October 7, 2009
Interior Castle, part 5
As I approach the fifth section of this work, I need to make a confession. It’s getting harder and harder to finish this book. This is not because the content is giving me trouble, but because the writing craft is so foreign to what people today are used to. I find myself frustrated because I feel like the point that Teresa is trying to make could have been made in about 1/3rd the amount of words she uses. However, I will see it to completion, but I wanted to share that struggle before I dive in.
In the fifth mansions we’re approached our prayer of union with God. It is in this place where we are approaching true union with the divine. Unlike previous mansions, we’re fully and completely aware of our union as well. We recognize that our experience with God is real and true, and not a dream or an illusion.
In order to understand this state more, Teresa uses the analogy of a silkworm. A silkworm lives it’s life devouring the mulberry leaves and seeds. At a certain point the worm begins to form its cocoon, and the process of a new life as a butterfly begins. Teresa emphasizes that this is how it is in the fifth mansion. The mansion is our cocoon in which we unite with Christ, renouncing our selfish ways and coming completely into Him. This is a deep intimate connection with God and it requires complete selflessness.
However, Teresa does take the next step, and one that I was glad to see her take, stating that this union is pointless if it does not encompass our mission to our neighbor.
The surest sign that we are keeping these two commandments is, I think, that we should really be loving our neighbour; for we cannot be sure if we are loving God, although we may have good reasons for believing that we are, but we can know quite well if we are loving our neighbour. And be certain that, the farther advanced you find you are in this, the greater the love you will have for God; for so dearly does His Majesty love us that He will reward our love for our neighbour by increasing the love which we bear to Himself, and that in a thousand ways: this I cannot doubt.
The point here is that love of God and love of our neighbor go hand in hand. As we show love to our neighbor we grow closer to God. As we come into union, and deeper love with God, our hearts move to love and help those around us. It’s really the main point of all of our faith and Teresa sets it here in her fifth mansion.
Our faith is not an individual act. We may be able to attain great spiritual depth and enlightenment through our meditation and prayer to God, but until that love affects us to continue Christ’s work in the world, we’re missing the point. It takes a community of people for faith to flourish. People to serve, and to be served by, so that we can continue to show love to one another. That’s the heart of the message of deeper spirituality. If we want to grow in our union with Christ… grow in our service to those around us.
Written and posted by Jamison on October 7, 2009, 10:07 am.
Filed under: General Discussion
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