Meditation 59
The Flowers of the Infused Virtues
The
Latin word intelegare sheds
light upon the mystery taking place here at the lamp stand in this
splendors of God’s lamps. It means to penetrate inside something, to
read the meaning behind the meaning. When the soul learns to read by
this methodology in this sixth chapter of the Book of Life she grasps
the precious message of the almond blossoms on the arms of the lamp
stand. Inner reading is one and the same thing as the hidden meditation of the heart or
the kryptê meletê of the
desert fathers.
The flowers are unique in the creation on earth: they literary nourish themselves on light – the light rays of the sun are their food which sustains them – the foundation of their existence. The flowers transform the rays of the sun into nourishment in order to bloom. It is this truth which the Spirit desires to teach the soul by the revelation of the almond blossoms on the arms of the lamp stand: the splendors of His Uncreated Light of Glory shall be the nourishment of the soul in her illumination,
The virtues shall be the souls highroad to glory and love is their choir master which is nothing else than the fullness of God's beatitudes on earth in the union of the soul with Him in love. See dear reader how much God emphasizes the word single piece when He informed Moses what regards the design of the lamp stand: “everything must be of a piece with it” (Ex 25. 32). This He repeated four times in these verses in Exodus where the lamp stand is exposed (Ex 25. 31-40) The almond blossoms must nourish themselves as untarnished mirrors on God's wisdom in their contemplation in complete unity with Christ, as is still further emphasized by the design of the lamp stand as it was a prefiguration of Christ as the light of the world,
But the words “single piece” reveal also still another precious truth: the sap of the stem. It are not only the light rays of the lamp stand which sustain the almond blossoms but also the sap which streams from the roots. This truth refers to the Holy Humanity of Christ, to the Sacrificial Hill of the Cross: the soul must also be rooted in Christ's passion as well as glory. The branches must literally spring from the stem of the lamp stand or His passion. This is the same unity as emphasized by the robe itself: “woven in one piece from neck to hem” (Jn 19. 23) or a unity of one wholeness. This unity must be dominant in the replica of the lamp stand in human hearts. God accomplishes this truth by the Eucharist which we will return to later, the unitative force of the Church. A Christian soul who reputes this unity has not as yet heard the sweet sound of the golden bells on the hem of the robe, rather than grasped the meaning of the golden appeals: the communion in unity in one Eucharist.
The almond blossoms on the arms of the lamp stand were repeated thrice “three cups shaped like almond blossoms” (Ex 25. 33). The virtues which are represented by the nine almond blossoms on the left arm or branch of the lamp stand refers to the infused virtues of Christ's holy Humanity (see Fig. 60). These infused virtues become continuously more super mundane as the soul nourishes herself more on the splendors of the lamps. There were also nine almond blossoms repeated on the right arm referring to Christ’s divine nature. It is only thus that these virtues become mature in this double illumination. It is this mystery which actually takes place in the illumination of the nine jewels or foundation stones of the Celestial City, the nine jewels of human sanctification. They are illuminated both by the splendors of the first three foundation jewels or stones – the splendors of the Trinitarian mystery – as well as by the celestial hierarchies.
Thus the celestial hierarchies rush forward here at the lamp stand in order to wound the soul with theirs arrows and spears to enkindle the love still more in the soul’s heart. It is by the illumination of the splendors these seven lamps of the sacraments give that the Holy spirit begins to ravish the soul to a far more sublime stage of love and it is the white nation of everlasting joy who plays an important role in this stage in the prayer of union at this stage. We discern this as growing impulses of love. It is indeed in the blessings of the lamp stand where the soul’s supplications are revealed as a a divine shoot match where the soul is literally the targets of the Principalities!
We experience these impulses in an authentic manner when the heart is wounded by the golden arrows of the angels. This is indeed what Teresa of Avila experience herself as she refers to when she gives us account of her famous transverberation in her “Life” when the angelic dart wounded her heart in order to enkindle her love to become an amor impaciente, a passionate and burning love. This is a prerequisite for all further progress on the Sacred Way of the Tabernacle. Only thus the soul can strain forward in the live of grace,
Teresa was not the only one of the discalced Carmelites who has given an account of such an experience. John of the Cross described also such impulses of love in his Commentary on Oh Llama de Amor Viva or Love's Living Flame,
Catherine of Siena named this mystery the “fiery mercy of the Holy spirit,” [3] As such souls are anointed by the mercy of the Christ’s eye they become gradually assimilated to the Sacred heart of Jesus, and Cyprian of Carthage did not hesitate to call such souls little christs rather than Catherine, “O best of remedy givers! Give us then these christs, who will live in continual watching and tears and prayers for the worlds salvation” (Ibid).
The flowers are unique in the creation on earth: they literary nourish themselves on light – the light rays of the sun are their food which sustains them – the foundation of their existence. The flowers transform the rays of the sun into nourishment in order to bloom. It is this truth which the Spirit desires to teach the soul by the revelation of the almond blossoms on the arms of the lamp stand: the splendors of His Uncreated Light of Glory shall be the nourishment of the soul in her illumination,
The [stem of the] lamp stand
itself must carry four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its
calyx and bud: one calyx under the first two branches springing from
the lamp stand, one calyx under the next pair of branches and one calyx
under the last pair of branches – thus for all six branches springing
from the lamp stand. The calyxes and the branches will be of a piece of
with the lamp stand, and the whole made from a single piece of pure
gold, beaten out (Ex 25. 34-37).
