Where have you hidden,
Beloved, and left me moaning?
you fled like the stag
after wounding me;
I went out calling you, but you were gone.
~~ Spiritual Canticle of St. John the Cross ~ Stanza 1
St. John the Cross was born in 1542 as John (Juan de Yepes Alvarez) in a small community near Avila, Spain. He joined the Carmelite Order in 1563 and took the name Juan de Sato Matia (John of St. Mathias). In 1577, the unreformed Carmelites imprisoned him in Toledo, Spain.
In a dark, cold and desolate six by 10 feet prison cell, he wrote his famous poem: Spiritual Canticle.
In 1578 after nine months of imprisonment, he escaped taking with him his poetry. He stayed in a convent to get better, read his poetry and shared his experience of God’s love to the sisters.
He is similar to Rumi, a poet and a mystic. He also wrote the Dark Night of the Soul and Ascent of Mount Carmel. He is one of the leading poets in Spanish literature.
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What strong will and convictions … I admire that! 🙂
Thanks Perpetua, the Dark Night of the Soul is such a powerful piece of writing and it reminds me of ‘walking blind with Trust in your heart’. Not easy!
Lucy:)
Hi Lucy, That book is a hard read and i only understood what St. John wrote through meditation. Thank you, Perpetua.
Nite Perpetua! Hugs Paula xx
There is much wisdom in the St John of the Cross quote. With eyes closed our awareness is heightened and the inner light glows so nothing then matters. Thank you.
We are luminous beings. And I agree about heightened awareness. I suppose that’s what he experienced in that dark cell. You are welcome.