![]() As man-Christian-Carmelite, he experienced in himself this purifying ascent as spiritual director, he sensed it in others as psychologist-theologian, he described and analyzed it in his prose writings. Carmel, as he named it in his prose masterpiece. There are many mystics, many poets John is unique as mystic-poet, expressing in his prison-cross the ecstasy of mystical union with God in the Spiritual Canticle.īut as agony leads to ecstasy, so John had his Ascent to Mt. In the darkness of the dungeon, John’s spirit came into the Light. Yet, the paradox! In this dying of imprisonment John came to life, uttering poetry. He came to know the cross acutely-to experience the dying of Jesus-as he sat month after month in his dark, damp, narrow cell with only his God. As partner with Teresa and in his own right, John engaged in the work of reform, and came to experience the price of reform: increasing opposition, misunderstanding, persecution, imprisonment. Ordained a Carmelite priest in 1567 at age 25, John met Teresa of Avila and like her, vowed himself to the primitive Rule of the Carmelites. The Paschal Mystery-through death to life-strongly marks John as reformer, mystic-poet, and theologian-priest. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34b) is the story of John’s life. John is a saint because his life was a heroic effort to live up to his name: “of the Cross.” The folly of the cross came to full realization in time. Saint of the Day for December 14 (J– December 14, 1591)
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