Saint John of the Cross, The Asc Quotes

A collection of quotes by Saint John of the Cross, The Asc.

Saint John of the Cross, also known as Saint John of the Cross, was a Spanish mystic, poet, and Catholic saint. He was born on June 24, 1542, in Fontiveros, Spain. John became a Carmelite friar at the age of 21 and dedicated his life to serving God.

Saint John of the Cross was a significant figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation movement and played a crucial role in the reform of the Carmelite Order alongside Saint Teresa of Avila. Together, they founded the Discalced Carmelites, a reformed branch that emphasized simplicity, austerity, and devotion to prayer.

Known for his spiritual writings, Saint John of the Cross is particularly famous for his poem collection, "The Dark Night of the Soul," which describes the soul's journey towards union with God and the obstacles encountered along the way. His writings on contemplative prayer and the mystic path have had a lasting impact on Christian spirituality.

Throughout his life, Saint John of the Cross faced numerous challenges and persecution from within his own order. Despite these difficulties, he remained steadfast in his faith and commitment to God. He died on December 14, 1591, in Ãšbeda, Spain, at the age of 49. Saint John of the Cross was canonized as a saint in 1726 and is celebrated for his profound spiritual insights and poetic contributions to Christian literature.

Wherefore a man can know nothing by himself, save after a natural manner, which is only that which he attains by means of the senses. For this cause he must have the phantasms and the forms of objects present in themselves and in their likenesses; otherwise it cannot be, for, as philosophers say: Ab objecto et potentia paritur notitia. That is: From the object that is present and from the faculty, knowledge is born in the soul. Wherefore, if one should speak to a man of things which he has never been able to understand, and whose likeness he has never seen, he would have no more illumination from them whatever than if naught had been said of them to him.

Saint John of the Cross, The Asc

Knowledge