in soul pursuit

in soul pursuit

Saturday, 5 December 2015

St Teresa of Avila's Seven Pictures of the Soul





Dear All

I just received this link to a short video I did in Dublin earlier this autumn on Teresa's 'Seven Pictures of the Soul' and share it with you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c11FncAsDGk

It is an extended commentary on the first paragraph of 'The Interior Castle':


While I was beseeching our Lord today to speak for/through me (por mí), as I was unable to find a thing to say (no atinaba a cosa que decir), or how to begin to comply with this obedience, what I will say now presented itself (ofreció) to begin with this starting point:  that we consider our soul to be like a castle, totally of diamond or very clear crystal, where there are many abodes (aposentos), as in heaven there are many mansions. Now if we consider it carefully, sisters, the soul of a just person (el alma del justo) is nothing else but a paradise where He says he takes his delights (El tiene sus deleites). Well then, what do you think such an abode would be like where a King so powerful, so wise, so pure, so full of good things, takes his delight? I cannot find anything with which to compare the great beauty and capacity of the soul; and truly our intellects will no more be able to grasp this than they can comprehend God, no matter how keen they are, for He Himself said that He created us in his own image and likeness. (M: 1.1.1)

I say in the video that if you read this you have the whole of Castle summarised! See what you think...

Kind regards

Peter

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