Discussion of the Introduction of the Exclamations, Or Meditations of The Soul on Its God S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila ░░░░░░░░░░░░ From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
Exclamations, Or Meditations of The Soul on Its God Introduction by The Reverend Father Benedict Zimmerman O.C.D. of Wincanton Priory St. Luke's, Wincanton, October 15, 1912 ░░░░░░░░░░░░ Discussion of the Introduction Summary or Highlights █ Title █ Authenticity █ History of the Document █ Source Fragments █ Divisions or Sections █ Printing █ Translations: █ Date of the Writing of the Exclamations █ Contextual Themes covered in the Exclamations ▀ Exclamations: Words of Rapturous Love ■ Associated with: the grace of Divine Union the highest degree of prayer ▀ Exclamations: Vehement Desires of Seeing God Words of the Soul's Anguish at His Absence ▀ Exclamations: Desires for the Salvation of Souls |
█ Title ▀ "Exclamations, or Meditations of The Soul on Its God" ▀ "The Exclamations of a Soul to God: or, The Meditations of St.Teresa after Communion" The translation, attributed to Bishop Rev.John Milner, F.S.A., was given the above title. [Exclamations: Introduction] Note: ▪ The following inscription is found in this book after the Introduction and just prior to Exclamation I: "Written By The Holy Mother Teresa Of Jesus On Different Occasions, According To The Devotion Imparted To Her By Our Lord After Holy Communion. A.D. 1569. " |
█ Authenticity "The authenticity of the book has never been questioned, as it bears on every line the unmistakable imprint of the mind and the diction of St. Teresa. Editors and critics have unhesitatingly accepted it as genuine. [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ History of the Document "Yet there is a mystery about it. It is not known what became of the manuscript after Fray Luis de Leon had done with it, for it is not among the autographs preserved at the Escorial, nor has it been discovered elsewhere. The work is never mentioned either in the correspondence of the Saint or in the depositions of her spiritual daughters and her friends on the occasion of her beatification and canonisation..." [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ Source Fragments "Some small fragments in her own handwriting have, however, been discovered. It appears that St. Teresa was in the habit of giving her nuns short extracts from her writings signed with her name, either as keepsakes or when they were in need of advice or consolation. " ▀ Carmelite Convent of St. Anne, Madrid "The convent of the Carmelite nuns of St. Anne at Madrid possesses three of these, one from the fourth and two from the last Exclamation" ▀ Carmelite Convent of Guadalajara "The nuns of Guadalajara, too, have a paper containing three lines from the last Exclamation. All these fragments bear the signature of the Saint." ▀ Carmelite Convent of Granada "A more extensive manuscript belongs to the Convent of Granada. Until lately it has been considered an autograph, but the French Carmelites, who possess a photographic reproduction, have been informed by connoisseurs that it is not by St. Teresa herself, although in a contemporary hand. The present writer, having seen neither the original nor the photographs, is not in a position to offer an opinion. It contains the whole of the first, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth Exclamations (with noteworthy variants from the published text), as well as portions of the second and thirteenth." [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ Divisions or Sections "The number of Exclamations is variously given as sixteen or seventeen. We have adopted the division into sixteen, chiefly for the convenience of the English readers, because Bishop Milner had adopted the same. Those, who count seventeen. reckon Excl. x. 6-9 as Excl. xi., Excl. xi. as xii., and so on. [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ Printing "A collection of Exclamations in this style appeared in the first printed edition of the Saint's works, Salamanca, 1588, and has been reproduced in all subsequent Spanish editions as well as in numerous translations." [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ Translations: "They have been twice translated into English, First by Abraham Woodhead and his friend, and Afterwards by Bishop Milner." ▀ "Translation by Abraham Woodhead and his friend" "The...translation, literal and correct, but rather antiquated, is not easily accessible now" ▀ Translation by by Bishop Milner "is heavy and incorrect. It was not made direct from the original, but from the French translation of St. Teresa's works by the Jansenist, Robert Arnauld d'Andilly, By the Rev. John Milner, F.S.A. (London, Coghlan, 1790 and 1812). " ▀ "The present translation appeared first in 1906, but has now been revised with a view to rendering it more concise." [Exclamations: Introduction] |
█ Date of the Writing of the Exclamations "When were these Exclamations composed ?" ▀ 1569 "Fray Luis de Leon assigns them to the year 1569" ■ Reason given for 1569: "without, however, giving any reason for this date; But the presumption is that he found it in his copy. " [Exclamations: Introduction] ■ Additional Mentioning ▪ The following inscription is found in this book after the Introduction and just prior to Exclamation I "Written By The Holy Mother Teresa Of Jesus On Different Occasions, According To The Devotion Imparted To Her By Our Lord After Holy Communion. A.D. 1569." ▪ The Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 2: # 7 Foot Note states: "Such exclamations, in considerable number, form the Book of Exclamations published by Fray Luis de Leon. De Fuente thinks it was written in 1569..." ▀ 1579 "On the other hand, the author of the Reforma ... mentions 1579 as the date of the book. " ■ Reason given for 1579: "without a word of explanation" "This may be due — as the French Carmelites think — to a printing mistake; Nevertheless his statement has been accepted by the Bollandists and other writers. " [Exclamations: Introduction] ▀ 1559 "But the French (Carmelite) nuns not only adopt the former year, but suggest an even earlier date, namely 1559." [Exclamations: Introduction] ■ Reason given for 1559: The Editor discusses the dating of this book based on the themes contained