Introduction to St. John of the Cross
Using the Spiritual Canticle

Materials:

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross (1991 Edition)
Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD and Otilio Rodriguez, OCD
http://www.icspublications.org/bookstore/cross/index.html

Or

St. John of the Cross: A Digital Library (Version 1.0)
http://www.carmelclarion.com/id23.htm

Carmelite Studies VI: John of the Cross
Steven Payne, OCD Editor

This book is out of print but it can be found at http://www.icspublications.org/
Look under archives/on-line books. 

Unit I:  Introduction to the Life and Poetry of St. John of the Cross 

Refer to Unit I in the Ascent material: 

http://www.malkovsky.org/OCDSFormation

Unit II:  Introduction to the Doctrine of St. John of the Cross

Refer to Unit II in the Ascent material: 

http://www.malkovsky.org/OCDSFormation

Unit III:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 1

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, The Introduction, Prologue and Stanzas 1 - 3.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Prologue:

1.  Why was the commentary on the poem written?  What do you know about the person for whom it was written?  (You met her when studying St. Teresa of Avila.)

2.  Why is St. John of the Cross not going to give a precise explanation of these stanzas?

3.  Why must this be read with “simplicity of spirit”?

4.  Why does SJOC want to explain these stanzas in their broadest sense?

5.  Why does SJOC plan to  discuss the more extraordinary effects of prayer and pass over the more common effects?

Stanza 1

1.  What are the two reasons the soul feels her indebtedness to God and what does she realize she owes Him?  (I love to meditate on this answer). 

2.  What does SJOC teach about sensible feelings?

3.  Why must the soul suffer the absence of the Beloved?

4.  Why must the soul seek  God as “hidden”?

5.  In this life - where will the soul find her Beloved?

6.  Why does she not find Him hidden?

7a.  Why does the soul moan?
7b.  Will it always moan? 

Stanza 2

1.  Read  4.  Have you ever had the experience of having to wait a very long time for the answer to a prayer and come to believe that God did not “hear” and “see” you?  Did you give up?  How did you view this experience with hind sight? 

2.  Why does the soul simply disclose her need to the Beloved and not ask for specific help?

Stanza 3. 

What are the two necessary ways to seek God? 

Unit III:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This page is optional.  

I.  Use these scriptures for your meditation time:

Rom. 1:20 & 13:11-14     s. 34:4-10      Eccl. 1:1-11      Mt. 7:13,14      Col. 3:1-4

II.  Give prayerful attention to the following questions:

Have I truly sought the Lord in faith and love, without desire for satisfaction, good feelings or understanding which is not needed? 

Have I done all that I can through my own efforts and works (such as mortifications and penances, and practicing the virtues) or do I only give lip service to God?  Does my “love” for Him really cost me something?

Do I let trials and temptations disturb and discourage me?

How can I use the beauty and majesty of God’s creation to quicken my desire to enter more fully into His mysteries?  Do I make time to retire to places of beauty and solitude which inspire me?

Unit IV:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 2

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, Stanzas 4-13.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Stanza 4. 

How does one prepare to begin “this journey” (St. John mentions two steps).

Note:  To me these two steps can be related to two gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The first to Fortitude, and the second to Knowledge.  If you have Divine Intimacy there are excellent essays on the gifts of the Holy Spirit beginning at chapter 299.

Stanza 5.

Explain how God “clothed [creation] in beauty”.

Stanza 6.

Why do the messengers only seem to make matters worse?  What is it that she wants to hear and why can’t they tell her?

Stanza 7.

What does she hear from those who are free and why does this wound her more than what she hears from the messengers?

Stanza 8.

Why does the soul say that natural life is like death to her?  

Stanza 9.

1.a.  As a review, what is the cause of the wound of which the soul complains?
1.b.  And what is it that will heal her?
2.    What is the only payment for love (one of SJOC’s most famous sayings)?

Stanza 11.

1.  Why does the soul say “may the vision of Your beauty be my death?
Note:  St. John mentions Limbo in 9.  Please note that Limbo was never an official teaching of the Church and is not mentioned in the new Catechism. 
2.  What is necessary for love to reach perfection?

Stanza 12.

