The Dark Night of the Soul ; And, The Living Flame of Love


Book Description

In 1564, St. John of the Cross, a Spanish mystic, was arrested and banished to a remote Andalusian monastery for his involvement in leading the Carmelite order to reform. During his captivity, he had frequent visions of God and composed many mystical poems. Two of the greatest are "The Dark Night of the Soul", which explores the pain of his felt absence of God, and "The Living Flame", a paean to the joy and peace experienced by the soul after reunion with God.




The Living Flame of Love


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




The Living Flame of Love


Book Description

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a Carmelite friar. The Living Flame of Love is one of his most famous works, and was published around 1585.




The Living Flame of Love: Study Edition


Book Description

St. John of the Cross described the stanzas of his poem, The Living Flame of Love, as the “songs of the soul in the intimate communication of the union of love with God.” The verses capture the mystical vistas from the summit of the saint’s spiritual journey, describing the mystery and powerful experience of divine transformation as the soul encounters and unites with the pure love of God. After the poem’s composition and at the request of his friend, the laywoman Doña Ana de Peñalosa, St. John of the Cross wrote the prose commentary that represents his final word on the journey of the soul’s transformation toward union with God. In these verses and commentary, our saintly guide teaches us as the “Mystical Doctor of the Church,” but also as a gentle pastor. Readers can aptly place themselves in the position of Doña Ana—a fellow soul on this journey of transformation in God’s grace—following this holy shepherd along the narrow paths of purification toward our eternal dwelling place in God and union with him. In this study edition, Father Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D., offers important context and contemporary interpretive notes concerning the teaching of St. John of the Cross in The Living Flame of Love. This edition includes: Study guides provided throughout the book, which provide helpful guidance and explanation; A glossary of terms offering definitions as they pertain to John’s specific usage throughout the work; Comprehensive indexes of key themes and biblical references, which make this edition an indispensable reference resource. With the combination of a modern scholarly translation of St. John of the Cross’s text and a contemporary commentary, The Living Flame of Love: Study Edition affords readers the opportunity to gain a much deeper appreciation for the beauty and richness of St. John’s perennial teaching on the experience and science of love. The indexes are fully linked.










The Poems of St. John of the Cross


Book Description







The Flame of Love


Book Description

The devotion of the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was given to the Church for the specific purpose of blinding Satan so that he loses his influence over our families, our communities-over all people. The movement began with the heart of the poor and humble Hungarian mystic and Third-Order Carmelite, Elizabeth Kindelmann (1913-1985), when she heard the voices of Jesus and Mary through interior locutions between the years 1961 and 1983. The result is this Spiritual Diary, written at the request of Our Lord Jesus, which has received the Imprimatur of the Church and gifted the world untold blessings for our critical times.Jesus said to Kindelmann, "My Mother is Noah's Ark," and Mary told her, "I assure you, my little one, that I have never before given into your hands such a powerful force of grace, the burning flame of the love of my heart. Ever since the Word became Flesh, I have not undertaken a greater movement than the Flame of Love of my heart who rushes to you. Until now, nothing could blind Satan as much. And it is up to you not to reject it, for this rejection would simply spell disaster."The Flame of Love movement is an official Church association of the faithful, enjoying the heartfelt approval of His Eminence Cardinal Péter Erdö, Primate of Hungary, Archbishop of Eszertom-Budapest, and the approval of various bishops in whose dioceses it flourishes, as well as a 2013 apostolic blessing from Pope Francis.God is seeking to build up a holy army of souls in order help us to fight the battle ahead that leads to sure victory for those firm in faith. In this remarkable Spiritual Diary, you follow the life and divine conversations of one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century, learn of the prayers and weekly prayer schedule that effectively blind Satan, and of the divine promises Our Lord wishes to give to us through the intercession of His Mother's Immaculate Heart.