Saint John of the Cross

Saint John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz) (June 24, 1542 – December 14, 1591) was a major figure in the Catholic Reformation, a Spanish mystic and Carmelite friar born at Fontiveros, a small village near Ávila.

He is renowned for his cooperation with Saint Teresa of Avila in the reformation of the Carmelite order, and for his writings; both his poetry--my favorite is The Spiritual Canticle--and his studies on the growth of the soul (in the Christian sense of detachment from creatures and attachment to God) are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature and one of the peaks of all Spanish literature. In Catholicism, he is one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church.

I've been listening to Thomas Dubay's radio series on this man, as well as reading John's poetry in sync with my journeys through the Song of Solomon. Though he was known as being one of the most skilled Spanish poets, his greatest contribution to the Church and the world is nothing that could ever be put on paper. He was a burning heart of love for Jesus, and the heat of his flame shows us where God will take a person in love (on this side of eternity!) if they are given wholly over to Him. As John says, "A little of pure love is more precious to God, to the soul, and more beneficial to the Church--than all other works put together."

When we read scriptures like 1 Peter 1:8,

"though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory..."

we often gloss over the words, taking the phrases for granted. However, scripture is never exaggerated, but rather it is only a glimpse of the reality of which it speaks, as a painting is in relationship with the beauty which it captures.

It is the reality Paul spoke of in his own experience in saying, "God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me..." (Galatians 1:15-16). This is similar to what he prayed for the church of Ephesus,

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father... that He would grant you, according to the [unfathomable] riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:14-19).

What on earth was Paul's vision for the Ephesian church? Why didn't he pray that they would prosper financially or grow in numbers or have "more impact" on society? He was a man set on fire with love for God! He understood that nothing else would give more glory or delight God's heart more than if they loved Him likewise.

He speaks of his own life saying,

"But whatever things were gain to me (speaking in reference to his former life of scholarship and success in Judaism), those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things (both legitimate and sinful) to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:7-8).

In ministry and in hiddenness, Paul was ruined with the vision of fulfilling the First Commandment ("you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" Mark 12:30), as the other Apostles also attested to in their own souls. Why would we then go after anything less?

This is our call and our promise if we are willing to come to Jesus to get it. We have to get a higher vision for love in this life if we are to fulfill the will of God. Oh I want to burn with love for God! Why not me?

I would suggest if you want to listen to any of Thomas Dubay's radio sessions on John, that you listen to The Great Exchange.