Translated from the original by Ana Giménez.
…You will find a description of your situation if you have been persevering for a while in living first and second mansion. “So I will leave all this for now and return to what I had begun to explain concerning the souls that have entered the third Mansions. In enabling these souls to overcome their initial difficulties, the Lord has granted them no small favour, but a very great one. I believe that, through His goodness, there are many such souls in the world: they are most desirous not to offend His Majesty; they avoid committing even venial sins; they love doing penance, they spend hours in recollection; they use their time well; they practise works of charity toward their neighbours; and they are very careful in their speech and dress and in the government of their household if they have one. This is certainly a desirable state and there seems no reason why they should be denied entrance to the very last of the Mansions; nor will the Lord deny them this if they desire it, for their disposition is such that He will grant them any favour.” (Interior Castle 3.1.5).
There are many souls who have reached this situation after having overcome difficulties and doubts to leave the castle.
They have praying moments, they love their neighbours and try to keep the commandments without committing mortal or venial sins. They can say, along with Psalm 111, that they are blessed people. David and Solomon were too, but that didn´t assured them to fall again. That is why, it is good not to stop respecting the God who call us to love.
We are still in first chapter of the third mansion and we read (number 6) “but if the Lord is to take complete possession of the soul more than that is necessary. Words are not enough, any more than they were for the young man when the Lord told him what to do if he wished to be perfect.” (Interior Castle 3.6).That is, we have to be proved by our fruit. The religious experience is verified in practice. If life and heart change, those are good signs. Teresa proposes the example of the rich young man (Matthew 19:16-22) for the whole third mansion.
If you read the account of the rich man you will see that he keeps the commandments and that he is a good believer. Nevertheless, if he wants to be perfect, Jesus asks him to sell everything he has, to give it to the poor and to follow Him.
Teresa´s interpretation is not in the economic sense but in the donation of our self: Jesus wants first of all our firm decision to be His strong friend, and secondly He wants us to give Him, little by little, our self.
Read chapter 2 with the trials we are given by Jesus.
(Photo 7inchs, Pexel)
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