St. John of the Cross ~~~ The soul that practices this suffering and annihilation will achieve all that...
Where is this found in the writings of Saint John of the Cross? I would like to read the rest of this section. I couldn't find it in my digital version with a search. Thank you.
Ave Crux Thank you, sorry for the delay. It appears that there might be two different books. Here are the findings:
The first one:
You're referring to a quote from Saint John of the Cross, specifically from **"Dark Night of the Soul," Book 2, Chapter 19, verse 8**. However, the wording varies slightly depending on the translation. Here's the quote in a few different translations, and then I'll point you to sources: **Common Translations:** * **Peers Translation (often considered the standard):** "The soul that practices this suffering and annihilation will achieve all that all those other exercises can achieve and that can be found in them, and even more." (This is very close to the version you provided.) * **Kavanaugh Translation:** "The soul that practices this suffering and annihilation will attain all that can be attained by means of other spiritual exercises and even more." * **A more literal translation (from the original Spanish):** "The soul that practices this emptying and annihilation will achieve all that can be achieved by means of other spiritual exercises and much more." **Where to find the source:** * **"Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross (translated by E. Allison Peers):** This is the most frequently cited translation. You can find it readily available online (see links below) or in book form. Look in Book 2, Chapter 19, verse 8. * **"Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross (translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez):** Another excellent, modern translation. * **Online Texts:** * **Peers Translation (Online):** […… (Scroll to page 123) * **Kavanaugh Translation (Online):** [icspublishing.com/…ooks/dark-night-of-the-soul- …icspublishing.com/books/dark-night-of-the-soul- … (Requires purchase or subscription) The context of this quote is crucial. St. John of the Cross is discussing the “dark night of the soul,” a period of intense spiritual purification where one experiences a stripping away of attachments, consolations, and even a sense of God’s presence. He's arguing that while other spiritual practices (prayer, meditation, etc.) are valuable, this difficult process of *suffering and annihilation* (emptying oneself of self-will and attachment) ultimately leads to a much deeper union with God. He doesn’t mean physical suffering, but a difficult *spiritual* suffering.
and the second one:
The line you’re quoting is **very close to a well‑known passage in *The Ascent of Mount Carmel*** by **Saint John of the Cross**, Book II, Chapter 7 (sometimes numbered Chapter 8 depending on edition). The original Spanish passage reads (slightly varying by manuscript): “El alma que a esto supiere y pudiere ejercitarse, no ha menester más ejercicio de oración ni de otras cosas, porque ella misma se ocupa en una y muy provechosa y suficiente.” A common English translation (E. Allison Peers) renders it: “The soul that knows how to practice this suffering and annihilation has no need of any other exercise of prayer or of outward things. For the soul itself is busy with a most profitable and excellent exercise.” This is almost exactly the idea expressed in your quote: “The soul that practices this suffering and annihilation will achieve all that all those other exercises can achieve and even more.” ### Where it appears • **The Ascent of Mount Carmel** • **Book II** • **Chapter 7 or 8**, depending on edition (in the section where he explains *“the doctrine of nothing”* — that the soul’s progress comes through interior detachment, darkness, and annihilation of self). ### Why the wording differs Your version appears to be a **paraphrase**, not a literal translation. Many modern spiritual writers paraphrase John of the Cross to make his thought clearer, so your text likely comes from one of these secondary works. But the *source idea* is undeniably from **Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book II**. If you want, I can locate the exact matching line in multiple English editions or help you track down the secondary book where this paraphrase appears.
Hope it helps.
Ave Crux I did not checked it myself, but if this is incorrect let me know and I will try different approach to find it. God Bless You!
@In Principio Alas, I cannot find that passage in those cited locations. Nonetheless, anything at all one reads in Saint John of the Cross while looking for it cannot help but be beneficial. Thank you!
There is a FaceBook group called 'Ascent of Mount Carmel' That was their post - if you want you can contact them for details. Hope it helps. God Bless.
Ave Crux Thank you for inspiring me with an idea of posts with the writings of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila! - 'Alas, I cannot find that passage in those cited locations. Nonetheless, anything at all one reads in Saint John of the Cross while looking for it cannot help but be beneficial.'
@In Principio Every time I open his writings it's like plunging into a supernatural regeneration chamber. Every. Single. Word. he wrote is anointed with his sanctity and spiritual genius. Thank you, dear God, for Saint John of the Cross...! And thank you for posting them!