Today we celebrate the Feast Day of St. John of the Cross.
St. John of the Cross was born San Juan de la Cruz in 1542 in Old Castile, Spain. His father was disinherited because he married below his rank, and when his father passed at an early age, Juan was raised by his mother in poverty. He and his two siblings were underfed to the point that his stature was dwarfed.
Since his parents were poor, Juan was unable to learn a trade so he served at a local hospital in Medina. He was studious and still pursued his sacred studies. In prayer, he was told that he should enter religious life to bring reform so at 21, he offered himself as a lay brother to the Carmelite friars who had him ordained as a priest. He received permission to observe the original ancient Carmelite rule of life, and quickly earned a reputation for his humility, fervor, and obedience.
St. John of the Cross later met St. Teresa of Avila who recognized great virtue in John. She requested his assistance to found a monastary of friars under the primitive Carmelite rule, as she had for her nuns. Together, John and Teresa founded the Discalced (meaning barefoot) Carmelites, a contemplative order of strict religious observance.
This reform to their order caused many sufferings and trials, which helped John detach from creatures. When the Lord asked what he would ask for his labors, John replied: "To suffer and be despised for Thee."
As their reforms spread, John was captured, imprisoned, and abused severely by his fellow friars. It was during that time that he wrote his most famous work Dark Night of the Soul.
After nine months, John escaped and went on to found and govern several Carmelite monasteries.
John became an authority on the spiritual life, and his writings are considered to be among the greatest of all Spanish literature. He died a very painful death, while embracing the crucifix.
St. John of the Cross is a doctor of the Church and a patron saint of Spanish poets, contemplatives, and mystics.
As we celebrate the Feast Day of St. John of the Cross, let's meditate upon one of his writings, an excerpt from Sayings of Light and Love:
Mine are the heavens and mine is the earth. Mine are the nations, the just are mine and mine the sinners. The angels are mine, and the Mother of God, and all things are mine; and God himself is mine and for me, because Christ is mine and all for me. What do you ask, then, and seek my soul? Yours is all of this, and all is for you. Do not engage your self in something less or pay heed to the crumbs that fall from your Father's table. Go forth and exult in your Glory! Hide yourself in it and rejoice, and you will obtain the supplications of your heart.
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