The Spiritual Life: Three Stages of the Spiritual Life: The Illuminative Stage: Part Two: guide #8 in series.
Synopsis "The Spiritual Life: Three Stages of the Spiritual Life: The Illuminative Stage: Part Two: guide #8 in series."
God, wherever there is room, diffuses Himself. The "Father of lights" (Jas. 1:17), who is not close-fisted but diffuses Himself abundantly, as the sun does its rays, without being a respecter of persons (cf. Acts 10:34), wherever there is room...and does not hesitate or consider it of little import to find his "delights with the children of men" at a common table in the world (Prv. 8:31), JC LF 15 [John of the Cross, Living Flame].As there was no room at the inn for Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus (love itself), so it is with some souls who fail to make room for God in their interior life. Souls do this intentionally, negligently or because of their failure to recognize God. They mistakenly choose lesser things for God. It is at this point in mystical theology (illumination) that the Church's teaching regarding redemption from God's point of view becomes abundantly clear. It was easier for God to create man than to redeem man. Why is this so? Because man was created out of nothing and had no will to resist God. A rock, a plant or an animal contains no free will to resist God. Only the soul can be judged as good or evil for failing to make room for God.God will dwell with anyone who loves Him (cf. Jn. 14:23). The Blessed Trinity inhabits the soul by divinely illuminating its intellect with wisdom of the Son, delighting its will in the Holy Spirit, and by absorbing it powerfully and mightily in the delightful embrace of the Father's sweetness. (Jc Lf 15).We are discussing the illuminative stage, where the soul affirmatively walks with God, being clothed with virtue, gifts and graces. It is helpful here to briefly discuss the organs of the soul. There are three - the intellect, the will and the memory. For our purpose we will discuss the intellect in terms that will assist those who love God. So it is clear that all souls can test for themselves the existence of these three organs; consider for a moment the last time the reader was thirsty. That thirst exists in your memory. Now consider how your neighbor could be thirsty next week. That thirst is your intellect. Now reread this article when you are actually thirsty. That thirst exists in your will. Your thirst for God can be likewise considered as existing in all three organs, or faculties, of the soul.
