Carmelite Quote

St. John of the Cross: 
Dark Night of the Soul

Because of the strong desire of many beginners for spiritual gratification, they usually have many imperfections of anger...Among these spiritual persons there are also those who fall into another kind of spiritual anger. Through a certain indiscreet zeal they become angry over the sins of others, reprove these others, and sometimes even feel the impulse to do so angrily, 
which in fact they occasionally do, setting themselves up as lords of virtue. All such conduct is contrary to spiritual meekness.

Others, in becoming aware of their own imperfections, grow angry with themselves in an unhumble impatience. So impatient are they about these imperfections that they want to become saints in a day. Many of these beginners make numerous plans and great resolutions, but since they are not humble and have no distrust of themselves, the more resolves they make the more they break, and the greater becomes their anger. They do not have the patience to wait until God gives them what they need, when he so desires. Their attitude is contrary to spiritual meekness and can only be remedied by the purgation of the dark night.

The Dark Night, Chap. 5, 1,3

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS