “worlds” meet and seem to us to match: on one hand the world of our experience and on the other hand the world of what we read or study. These two worlds are distinct. Re-cognising occurs when we feel that they have met and resonated on a point or more. Re-cognising offers a new understanding of both our experience and the text and roots in us a new knowledge and “judgement” in spiritual matters. The Holy Spirit, Master of Spiritual Life, leads the operation. It is a long process knit together by a multitude of graces which goes towards the formation of the new master.

We realise this operation both consciously and unconsciously. The unconscious operation occurs almost always and consists in the projection of our own experience on what we are reading. We therefore end up by unconsciously filtering and conditioning our reading.

Our own prism interferes unknowingly: it often either reduce or deviates from the real objective sense of what the author is saying.

An important observation: when we talk about “authors” in spiritual life we need to make a very important distinction that many scholars don’t make. It is very common to make the mistake of confusing Saints and Doctors of the Church (or Masters). Of course, Doctors of the Church are also saints and even have an eminent holiness, but they are much more than just saints.

A saint is only a saint and is not necessarily called to teach, lead or explain spiritual matters. This is why St. Thomas Aquinas in a concise way says: “let the saint pray for us and let the doctor teach us”. Even if Saints are writing about their spiritual life or about the graces they have received, they are not teachers or doctors. A “Doctor of the Church” or a “Spiritual Master” on the contrary has received from God extra graces to help him do two things:

a- understand what the graces are all about and situate them correctly on the journey of transformation/sanctification

b- express and explain the graces correctly.

As we can understand therefore, great confusion can result from this delicate, risky but vital operation of Re-cognition. Consulting a Master is very much required here in order to ensure the necessary attention to an accurate process of “re-cognition”. A lot of patience, resilience and humility are needed here. And of course, a great spirit of obedience to God through the Master is a must. 

Of course, it goes without saying that the choice of the Master here is decisive. As Saint John of the Cross puts it: the disciple will become like the master, so we need to pay great attention to the hands into which we are entrusting ourselves.

Three pitfalls are worth mentioning:

1- The obscurity inherent in spiritual life and its consequences: an important component of spiritual life is the difficulty to perceive it, understand it and explain it correctly. Faith, by its very nature, as a theological virtue implies a certain obscurity. Spiritual experience, then, despite the fact that it is an “experience” of what the Holy Spirit is doing in us, remains obscure. This can very easily induce us into error and makes finding the correct understanding and explanation of the experience more arduous. Humility, patience and perseverance are of the essence here.

Spiritual Life is obscure like faith, because God action in us happens essentially in our spirit, which is above our consciousness, “your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3) and any echoes that might fall into our awareness (mind, emotions, senses) must be subject to subtle discernment and correct interpretation. What we feel or don’t feel (soul-emotions-body, i.e. area of awareness) is not necessarily what occurs in our spirit (beyond awareness), while the latter is in fact the cornerstone and measure of progress.

Experiencing the action of the Holy Spirit can generate a very wide range of thoughts, images, feelings and sensations that can be even perceived as contradictory. The spiritual experience is therefore multifaceted and versatile. Not being purely material at least in its source, its description ends up by being rather relative.

Understanding and describing a spiritual experience is difficult also because it is conditioned by the culture, experience and knowledge of the individual: we often re-cognise in our own way! As a consequence, what we read about the experience of others can be interpreted in different ways, some correct and others not.

As a consequence, studying spiritual life, reading various authors and working in the field of Spiritual Formation, is a very sensitive undertaking. Paradoxically accuracy is needed but is altogether difficult to achieve. The pitfall is to transform that long initial lack of precision and tangibility into something certain and final.

The beginner tends to rush into conclusions, by pushing the initial normal lack of clarity and tangibility inherent in Spiritual Life toward assumptions and convictions that are artificial. Intellectual patience is a very important form of charity towards the full mystery of what the Holy Spirit is accomplishing in us. Accepting not to have clarity for long time is necessary. Otherwise we choose part of the truth, and transform it into the whole truth which is the root of any heretical attitude. In Greek, heresy means to choose (part of the truth)!

Another factor of imprecision: People who are meant to work in the field of Spiritual Life need to know that the Holy Spirit is meant to provide them with two graces in order to support this sacred mission: a- understanding the graces received and b- being able to talk about them and explain them (see St. Teresa of Avila, Life 17,5). Not every person or even every saint is meant to receive these two graces because they are only related to the service/ministry. As a consequence, we will often find people (saints for instance) giving an account of their own spiritual state (present, past) who haven’t necessarily received the second and third grace mentioned by St. Teresa of Avila. They will not be necessarily accurate in their understanding and explanation. Therefore, relying on their perception and judgement is not always safe. As a consequence, an extra effort is necessary on our part to understand and explain properly what we read. This factor of uncertainty is normal but has to be taken into consideration always.

