I WANT TO SEE GOD

Part 1: PERSPECTIVES

CHAPTER I – THE BOOK OF THE MANSIONS

A. Historical circumstances in which it was composed
B. Method of composition and division of the work
C. Value of the work

CHAPTER II – “I WANT TO SEE GOD”

A. God is present in the soul
B. The spiritual Me is a progressive interiorization
C. Transforming union : the end of Teresian spirituality

CHAPTER III – KNOWLEDGE OF SELF

A. Object of the knowledge of self
B. How acquire knowledge of self ?

CHAPTER IV – MENTAL PRAYER

A. Role of prayer ln Teresian spirituality
B. What is mental prayer
C. Degrees of prayer

CHAPTER V – THE GOOD JESUS

A. Christ Jesus in the Teresian prayer
B. Theological justification

CHAPTER VI – TERESIAN ASCETICISM

A. Absolute asceticism
B. Adapted asceticism
C. Progressive asceticism

CHAPTER VII – THE DEVIL

A. Nature and power of the demons
B. Intervention of the devil in the spiritual life
C. Means of recognizing the action of the devil
D. How to combat the action of the devil

CHAPTER VIII – THE TERESIAN SPIRIT

A. Zeal of the prophet Elias
B. Prayer and sacrifice
C. Apostolic works
D. Summary of characteristic elements

CHAPTER IX – SPIRITUAL GROWTH

A. Different aspects and stages
B. The mystery of growth
C. Lights in the darkness

Part 2: THE FIRST STAGES

CHAPTER I – THE FIRST MANSIONS

A. Description of the first Mansions
B. Mortal sin
C. Hell

CHAPTER II – AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE

A. Orientation towards God
B. Dispositions necessary for beginners

CHAPTER III – PRAYER IN ITS FIRST STAGES

A. Vocal prayer
B. Liturgical prayer
C. Meditated reading
D. Meditation

CHAPTER IV – THE PRAYER OF RECOLLECTION

A. Description
B. How to attain to the prayer of recollection
C. Excellence of the prayer of recollection.

CHAPTER V – SPIRITUAL READING

A. Importance
B. Jesus Christ, the “living book”
C. Choice of reading
D. The person of Christ : Holy Scripture

CHAPTER VI – DISTRACTIONS AND DRYNESS

A. Nature of distractions and of dryness
B. Causes
C. Remedies

CHAPTER VII – SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP

A. Friendships in the life of Saint Teresa
B. Her doctrine on friendships

CHAPTER VIII – SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

A. Importance and necessity of direction
B. Choice and qualifies of a director
C. Duties of the one directed

CHAPTER IX – REGULATED LIFE AND SIMPLIFIED PRAYER

A. Regulated life
B. Simplified prayer
C. Deficiencies and difficulties

CHAPTER X – SUPERNATURAL WISDOM AND CHRISTIAN PERFECTION

A. Folly and perfection
B. The three wisdoms
C. The different wisdoms and perfection

Part 3: MYSTICAL LIFE AND CONTEMPLATION

CHAPTER I – THE WISDOM OF LOVE

A. What is the Wisdom of Love ?
B. What does Holy Wisdom do ?

CHAPTER II – THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Nature and rote of the gifts
B. Experience of the gifts
C. Utility and utilization of the gifts

CHAPTER III – THE GIFT OF SELF

A. Necessity and excellence
B. Qualifies of the gift of self

CHAPTER IV – HUMILITY

A. Necessity
B. Degrees and forms of humility
C. Means for acquiring humility

CHAPTER V – SILENCE

A. Necessity
B. Forms

CHAPTER VI – SOLITUDE AND CONTEMPLATION

CHAPTER VII – CONTEMPLATION

A. Contemplation in general
B. Supernatural contemplation

CHAPTER VIII – CALL TO THE MYSTICAL LIFE AND TO CONTEMPLATION

A. Preliminary question : mystical life and contemplation
B. Question of right
C. Question of fact

CHAPTER IX – THEOLOGY AND SUPERNATURAL CONTEMPLATION

CHAPTER X – FAITH AND SUPERNATURAL CONTEMPLATION

A. Necessity of faith
B. What is faith ?
C. Perfect and imperfect modes in the exercise of faith
D. Characteristics of knowledge by faith E. Practical conclusions