The virtues shall be the souls highroad to glory and love is their choir master which is nothing else than the fullness of God's beatitudes on earth in the union of the soul with Him in love. See dear reader how much God emphasizes the word single piece when He informed Moses what regards the design of the lamp stand: “everything must be of a piece with it” (Ex 25. 32). This He repeated four times in these verses in Exodus where the lamp stand is exposed (Ex 25. 31-40) The almond blossoms must nourish themselves as untarnished mirrors on God's wisdom in their contemplation in complete unity with Christ, as is still further emphasized by the design of the lamp stand as it was a prefiguration of Christ as the light of the world,
See to it then that the light
inside you is not darkness (Lk 11. 35).
But the words “single piece” reveal also still another precious truth: the sap of the stem. It are not only the light rays of the lamp stand which sustain the almond blossoms but also the sap which streams from the roots. This truth refers to the Holy Humanity of Christ, to the Sacrificial Hill of the Cross: the soul must also be rooted in Christ's passion as well as glory. The branches must literally spring from the stem of the lamp stand or His passion. This is the same unity as emphasized by the robe itself: “woven in one piece from neck to hem” (Jn 19. 23) or a unity of one wholeness. This unity must be dominant in the replica of the lamp stand in human hearts. God accomplishes this truth by the Eucharist which we will return to later, the unitative force of the Church. A Christian soul who reputes this unity has not as yet heard the sweet sound of the golden bells on the hem of the robe, rather than grasped the meaning of the golden appeals: the communion in unity in one Eucharist.
The almond blossoms on the arms of the lamp stand were repeated thrice “three cups shaped like almond blossoms” (Ex 25. 33). The virtues which are represented by the nine almond blossoms on the left arm or branch of the lamp stand refers to the infused virtues of Christ's holy Humanity (see Fig. 60). These infused virtues become continuously more super mundane as the soul nourishes herself more on the splendors of the lamps. There were also nine almond blossoms repeated on the right arm referring to Christ’s divine nature. It is only thus that these virtues become mature in this double illumination. It is this mystery which actually takes place in the illumination of the nine jewels or foundation stones of the Celestial City, the nine jewels of human sanctification. They are illuminated both by the splendors of the first three foundation jewels or stones – the splendors of the Trinitarian mystery – as well as by the celestial hierarchies.
Thus the celestial hierarchies rush forward here at the lamp stand in order to wound the soul with theirs arrows and spears to enkindle the love still more in the soul’s heart. It is by the illumination of the splendors these seven lamps of the sacraments give that the Holy spirit begins to ravish the soul to a far more sublime stage of love and it is the white nation of everlasting joy who plays an important role in this stage in the prayer of union at this stage. We discern this as growing impulses of love. It is indeed in the blessings of the lamp stand where the soul’s supplications are revealed as a a divine shoot match where the soul is literally the targets of the Principalities!
We experience these impulses in an authentic manner when the heart is wounded by the golden arrows of the angels. This is indeed what Teresa of Avila experience herself as she refers to when she gives us account of her famous transverberation in her “Life” when the angelic dart wounded her heart in order to enkindle her love to become an amor impaciente, a passionate and burning love. This is a prerequisite for all further progress on the Sacred Way of the Tabernacle. Only thus the soul can strain forward in the live of grace,
The Lord wanted me while in this
state to see sometimes the following vision: I saw close to me toward
my left side an angel in bodily form. I don't usually see angels in
bodily form except, on rare occasion . . . This time, though, the Lord
desired that I see the vision in the following way: the angel was not
large but small; he was very beautiful, and his face was aflame that
seemed to be one of those very sublime angels that appears to be all
afire. They must belong to those they call cherubim, for they didn't
tell me their names. But I see clearly that in heaven there is much
difference between some angels and others and between these latter and
still others that I wouldn't how to explain it. I saw in his hands a
large golden dart and at the end of the iron tip there appeared to be a
little fire. It seemed to me this angel plunged the dart several times
into my heart and that it reached deep within me. When he drew it out,
I thought he was carrying off with him the deepest part of me; and he
left me all on fire with great love of God. [1]
Teresa was not the only one of the discalced Carmelites who has given an account of such an experience. John of the Cross described also such impulses of love in his Commentary on Oh Llama de Amor Viva or Love's Living Flame,
It will happen that while is
inflamed with the love of God, although not with a love of as deep a
quality as we mentioned – yet it is fitting that it be so for what I
want to say – it will feel that a seraph is assailing it by means of an
arrow or dart that is all afire with love. And the seraph pierces and
cauterizes this soul that like a red-hot coal, or better flame, is
already enkindled. And then in this cauterization, when the soul is
transpierced with that dart, the flames gushes forth fiercely and with a
sudden accent, like the fire in a furnace or an oven when someone uses
a poker or bellows to stir and excite it. [2]
Catherine of Siena named this mystery the “fiery mercy of the Holy spirit,” [3] As such souls are anointed by the mercy of the Christ’s eye they become gradually assimilated to the Sacred heart of Jesus, and Cyprian of Carthage did not hesitate to call such souls little christs rather than Catherine, “O best of remedy givers! Give us then these christs, who will live in continual watching and tears and prayers for the worlds salvation” (Ibid).
[1]. Life, 29, 13. A statue of this
incident can be seen in Sta Maria della Vittoria in Rome by the Italian
artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
[2]. The Living Flame of Love, 2.9.
[3]. Catherine of Siena’s Way, p. 110.
[2]. The Living Flame of Love, 2.9.
[3]. Catherine of Siena’s Way, p. 110.