2- Confusing levels: spiritual life’s growth could be comparted to an ascending spiral. Seen from above, growth will look like moving in an indefinite circular way. If we take a point on the circle and focus on it, we might think that we have come back to the same point. But a side view of the spiral will show us that it is two different points or levels of spiritual growth.

As an example, Martha and Mary are mentioned by St. Teresa of Avila at least twice, once in the Prayer of Union (4^th-5^thMansions) and another in the 7^th Mansions. An inexperienced eye won’t see the difference.

If watching our own experience and comparing it with what we are reading is done in an inaccurate way (like seeing the spiral from afar, or from above), we will make wrong assumptions, the process of “re-cognition” will deviate. In fact, if we take a closer look, we find to our utter surprise that there is a difference in the spiritual levels or stages. And this often offers a radical difference in the evaluation and judgment of the spiritual state of the person.

Confusing different levels, makes us read a grace or read a person’s experience thinking the person is at a certain stage, while the person is at a completely different stage! Similarities are tempting and we often rush into conclusions.

3- Feeling we can relate while we read a spiritual book: it is not because we read about a grace or a set of graces and feel good about it and can relate to them (like, pleased, feel good) that it means we have reached that level. Illusions are very common.

II- My warning for you:

It is truly the most difficult Mission in the Church: to be involved in the ministry of Spiritual Life. No discussion about that. It is easy to study and pass exams intellectually, one can be brilliant intellectually but quite ignorant and misleading if he or she endeavours to work in the field of Spiritual Life. Intellectual acumen is one part of the ministry. Important, necessary and should be of high quality (solid Philosophy, solid general Theology (especially dogmatic, moral and pastoral theology), and solid Spiritual Theology). No fancy knowledge here! Solid and traditional.

My point for you is the following: of course, having a Degree in Spiritual Theology is something very good, but, paradoxically, the Degree doesn't qualify you. So only focusing on getting the degree is wrong. Worse, being prevented from becoming a master in spiritual life because of the lack of the degree would affect your Call seriously.

It is never never enough to just base everything on Science, on the Degree! More things are needed and can be implemented or strengthened from now onwards.

Again, the Degree doesn't qualify you, it just informs you about spiritual life according to a certain school or way of engineering it today. The Degree gives you an idea of the 2000 years of experience and knowledge of the Church about Spiritual Theology. In a way, it roots you in the Church.

But it never replaces the thousands of hours of personal study (study, not reading) and personal research. It will never replace the advice of a good Tutor in the field. Impossible. It will never replace the hours of Spiritual Direction received. There is the added danger that study can inflate our ego! In Spiritual Theology, true study should deflate the ego and should make one very prudent before making any assumption.

What does the above mean? Am I dissuading you from venturing in this field? No, on the contrary. I am inviting you to do a great deal of work, to study, and of course to get the degree! But I am also saying: don't ever think that the degree is enough! Never! Spiritual Theology is a practical science so without experience and tuition (discernment) it is impossible to teach properly or to form.

Humility, patience and resilience are necessary. Great charity also is of the essence: love for people, loving to help, loving to understand them, and an immense devotion to the Holy Spirit and to Our Lady.

Please don't be prevented by not having yet obtained your Degree. Even if you had a degree, if you were to think that this were enough, that would be a crime! Inherent in Master ship is a sacred triangle: science, experience, discernment, well blended together.

If humility is needed to grow spiritually, humility is a million times more important if somebody feels called to teach (form in) the Spiritual Life. Humility manifests itself in the form of a great spirit of supernatural obedience.

Avoid at all costs a spirit of improvisation, of rushing, of amateur science or discernment. Many people today in the Catholic Church who work in the field of Spiritual Life fall into these categories.

Continue please, but in humility... experience... love. Don't neglect personal Tuition and Spiritual Direction!!

in Mary

Jean Khoury

110: The Implementation of Spiritual Formation

As we saw in the previous post, in order to reach Holiness one needs “spiritual formation”. Spiritual formation encompasses three areas:

1- Learning doctrine/science (Courses, Workshops),

2- Putting into practice the teaching, i.e. having the experience of it, and

3- Receiving discernment from an experienced person (one to one tuition + spiritual direction).

These three areas are distinct but interconnected; therefore they should be combined.

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

The one that “may be overpowered” is spiritual “experience” standing on its own (without discernment and doctrine).

The “two can defend themselves” are “experience” and “discernment”.

The three strands are: “experience”, “discernment” and full “doctrine”.

