Book – St. John of the Cross: Ascent of Mount Carmel

May 13, 2012

This morning whilst listening to an audio, I came across these words. Verse 12 – really helped me see more clearly, so I thought I would share it.

St. John of the Cross – Ascent of Mount Carmel Book 1, Chapter 13, Verse 11

“To reach satisfaction in all
desire its possession in nothing,
To come to possess all
desire the possession of nothing.
To arrive at being all
desire to be nothing.
To come to the knowledge of all
desire the knowledge of nothing.
To come to enjoy what you have not
you must go by a way in which you enjoy not.
To come to the knowledge you have not
you must go by a way in which you know not.
To come to the possession you have not
you must go by a way in which you possess not.
To come to be what you are not
you must go by a way in which you are not”.

St. John of the Cross – Ascent of Mount Carmel Book 1, Chapter 13, Verse 12

“When you delay in something
you cease to rush toward the all,
For to go from the all to the all
you must deny yourself of all in all.
And when you come to the possession of all,
you must possess it without wanting anything.
Because if you desire to have something in all,
your treasure in God is not purely your all”.

If you would like to read more of the background to where these words came from, you can purchase the book by clicking on the link below. Thanks for reading! Jane xx