"Dark Night of the Soul" "Friar Jacinto, Friar Jacinto..." "DECEMBER, 1577" "Please accept our hospitality." "Come and get warm, you must be freezing with so little clothing in wintertime." "And barefoot..." "You may start the trial when you're ready" "Juan de Yepez y Alvarez... born in 1542 in Fontiveros, Avila province" "Son of Gonzalo and Catalina." "Studied with the jesuits, and is admitted, at age 21, in the Santa Ana de Medina del Campo Carmelite convent, by the name of Juan de Santo Matía." "Studied theology and philosophy at Salamanca University, his teachers being, Luis de León, el Brocense, and Gaspar de Grajal..." "Gave his first mass at Medina del Campo, where he met Teresa de Jesus." "The one that introduced him to the Reform." "Conspires with other carmelite friars, and disregards our rules." "Since then... with enormous vanity, assuming a power he does not have," "Calls himself John of the Cross, Master of the Discalced Carmelites" "Named after their barefoot walking, flaunting their poverty to distinguish themselves from others." "By the decrees of the General Chapter of Piacenza, under the authority of His Holiness Gregory VIII," "every religious, that goes against the general statutes, and the ruling of the Prior General, shall be severely punished, and removed from all posts and every order without appeal." "Have you anything to say in your defense, Friar Juan de Santo Matias?" "My name is Juan de la Cruz." "There you have it!" "Denies his true religious name!" "Brother Juan," "We love you." "We need you." "That's why we appeal to your good judgment." "Don't you think that a reform in these times, would only weaken ourOrder," "Causing severe divisions?" " Why do you care so much about me?" "Who am i to be causing you so much worry?" "Let me keep pursuing my humble road to perfection, and allow me to meet my Beloved." "Beloved?" "Withdraw them, Beloved, I am taking flight!" "He's laughing at us!" "His evasiveness prove the accusations." " Are you aware of it?" "Yes" "Why don't you reflect upon the consequences of such behavior?" "I won't step back, even if it costs me my life." "We know of your virtues." "Of your theological training and your talent as a speaker." "I heard many great things about you in Salamanca." "Therefore, we have the authority to offer you a priorship." "Where you can counsel and guide other friars who are in need of you" "You will get a nice room, and a good library." "This crucifix is yours." "Even though it's made of gold, it's not its earthly worth what we most value." "It belonged to one of our most dearest brothers." "Whoever seeks the naked Christ has no use for golden jewelry," "You stubbornly insist on giving us lessons in humbleness." "Do not lower you head." "A superior is speaking to you." "Look at me!" "Bring me the Calced Habit!" "Take off your sack-clothes and put on the mandatory habit." "It's your prior's order." "Obey it!" "Undress him!" "Remove those rags." "You see Friar Juan, how easy it is to obey..." "You must wear the mandatory habit, we believe it should be enough..." "I am Juan de la Cruz, i have professed my faith, promised obedience... chastity and humbleness to Our Lord and the Virgin Mary" "We punish you to remain isolated and locked in a cell" "With no possibility of repentance" " There shall i find my death then..." "Dear Lord give me strength." "What...?" "!" "Where am i brother?" "...two days later, the tax collector fell gravely ill," "Disturbed by such a high fever, lost his consciousness, and went into a state of lunacy, during which, it seemed he had died and entered the purgatory" "Here's what in such a disturbed state of mind, he thought he saw and heard:" "Characters dressed in black, weighted in a scale all the evil he had done in his life, ...meanwhile, others wearing white, dressed in tunics, whose whiteness, surpassed that of the snow with an air of sadness in their faces, eagerly sought" "something else to put on the scale, to counterbalance, even if only a little..." "One of our brothers, has been discalced wearing sack-clothes, so that we can admire his humbleness, and have him as a saint." "So you had to be the first one to dishonor the order of the Virgin Mary, with your insistence on becoming discalced, and wearing a different habit, promoting discordance amongst the Friars, and horrifying the laity," "so that everyone talked about you, and seem as more reformed than anyone else." "If you wanted to be so good, what kept you from staying in the Order, that has produced so many good and holy man?" "Who disallowed you from mortification, or rising to the heights of contemplation, or being a model of virtue?" "But you, hypocrite!" "Weren't aspiring on becoming a saint." "Only that they believed you were one," "Not looking to help others in need, only satisfying your self-love." "Take a look, brothers, to this miserable and disgraceful scoundrel friar, barely worthy of being the doorman of a convent." "Trying to reform others!" "When he needs to reform himself." "Uncover your back, there we will write the rules for the new reform." "Forgive me brother." "I slept, but my heart was awake." "Listen!" "my beloved is knocking:" ""Open to me my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one"" "My head is drenched with dew." "My hair with the dampness of the night." "My God, how beautiful!" "How beautiful is the Song of Songs!" "Who could write anything like it?" "Forgive me my Lord," "Such vanity!" "so much vanity!" "... The devil..." "The devil and their own fancy, very commonly practice deceptions on the soul." "...From