Note: Why “full doctrine”? Because half science, or being half knowledgeable damages more than it can help. St Teresa of Avila repeatedly warns about this and says that the help she received from priests/monks who were half learned harmed her substantially.

The School of Mary offers everybody “teaching” and “discernment”: Courses, Workshops, One to One Tuition, Spiritual Direction (although spiritual direction doesn't have to be sought exclusively at the School). Putting into practice the teaching is something personal. When the time is right, in reply to God's Call, it is up to the person to decide to put into practice the teaching, in his/her own life/schedule.

The teaching is divided into three main levels, following three sections of the full spiritual journey:

First Education (Undergraduate Equivalent)

1- Level One Foundation Course: implementing the foundations of a strong and healthy spiritual life, starting to dedicate time for prayer, on a regular daily basis, supporting that first serious step in spiritual life.

1'- Intermediate1 Courses: with more teaching, supporting a sustainable rhythm of growth, in the first stages. Equivalent to the 4^th and 5^th Mansions of St Teresa of Avila. Reaching a more stable state: “Union of Will”. Completing the First Level Course with other courses.

2- Level Two Foundation Course: providing the teaching on the most decisive moment in spiritual life: the deep radical purification.

2'- Intermediate2 Courses: with more teaching supporting that stage. Completing the Second Level Course with other courses.

Further Education (Graduate Equivalent)

3- Formation in order to start teaching elements of the First Level Course.

4'- Level Three Foundation Course.

4''- Further Courses on the Third Level.

Third Cycle Education (Post Graduate Equivalent)

5- Research

6- Development in Spiritual Theology teaching

Research and Science 1 : What is a PhD?

I was reading the following article and I was wondering how it's contents would apply to Research in Spiritual Theology. The article is not mine but I do fervently agree with the author. We are in need of real research and we can't lower the standards. (the "bold" underlining and change of colour are mine)

What is a PhD?

by Frank Gannon

This might seem like an unusual topic, as most scientists seem to know exactly what a PhD is and for what it stands. But on closer inspection, a PhD has as many meanings as there are educational systems. It is not - and has never been - a single, well-defined qualification. As research practices and funding change, the situation becomes even more confused, with consequences for the quality of both scientific training and research.

I received my PhD from a British university. After three years of research, I submitted a three-centimetre-thick thesis that addressed a specific problem. Being awarded my doctorate meant that I knew my topic, I understood enzymology, I could work with proteins and I was able to navigate the complexities of enzyme kinetics. I was not qualified for the title until I was able to demonstrate all these things. In essence, my PhD showed that I developed from a dependent student into an independent scientist.

Since then, PhDs in the UK seem to have changed. More often than not, a PhD is now awarded after the completion of a fixed term of research. Of course, there is an overall topic, but if the student does not reach a hypothesis-based conclusion within a timeframe of about three years, this is no longer a hindrance to earning the degree. Increasingly, the thesis has become a report with an emphasis on training rather than the detailed description of a scientific project.

Other countries have different systems. In the USA, the PhD phase is a genuine period of postgraduate training that includes both theory and research, with a greater emphasis on course work and the possibility of rotating through different laboratories. In Nordic countries, the situation is more complex: some universities adopt the US model, whereas some focus on publication output, and others are variations of these. In Germany, it is necessary to spend up to two years on a diploma degree before moving on to a PhD. Many other countries require their PhD students to teach undergraduates. In some systems, the final examination is a mere formality with an inevitably positive outcome; in others, it is a rigorous cross-examination by jury.

Against this background of different systems, new aspects have arisen that are moulding the PhD into a different entity to what it was. For example, the concept that a student must carry out an individual piece of research seems outdated.

Most publications list many authors, each of whom contributed to the overall content of the paper. In fact, scientific research increasingly demands teamwork, and the PhD system must adapt accordingly; indeed, an important lesson for a young scientist is to learn how to work in a team. But if the thesis is a cooperative effort, then it becomes even more difficult to judge the input of each individual - yet a PhD is awarded to an individual.

Finances are another matter. In some countries, there is only a limited amount of money available to support a PhD student. Once that is spent, the student must survive by the most precarious means: relying on parents or partners to cover the gap, finding a grant to stay afloat, or taking a part-time job, even if this eats into the precious time and energy needed to complete the thesis. If we accept these realities, it makes sense that a PhD is awarded on the basis of time and effort spent, rather than on scientific work alone. But in that case, a PhD is merely an apprenticeship and no longer represents a stamp of achievement.