1.  What is the one means through which the soul reaches true union with God?
2.  Explain SJOC’s interpretation of Gal 2:20 - that is, how the two are transformed in one.  

Stanza 13. 

Note:  to understand what St. John means about the light of God causing darkness just imagine being in a dimly lit room and suddenly the room is flooded with the brightest light.  You will be blinded by the light and see less than you could see before.  We may think we are in darkness and far from God, when in fact we are in God’s bright light.

1.a.  Why does the soul say “withdraw them Beloved”?  
1.b. Does she really mean this?
2.    Why is it that even perfect knowledge of God might not lead to union?
3.    What aid in practicing love does SJOC recommend?

Unit IV:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This page is optional.  

I.  Use these scriptures for your meditation time:  Songs 3:1-3 & 2:8-10

IICor. 5:1-9      Ps. 63:1-3      Ps. 42      Ps. 13:1,2      Ps. 19:1-4 Ps 27:7-9,13,14

II.  Give prayerful attention to the following questions:

Do I feel that God “owes” me something - some reward for my faithfulness to his commandments, or for my good works?  Do I desire or hope for any reward for my service other than the perfect love of God?

What are the things and people in which I seek pleasure and satisfaction?  What things cause me disappointment?  In  short, where is my personal treasure?  Is it truly in God?

How do I feel about death - in  particular my own death?  What is lacking for me to be able to die a happy death?

Unit V:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 3

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, Stanzas 14-18.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Stanzas 14 & 15

Note on footnote 9.
This footnote may not make sense unless you are familiar with Aquinas and the terminology used.  This, in simple terms is what the footnote is saying: 

We learn things through our senses, and through them we get to know specific things.  For example, we get to know trees; different kinds of trees.  We can identify an oak, a maple, a pine tree, etc.   From our knowledge of these specific trees, we develop an idea of  “tree”.  We don’t actively work at coming up with this concept, it just happens naturally, through the “process of abstraction”.  We develop in our subconscious the concept of tree so that if someone says tree we think of something that has a vertical structure with roots, branches, etc.  

The “active intellect” (our active mind) through “illumination” (what we learn through our senses) has extracted “from the phantasm” (the specific trees we have seen) the concept of “tree”.  The “intelligible species” (the concept of tree) is impressed on the passive intellect (our subconscious) so that we  now have an “immaterial concept of the object” that is the concept of tree impressed on our brain.  

Now, what the footnote refers to in the stanza is that the soul is receiving from God “immaterial concepts”, that is abstract knowledge of God directly from God without going through the process of abstraction.  The knowledge that is being impressed is delightful and much greater than any knowledge we could gain through our efforts because  - as we have already learned - the knowledge of God we can gain through our senses is limited.

1.  What is the particular inspiration for these stanzas? 

2.  Note footnote #2.  What are the principles referred to?

3.  What are (some of) the properties of God that the soul experiences and attempts to express through these two stanzas? 

4.  What images of nature would you put in these stanzas if you were writing this poem?  What do your images say to you about God?

5.  Describe St. John’s [author of Revelation] vision of heaven and how it relates to the “sounding solitude” of SJOC.

Stanza 16

1.  What is the  “cone of roses” and what does she do with it?

2.  At this stage why may the faculties cease their work?

Stanza 17

What does the soul do to combat spiritual dryness?

Unit V:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This section is optional.  

I.  Use these scriptures for your meditation time:  Sirach 24:19-21  Songs 5:2-8

II.  Prayerfully read I Cor. 13:4-7.  Now take one phrase at a time and meditate or journal on the degree in which it can be found in your soul.  Make any needed resolutions. 

Unit VI:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 4

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, Stanzas 19-25.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Stanzas 19

1.  Why does SJOC insist that St. Paul must have received his vision of God outside the body?  Read 2 Cor 12 (you may need to review  6-8 of stanza 18). 

2.  Why does the soul say “do not speak”?

Stanzas 20 - 21

1.  The soul is asking for spiritual marriage - what is necessary to attain this high state of perfection?

2a.  How is the lower part finally quieted and brought to peace?
2b.  What lesson do we learn again from this experience.   

3.  The soul in the state of spiritual marriage is like God in that she cannot experience any additional delight - explain.

