Discussion of Relation IV

Relation 4
           or
Manifestations of her Spiritual State
   which St. Teresa Submitted to Her Confessors
          or
Spiritual Testimonies
          or
Relations of the Spirit

Of the Graces the Saint Received     in Salamanca at the End of Lent, 1571    .

Discussion Topics / Questions 1). St. Teresa wrote of a      "profound trance" or deep rapture       in which Our Lord appeared             and spoke to her.       Does this call to mind         the Gospel passage of John:17?       How did she describe this rapture ?                     [ Relations 4: # 2   ] 2). St. Teresa spoke of  the desolation       that she experienced        when her Confessor had       "went away" and was unavailable         because of his many urgent duties.        "...it is impossible for me to have          recourse to you for comfort             even when necessary..."        Then she began to fear that             her need for comfort         was a lack of detachment.     How did she describe this concern?     How was it resolved?              [ Relations 4: # 3  ] 3). St. Teresa received many different        types of graces/gifts from God        at different times.        Is there a "fixed rule" regarding         how/when these special graces                are granted?         What did she say about this?                     [ Relations 4: # 3 ] 4).  What did St. Teresa  say regarding         the sorrows of  Our Lady?                 [ Relations 4: #  4, 1 ] 5). What did  St. Teresa say        regarding her prayers and services        which were pleasing to God?                     [ Relations 4: # 5  ]

1). St. Teresa wrote of a
     "profound trance" or deep rapture
      in which Our Lord appeared
            and spoke to her.


      Does this call to mind
        the Gospel passage of John:17?


      How did she describe this rapture ?  
             [ Relations 4: # 2   ]


St. Teresa wrote:
"I was in this great pain
   till this morning;
and, being in prayer,
   I fell into a profound trance;


and it seemed to me
  that our Lord had
     taken me up in spirit to His Father, and
     said to Him:
       "Whom Thou hast given to Me,
             I give to Thee"


  He seemed to draw me near to Himself.
   ...He kept me by Him for some time".
                    [ Relations 4: # 2  ]

John 17:  9-10 [9] I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me:  because they are thine: [10] And all my things are thine,  and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. John 17:  16-26 [16]They are not of the world,  as I also am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in truth.  Thy word is truth. [18] As thou hast sent me into the world,  I also have sent them into the world. [19] And for them do I sanctify myself,  that they also may be sanctified in truth.  [20] And not for them only do I pray,  but for them also who through their word  shall believe in me; [21] That they all may be one,  as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee;  that they also may be one in us;  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.    [22] And the glory which thou hast given me,  I have given to them; that they may be one,  as we also are one: [23] I in them, and thou in me;  that they may be made perfect in one:  and the world may know that thou hast sent me,  and hast loved them, as thou hast also loved me. [24] Father, I will that where I am,  they also whom thou hast given me  may be with me;  that they may see my glory  which thou hast given me,  because thou hast loved me  before the creation of the world. [25] Just Father, the world hath not known thee;  but I have known thee:  and these have known that thou hast sent me. [26] And I have made known thy name to them,  and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me,  may be in them, and I in them.

______________________________

2). St. Teresa spoke of  the desolation
      that she experienced
       when her Confessor had
      "went away" and was unavailable
        because of his many urgent duties.
       "...it is impossible for me to have
         recourse to you for comfort
            even when necessary..."
       Then she began to fear that
            her need for comfort
        was a lack of detachment.


 How did she describe this concern?


  How was it resolved?
             [ Relations 4: # 3  ]


St. Teresa wrote regarding:


~ Her concern regarding
     lack of detachment:

Since, she derived wisdom, comfort, 
   and reassurance from his counsel, 
St. Teresa experienced 
   loneliness and desolation 
when her Confessor was unavailable 
   for consultation.


She feared 
  that she was losing her detachment,
her freedom of spirit, 
  by developing an attachment to this solace.


Our Lord, then, counseled her 
  and expelled her doubts 
by explaining that the soul seeks
  to communicate spiritual matters
to one who is able to understand.


St. Teresa wrote:


"As you, my father,
   went away yesterday so soon,
and I consider the many affairs
   which detain you,
 so that it is impossible for me
    to have recourse to you for comfort
even when necessary,


for I see
 that your occupations are most urgent,
     I was for some time
in pain and sadness.