Is this really a cause for concern? Even if all PhD programmes followed the same rules and regulations, there would still be many theses chronicling failure rather than achievement. But if we collectively become unconcerned about what a PhD is, then we have little basis for expecting the pre-doc students in our laboratories to go through the diligent work that ultimately enables experiments to work and provides robust results. The ‘three years and out’ mentality concentrates on time and investment rather than quality, and runs the risk of producing substandard scientists.

Thus, there might be real consequences for research if we lower the standards for earning a PhD. Perhaps one of the reasons behind the success of the US research system is the quality and structure of their PhD training. Maybe one reason why European countries produce such a high number of papers of more moderate quality is the frequent requirement for a defined number of first-author publications to complete a PhD. Perhaps the concept of writing a thesis on the basis of a well-defined body of work is so foreign to today's students that they prefer the easier route of collating a few papers on which they contributed.

If we change the standards and requirements for obtaining a PhD, this will inevitably shape the next generation of scientists. Thus, we should know more and ask more about what a PhD really means. Instead of treating the degree as an ‘access card’ to the laboratory, we should ask for more information:

how the candidate was examined, who sat on the jury, and what comprises training in the applicant's country or university.

Most importantly, we should insist that a PhD is not merely a vague title but actually means what it implies: it is an award to an expert who has proven their scientific worth and not to someone who stayed in a tolerant group for long enough.

29: The Spiritual Journey 4a/11

What is the point of “knowing the stages of spiritual life”?

The knowledge of the stages of the action of the grace of God is fundamental for our life. It gives us a better idea of:

- what God wants to realise in us,

- the abundance of the Graces He wants to give us

- what we are supposed to do in order to receive all these graces

- the richness of the Synergy He wants to have with us

* Synergy: is a Theological expression, which comes from the Greek Fathers. It belongs to the Theology of the Holy Spirit, or the Theology of Grace. Synergy is the common, combined action of God and us, united. In this action God is always the first one, who calls, who initiates. He is the one that accompanies us during the action. He is the one that helps accomplish, realise, and give its perfection to our action. The action comes from Him and goes back to Him, glorifying him. When it goes back to Him, it goes back Him & us, us & Him.

- In front of such knowledge we remain in awe, grateful to God, to Who He is, to all His Goodness.

- In the beginning, this knowledge is only in a “form of science”, not yet an “experience of God”. If, step by step, it is not put into practice, this knowledge can turn against us and condemn us saying: “you knew it, why didn't you put it into practice?” This is true.

- But in the same time we cannot choose between “knowing” and “not knowing”. It is the duty of each Christian to “seek the Truth”, in order to conform his life to it (putting it into practice). It is as well a sin not to seek the Truth. Jesus came to reveal to us not only the life of God, the Trinity, but to lead us to this life, showing the Way that leads to it, and the stages of such journey.

- Such knowledge is a place for new discoveries of what the Lord prepared for us. By it, we get to know better the content of the Revelation. These discoveries are a great source for graces in our life.

- The benefits of such graces are that they push us, they encourage us to dig deeper, to have a greater understanding of our life and of what it is worth. They build/shape our “act of hope”: they show us where God wants us to go, what He wants to realise in our life. Without the “act of hope” our life is emptied from its contents.

- We can't afford to remain ignorant of that specific knowledge and the Power it brings with it, in setting upright our Hope. If one doesn't know which door to knock at, how will he/she obtain all the graces that are enclosed behind the right door? This knowledge is vital for triggering the journey of our growth. It is necessary to help us reach the fullness of the height of Jesus (see Ephesians 4:13), i.e. the fullness of our salvation.

- Each stage and level is in fact the result of a deeper purification, and therefore brings a deeper and greater level of the Action of the Grace of God in the area that it freed/purified. Of course the Holy Spirit needs to reach the roots of our being in order really to “possess” the human being and really act with greater synergy/freedom in/with him. Until then, one cannot be totally “in the Hands of God”. Knowing all that is very important in order to prepare ourselves to receive all these graces, and to remind ourselves each day of them. It makes us accountable to them. This knowledge forms our conscience and helps us make the exam of conscience. As we see: who says “conscience”, says “exam of conscience”.

A better understanding of Jesus' Action

Let us now continue to deepen our understanding of the direct, inner, mystical Action that the Holy Spirit has in us in each stage of the Life of Jesus. Jesus wants to be our Way, this means that He opens the way for us, in order to come back to the Father, step by step, until we reach the Union with Him and the Father. Each step of His life has a meaning for us, belongs to us and is a teaching and purification.

In the diagram below one can see the little arrows that go from Jesus' life to us. So the “descent” of Jesus is really a descent in us, and a purification action in us, that goes deeper and deeper in us, until He reaches the “bottom of our being”.

