Crooked Finger (crookedfingers) wrote,
Crooked Finger
crookedfingers
  • Mood: contemplative

he does all that he can to establish himself in contemplation of divine things

The day goes by quickly and quietly. I have been reading my books and watching birds by our bird feeder. I thought about going for a walk at Upper Macatawa Natural Area, but it is too late in the day for me to go any where. My wife has gone to bed to sleep since goes back to work tonight. I got out a book that came to my mind this afternoon when writing about the work of God the Holy Spirit illuminating the mind of a the elect of God. The book is titled, "The Spiritual Writings of Denis the Carthusian" Translated into English by Ide M. Ni Riain, RSCJ, with an Introduction by Terence O'Reilly. I often read the writings of the Carthusians for morning worship. I have often written here over the years one of my favorite books is titled, "Carthusians Spirituality: The Writings Of Hugh Of Balma And Guigo De Ponte" [The Classics of Western Spirituality]. I bought this volume "Carthusian Spirituality" at a Catholic Bookstore downtown Houston Texas back in the 1980's when we lived in Houston Texas. We were living in Houston TX because I was doing my minister internship in a Presbyterian In America church. I finished my internship in two years, but we continued to live in Houston a total of five years before moving Holland Michigan 25 years ago maybe now 26 years ago where my wife grew up to raise our three children.

I read at least once a year from the following books-

"The Works of St. John of the Cross"

"Carthusians Spirituality: The Writings Of Hugh Of Balma And Guigo De Ponte" [The Classics of Western Spirituality]

"John Ruusbroec The Spiritual Espousals And Other Works" [The Classics of Western Spirituality]

I believe that the Christian life is basically one of prayer to the Lord. "pray without ceasing" 1 Thess. 5:17.

Well I won't go on with this rap but quote Denis the Carthusian-

"The second grade of wisdom is for the proficient. The second grace is the stage where there is growth in the savour and knowledge of divine things, so much so that, by seeing God, man despises all carnal and terrestrial things as being impediments to the clarity and enjoyment of this wisdom, and the joy of tasting and experiencing it, he does all that he can to establish himself in contemplation of divine things. So attractive, so sweet and powerful is the knowledge of God, that it induces in the mind a contempt for sensual and palpable things. This is known as the second grace of this sort of contemplation. To those at this stage the apostle says: 'Grow always in the knowledge of God' (Col 1:10). In this stage God is more sweetly known, and in comparably preferred to all else. He shines more brightly on the soul, so that all things would impede the freedom of the mind to enjoy Him are esteemed as base. By this stage and act of wisdom, souls are enriched who listen obediently to the counsels of eternal Wisdom. They leave the world and enter monasteries. They keep the monastic rule and customs, following them with anxious solicitude, out of their desire for sweeter contemplation." pg. 70 Denis the Carthusian

"[13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
[14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
[15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." Phil 3:13-15
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