Maxims of St. John of the Cross

MAXIMS ON LOVE

1. Bridle your tongue and your thoughts very much, direct your affection habitually toward God, and your spirit will be divinely enkindled.

2. Feed not your spirit on anything but God. Cast off concern about things, and bear peace and recollection in your heart.

3. Keep spiritually tranquil in a loving attentiveness to God, and when it is necessary to speak, let it be with the same calm and peace.

4. Preserve a habitual remembrance of eternal life, recalling that those who hold themselves the lowest and poorest and least of all will enjoy the highest dominion and glory in God.

5. Rejoice habitually in God, Who is your salvation, and reflect that it is good to suffer in any way for Him Who is good.

6. Let them reflect how necessary it is to be enemies of self and to walk to perfection by the path of holy rigor, and let them understand that every word spoken without the order of obedience is laid to their account by God.

7. Have an intimate desire that His Majesty grant you what He knows you lack for His honour.

8. Crucified inwardly and outwardly with Christ, you will live in this life with fullness and satisfaction of soul, and possess your soul in patience.

9. Preserve a loving attentiveness to God with no desire to feel or understand any particular thing concerning Him.

10. Habitual confidence in God, esteeming in yourself and in your sisters those things which God most values, which are spiritual goods.

11. Enter within yourself and work in the presence of your Spouse, Who is ever present loving you.

12. Be hostile to admitting into your soul things that of themselves have no spiritual substance, lest they make you lose your liking for devotion and recollection.

13. Let Christ crucified be enough for you, and with Him suffer and take your rest, and hence annihilate yourself in all inward and outward things.

14. Endeavour always that things be not for you, nor you for them, but forgetful of all, abide in recollection with your Spouse.

15. Have great love for trials and think of them as but a small way of pleasing your Spouse, Who did not hesitate to die for you.

16. Bear fortitude in your heart against all things that move you to that which is not God, and be a friend of the passion of Christ.

17. Be interiorly detached from all things that move you to that which is not God, and be a friend of the passion of Christ.

18. The soul that walks in love neither rests nor grows tired.

19. The poor man who is naked will be clothed, and the soul that is naked of desires and whims will be clothed by God with His purity, satisfaction, and will.

20. There are souls that wallow in the mire like animals, and there are others that soar like birds, which purify and cleanse themselves in the air.

21. The Father spoke one Word, which was His Son, and this Word He always speaks in eternal silence, and in silence must It be heard by the soul.

22. We must adjust our trials to ourselves, and not ourselves to our trials.

23. He who seeks not the cross of Christ seeks not the glory of Christ.

24. To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look upon its greatness, but upon the greatness of its humility.

25. "He who is ashamed to confess Me before men, I shall be ashamed to confess before My Father," says the Lord. [Mt. 10:32; Lk. 9:26]



26. Frequent combing gives the hair more lustre and makes it easier to comb; a soul that frequently examines its thoughts, words, and deeds, which are its hair, doing all things for the love of God, will have lustrous hair. Then the Spouse will look upon the neck of the bride and thereby be captivated, and will be wounded by one of her eyes, that is, by the purity of intention she has in all she does. If in combing hair one wants it to have lustre, one begins from the crown. All our works must begin from the crown (the love of God) if we wish them to be pure and lustrous.

27. Heaven is stable and is not subject to generation, and souls of a heavenly nature are stable and not subject to the engendering of desires or of anything else, for in their way they resemble God Who does not move forever.

28. Eat not in forbidden pastures (those of this life), because blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice sake, for they shall be filled. [Mt. 5:6] What God seeks, he being Himself God by nature, is to make us gods through participation, just as fire converts all things into fire.

29. All the goodness we possess is lent to us, and God considers it His own work. God and His work is God.

30. Wisdom enters through love, silence, and mortification. It is great wisdom to know how to be silent and to look at neither the remarks, nor the deeds, nor the lives of others.

31. All for me and nothing for You.

32. All for You and nothing for me.

33. Allow yourself to be taught, allow yourself to receive orders, allow yourself to be subjected and despised, and you will be perfect.

34. Any appetite cause five kinds of harm in the soul: first, disquiet; second, turbidity; third, defilement; fourth, weakness; fifth, obscurity.

35. Perfection does not lie in the virtues which the soul knows it has, but in the virtues which our Lord sees in it. This is a closed book, and hence one has no reason for presumption, but must remain prostrate on the ground with respect to self.

36. Love consists not in feeling great things but in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.

37. The entire world is not worthy of a man's thought, for this belongs to God alone; any thought, therefore, not centred on God is stolen from Him.