4- Jesus' descent in us, out of Love

As we see, we have to descending arrows, one in red (Jesus' one) and one in blue (our one). From each stage of Jesus' life, we have arrows that go from Jesus to us. The redemptive, transformative action of each act in Jesus' life brings graces to us. The grace, the influence of Jesus on us is symbolised by the little arrows we see going from the red descending line, to the blue one. The purification Jesus is performing is each stage of His life is seen this way:

1- The first main stage of the purification Jesus performs in us starts with the beginning of His Ministry.

Christ purifies our body, our senses and our attachment to earthly things. Remember: this phase starts with his Call to the first disciples and therefore they leave everything (as it is stated in the Gospel) and follow Him. They leave their dear ones, their work, their ambitions, their dreams. They found the Messiah, therefore, they found everything in Him. They will follow Him for three years, they will be healed by Him, and receive His teachings. They will receive as well the power to heal and preach.

2- The second stage of their purification is when Jesus, after rooting them in Him, starts to predict for the first time his Passion and Death. The “end” of His Life, doesn't look anymore positive. Definitely, he is not an earthly Messiah. Things start not to work in a human way, according to the human view of Jesus follower. It is not all positive, successful, magic and easy. Jesus starts to show a different way, it is like a junction on the way. Jesus starts to go deeper in his formation and purification of his apostles. He purifies their emotions, their heart. He teaches them to love not out of the goodness of the person they love, but out of the Goodness enclosed in God. Instead of just establishing a human reign, Jesus starts to head, with determination, toward Jerusalem, and toward His supreme Sacrifice.

3- The third stage of the purification of the Apostles is when Jesus enters his Passion, with His Last Supper when he offers his Body and Blood to his disciples. He starts to get sad, knowing he is facing his Passion and Death, having to carry all our sins, having to drink the cup of our sins and of our darkness. Knowing that he has to undergo all the suffering, the unjust treatment, for our sake. Jesus starts to enter with his human nature deeper in Our Soul. He carries our darkness, like a sponge he sucks all our being, grabbing us in His Hands, in order to bring us to the Father.

He purifies our Soul, absorbing in Him our darkness, the distance between us and God.

4- The Fourth and last part of Jesus' purification that He performs on us, is to reach the Cross, and be crucified for 6 hours. 3 with the Sun, and 3 without sun. That shows the degree of darkness he was in. In this vital great moment of salvation, Jesus is totally absorbing us in His Being, becoming us, out of Love, i.e. by the Action of the Holy Spirit.

(to be continued...)

28: Understanding “Spiritual Theology”

The Blog's line

In this Blog, the policy is to remain faithful to one simple line: presenting and explaining “Spiritual Theology”.

“Spiritual Theology” being a fundamental tool at the service of our “spiritual life”, a fundamental place in the Church for a deeper understanding of the Gospel. I won't wonder out of that “frame” or out of that "line", and, trust me, if I write, daily, for three years, it won't be enough: there is a lot to be done. Practical topics are in huge number.

Another point: I wouldn't really like to remain alone. So, please, do come and join with your ideas, and mainly with your “spiritual study”. Even if knowledge doesn't make us saints (that would be the wrong “gnosticism”), study, done under the Light and Love of God, can be source of many graces, especially if we do care to put it into practice. You won't find me talking badly about science, I mean never about “Spiritual Theology”. You won't find me either forgetting the practical side of almost everything we find in “Spiritual Theology”.

“Sand man”

Despite many good and positive things in the earthly side of the Catholic Church, there is an ongoing deep crisis coming from many factors. One main positive one (that very few do mention) is that the “modern” (I should say: “post modern”, or “sand age time”) man (and women, don't worry) is really very demanding, much more than his ancestors. His container is bigger. Bigger than his grand pa's... or his great grand pa's. He needs more, requires more from God, from Jesus, from the Church, from the Priest, from the Monk, and mainly from the "Spiritual Master". He wants proofs, he wants experience, he can't be fooled with two or three good words, he can't be fooled with just a “moral law”, or “good will”. This is why bombarding him (and her) with words that start with: “you have to believe”, “you have to attend this service”, “you have to act this way”, “you have to go and do this” don't really work today. They did work in a more traditionally christian world. It is not the case today. He needs experience. He wants to try God. There is a deep thirst for experience. On top of that, the market is very challenging: not only we are not the centre of the “civilised world”, we are simply a minority. Plus, how many meditation classes or gurus are around today? They got the point, we (catholics) didn't really yet. In a way it is a bit late. But, never mind, the work is still here, in front of us, but just hugely accumulated. Piles and piles and piles. Just: let us work.

I love the challenge that “sand man” offers to Jesus' Message. I feel that much more can come out, and slightly different. The “capacity”, the “container” is just bigger. Mind you, I am not “praising” mister “sand age man”. I am just mentioning what I find very positive in him/her.