in this book, [Blog Note: The Editor stated that the French Nuns adopted 1559 as the year in which St. Teresa wrote the Exclamations since the theme coincides with her spiritual state of that time period. ] ▪ The Nuns Suggest it was written during St. Teresa's period of vehement longings to see God. "The principal argument of the Exclamations, belong to that period of the Saint's life of which she says : 'I saw myself dying with a desire to see God, and I knew not how to seek that life otherwise than by dying' " [Exclamations: Introduction] ▪ However, this early date has not been proven: "there is not sufficient evidence to prove that they date from 1559 rather than from 1569, or, for the matter of that, any other year previous to the 'Spiritual Espousals' of St.Teresa. Nothing seems to militate against the date suggested by the French nuns except the possibility that Fray Luis de Leon may have had positive evidence for his statement. The question must therefore remain open." [Exclamations: Introduction] ▪ The Editor provides an instance in 1571 when these vehement desires persisted "Without contesting the force of these passages, it must be averred that this particular frame of mind lasted much longer, as is proved beyond the possibility of a doubt by the occurrence at Salamanca at Easter 1571. " [Exclamations: Introduction] (See Relation 4: #1 and Interior Castle: Mansion 6: Ch. 11: # 8 ) ▪ Generally, it is thought that the Exclamations were written prior to November 18, 1572, the time of St. Teresa"s Spiritual Espousal / Bethrothal [ Blog Note: The content of the Exclamations is thought to be consistent with the spiritual state of St. Teresa's life that was previous to her "Spiritual Espousal", therefore, prior to November 18, 1572" ] "The period of vehement desires certainly ended at the time of her mystical espousals, November 18, 1572" "From what has been said, it follows that while it may be taken as an ascertained fact that the Exclamations were written before 1572..." [Exclamations: Introduction] ▪ Generally, it is thought that the Exclamations were written prior to May 1575, the approximated time of St. Teresa"s Spiritual Marriage: "And this is, of course, still more true of the state of her soul after being admitted to the mystical marriage." [Exclamations: Introduction] "The Spiritual Nuptials must be placed between the aforementioned year (1572) and May 1575, but it is not possible to ascertain the exact date. " [ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 2: # 7 FootNote ] " 'The most surprising thing to me,' she says, 'is that the sorrow and distress which such souls felt because they could not die and enjoy our Lord's presence are now exchanged for as fervent a desire of serving Him, of causing Him to be praised, and of helping others to the utmost of their power. Not only have they ceased to long for death, but they wish for a long life and most heavy crosses, if such would bring ever so little honour to our Lord.' " ◦ In his discussion of the possible date of this writing, the Editor points out later instances when St. Teresa expressed temporary "tender longings to see God and leave this land of exile": "And, a little farther on: 'True, people in this state forget this at times, and are seized with tender longings to enjoy God and to leave this land of exile, especially as they see how little they serve Him. Then, however, they return to themselves, reflecting how they possess Him continually in their souls, and so are satisfied, offering to His Majesty their willingness to live as the most costly oblation they can make.' " [Exclamations: Introduction] (See Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 3: # 5) |
█ Contextual Themes covered in the Exclamations ▀ Exclamations: Words of Rapturous Love ■ Associated with: the grace of Divine Union the highest degree of prayer "Speaking of the fourth and highest degree of prayer, St.Teresa says that a soul either immediately before or after receiving the grace of Divine Union breaks forth into words of rapturous love. She then proceeds to give an example of such an Exclamation: 'O Lord,' she says, 'Consider what Thou art doing: Forget not so soon the evils I have done ! To forgive me, Thou must already have forgotten them...' And so on. The stirring passage beginning, 'O Prince of all the earth, Thou who art indeed my Spouse', is accompanied by the marginal note 'Exclamation' in the Saint's own handwriting in the manuscript of the first version of the Way of Perfection." [ Blog Note: Way of Perfection: Ch. 26: # 4,5 "Again, in the Interior Castle [ Blog Note: Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 2: # 7 ] we come across these words: certain secret intuitions 'produce such overmastering feelings that the person experiencing them cannot refrain from amorous exclamations, such as : 'O Life of my life, and Power which doth uphold me ! ' with other aspirations of the same kind." [Exclamations: Introduction] ▀ Exclamations: Vehement Desires of Seeing God Words of the Soul's Anguish at His Absence "The French Carmelites...nuns... suggest an even earlier date, namely 1559. They hold that the vehement desires of seeing God and being for ever united with Him... form the principal argument of the Exclamations" and these vehement desires "belong to that period of the Saint's life of which she says : [ Blog Note: The following quote is from: Life: Ch. 29: #10] 'I saw myself dying with a desire to see God, and I knew not how to seek that life otherwise than by dying.' " [Exclamations: Introduction] "Thou didst hide Thyself from me, and didst yet constrain me with Thy love, with a death so sweet, that my soul would never wish it over." [ Life: Ch. 29: #10] ▀ Exclamations: Desires for the Salvation of Souls "Again, after describing the vision of hell which made so deep an impression on her mind: 'It was that vision that filled me with the very great distress which I feel at the sight of so many lost souls.' " [Exclamations: Introduction] |
End of the Discussion of the Introduction of the Exclamations, Or Meditations Of The Soul On Its God S. Teresa of Jesus of the Order of our Lady of Carmel St. Teresa of Avila From the Book, "Minor Works Of St. Teresa Conceptions Of The Love Of God Exclamations, Maxims And Poems" |
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