The Spiritual Life. A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology

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Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Foreword Author’s Preface Contents Bibliography. Introduction. The Nature of Ascetical Theology Its Sources Its Method Its Excellence and Necessity Division of Mystical and Ascetical Theology PART FIRST: Principles. CHAPTER I. Origin of the Spiritual Life ART. I. The Natural Life of Man ART. II. The Elevation of Man to the Supernatural State ART. III. The Fall and its Consequences ART. IV. The Redemption and its Effects CHAPTER II. Nature of the Spiritual Life ART. I. The RÔle of GOD in the Spiritual Life § I. The rôle of the Blessed Trinity How the Three Divine Persons dwell within us Our duties towards the Blessed Trinity How the Three Divine Persons give us a supernatural life: Sanctifying Grace, Virtues and Gifts, Actual Grace § II. The rôle of Christ Christ, the Meritorious Cause Christ, the Exemplary Cause Christ, The Head of the Mystical Body Devotion to Christ, the Incarnate Word § III. The Part of the Blessed Virgin, the Angels, and the Saints The Part of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and Our Mother Mary, a Meritorious Cause of Grace Mary, Universal Mediatrix of Grace Devotion to the Blessed Virgin The Part of the Saints The Part of the Angels ART. II. The Part of Man in the Spiritual Life § I. The fight against spiritual enemies Against Concupiscence Against the World Against the Devil § II. The growth of the spiritual life by good works Nature of Merit Conditions for increasing Merit Sanctification of all our actions § III. Growth of the spiritual life through the Sacraments Sacramental Grace Necessary dispositions for fruitful reception of the Sacraments Dispositions for the Sacrament of Penance Dispositions to profit well by the Sacrament of the Eucharist CHAPTER III. The Perfection of the Christian Life ART. I. False Notions Concerning Perfection ART. II. True Notion of Perfection § I. The Essence of Perfection consists in Charity Proofs of the Thesis § II. Love on Earth Requires Sacrifice § III. The Part of Love and the Part of Sacrifice in the Christian Life § IV. Does Perfection consist in the Commandments or in the Counsels? § V. The different Degrees of Perfection Degrees of Perfection The Limits of Perfection here on Earth CHAPTER IV. The Duty of Tending to Perfection ART. I. The Duty Incumbent Upon all Christians in General to Tend Toward Perfection § I. The Obligation Itself The Argument from Authority The Argument from Reason § II. Motives that Make This Duty Easier ART. II. The Obligation Incumbent Upon Religious of Tending Toward Perfection § I. The Obligation Based on the Vows § II. The Obligation Based on the Constitutions and the Rules ART. III. The Obligation Incumbent Upon Priests of Tending to Perfection § I. The Teaching of Our Lord and of St Paul § II. The Teaching of the Pontifical § III. The Nature of the Priestly functions demands Holiness of Life CHAPTER V. General Means of Perfection ART. I. Interior Means of Perfection § I. The Desire for Perfection The Nature of this Desire The Necessity and Efficacy of the Desire for Perfection The Qualities Which the Desire for Perfection should possess Means to Stimulate this Desire for Perfection § II. The Knowledge of God and the Knowledge of Self The Knowledge of God 1° What we must know of God 2° Means of knowing God Conclusion. Exercise of the Presence of God The knowledge of Self 1° Necessity and Object of Self-knowledge 2° Means of knowing ourselves 3° General and Particular Examination of Conscience § III. Conformity to God’s Will Obedience to God’s Will Submission to God’s Will Degrees of Conformity to God’s Will Sanctifying power of Conformity to God’s Will § IV. Prayer Nature of Prayer Various forms of Prayer The most excellent Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer Efficacy of Prayer for Sanctification How we can transform our actions into prayer ART. II. Exterior Means of Perfection § I. Spiritual Direction Necessity Object Duties of the Spiritual Director Duties of the Penitent § II. A Rule of Life Usefulness Qualities Observance § III. Spiritual Readings and Conferences Usefulness of reading Holy Scripture and Spiritual Writers, — of Spiritual Conferences Requisite dispositions for Spiritual Readings and Conferences § IV. Sanctification of Social Relations General Principles Family relations Friendships Social and Business relations Works of Zeal General Summary of Part First PART SECOND: The three ways Preliminary Remarks The Distinction of the three ways The Right Use of this Distinction The Study of the three ways BOOK ONE. The purification, of the soul, or, the purgative way. Introduction Those in the Purgative Way, or, Beginners Work to be done in the Purgative Way Division of this First Book CHAPTER I. The prayer of beginners. ART. I. Necessity and Conditions of Prayer § I. Necessity of prayer § II. Conditions of prayer ART. II. Spiritual Exercises for Beginners ART. III. The Mental Prayer of Beginners § I. Notion of Mental Prayer and Meditation § II. Advantages and necessity § III. General Characteristics § IV. Chief Methods Points common to all Methods Method of St. Ignatius Method of St. Sulpice CHAPTER II. Penànce. ART. I. Motives for Hating and Avoiding Sin § I. Mortal sin § II. Venial Sin ART. II. Motives and Means of