As I was then in desolation,
           -- as I said before,--
    that helped me; and
as nothing on earth, I thought,
    had any attractions for me,
I had a scruple, and feared
   I was beginning to lose that liberty.
            [ Relations 4: # 3  ]


   ( and as I believe
     there is no createdthing on earth
     to which I am bound by attachment,
     I began
     to have some scruples about this,
     and feared I was beginning
         to lose this freedom.
               - Spiritual Relations (IV) XV
                   Peer's translation   )

Como yo tenía la soledad que he dicho, ayudaba; y como criatura de la tierra no me parece me tiene asida, dio me algún escrúpulo, temiendo no comenzase a perder esta libertad. Blogger's poor translation: Since I had been (in) desolation/loneliness (as I said) that had been helped and  since in my thought/opinion,    no creature of the earth    has any help for me, this gave me many scruples, fearing that i  was beginning    to lose  this freedom (detachment).

~ Regarding How her concern
      was Answered:


St. Teresa wrote:


 "...our Lord answered my doubt,
  and said to me
   "that I was not to be surprised;
    for as men seek for companions
       with whom they may speak
           of their sensual satisfactions,


    so the soul
                   when there is any one
                    who understands it
      seeks those
           to whom it may communicate
                 its pleasures and its pains, and
      is sad and mourns
                 when it can find none."
                    [ Relations 4: #  3 ]
_______________________________


3). St. Teresa received many different
       types of graces/gifts from God
       at different times.


       Is there a "fixed rule" regarding
        how/when these special graces
               are granted?


        What did she say about this?
                    [ Relations 4: # 3 ]


St. Teresa, in her writings, often stated
 that God grants His graces
  according to His will,
  according to His goodness,
  knowing what will benefit
         a particulatr soul
         at a particular time.


Here, she stated 
that Our Lord spoke to her regarding 
  the different graces and visions 
which she was granted:


  He said to me
  "that there was a difference
      between these and
      the imaginary visions, and
    that there could not be
      an invariable law
    concerning the graces
          He bestowed on us;
    for it was expedient to give them
        now in one way,
        now in another."
                    [ Relations 4: #  3 ]


       ( and that there could be
             no fixed rule
         about the graces
         that He bestowed upon us;


         it was well
        that they should be granted
             now in one way and
             now in another.    
               - Spiritual Relations (IV) XV
                   Peer's translation   )


______________________________


4).  What did St. Teresa  say regarding
        the sorrows of  Our Lady?
                [ Relations 4: #  4, 1 ]


Regarding the Sorrows of Our Lady,
St. Teresa wrote:


Our Lord " said to me,
 that when He rose again
He showed Himself to our Lady,
  because she was in great trouble;
for sorrow had so pierced her soul
  that she did not even recover herself
at once in order to have
  the fruition of that joy.


By this I saw
  how different was my piercing.


But what must that
   of the Virgin have been?


He remained long with her then
   because it was necessary to console her.
                    [ Relations 4: #  4 ]


and I understand more of that piercing
  which our Lady suffered;
                  [ Relations 4: #  1 ]


_________________________


5). What did  St. Teresa say
       regarding her prayers and services
       which were pleasing to God?
                    [ Relations 4: # 5  ]


St. Teresa stated
that her regular reception
   of Communion (on Palm Sunday)
as well as,
   always striving for a good preparation
      for Communion
in addition to,
     her meditation of the life
         and Passion of Christ
pleased God.


She said:


- that Our Lord said to her,
   "I reward thee well
         for the pleasure
      thou gavest me to-day."


- "He said this
    because I have been in the habit


    -- of going to Communion,
        if possible, on this day
        for more than thirty years, and


    -- of labouring to prepare my soul
            to be the host of our Lord;
      
    -- and I used to picture Him
               as remaining with me,
          and truly in a poor lodging,
                as I see now.


           ( "I used to think of Him
               as staying with me
               in a poor enough inn...
                - Spiritual Relations (IV) XXVI
                   Peer's translation   )


           And thus
           I used to have
              such foolish thoughts
           they must have been acceptable
              to our Lord,
           for this was one of the visions
             which I regard as most certain;
            and, accordingly
            it has been a great blessing to me
               in the matter of Communion.
                     [ Relations 4: #  5 ]


______________________________________

~   End of  Discussion of Relation IV   ~

                

Relation IV

Relation 4

or

Manifestations of her Spiritual State

   which St. Teresa Submitted to Her Confessors

or

Spiritual Testimonies

or

Relations of the Spirit

.             Of the Graces the Saint Received .      in Salamanca at the End of Lent, 1571.    .                       .