Stanza 22

1.  Give a short definition/explanation of the state of spiritual marriage. 

2.  What does SJOC mean when he says the soul has become “divine”, has become God?  What scriptures support this idea?

Stanza 23

1a.  The Bridegroom communicates many mysteries to the soul, which one does SJOC say is the most important?  
1b.  What part does this mystery play in your own spiritual life?  

2.  What is the meaning of the “apple tree”?

Stanza 24

How does the soul become beautiful and rich?  

Stanza 25
	
How is new wine like new lovers, and old wine like old lovers?

Unit VI:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This section is optional.  

Thinking of your own soul as a garden where the Lord might come to “take his delight”, what flowers of virtue are you preparing for Him?  Take stock of what you have and what is still lacking for a beautiful, fragrant garden.  This meditation should take at least half an hour! 

Unit VII:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 5

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, Stanzas 26-33.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Stanza 26

1.  What is meant by “perfect filial fear arises from perfect paternal love”?

2.  Why does the soul say “I no longer knew anything”?

Stanza 27

Why can the soul now say “I gave myself to Him, keeping nothing back”?

Stanza 28

1.  What is God’s only desire for the soul and how is it realized?

2.  What are the four passions and how are they put at the service of God.  (See also Ascent III 16:2).

3.  Examine yourself in light of 7.  There is no need to write the “answer” to this question but you are welcome to share insights if you choose. 

Stanza 29

SJOC says that in this high state of union activity should cease even activity that is of great service to God.  Why?

Stanza 30

What are the two different interpretations given for “cool mornings”?

Stanza 31

1.  Read and ponder the important reminder in footnote 1. 

Though it may often seem that the Beloved is passive and inactive while the bride searches for him, John reminds us again that in reality Christ is the principal lover. 

2.  How is it that the hair of our “lowly love” is able to captivate God (8)?

Stanza 32

The same point is made in this chapter especially in 5.  Explain “for this You loved me ardently”. 

Stanza 33

We are often told to forget our sins once they have been confessed and forgiven.  But SJOC give three reasons not to forget these sins.  What are they?  Is this helpful to you? 

Unit VII:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This section is optional.  

How often am I to be found “on the Common”?  How much time do I waste in conversations?  (See 29:6)

Can I say that “everything I do, I do with love, and everything I suffer, I suffer with the delight of love”?  When I reflect on the past few days, what evidence do I find of either?

What amount of time do I spend in prayer before going out to do some work for God?

Unit VIII:  The Spiritual Canticle - Part 6

Reading Assignment:  

The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross
Read The Spiritual Canticle, Stanzas 34-40.
Read the stanzas and the commentaries. 

Stanza 35

Question 1.  Solitude is said to be both a means and a cause of the Bridegroom’s union with the soul.  Explain.

Question 2.  How and why does God elevate the faculties; that is the intellect, the will, the memory?

Question 3.  Can you think of some practical ways in which you can practice more solitude in our noisy and busy world?  

Stanza 36  

How does SJOC apply John 17:10 to the soul?  (“All my things are yours, and Yours are mine”).

Stanza 38

What is the soul seeking?  When and how will God show her “what her soul has been seeking”?

Stanza 39

Question 1.  Explain “the breathing of the air”.

Question 2.  Saint John of the Cross says the soul becomes “god”. But not God as Jesus is God.  Explain.

Question 3.  What are three terms used to define or describe contemplation and why are these terms used.  [see  12].

Stanza 40

Sum up the blessings of the Bride.

Conclusion  

What was the most important benefit to you in studying The Spiritual Canticle? 
Unit VII:  The Spiritual Canticle - For Reflection

The following material was taken, with permission, from a syllabus prepared by Florence Suarez OCDS.  This section is optional.  

Re-read stanza 39, section 7 and remain with it in prayer for a while. 

St. John of the Cross used “the siege” in speaking of passions and appetites.  How well conquered and calmed are my own?  Make a few notes after meditation. 

What is my attitude when I recall my past sins?
•	do they humble me and cause me to be more careful to avoid the occasions of sin in which they occurred?
•	do they cause me to be more merciful to others?
•	do they make me more determined never to offend God again?
•	do they cause me to be grateful for God’s great Mercy?