St. Peter Canisius Apostolate

From The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross

We call this nakedness a night for the soul, for we are not discussing the mere lack of things; this lack will not divest the soul if it craves for all these objects. We are dealing with the denudation of the soul’s appetites and gratifications. This is what leaves it free and empty of all things, even though it possesses them. Since the things of the world cannot enter the soul, they are not in themselves an encumbrance or harm to it; rather, it is the will and appetite dwelling within that causes the damage when set on these things.

This passage reminds me of the episode in the gospels when Jesus says, “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man” (Matt 15.11). True self-denial has little to do with depriving ourselves of things. Rather, true self-denial focuses on interior mortification. It matters little what I lack or possess externally if I possesses it or lack it internally.

What do I mean by this? Well, in the paragraph just before the one cited, St. John says that it does not matter, in terms of spiritual health, if a person is wealthy or poor in the physical sense. A wealthy person can have a profound of spirit and see his wealth as meaningless, and a poor man’s soul can be filled with greed for money and envy of the rich. Who, spiritually speaking, is worse off?

This is St. John’s point. True self-denial focuses on silencing our interior longings. We deny ourselves delicious food for the sake of ridding ourselve of our inordinate desire for tasty meals. We deny ourselves of music in order to remove our inordinate desire for emotional titliation. Etc., etc.

As we silence these inordinate desires of the flesh, we free ourselves to focus on the things of the spirit. We ascent Mount Carmel, as St. John would say, and draw near to God.

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