第二章

我們的主以多種方式使靈魂甦醒；儘管它們是非常崇高性質的信號，但似乎沒有理由驚慌。

1. 我們的主激發了他配偶的愛。 2、愛情的傷口。 3.它引起的疼痛。 4. 新郎的呼召。 5、對靈魂的影響。 6.愛的火花。 7. 火花熄滅。 8. 這恩典顯然是神聖的。 9. 這樣的一處傷口可以抵得上許多次考驗。 10. 免受欺騙的第一個原因。 11.第二個和第三個原因。 12. 與此無關的想像力。 13. 聖德蘭從未對這個祈禱感到驚慌。 14. 「你膏油的氣味。」15. 沒有理由害怕這裡的欺騙。

1. 1. 似乎我們已經拋棄了這隻小鴿子很久了，但事實並非如此，因為過去的這些考驗讓她飛得更高。現在我將描述配偶在將她完全與自己結合之前對待她的方式。他透過巧妙的手段來增加她對他的渴望，以致靈魂本身無法辨別。除了向那些親身經歷過的人之外，我認為我無法解釋它們。這些慾望是從靈魂最深處湧出的微妙而微妙的衝動；我不知道有什麼可以與它們相比。

2. 2. 這些恩典完全不同於我們自己所能獲得的任何東西，甚至不同於之前所描述的精神安慰。 ²²⁸在目前的情況下，即使心沒有回想，甚至沒有想到天主，雖然沒有聽到任何聲音，但陛下突然喚醒了它，就像一顆快速閃爍的彗星或一聲拍響。 ²²⁹然而，被天主召喚的靈魂足夠清楚地聽到他的聲音——事實上，有時，特別是在開始時，它會顫抖，甚至大聲喊叫，儘管它感覺不到疼痛。它意識到自己受到了一個美妙的傷口，但不知道是如何造成的，也不知道是誰造成的，但卻承認這是一種最寶貴的恩典，並希望傷害永遠不會癒合。

3. 3. 靈魂向它的新郎發出多情的抱怨，甚至大聲說出；它也無法控制自己，因為知道雖然他在場，但他不會顯現自己，以便它可以享受他。這會引起一種痛苦，儘管是甜蜜的、可口的，但卻是劇烈的，靈魂即使願意也無法逃脫。但它從來不希望這樣。 ²³⁰這種恩惠比在沒有痛苦的安靜祈禱中令人愉悅地吸收才能更令人愉快。 ²³¹

4. 4. 姊妹們，我對如何讓你們理解愛的運作感到束手無策：我不知道該怎麼做。說到愛者清楚地表明他居住在靈魂中，並通過如此明確無誤的標誌和如此具有穿透力的召喚來呼喚，以至於靈魂無法選擇而不聽到它，而他似乎居住在第七重居所中，這似乎是矛盾的。他以這種方式說話，這不是一種固定的言語形式，其他居所的居民，感官，想像力和官能都不敢動。 ²³²

5. 5. 全能神啊！你的秘密是多麼深奧，靈性事物與世上所見所聞的事物是多麼不同！我找不到任何東西可以比擬這些恩寵，因為與您賜予靈魂的許多其他恩寵相比，它們微不足道。這種恩寵對心靈的作用是如此強烈，以至於它被慾望所吞噬，但卻不知道該祈求什麼，因為它清楚地意識到它的天主與它同在。你可能會問，如果它認識得這麼清楚，它還渴望什麼，為什麼痛苦呢？它還能尋求什麼更大的利益呢？我說不出來：我知道這種痛苦似乎刺穿了心，當傷害它的人抽出飛鏢時，他似乎也把心抽了出來，它所感受到的愛是如此深沉。 ²³³

6. 6. 我一直在想，天主可以比作一個燃燒的熔爐²³⁴，從其中有一個小火花飛進靈魂，靈魂感受到這大火的熱量，然而，這還不足以消耗它。這種感覺是如此令人愉悅，以至於靈魂在接觸所產生的痛苦中徘徊。在我看來，這似乎是我能找到的最好的比較，因為疼痛是美味的，而且根本不是真正的疼痛，而且它也不會總是以相同的程度持續；它是痛苦的。有時會持續很長時間；在其他情況下，它很快就會過去。這是天主的選擇，因為任何人的手段都無法獲得它。儘管有時會持續很長一段時間，但這種感覺是間歇性的。

1687. 7. 事實上，它從來都不是永久的，因此不會完全點燃精神；但當靈魂準備著火時，小小的火花突然熄滅，留下渴望重新承受愛的劇痛的心。沒有理由認為這是出於任何自然原因或憂鬱，或者這是魔鬼或想像力的幻覺。毫無疑問，這種心靈的運動是來自於不變的天主；它的效果也不像其他虔誠的那樣，在這些虔誠中，對快樂的強烈吸收使我們懷疑它們的真實性。