.     Discussion Topics / Questions             to keep in mind          as we read along: 1). St. Teresa wrote of a      "profound trance" or deep rapture       in which Our Lord appeared             and spoke to her.       Does this call to mind          the Gospel passage of John:17?       How did she describe this rapture ?                        [ Relations 4: # 2   ] 2). St. Teresa spoke of  the desolation       that she experienced         when her Confessor had       "went away" and was unavailable         because of his many urgent duties.       "...it is impossible for me to have           recourse to you for comfort              even when necessary..."       Then she began to fear            that  her need for comfort         was a lack of detachment.       How did she describe this concern?      How was it resolved?              [ Relations 4: # 3  ] 3). St. Teresa received many different         types of graces/gifts from God        at different times.        Is there a "fixed rule" regarding         how/when these special graces                are granted?         What did she say about this?                     [ Relations 4: # 3 ] 4).  What did St. Teresa  say regarding         the sorrows of  Our Lady?                 [ Relations 4: #  4, 1 ] 5). What did  St. Teresa say         regarding her prayers and services        which were pleasing to God?                     [ Relations 4: # 5  ]     .                       .

               Relation IV

1. I found myself

 the whole of yesterday

    in great desolation,

and, except at Communion,

    did not feel

that it was the day of the Resurrection.

Last night, being with the community,

  I heard one [663] of them singing

how hard it is to be living away from God.

As I was then suffering,

   the effect of that singing on me

was such

   that a numbness began in my hands, and

   no efforts of mine could hinder it;

but as I go out of myself

  in raptures of joy,

so then my soul was thrown

  into a trance

      through the excessive pain, and

  remained entranced;

and until this day I had not felt this.

A few days previously I thought

 that the vehement impulses

   were not so great

as they used to be, and

now it seems to be

  that the reason is

what I have described;

I know not if it is so.

Hitherto the pain had not gone so far

  as to make me beside myself;

and as it is so unendurable,

and as I retained

   the control of my senses,

 it made me utter loud cries

   beyond my power to restrain.

Now that it has grown,

  it has reached this point of piercing me;

and I understand more of that piercing

  which our Lady suffered;

for until to-day,

   as I have just said,

I never knew what that piercing was.

My body was so bruised,

  that I suffer even now

when I am writing this;

for my hands are

  as if the joints were loosed, and

  in pain. [664]

You, my father,

   will tell me

when you see me

   whether this trance be

           the effect of suffering, or

   whether I felt it, or

   whether I am deceived.

2. I was in this great pain

till this morning;

    and, being in prayer,

I fell into a profound trance;

and it seemed to me

  that our Lord had

     taken me up in spirit to His Father, and

     said to Him:

       "Whom Thou hast given to Me,

             I give to Thee;" [665] and

  He seemed to draw me near to Himself.

  This is not an imaginary vision,

   but one

        most certain, and

        so spiritually subtile

    that it cannot be explained.

   He spoke certain words to me

     which I do not remember.

   Some of them referred to His grace,

      which He bestows on me.

    He kept me by Him for some time.

3. As you, my father,

   went away yesterday so soon,

and I consider the many affairs

   which detain you,

 so that it is impossible for me

    to have recourse to you for comfort

even when necessary,

        - for I see

        that your occupations are most urgent,-

    I was for some time in pain and sadness.

As I was then in desolation,

           -- as I said before,--

    that helped me; and

as nothing on earth, I thought,

    had any attractions for me,

I had a scruple, and feared

   I was beginning to lose that liberty.

     ("and as I believe

         there is no createdthing on earth

       to which I am bound by attachment,

       I began

          to have some scruples about this,

      and feared I was beginning

               to lose this freedom.

               - Spiritual Relations (IV) XV

                   Peer's translation   )

This took place last night;

  and to-day our Lord answered my doubt,

  and said to me

   "that I was not to be surprised;

    for as men seek for companions

       with whom they may speak

           of their sensual satisfactions,

    so the soul

                 - when there is any one

                    who understands it-

      seeks those

           to whom it may communicate

                 its pleasures and its pains, and

      is sad and mourns

                 when it can find none."