38. Not all the faculties and senses have to be employed in things, but only those which are required; as for the others leave them unoccupied for God.

39. Not observing the imperfections of others, preserving silence and a continual communion with God will eradicate great imperfections from the soul and make it the possessor of great virtues.

40. There are three signs of inner recollection: first, a lack of satisfaction in passing things; second, a liking for solitude and silence and an attentiveness to all that is more perfect; third, the considerations, meditations, and acts which formerly helped the soul now hinder it, and it brings to prayer no other support than faith, hope, and love.

41. If a person has more patience in suffering and more forbearance in going without satisfaction, it is a sign that he is more proficient in virtue.

42. The traits of the solitary bird are five: first, it seeks the highest place; second, it withstands no company; third, it holds its beak in the air; fourth, it has no definite colour; fifth, it sings sweetly. These traits must be possessed by the contemplative soul. It must rise above passing things, paying no more heed to them than if they did not exist. It must likewise be so fond of silence and solitude that it does not tolerate the company of another creature. It must hold its beak in the air of the Holy Spirit, responding to His inspirations, that by so doing it may become worthy of His company. It must have no definite colour, desiring to do nothing definite other than the will of God. It must sing sweetly in the contemplation and love of its Spouse.

43. Habitual voluntary imperfections which are never completely overcome not only hinder the divine union, but also the attainment of perfection. Such imperfections are: the habit of much talking; some small unconquered attachment, such as to a person, an article of clothing, a cell, a book, or some kind of food, or other conversations and little satisfactions in tasting things, and knowing, and hearing, and the like.



44. If you wish to glory in yourself, but do not wish to appear ignorant and foolish, discard the things that are not yours and you will have glory in what remains. But certainly if you discard all that is not yours, nothing will be left, since you must not glory in anything if you do not want to fall into vanity. But let us descend now especially to those graces, the gifts of which make men pleasing in God's sight. It is certain that you must not glory in these gifts, for you do not even know if you possess them.



45. Oh, how sweet Your presence will be to me, You Who are the supreme good! I must draw near You in silence and uncover my feet before You that You may be pleased to unite me to You in marriage [Ru. 3:7], and I will not rest until I rejoice in Your arms. Now I ask You, Lord, not to abandon me at any time in my recollection, for I am a squanderer of my soul.

46. Detached from the exterior, dispossessed of the interior, disappropriated of the things of God-neither will prosperity detain you nor adversity hinder you.

47. The devil fears a soul united to God as he does God Himself.

48. The purest suffering produces the purest understanding.

49. The soul that desires God to surrender Himself to it entirely must surrender itself entirely to Him without keeping anything for itself.

50. The soul that has reached the union of love does not even experience the first motions of sin.

51. Old friends of God scarcely ever fail Him, for they stand above all that can make them fail.

52. My beloved, all that is rugged and toilsome I desire for myself, and all that is sweet and delightful I desire for You.

53. What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God with our appetites and our tongue, for the language He best hears is silent love.

54. Simple faith is necessary in seeking God. In outward things, light helps to prevent one from falling; but in the things of God just the opposite is true: it is better for the soul not to see if it is to be more secure.

55. More is gained in one hour from God's good things than in a whole lifetime from our own.

56. Love to be unknown both by yourself and by others. Never look at the good or evil of others.

57. Walk in solitude with God; act according to the just measure; hide the blessings of God.

58. To lose always and let everyone else win is a trait of valiant souls, generous spirits, and unselfish hearts; it is their manner to give rather than receive even to the extent of giving themselves. They consider it a heavy burden to possess themselves and it pleases them more to be possessed by others and withdrawn from themselves, since we belong more to that infinite Good than we do to ourselves.

59. It is a serious evil to have more regard for God's blessings than for God Himself: prayer and detachment.

60. Look at that infinite knowledge and that hidden secret. What peace, what love, what silence is in that divine bosom! How lofty the science God teaches there, which is what we call the anagogical acts that so enkindle the heart.

61. Secrecy of conscience is considerably harmed and damaged as often as a person manifests its fruit to men, for then he receives as his reward the fruit of fleeting fame.

62. Speak little and do not meddle in matters about which you are not asked.

63. Strive always to keep God present and to preserve within yourself the purity He teaches you.

64. Do not excuse yourself or refuse to be corrected by all; listen to every reproof with a serene countenance; think that God utters it.

65. Live as though only God and yourself were in this world so that your heart may not be detained by anything human.

66. Consider it the mercy of God that someone occasionally speak a good word to you, for you deserve none.

67. Never allow yourself to pour out your heart, even though it be but for the space of a creed.

68. Never listen to talk about the faults of others, and if someone complains of another, you can tell him humbly to say nothing of it to you.

