.....a person by mere attachment to a created thing is less capable of god, according to the degree of the entity of that appetite. for two contraries cannot coexist in the same subject. since love of god and attachment to creatures are contraries, they cannot coexist in the same will. non est bonum sumere panem filiorum et mittere canibus (it is unbecoming to take the childrens bread and give it to the dogs). [mt.15:26] also in another part he said: nolite sanctum dare canibus (do not give what is holy to the dogs). [mt.7:6] our lord compares to the children of god all those who dispose themselves for the pure reception of gods spirit through the denial of their appetites for creatures; and he compares to the dogs all those who who desire to feed their appetites on creatures. it is the privilege of children to eat at table with their father and from this dish, thereby symbolizing their share in his spirit, but the dogs must eat the crumbs that fall from the table. [mt. 15:26-27] ......they refuse to rise from the crumbs of creatures to the uncreated spirit of the father. this is precisely why they wander about as hungry dogs, for the crumbs serve more to whet their appetite than to satisfy their hunger. david says of them: famen patientur ut canes , et circuibunt civitatem. si vero non fuerint saturati, et murmurabunt (they will suffer hunger like dogs, and wander around the city. and if they are not filled, they will murmur). [ps. 58:16-16] here is a peculiarity of a man with appetites: he is always dissatisfied and bitter, like someone who is hungry. what, then, in common has the hunger caused by creatures with the fullness fostered by the spirit of god? this uncreated fullness cannot find entry to a soul until this hunger caused by the desires is expelled. since hunger and fullness are contraries they cannot coexist in the same person.....................st. john of the cross
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 02:02:27 +0000
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