“No matter how much individuals do through their own efforts, they cannot actively purify themselves enough to be disposed in the least degree for the divine union of the perfection of love. God must take over and purge them in… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“For, when the friendship is purely spiritual, the love of God grows with it; and the more the soul remembers it, the more it remembers the love of God, and the greater the desire it has for God; so that,… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share
“No matter how much individuals do through their own efforts, they cannot actively purify themselves enough to be disposed in the least degree for… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“For, when the friendship is purely spiritual, the love of God grows with it; and the more the soul remembers it, the more it remembers the love of God, and the greater the desire it has for God; so that, as the one grows, the other grows also. For the spirit of God has this property, that it increases good… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share
“With respect also to spiritual sloth, beginners are apt to be irked by the things that are most spiritual, from which they flee because… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“Sometimes, too, when their spiritual masters, such as confessors and superiors, do not approve of their spirit and behavior (for they are anxious that… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“The second cause whence these rebellions sometimes proceed is the devil, who, in order to disquiet and disturb the soul, at times when it… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“Some of these beginners, too, make little of their faults, and at other times become over-sad when they see themselves fall into them, thinking… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“As for the vice of lust - aside from what it means for spiritual persons to fall into this vice, since my intent is… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“Many beginners also at times possess great spiritual avarice. They hardly ever seem content with the spirit God gives them. They become unhappy and… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
“For whereas speaking distracts, silence and work collect the thoughts and strengthen the spirit. As soon therefore as a person understands what has been… — Juan de la Cruz Copy Share Image
