Saint John of the Cross was the great reformer of the Carmelite Order, and is considered, along with Saint Teresa of Avila, the founder of the Discalced Carmelites.
Gaudium Press, English Edition
Newsdesk (17/12/2021 11:00, Gaudium Press) St. John of the Cross is a Doctor of the Church. Born in Fontiveros, in the Spanish province of Avila, in 1542, John received the Carmelite habit at the age of 21.
In 1567 he was ordained a priest, asking God for the special grace to keep him always in grace, without sin. This illustrious Saint knew St. Teresa of Jesus, who, after founding the community of Discalced Carmelite Sisters, also wanted to found a community of Carmelite priests. From there the Discalced Carmelites were born.
Phrases of Saint John of the Cross
This great preacher, mystic, writer and poet died in 1591, at the age of 49, and was canonized in 1726. In 1926 Pope Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church. Check out some of St. John of the Cross’ phrases below:
1 – “The more a soul loves, the more perfect it is in what it loves”.
2 – “In the twilight of this life, you will be judged according to love”.
3 – “The fly that lands on honey cannot fly; the soul that gets caught in the taste of pleasure feels impeded in its freedom and contemplation.”
4 – “For the sake of passing pleasures, one suffers great eternal torments.”
5 – “Seek by reading and you will find by meditating; call by praying and it will be opened to you by contemplating.”
6 – “If you want to come into possession of Christ, never seek Him without the cross.”
7 – “Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ does not seek the glory of Christ”. 8 – “It pleases God more when a work, however small it may be, is done in secret and without the desire that others know of it, than a thousand works done with the desire that men know of it”. 9 – “Even laden with great and troublesome temptations, man can go to God, provided his reason and will do not consent to them.
10 – “A person’s progress is greater when he walks in the dark and unknowingly”.
11 – “With more abundance and gentleness does God communicate during adversities”.
12 – “The soul that walks in love never tires”.
13 – “Without charity, no virtue is gracious before God”“.
14 – “Great evil is to look more at God’s goods than at God himself”.
15 – “More than how many works you can do, God prefers from you purity of conscience, even in the smallest degree”.
Prayer to Saint John of the Cross
O God, who guided St. John of the Cross to the holy mountain that is Christ, through the dark night of renunciation and burning love for the Cross, grant that we may follow him as a master of spiritual life and like him may put love where there is no love in order to find love and so in the midst of life’s difficulties may we attain the fullness of love for you and our brothers and sisters to one day contemplate your glory eternally in Heaven. Amen.
(EPC)
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