The starting point

Remember: my starting point is simple, but huge, humongous (I learned “humongous” when I first visited the States in 1996, and they told me it was more of 60s expression. I don't have a problem with the 60s. Sandman was emerging at that moment.): there are tons and tons and tons of Graces that Jesus wants to pour in us.

This is not “a philosophy”, or “an abstract concept”, or “a fashion”. It is a reality. Jesus wants to give Himself to us. But we sort of:

1- don't really know that enough

2- and, mostly, we are sort of lost when it comes to practicality: how can we receive of that amount of Love and Graces? What are we supposed to do in order to receive it?

So, this is my starting point, and this is “my philosophy”. By the grace of God, I won't get sidetracked from that line.

Remember the grace that saint Thérèse received the 9^th of June 1895: God makes her discover how much He wants to love her, how much He still wants to give her. “This year, the 9^th of Jun, feast of the Holy Trinity, I received the grace of understanding more than ever how much Jesus desires to be loved.” (“Cette année le 9 Juin fête de la Sainte Trinité, j'ai reçu la grâce de comprendre plus que jamais combien Jésus désire être aimé.”) (saint Thérèse, Autobiography, Manuscript A, end)

Or, if you prefer, I am standing beside the Apostles (hiding behind the curtains) during the moment they are gathered in the Upper-room with Mary, and they receive the Holy Spirit. I am watching the effects of the Action of the Holy Spirit, and trying to follow the trail of the Holy Spirit during 20 centuries. The Torrents of Love, that God wants to give us, and how we received them in the past, and what we learned (an accumulated huge experience, knowledge and wisdom).

Change of scenery

Today, if a catholic monk, having lived hidden for 30 years, comes out of his monastery, and starts to wonder in the world and condemns his fellow catholics, and say that they will go to Hell, I am sure you might find that a bit “too much”, a bit “politically incorrect”. Wouldn't you? How can he send the Church of Christ to Hell? 

Of course many of the sins of today's christians would send them to hell, but I am sure that you would find that this “politically incorrect” behaviour is a bit too much and that he should tone his voice and way, in order to remember love, mercy, and acceptance…

If yourself have many griefs against many members of the Church, I am sure you can imagine that the collegiality of the Bishops wont let this monk be “free”, in the outside world, for long time. They'll bring him back to his monastery, quite rapidly, under obedience, or out of any strategical "threat".

Too much of a violent preaching

Would we try to understand why is he speaking so violently, and condemning his fellow brothers? Can't he just speak about the Love of God and His Mercy, and stop condemning people? A bit rough. But monks can sometimes be rough. Especially if they are the kind of “spiritual” ones.

Can't this preaching be coming out of love? Well, you would say: "well rightly so, but he should speak more about the Love of God". - Well he is rightly saying that people are not making any effort to receive that Love.

Well I'll get you out of your misery because you must be wondering: - what is he trying to say? - Well, frankly I find today's Gospel (Matthew 8:5-17) very “politically incorrect” or, if you prefer, I find that the world we live in is simply dying out of “political correctness”.

In today's Gospel, Jesus, has just finished his great Sermon of the Mountain, and just healed one man from his leper and now is healing a non-jewish person. Like, if you prefer, put in today's terms: healing a Hindu, or a Muslim or an Atheist. He finds that this “Atheist” (a Roman soldier of some sort) has more faith than the catholics (just to put it into perspective). So, with no warning at all: Jesus starts to send all the Catholics to Hell. So you wonder: why? What happened? No warning?

This is too violent! Please don't try to turn a blind eye onto that. It is too obvious, and please just: face it. Jesus is extremely violent with Catholics. Just imagine Him saying the same today: "Amen, I say to you, in no one in the Catholic Church have I found such faith. 
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,
 but the children of the kingdom (the Catholics) will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." (see Mt 8:5-17)

Put this way: it is a bit too much, isn't it?

We are very calmly sure that “all is fine” and, suddenly, a huge final storm comes and sends us to Hell (the “outer darkness”). You can't dilute this violent statement, and its violent contents. Please don't try to find excuses. The matter is serious. Jesus' contemporary Jews were what we are today: people who received everything: all the Promises, all the Prophets, all the Graces in order to receive their Messiah. Well, we are worse: we have Him amongst us. So our condemnation should be immensely bigger.

Are Jesus' contemporary Jews worse than us? Not sure about that. Why would God treat people worse than others? Is He unjust?

But the thing is that you'll read today's Gospel, and feel fine, untouched, (you are the "caste of the untouchables") and you'll sleep well. Amazing isn't it? You'll continue to go to Sunday Mass, and feel fine.