He said to me:

"Thou art prosperous now, and

     thy works please Me."

As He remained with me for some time,

   I remembered

that I had told you, my father,

  that these visions pass quickly away;

He said to me

  "that there was a difference

      between these and

         the imaginary visions, and

    that there could not be an invariable law

        concerning the graces

                He bestowed on us;

    for it was expedient to give them

        now in one way,

        now in another."

4. After Communion,

I saw our Lord most distinctly

    close beside me;

and He began to comfort me

    with great sweetness,

and said to me, among other things:

 "Thou beholdest Me present,

      My daughter, -  it is I.

Show me thy hands."

     And to me He seemed

       to take them and

       to put them to His side,

     and said:

      "Behold My wounds;

          thou art not without Me.

       Finish the short course of thy life."

By some things He said to me,

   I understood

that, after His Ascension,

  He never came down to the earth

except in the most Holy Sacrament

  to communicate Himself to any one.

He said to me,

 that when He rose again

He showed Himself to our Lady,

  because she was in great trouble;

for sorrow had so pierced her soul

  that she did not even recover herself

at once in order to have

  the fruition of that joy.

By this I saw

  how different was my piercing. [666]

But what must that

   of the Virgin have been?

He remained long with her then

   because it was necessary to console her.

5. On Palm Sunday, at Communion,

I was in a deep trance, -

   so much so, that I was not able

      even to swallow the Host;

and, still having It in my mouth,

   when I had come a little to myself,

   I verily believed

   that my mouth was all filled with Blood;

      and my face and my whole body

            seemed to be covered with It,

      as if our Lord had been shedding It

           at that moment.

   I thought It was warm,

   and the sweetness I then felt

      was exceedingly great;

   and our Lord said to me:

   "Daughter, My will is

      that My Blood should profit thee;

     and be not thou afraid

        that My compassion will fail thee.

      I shed It in much suffering,

      and, as thou seest,

         thou hast the fruition of It

      in great joy.

      I reward thee well

         for the pleasure

      thou gavest me to-day."

      He said this

       because I have been in the habit

        - of going to Communion,

            if possible, on this day

            for more than thirty years, and

        - of labouring to prepare my soul

            to be the host of our Lord;

         for I considered the cruelty of them

            to be very great,

          who after giving Him

               so grand a reception,

           in letting Him go so far for supper;

          and I used to picture Him

               as remaining with me,

          and truly in a poor lodging,

                as I see now.

           ( "I used to think of Him

               as staying with me

               in a poor enough inn...

                - Spiritual Relations (IV) XXVI

                   Peer's translation   )

And thus

I used to have such foolish thoughts

   - they must have been acceptable

       to our Lord,

for this was one of the visions

    which I regard as most certain;

and, accordingly

  it has been a great blessing to me

    in the matter of Communion.

6. Previous to this,

I had been, I believe,

  for three days in that great pain,

which I feel sometimes

   more than at others,

because I am away from God;

and during those days

   it had been very great,

and seemingly more than I could bear.

Being thus exceedingly wearied by it,

  I saw it was late to take my collation,

nor could I do so,

   - for if I do not take it a little earlier,

it occasions great weakness

  because of my sickness;

and then, doing violence to myself,

              ( "I made a great effort..."

                - Spiritual Relations (IV) XXVI

                   Peer's translation   )

    I took up some bread

         to prepare for collation,

and on the instant

    Christ appeared, and

               seemed to be breaking the bread and

               putting it into my mouth.

He said to me:

   "Eat, My daughter, and

     bear it as well as thou canst.

     I condole with thee in thy suffering;

     but it is good for thee now."

My pain was gone, and

I was comforted;

for He seemed to be

    really with me then,

and the whole of the next day;

and with this my desires

    were then satisfied.

The word "condole" made me strong;

for now

    I do not think I am suffering at all.

__________________________

Foot Notes: [663] Isabel of Jesus, born in Segovia, and whose family name was Jimena, told Ribera (vide lib. iv. c. v.) that she was the singer, being then a novice in Salamanca. [664] See Fortress of the Soul, vi. ch. xi. [665] See [486]Relation, iii. § 16. [666] See above, [487]§ 1.

           

~   End of Relation IV   ~