8. 8. 這裡沒有任何感官或其他官能的暫停：它們想知道正在發生的事情，但沒有阻礙它。我也不認為它們可以增加或消除這種令人愉快的痛苦。任何從我們的主那裡接受恩惠的人都會明白我讀到這篇文章的意思：讓她熱切地感謝他：沒有必要害怕欺騙，但更擔心的是對這樣一個恩典的信號沒有足夠的感激。讓她努力服事天主並在各方面改善她的生活；然後她會看到接下來會發生什麼，以及她將如何獲得越來越高的恩賜。

9. 9. 一個蒙受這種恩典的人，雖然幾年沒有得到任何其他的恩惠，但卻非常滿足，因為即使她在嚴峻的考驗中侍奉天主很多年，她也會感到豐盛的報答。願他永遠蒙福！阿門。

10. 10. 也許你想知道為什麼我們在這種恩惠方面比在其他情況下更容易免受欺騙。我想是因為這些原因。首先，因為魔鬼無法給予如此美妙的痛苦：他可能會帶來看似精神上的快樂或喜悅，但無法增加痛苦，尤其是與靈魂的平安和喜樂結合在一起的如此強烈的痛苦。他的力量只限於外在的事物；他所製造的苦難從來不伴隨著平靜，而是伴隨著焦慮和掙扎。

11. 11. 其次，因為這場受歡迎的風暴並非來自撒但所控制的地區。第三，因為靈魂中留下了巨大的好處，通常是堅決為天主受苦並渴望承擔許多十字架。人們也比以前更堅定地放棄世俗的享樂、交往和其他類似的事情。

12. 12. 很明顯，這不是虛構的：想像力可能會偽造一些恩惠，但不是這個，因為它太明顯了，不容懷疑。如果有人仍然不確定，請讓她知道她的衝動不是真正的衝動；²³⁵也就是說，如果她懷疑自己是否經歷過這些衝動，因為它們肯定會被靈魂感知，就像耳朵裡有響亮的聲音一樣。這些體驗不可能源自於憂鬱，憂鬱的突發奇想只在想像中產生和存在，而這種情感卻來自靈魂的內在。

13. 13.我可能是錯的，但在我從理解這些問題的人那裡聽到相反的理由之前，我不會改變我的觀點。我認識一個人，她一直非常害怕這種欺騙，但卻永遠無法讓自己對這種祈禱狀態感到任何警戒。 ²³⁶

14. 14. 我們的主也使用其他方法來喚醒靈魂；例如，當背誦口頭祈禱而不尋求穿透感官時，一個人可能會被一種令人愉悅的熱情所抓住²³⁷，就好像突然被一種足以擴散到所有感官的香氣所包圍。我並不斷言真的有任何香水，但使用這個比較，因為它有點類似於配偶理解他的存在的方式，使靈魂產生享受他的美妙願望，從而將其置於英雄行為中，並使其對他給予熱烈的讚美。

15. 15. 這種恩惠與前者的源頭相同，但不會造成痛苦，靈魂渴望享受神的痛苦也不會帶來痛苦：這是靈魂通常會經歷的。由於已經給出的原因，這裡似乎沒有理由害怕，而是懷著感恩的心接受它。

TREATS OF SEVERAL WAYS WHEREBY OUR LORD QUICKENS THE SOUL; THERE APPEARS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM IN THEM ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SIGNAL FAVOURS OF A VERY EXALTED NATURE.

1. Our Lord excites the love of His spouse. 2. The wound of love. 3. The pain it causes. 4. The call of the Bridegroom. 5. Effect on the soul. 6. A spark of the fire of love. 7. The spark dies out. 8. This grace evidently divine. 9. One such wound repays many trials. 10. First reason of immunity from deception. 11. Second and third reasons. 12. The imagination not concerned in it. 13. St. Teresa never alarmed at this prayer. 14. ‘The odour of Thine ointment.’ 15. No reason to fear deception here.

1.

1. IT seems as if we had deserted the little dove for a long time, but this is not the case, for these past trials cause her to take a far higher flight. I will now describe the way in which the Spouse treats her before uniting her entirely to Himself. He increases her longing for Him by devices so delicate that the soul itself cannot discern them; nor do I think I could explain them except to people who have personally experienced them. These desires are delicate and subtle impulses springing from the inmost depths of the soul; I know of nothing to which they can be compared.

2.

2. These graces differ entirely from anything we ourselves can gain, and even from the spiritual consolation before described.²²⁸ In the present case, even when the mind is not recollected or even thinking of God, although no sound is heard, His Majesty arouses it suddenly as if by a swiftly flashing comet or by a clap of thunder.²²⁹ Yet the soul thus called by God hears Him well enough—so well, indeed, that sometimes, especially at first, it trembles and even cries out, although it feels no pain. It is conscious of having received a delicious wound but cannot discover how, nor who gave it, yet recognizes it as a most precious grace and hopes the hurt will never heal.

3.

3. The soul makes amorous complaints to its Bridegroom, even uttering them aloud; nor can it control itself, knowing that though He is present He will not manifest Himself so that it may enjoy Him. This causes a pain, keen although sweet and delicious from which the soul could not escape even if it wished; but this it never desires.²³⁰ This favour is more delightful than the pleasing absorption of the faculties in the prayer of quiet which is unaccompanied by suffering.²³¹

4.

4. I am at my wits’ end, sisters, as to how to make you understand this operation of love: I know not how to do so. It seems contradictory to say that the Beloved clearly shows He dwells in the soul and calls by so unmistakable a sign and a summons so penetrating, that the spirit cannot choose but hear it, while He appears to reside in the seventh mansion. He speaks in this manner, which is not a set form of speech, and the inhabitants of the other mansions, the senses, the imagination and the faculties, dare not stir.²³²

5.

5. O Almighty God! how profound are Thy secrets and how different are spiritual matters from anything that can be seen or heard in this world! I can find nothing to which to liken these graces, insignificant as they are compared with many others Thou dost bestow on souls. This favour acts so strongly upon the spirit that it is consumed by desires yet knows not what to ask, for it realizes clearly that its God is with it. You may inquire, if it realizes this so clearly, what more does it desire and why is it pained? What greater good can it seek? I cannot tell: I know that this suffering seems to pierce the very heart, and when He Who wounded it draws out the dart He seems to draw the heart out too, so deep is the love it feels.²³³

6.

6. I have been thinking that God might be likened to a burning furnace²³⁴ from which a small spark flies into the soul that feels the heat of this great fire, which, however, is insufficient to consume it. The sensation is so delightful that the spirit lingers in the pain produced by its contact. This seems to me the best comparison I can find, for the pain is delicious and is not really pain at all, nor does it always continue in the same degree; sometimes it lasts for a long time; on other occasions it passes quickly. This is as God chooses, for no human means can obtain it; and though felt at times for a long while, yet it is intermittent.

1687.

7. In fact it is never permanent and therefore does not wholly inflame the spirit; but when the soul is ready to take fire, the little spark suddenly dies out, leaving the heart longing to suffer anew its loving pangs. No grounds exist for thinking this comes from any natural cause or from melancholy, or that it is an illusion of the devil or the imagination. Undoubtedly this movement of the heart comes from God Who is unchangeable; nor do its effects is resemble those of other devotions in which the strong absorption of delight makes us doubt their reality.

8.

8. There is no suspension here of the senses or other faculties: they wonder at what is happening, without impeding it. Nor do I think that they can either increase or dispel this delightful pain. Any one who has received this favour from our Lord will understand my meaning on reading this: let her thank Him fervently: there is no need to fear deception but far more fear of not being sufficiently grateful for so signal a grace. Let her endeavour to serve Him and to amend her life in every respect; then she will see what will follow and how she will obtain still higher and higher gifts.

9.

9. A person on whom this grace was bestowed passed several years without receiving any other favour, yet was perfectly satisfied, for even had she served God for very many years in the midst of severe trials, she would have felt abundantly repaid. May He be for ever blessed! Amen.

10.

10. Perhaps you wonder why we may feel more secure against deception concerning this favour than in other cases. I think it is for these reasons. Firstly, because the devil cannot give such delicious pain: he may cause pleasure or delight which appears spiritual but is unable to add suffering, especially suffering of so keen a sort, united to peace and joy of soul. His power is limited to what is external; suffering produced by him is never accompanied with peace, but with anxieties and struggles.

11.

11. Secondly, because this welcome storm comes from no region over which Satan has control. Thirdly, because of the great benefits left in the soul which, as a rule, is resolute to suffer for God and longs to bear many crosses. It is also far more determined than before to withdraw from worldly pleasures and intercourse and other things of the same sort.

12.

12. It is very clear that this is no fiction: the imagination may counterfeit some favours but not this, which is too manifest to leave room for doubt. Should any one still remain uncertain, let her know that hers were not genuine impulses;²³⁵ that is, if she is dubious as to whether or no she experienced them, for they are as certainly perceived by the soul as is a loud voice by the ears. It is impossible for these experiences to proceed from melancholy whose whims arise and exist only in the imagination, whereas this emotion comes from the interior of the soul.

13.

13. I may be mistaken, but I shall not change my opinion until I hear reasons to the contrary from those who understand these matters. I know some one who has always greatly dreaded such deceptions, yet could never bring herself to feel any alarm about this state of prayer.²³⁶

14.

14. Our Lord also uses other means of rousing the soul; for instance—when reciting vocal prayer without seeking to penetrate the sense, a person may be seized with a delightful fervour²³⁷ as if suddenly encompassed with a fragrance powerful enough to diffuse itself through all the senses. I do not assert that there really is any perfume but use this comparison because it somewhat resembles the manner by which the Spouse makes His presence understood, moving the soul to a delicious desire of enjoying Him and thus disposing it to heroic acts, and causing it to render Him fervent praise.

15.

15. This favour springs from the same source as the former, but causes no suffering here, nor are the soul’s longings to enjoy God painful: this is what is more usually experienced by the soul. For the reasons already given there appears no cause here for fear, but rather for receiving it with thanksgiving.