69. Do not complain about anyone, or ask for anything; and if it is necessary for you to ask, let it be with few words.

70. Do not refuse work even though it seems that you cannot do it. Let all find compassion in you.

71. Do not contradict; in no manner speak words that are not pure.

72. Let your speech be such that no one may be offended, and let it concern things which would not cause you regret were all to know of them.

73. Do not refuse anything you possess, even though you may need it.

74. Be silent concerning what God may have given you and recall that saying of the bride: My secret for myself. [Is. 24:16]

75. Strive to preserve your heart in peace and let no event of this world disturb it. Reflect that all must come to an end.

76. Take neither great nor little notice of who is with you or against you and try always to please God. Ask Him that His will be done in you. Love Him intensely, as He deserves to be loved.

77. Twelve stars for reaching the highest perfection: love of God, love of neighbour, obedience, chastity, poverty, attendance at choir, penance, humility, mortification, prayer, silence, peace.



78. Never take a man for your example in the tasks you have to perform, however holy he may be, for the devil will set his imperfection before you. But imitate Christ, who is supremely perfect and supremely holy, and you will never err.

79. Seek in reading and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation.

80. Once being asked how one becomes enraptured, the Venerable Father Fray John of the Cross, replied: by denying one's own will and doing the will of God; for an ecstasy is nothing else than going out of self and being caught up in God; and this is what he who obeys does; he leave himself and his desire, and thus unburdened plunges himself in God.

DEGREES OF PERFECTION

1. Do not commit a mortal sin for all there is in the world, or any deliberate venial sin, or any known imperfection.

2. Endeavour to remain always in the presence of God, either real, imaginative, or unitive insofar as is permitted by your works.

3. Do nothing nor say any notable word that Christ would not have done or said were He in the state I am, as old as I, and with the same kind of health.

4. Strive for the greater honour and glory of God in all things.

5. Do not omit mental prayer for any occupation, for it is the sustenance of your soul.

6. Do not omit examination of conscience because of any of your occupations, and for every fault do some penance.

7. Be deeply sorry for any time that is lost or that passes without your loving God.

8. In all things, both high and low, let God be your goal, for in no other way will you grow in merit and perfection.

9. Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction.

10. In heaven and on earth, always the lowest and the last place and office.

11. Never interfere in what you are not ordered to do, nor be obstinate about anything, even though you may be right. And if, as the saying goes, they give you an inch, do not take a mile. Some deceive themselves in such matters and think they have an obligation of doing that which -if they reflect upon it well-in no way obliges them.

12. Pay no attention to the affairs of others, whether they be good or bad, for besides the danger of sin, this is a cause of distractions and the lack of spirit.



13. Strive always to confess your sins with a deep knowledge of your own wretchedness and with clarity and purity.



14. Even though your obligations and duties are difficult and disagreeable to you, you should not become dismayed, for this will not always be so. And God, Who proves the soul by a precept under the guise of a trial, will after a time accord it the experience of its own blessing and gain.

15. Remember always that everything that happens to you, whether prosperous or adverse, comes from God, so that you neither become puffed up in prosperity nor discouraged in adversity.

16. Remember always that you came here for no other reason than to be a saint; thus let nothing reign in your soul which does not lead you to sanctity.

17. Always be more disposed toward giving to others than giving to yourself, and thus you will not be envious of nor selfish toward your neighbour. This is to be understood from the viewpoint of perfection, for God is angered with those who do not give precedence to His good pleasure over that of men.

OTHER COUNSELS

1. The further you withdraw from earthly things the closer you approach heavenly things and the more you find in God.

2. Whoever knows how to die in all will have life in all.

3. Abandon evil, do good, and seek peace.

4. Anyone who complains or grumbles is not perfect, nor is he even a good Christian.



5. He is humble who hides in his own nothingness and knows how to abandon himself to God.



6. He is meek who knows how to suffer his neighbour and himself.

7. If you desire to be perfect, sell your will, give it to the poor in spirit, come to Christ in meekness and humility, and follow Him to Calvary and the sepulchre.

8. Anyone who trusts in himself is worse than the devil.

9. Anyone who does not love his neighbour abhors God.

10. Anyone who is lukewarm in his work is close to falling.

11. Whoever flees prayer flees all that is good.

12. Conquering the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water.

13. Suffering for God is better than working miracles.

14. Oh, what blessings we will enjoy in the vision of the Most Blessed Trinity!

[The above excerpts are from the book: The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Published by the Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, D.C., Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D.]