Atoning for Sin Motives for doing Penance Sentiments of penance Works of penance CHAPTER III. Mortification. ART. I. Nature of Mortification ART. II. Need for Mortification ART. III. Practice of Mortification § I. Mortification of the body § II. Mortification of the memory and imagination § III. Mortification of the Passions The psychology of the passions Effects of the passions The good use of passions § IV. Mortification of our spiritual faculties The discipline of the mind The training of the will CHAPTER IV. The struggle Against capital sins and vices ART. I. Pride and Kindred Vices § I. Pride itself Various forms Faults born of pride: Presumption, Ambition, Vanity Malice and evil effects of Pride Remedies § II. Envy and jealousy § III. Anger ART. II. Sensuality § I. Gluttony § II. Lust § III. Sloth ART. III. Avarice CHAPTER V. Temptations ART. I. Temptations in General Providential purposes of temptations The Psychology of temptations The Right attitude towards temptations ART. II. Chief Temptations Of Beginners Illusions about consolations and dryness Inconstancy Over-eagerness Scruples Appendix: The Discernment of spirits Summary of the first book BOOK TWO: Progress in Christian virtues, or, the illuminative way. Introduction. Those in the illuminative way Work to be done: to form Christ in us Two classes of souls, the devout and the Fervent, in the illuminative way Division of this second Book CHAPTER I. Affective prayer. ART. I. Nature of Affective Prayer ART. II. Advantages of Affective Prayer ART. III. The Dangers of Affective Prayer ART. IV. Methods of Affective Prayer CHAPTER II. The moral virtues Preliminary Notions Infused Virtues in general Moral Virtues in particular ART. I. Prudence § I. Nature § II. Necessity § III. Practice ART. II. Justice § I. Justice properly so-called § II. Religion § III. Obedience ART. III. Fortitude § I. Nature and Degrees § II. Virtues allied to Fortitude: Magnanimity, Munificence, Patience, Constancy § III. Means to perfect this virtue ART. IV. Temperance § I. Chastity Chastity in the married state Celibacy § II. Humility Nature of humility Degrees Excellence Practice § III. Meekness CHAPTER III. The theological virtues ART. I. Faith § I. Nature § II. Sanctifying power § III. Practice ART. II. Hope § I. Nature § II. Sanctifying power § III. Practice ART. III. Charity Charity in general § I. The love of God Precept and motive Sanctifying power Growth in the love of God § II. Charity towards the neighbor Nature Sanctifying power Practice § III. The Sacred Heart, model and source of charity The Sacred Heart and the spiritual life CHAPTER IV. Counter-attacks of the enemy ART. I. The Re-awakening of the Capital Sins ART. II. Lukewarmness Appendix: The discernment of spirits in the illuminative way Summary of the second Book BOOK THREE: The unitive way. Introduction The end to be attained Characteristics of the unitive way General notion of contemplation Division of the third Book CHAPTER I. The simple or active unitive way ART. I. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost § I. In general Nature and excellence Cultivation and classification § II. In particular The gift of counsel The gift of piety The gift of fortitude The gift of fear The gift of knowledge The gift of understanding The gift of wisdom § III. The gifts of the Holy Ghost in prayer and contemplation § IV. The fruits of the Holy Ghost and the beatitudes ART. II. The Prayer of Simplicity § I. Nature of this prayer § II. Its advantages § III. How to make it § IV. Is this prayer acquired or infused contemplation? CHAPTER II. Infused contemplation. ART. I. Infused Contemplation in General § I. Nature of this contemplation Definition The action of God in contemplation The share of the soul § II. Advantages of contemplation § III. The call to contemplation To whom does God grant the gift of contemplation? The signs of a call ART. II. The Different Phases Of Contemplation § I. The Prayer of Quiet I. “Arid” quietude, or, the Night of the senses Constituent elements Trials Advantages What the soul should do II. “Sweet” quietude Passive recollection Quietude properly so-called The sleep of the faculties § II. Prayer of full union § III. Ecstatic union (Spiritual espousals) I. “Sweet” ecstatic union; nature; degrees; effects II. “Arid” union or the Night of the spirit § IV. The transforming union or spiritual marriage Appendix: False Mysticism or quietism § I. Quiestism of Molinos § II. The mitigated Quietism of Fénelon § III. Semi-quietistic tendencies CHAPTER III. Extraordinary mystical phenomena ART. I. Divine Phenomena Private revelations Nature Rules for discerning them Various psycho-physiological phenomena, especially stigmatization Supernatural and morbid phenomena ART. II. Diabolical Phenomena Obsession Possession CHAPTER IV. Controverted questions Sources of these controversies Controversy regarding the nature of contemplation Controversy regarding the call to contemplation Where does contemplation begin? Conclusion: The spiritual Direction of contemplatives Epilogue: The three ways and the liturgical cycle The prayer, O Jesu vivens in Maria APPENDICES I. The spirituality of the New Testament The spirituality of the Synoptics The spirituality of St. Paul The spirituality of St. John II. The study of characters Characters in relation to feeling Characters in relation to spiritual activities Characters in relation to external activities