Our God is the God of truth and implements all His promises. When the Holy Spirit urges us to seek “shelter under his wings” (Ps 91. 4) it is because thus we evade the “terrors of the night” (v. 5) as He has “given his angels order about you to guard you wherever you go” (Ps 91. 11). And He adds,

They will carry you in their arms
in case you trip over stone.
You will walk upon wild beasts and adder,
you will trample young lions and snakes.

This truth is revealed in an authentic way in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle. The wild beasts are the “spirits of evil in the heaven” (Ep 6. 13) using the disordered inclinations of the soul as their playing ground with evil thoughts and incitements. This is the greatest hindrance of the soul in the prayer life, but when she seeks refuge under the protection of the celestial hierarchies the Sanctuary becomes the soul's “Jacob's Ladder” (Gn 28. 10-19) to heaven to the glory of the Uncreated Light under their protection. This truth has been emphasized through the ages both in the Western as well as the Eastern liturgy, the same truth as St. Cyril of Jerusalem emphasized in the fourth century in his Divine Liturgy,


This illumination of the celestial hierarchies is based on the love of a charitable knowledge crystallized in the teachings of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. When the soul follows the illumination of the first three jewels of the Breastplate in the entrance to the courtyard in obedience, poverty of spirit and purity the other nine remaining jewels become rungs in this ladder to heaven to the divine vision or the makaria (blessed) or hagia (holy) themata (vision) of the Greek fathers. The definition of the nine prayer states in following paragraphs is in accordance with how Mother Teresa shed light on them in a testimony probably written for Rodrigo Alvarez S. J. in Seville in 1576, who at this time was her spiritual director.


The first stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the emerald which is dark green. It refers to the birth of our Lord in flesh by a woman on earth and to the oral prayer. This is the first rim in the ascending of the Ladder of Love which John of the Cross referred to in the Dark night of the soul (19th–20th chapters). It refers to the gateway into the courtyard in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of our Hearts.


The second stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the sardonyx which is skin colored It refers to the growth of the soul in the holy humanity of Jesus and to the prayer of outer recollection. This is the second rim in this Ladder of Love. It refers to the altar of burnt offerings in the courtyard in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of our Hearts.


The third stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the sardius which is red as the sweet blood of Jesus. It refers to the crucifixion of the flesh and its sensuous disposition in the Night of the senses and to the prayer of inner recollection. Only and only in this manner is the soul able to enjoy the sweetness of the infused prayer. This is the third rim in the Ladder of Love and refers to the bronze laver in the courtyard in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of our Hearts.



The fourth stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the chrysolite which hue is golden and refers to the prayer of rest. It is in the mystery of this infused prayer where the real presence of our Lord becomes gradually an authentic experience. This is the fourth rim in this Ladder of Love and refers to the entrance into the Holy, the second curtain of the Sanctuary. The golden hue refers to the sanctifying grace which begins now to stream to the soul in the influx of grace as represented by the turban of the tunic of the priest of Aaron. Thus the glory of the Lords is gradually manifested. It is only thus how the soul is able to serve as a true priest in the Holy in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of our Hearts.


The fifth stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the beryl which bears also a golden hue and refers to the first stage of the prayer of union. Here the Lord appears in His glory in far more profound way than in previous prayer state. This is the fifth rim in this Ladder of Love and refers to the golden table of loaves as a prefiguration of the Eucharist. It is only by nourishing ourselves on this heavenly manna that the soul becomes assimilated to the Founder of her Faith – our Lord Jesus Christ – that she can proceed further on this Sacred Way in the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of our Hearts.


The sixth stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the topaz which hue is golden green and refers to the raptures of the love in the prayer of union. Here our Lord perfects the human being as a six days creation when the soul attains spiritual awareness in order to discern the real presence of her Royal Archetype in the image of the lamp stand. Only thus she can proceed still further on this Way of Glory by offering herself as a sweet offering before God on the plate of the golden altar. This is the sixth step in the Ladder of Love. It is here where the soul finds her place in the live of grace (topon: place in Greek) and becomes a true member in the Royal Priesthood of the New Covenant. “He is the living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you, too, may be living stones making a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer the spiritual sacrifices made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pt 2. 5).
 


The seventh stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the chrysophrasus which is also golden with green hue and refers to the union in love with transport of the spirit. This is the seventh step in the Ladder of Love when the soul offer herself as a sweet offering before the countenance of her Living God just as her Royal Archetype on the Sacrificial Hill of the Cross. It is only thus how the soul is allowed to walk behind the curtain as a true high priest in the Royal Priesthood of the New Covenant.



The eight stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the jacinth which is yellow like a corn reap for harvest. This stone refers to the union in love in the flight of the spirit. It was by tearing the veil or curtain asunder how Jesus opened a new way for us – the children of the New Covenant – to walk into and stand before the face of God Almighty by His death on the Sacrificial Hill of the Cross.
It is here where the soul is invited into the bridal chamber to consume her spiritual marriage with the living Word of God. This is the eight rim in the Ladder of Love when the Bridegroom gives the soul abundant spiritual gifts in order to confirm His betrothal with the soul.


The ninth stone in the sanctification of the human nature is the amethyst which is  purple violet in hue and refers to the spiritual silence of the heart and the bridal feast in the Holy of Holies. This is the ninth step in the Ladder of Love when the soul begins to burn in love, “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road” (Lk 24. 32). It refers to the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies. It was the Blessed Virgin who became the First Living Ark of the New Covenant, as Saint John of Damascus said so properly in his Defense of the Holy Icons, “For instance, the ark represents the image of Our Lady, Mother of God, so does the staff and the earthen jar.” [2]
   This takes place in the Shekinah glory which rests above the Seat of Mercy of the Ark, the same Glory which is the Blessed Virgin's mantle and veil of protection. Here the soul sheds holy tears in a sorrowful sweetness. This is the mystery of the breastplate of the High Priest of the Old Covenant as a prefiguration of Christ as the “High Priest of all the blessings which were to come” (Heb 9. 11).