Spiritual Theology

Now, how this relates to “Spiritual Theology”?

“Spiritual Theology” tells us about the “tons and tons” of graces Jesus wants to pour in us. It shows us what to do in order to receive them. It explains to us what will happen, the transformation that will occur in us. Great no?

In today's Gospel Jesus is commenting on the quality and characteristics of the faith of a non-jewish Roman soldier.

"When he entered Capernaum, a Centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed." (Mt 8:5-17)

The soldier is actually a Centurion, he has subalterns under his orders. He explains to Jesus how he understands order and execution. And in God, "order" and "execution" are immediate. There is no distance in God between "saying something" and "having the capacity to realise it". When God says something, He can do it, immediately. The soldier said to Jesus that he believes that it works like that for Jesus. The soldier is totally opened to the fact that Jesus is capable of "saying/wanting something" and "putting it into practice" immediately.

The act of faith is not about just a mere general concept of the existence of God (Like: "I believe in God"). The act of faith here is about the fact that Jesus is capable of doing what He wants; that if He wants it now, He can do it. He has the capacity to do it.

The Centurion is opened to the Power that is enclosed in Jesus. He is opened to the Action of this Power.

One must add: it is a Power of Healing, a power orientated toward Salvation, toward changing the human being body, soul and spirit. Or if you prefer: spirit, soul, and body.

I like the Pope John Paul IIs definition of faith: “faith, in its deepest essence, is the openness of the human heart to the gift: to God's self-communication in the Holy Spirit.” ("Dominum et vivificantem", 51). If you wonder what is “Dominum et vivificantem”? well it is Pope John Paul II Encyclical Letter on the Holy Spirit. (You can find it here)

“the openness of the human heart to the […] Holy Spirit”.

Jesus praises the quality of the faith of that Centurion. The quality. The openness of that man to the Action of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit. He is called: “Messiah” because He is full of the Holy Spirit, and He is the Giver of the Holy Spirit ("He breathed on them" (John 20:22)). When you see a picture like the following one, please do think that these Rays that come out of Jesus' Heart are nothing but the Holy Spirit Himself. (remember to ask for the Holy Spirit)

The mission of “Spiritual Theology” is to understand the transformative Action of the Holy Spirit in us.

So, when you say: "I do believe in such and such", or, “I don't believe in such and such”, just remember that believing means: to open my heart, to open myself (and ask for it) to the Action of the Holy Spirit. Our main study should be: understanding, according to the Mystics, what He wants to realise in us. Step by step.

Back to square one

Now, back to that “violence”. Why would one has to be violent when he preaches the Kingdom of God?

You can have all the interpretations you want, the nice soft ones, and the rought and tough ones. In the end of the day, when you visit your dear friend for his/her birthday, and offer your gift that you carefully prepared from weeks and he or she rejects your gift, and loves his other friends ones, what would you do?? I leave you free to express your feelings in that very moment, to understand your feelings. But remember: that was Jesus' Case... He prepared His Gift, He came to give it to you... and you went after other people's gifts.

Today, His violence wouldn't work in our "correct world". Would that change anything to our final destination (the "outer darkness")? The person who doesn't receive the Gift of God, as the mystics describe it, aren't they politically, correctly, in the "outer", correct, political, "darkness"? Hell....

Let us be fair, He tries all the tools in the box and people don't want. He didn't put them in Hell... By not receiving His Gift, they are out of the reach of His Action. They don't want to receive his Gift, so, as a consequence: they don't know what is His Gift... they have no experience of it. Heaven or Hell are not God's arbitrary last minute decision: they are simply ours, during our lifetime on earth. You don't want His Gift? He won't force you to have it (as dramatic as it sounds). As a consequence: you don't have it. He won't impose it on you last minute. It can't even be imposed, it requires your will, your desire.

Simple physics! "Simple...!"

(How many christians today don't have a clue of “what is the Holy Spirit?”, “what is His Action in us”, “what are the graces that saint Theresa of Avila describes”, for instance... they just put their conscience in sleep mode, thinking that “Sunday Mass is enough”. Hell... no. Many pastors do lead them as well to this conclusion. (well, sprinkled with a bit of a moral theology, or of some biblical lucubrations)

In today's Gospel, Jesus used the word “hell”... he called it: the "outer darkness"...

Let us leave the “outer darkness” and learn about His Gift and what we are supposed to do in order to receive it. "Spiritual Theology".... yes please...

(The Journey  Continues...)

24: Defining Spiritual Theology 3

"Successful Spiritual Theology"

What is a “successful Spiritual Theology”? "To be successful" is something essential, it is to reach fruition, or, in a much more simple way: to achieve the goal you set up.

