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Barricades on the Road to Contemplation, Part 2 – St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation with Fr. Donald Haggerty
Fr. Donald Haggerty explores St. John of the Cross’ insights on contemplation and the impact of self-seeking tendencies in prayer. Frustration over a lack of consolations can manifest as irritability in daily life, whereas selfless prayer fosters generosity. Spiritual gluttony, or the relentless pursuit of new devotions and experiences, is another barrier to deepening one’s relationship with God. A spirit of simplicity is recognizing that fulfillment is found in the sacraments rather than chasing spiritual novelties. Spiritual envy, however, is where one covets another’s perceived graces, forgetting that each soul’s path is uniquely shaped by God.
Fr. Haggerty warns against spiritual sloth, where complacency sets in and one neglects the effort required for true spiritual growt; and against excessive self-indulgence in personal weaknesses and suggests active cooperation with God’s grace. St. John of the Cross’ teachings challenge believers to refine their interior dispositions, recognize hidden attachments, and embrace a deeper transformation in their spiritual journey. Regular confession and daily fidelity to one’s vocation, rather than dramatic spiritual experiences, are shown as the true means of progress in the contemplative life.
Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions
- Self-Seeking vs. Selfless Prayer: How does my attitude in prayer influence my interactions with others, and do I carry frustrations or irritations from prayer into daily life?
- Spiritual Gluttony and Simplicity: Am I constantly seeking new spiritual experiences, or do I find contentment in the sacraments and the simple presence of God?
- Prioritizing Vocation Over Spiritual Busyness: Have I ever neglected my responsibilities at home or work in pursuit of excessive spiritual activities, mistaking them for deeper holiness?
- The Danger of Spiritual Envy: Do I compare my spiritual life to others, longing for their experiences instead of trusting in the unique path God has given me?
- Overcoming Spiritual Sloth: Am I too patient with my weaknesses, expecting God to change me without actively cooperating with His grace?
- The Transforming Power of Sacramental Life: Do I fully embrace the grace of confession and the Eucharist, allowing them to shape my soul rather than seeking extraordinary signs?
- The Call to Deeper Conversion: Have I considered that God may be inviting me to a “second conversion,” moving beyond surface-level faith into a more profound union with Him?
An excerpt from St. John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation
“We can view this next chapter as an argument in defense of the rigors of purification proposed in the many previous instructions. It is a preparatory chapter for taking up a more concentrated examination of the prayer of contemplation in the subsequent chapters. The treatise of The Dark Night begins in book 1 with a vivid treatment of certain imperfections commonly seen in those still in the earlier stages of spiritual pursuit. Saint John of the Cross is referring here to people who have already committed themselves to a habit of spiritual exercises and daily prayer, usually in the structured context of religious life, yet among laity as well, but who typically do not understand yet the serious nature of giving themselves fully to God. They are untried in the rigors of dedicated virtue and have not faced yet the arduous interior struggles that must be withstood over some time before a depth of spiritual quality embraces the soul. There can be no tested endurance in a soul that has not had sufficient time to persevere through hard trials.
This demand is not just a need for seasoning and maturing in the experience of the spiritual life. The essential testing is much more fundamental. As an astute spiritual psychologist, Saint John of the Cross plunges underneath the surface of lives and identifies the motivation of souls in the early period of spiritual pursuit as often sullied and impure. Almost everyone in this early period of the spiritual life professes to be seeking only God, while at the same time the person shows signs of being excessively preoccupied with self in the spiritual pursuit. Saint John of the Cross comments explicitly: “Since their motivation in their spiritual works and exercises is the consolation and satisfaction they experience in them, and since they have not been conditioned by the arduous struggle of practicing virtue, they possess many faults and imperfections in the discharge of their spiritual activities” (DN 1.1.3). In this incisive section at the beginning of The Dark Night, he uses the schema of the seven capital vices to expose seven spiritual vices that generally afflict souls in the early period of a spiritual life. It proves to be an interesting commentary on the factor of underlying self-interest in the pursuit of spiritual life. This tendency to self-preoccupation demands a clear effort of interior mortification if we are to seek God with the selfless spirit that can lead eventually to contemplative graces in prayer.”
Haggerty, Donald. Saint John of the Cross: Master of Contemplation (pp. 141-142). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.