Ascent of Mount Carmel

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Ascent of Mount Carmel

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A profound spiritual treatise by St. John of the Cross, this work outlines the soul's journey toward divine union. With rare poetic insight, it guides informed Christians through every category of spiritual experience, illuminating both authentic mystical progress and the pitfalls to avoid on the path to perfection.

Summary up to 500 words

In his seminal mystical theology, *Ascent of Mount Carmel*, St. John of the Cross addresses informed Christians aspiring to grow in union with God. The text examines the full spectrum of spiritual experience, distinguishing between spurious and authentic phenomena. John argues that while God's words and visions are always true, human understanding often fails to grasp their highest, most profitable sense, leading to deception if interpreted literally or through the senses alone. He emphasizes that spiritual truths depend on changeable human causes and affections; thus, souls must dwell in the 'darkness of faith' rather than relying on supernatural apprehensions like visions or locutions. The author warns against the 'animal man' who judges by sense, advocating instead for a 'spiritual man' guided by faith. Through vivid examples from Scripture, such as the prophecy to Nineveh or King Ahab, John demonstrates how divine promises may be fulfilled in a higher, eternal sense rather than their literal, temporal expectation. For instance, God's promise to deliver a persecuted soul from enemies may be true even if the soul dies, because the promise refers to the ultimate victory of salvation rather than temporal deliverance. Similarly, God's judgment on King Ahab was altered because the king humbled himself, illustrating that divine sayings founded on human causes can change. The work serves as a handbook for the man of faith, offering a limpid analysis of mystical experience that reveals the soul's progress while cautioning against the dangers of pride, presumption, and attachment to sensory experiences. Ultimately, the treatise teaches that true liberty and abundance are found only in the darkness of faith, where the soul is weaned from visions to achieve genuine union with God. St. John of the Cross posits that attempting to grasp spiritual realities through sensory means is like trying to grasp the air; the substance vanishes, leaving nothing but confusion. True wisdom comes from dwelling in the liberty of faith, where the soul receives spiritual abundance and the understanding necessary to interpret God's sayings correctly, free from the limitations of earthly time and flesh.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/st-john-of-the-cross_ascent-of-mount-carmel.epub

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Categories

• Religion
• Spirituality