Jesus himself points relentlessly on the necessity of "bearing fruits". Just check “fruits” in the Gospel of saint John, or just read again the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13 and parallels), you'll see that the only soil that bears fruits is the fourth one, the “Good soil”. This is the peak of the Parable: "bearing fruits" is the goal. And "with abundance” please!!

The human being is like a tree (see the majority of the parables, see as well the mysterious healing Jesus performs on a blind man, done in two steps (Mk 8:24)): he is supposed to bear fruits.

The fruit of life is holiness. Holiness is to reach the fulness, the completion of our own spiritual development. In doing so we face two great obstacles:

1- Till today, we hardly are able to define holiness. We remain with general concepts, and if we dig a little bit we don't really get a grasp of it. We often remain with general indications: - just do this and you'll be fine. - But tell me precisely what is holiness? An experienced eye will rapidly see the flaws in the answer. Everybody agrees on the fact that "the goal of our life" is "to reach holiness", but it often ends here. Beware tough: this is seriously risky not to be able to define it. (I'll tell you another day how, in the Catholic Church, we reached unanimously that conclusion: "everybody is called to become holy".)

2- Admitting that we reach that first goal: “defining holiness” - which would be really amazing because it makes us more credible - we are totally helpless in showing "the way to reach it", "the steps", "the stages", "the secure means" to holiness. You see? Immediately if you start addressing these issues, you'll have “resistance”. From the “we can't do that”, to “it is not the same for everybody”, “we can't know if we are there”, “we can't monitor the growth”, “there are no defined steps for a journey”, or you might end up by the contradictory statement (contradictory with the previous n°1 (see above)): “holiness is not for everybody”.

What remains in your hands? Simply: almost nothing. This is what Jesus would call: an unsuccessful life. There are “NO FRUITS” in this life (as needed according to the Gospel). We are trees that never reach their completion: the fulness of their hight (or if we do so, we are seen as "big mountains", "Hercules", "incredible Hulk" or... name it: exceptions.). We speak too much, and do nothing when we get to serious matters. We are trees that don't know how to reach completion.

A successful Christianity, a successful “Spiritual Theology” (it is the strictly the same thing), happen when you have in front of you and very well defined:

- a clearly defined goal,
- clear steps as well

- accessible practical means to reach it.

Otherwise, you might just call being christian: foolishness. We do leave holiness to randomised attempts, made by some "foolish" ones who decide to go for the journey.

A successful pedagogue (teacher) is the one that takes you from A to Z, through b, c, d, and so on. If your pedagogue didn't go through b, c, d, he/she can't really help you for long time. Simple! Wake up! “Successful” is: to be able to lead you, to show you the way, until you reach completion.

The real teacher has a “secure teaching” that leads to the Goal. He offers a secure complete journey.

A “Spiritual Theology” that doesn't perform these tasks is simply: chatter. Avoid loosing time and energy. Just an example: when you start reading John of the Cross: from page one, he sets the goal, and embarks you in a journey, that leads you to the maximum, to the top of the Mountain. He has the audacity to do so. He IS a Spiritual Master. Now we need spiritual Masters that are not only books we read, but humans that are here on earth with us. We don't need people who start the journey with you, with great audacity!, but don't know how to lead you when you face certain advanced steps, and are certainly incapable to lead you to the goal!

Do you see what I mean by “Successful Spiritual Theology”?

Unsuccessful Spiritual Theology is simply: ridicule.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a Tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ " (Luke 14:28-30)

- That "tower" is “holiness”. It is very high, high as God himself is high, because He is the Holy One.

- “enough money to complete it”: your first money here is the direct Call from Jesus. The second money here is “knowledge” of the Goal and of the journey and the means (Spiritual Theology). The third “money” here is: your determination, your entrepreneurial spirit, your adventurous spirit.

- “sit down, and estimate” sir... sit down... if you have the first and the third, do you have the second money? If you don't know, you don't have the knowledge, the secure knowledge, the “successful Spiritual Theology”, then, how would you do it? You'll start, as many start, but you won't be able to finish it.... what a ridicule thing to see: an unfinished building !!!

Please do join-in in understanding what is “Successful Spiritual Theology”. This is serious matter; not to be taken lightly. Random or general indications are not enough. The journey is serious, and serious secure knowledge is needed. Otherwise stopping in front of your unfinished “work” : “everyone who sees it will ridicule you”.

When life starts, and you stop it, what is it called? - Abortion.

When spiritual life starts in you (that is Jesus in you) and you stop it (out of "unsuccessful spiritual theology") how do you call it? I would use the same word.

Is the Life of Jesus in you, and its completion less important? Com'on.