UP TO UNION OF THE WILL

Part 4 : UP TO UNION OF THE WILL

CHAPTER I – THE BEGINNINGS OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER

A. Supernatural recollection
B. Prayer of quiet or of divine faste
C. Contemplative dryness or prayer of faith

CHAPTER II – GOD AS LIGHT AND GOD AS LOVE

A. Light and love in the mystical experience
B. Saint Teresa’s experience and that of Saint John of the Cross

CHAPTER III – THE DARK NIGHTS

A. Nature of the dark night
B. Necessity of the dark night
C. Phases and modes of the dark night

NOTE : This is the fourth part of the two volume study of Carmelite spirituality. The first three parts : PERSPECTIVES, TEE FIRST STAGES, and MYSTICAL LIFE AND CONTEMPLATION, are in Volume I, I WANT TO SEE GOD.

CHAPTER IV – THE PASSIVE NIGHT OF SENSE

A. Nature and cause
B. Time and duration of the passive night
C. Effects of the passive night

CHAPTER V – ACTIVE NIGHT OF SENSE DURING PRAYER

A. How to direct this active night
B. Active night during prayer

CHAPTER VI – CONTEMPLATIVE DRYNESS

A. Tend by faith toward the peaceful region of the spirit
B. How to ignore the noise of sense and to bring it calm

CHAPTER VII – ACTIVE NIGHT OUTSIDE OF PRAYER

A. Absolute asceticism
B. Realization of asceticism

CHAPTER VIII – OBEDIENCE

A. Nature of obedience
B. Excellence of obedience
C. Qualities of obedience

CHAPTER IX – UNION OF THE WILL

A. Mystical grace of union
B. Effects of mystical grace : union of will
C. Ordinary way to union of will

CHAPTER X – THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

A. Zeal for souls
B. The mystery of the Church
C. The mystery of the Church and the spirituality of Saint Teresa

Part 5 : HOLINESS IN SERVICE OF THE CHURCH

CHAPTER I – DIVINE ENRICHMENTS

A. Holy Wisdom artificer of sanctity
B. Marks of the divine action
C. The divine ways of acting

CHAPTER II – EXTRAORDINARY FAVORS

A. What is meant by extraordinary favor
B. Effects of extraordinary favors
C. Frequency and moment of extraordinary favors
D. How does God produce extraordinary graces
E. Discernment of the divine origin of these favors
F. Attitude of the soul that receives these favors

CHAPTER III – THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT : THE DRAMA

A. Causes of the dark night of the spirit
B. The Drama
C. Diverse modalities of the dark night

CHAPTER IV – CONDUCT OF THE SOUL : POVERTY, HOPE AND SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD

A. Hope and spiritual poverty-doctrine of Saint John of the Cross
B. Spiritual childhood

CHAPTER V – HELP AND MODELS IN THE DARK NIGHT

A. Christ Jesus, Priest and Victim
B. The Virgin Mary, all Mother

CHAPTER VI – EFFECTS OF THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT

A. Moral purification
B. Psychological reorientation
C. Triumph of loving wisdom

CHAPTER VII – SPIRITUAL BETROTHAL AND MARRIAGE

A. Spiritual betrothal
B. Spiritual marriage

CHAPTER VIII – TRANSFORMING UNION

A. Spiritual marriage and transforming union
B. Transforming union

CHAPTER IX – THE SAINT IN THE WHOLE CHRIST

A. The twofold movement of love
B. Apostolate of love and missions of the apostolate
C. The apostolate and the growth of love