melancholy," "or from some other kind of humour in the brain, or the heart, which habitually produces a certain absorption and suspension of the senses, causing the soul not to think at all, nor to desire or be inclined to think But the more accustomed the soul grows to this, by allowing itself to rest," "the more it will grow therein the love towards Him" "Him.." "Him?" "Love towards her!" "No.. no Dear God," "Give me strength and integrity, to able to resist resist." "JANUARY" "Such arrogance Friar Juan, leaving the habit, and dressing humbly is not Mortification, it's vanity and nothing else..." "You're too conceited Friar Juan, that's why you deserve our disdain." "Imitating the Theatines, is professing a different religion from ours, the Carmelites we have our own habit, and our duty is absorption, silence and fasting." "Friars and monks don't need to seek anything outside." "He must follow his duty and remain silent." "What do we expect out of this man?" "He deserves to be thrown into a well, where he drowns to be never seen again." "and stops spreading his evil!" "What is your name brother?" "Reveal thy presence," "And let the vision and thy beauty kill me," "Behold the malady of love is incurable," "Except in thy presence and before thy face." "María de San Lucas," "Beatriz de San Andres," "Teresa de La Asuncion," "Carmen de La Trinidad," "Lucia de San Jose," "Ana de Jesus" "Maria del Calvario," "Juana de San Jeronimo," "Maria de los Angeles," "Encarnacion de San Antonio," "Beatriz de Santo Tobias." "FEBRUARY" "The source.." "The source," "That flows, and runs.." "The tranquil night," "The silent music," "The murmuring solitude," "And the terrors that keep watch by night..." "Be strong, be strong." "These incidents, disturbed Justina's inner peace" "The young woman, tormented by the Devil, started having sinful thoughts and desires." "Each time growing stronger, up to the point where at a certain time, she almost gave up her chastity vows." "Have you changed your mind Friar Juan?" "Then get ready to receive the friday's discipline." "But before, we would like to inform you, that the new apostolic nuncio, Bishop Felipe Saga," "by explicit order of the Pope, has decided to ban the discalced, ordering them to submit to the calced, and shut down every foundation that does not meet the new rules." "What harm have we done with our work?" "Well done... you will not get out of prison, except for your burial." "Let us rejoice," "O my Beloved!" "Let us go forth to see ourselves in your beauty, to the mountain and the hill." "Where pure water flows:" "Let us enter into the heart of the thicket." "MARCH" "What's going on?" "!" "What's all this noise?" "!" "What's happening to you Friar Juan?" "!" " I can't move!" "Dear God!" ", you're bleeding!" "I can't move!" "What have you done to yourself?" "The Devil!" "..." " Friar Juan!" " ..the Devil..." " The Devil?" "are you sure?" "Demons.." "Demons are trying to tempt me, brother" "In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep falleth on men, fear and trembling came upon me... it's not the first time that i fight against the Devil, brother" "Once i was defeated by him." "Would you like me to tell you the story?" " Yes, if you'd like to" "Sit down, i hope i won't bore you." "Listen..." "In the Our Lady of Grace Monastery, Ávila." "once there was a marvelous and prodigious nun, she was young and beautiful" "Arrived at only 5 years old, and by the time she was 20, she wonderfully interpreted the holy scriptures..." "Without ever having studied or been trained by a tutor" "Her fellow students were amazed, and many went to see such a prodigy, to listen to her words," "Which, at times, seemed dictated, by the Devil." "Her superiors, were beginning to worry..." "Such a spirit needed to be examined, and requested, to the Inquisition, that i was to exorcise her." "What does, "Verbum caro factum, est et Habitavi in novis" means ?" "The Word was made flesh, and dwelled among you." "Liar, those words do not mean "among you", but "among us"." "Among all of us." "No, it's as a i say, because you're not man enough to live among us but among you." "When did you surrender to the Devil?" "At age 6, a year after i came to the convent." "How did you surrender your soul?" "I took blood off my arm, this arm, and with it i wrote the statement wholly surrendering to my Lord and Master" "He loves me, owns me, gives me life," "loves me, owns me, loves me" "gives me life," "What a story!" "I'm sorry to insist Friar Juan," "Are you sure she was possessed?" "What happened to her, brother?" "Please, tell me" "Can you keep a secret?" "One day, i went to the convent, and a frightened gatekeeper sister told me:" " Friar Juan!" "How could you have left and returned so quickly to the convent?" " I've never been here before." "I answered." " My God!" "." "The nun says to me." " The Devil has taken over you and is now in the room with the possessed one." "And then what happened?" "The Devil defeated me." "We are weak against temptations." "But tonight," "He's given me the strength to beat him" "Now he's run away with the tail between his legs, and you have witnessed it." "I'd like to help you." "What can i do for you Friar Juan?" "If only you could bring me ink, paper, and a pen i'd like to write a few verses, that have been running around my head." "APRIL" "Where are have you hidden Yourself, O my Beloved!" "and abandoned me to my sorrow." "You have fled like the hart," "Having wounded me, i ran after you, crying;" "But you were gone ...I ran after you, crying, but you were gone." "O shepherds, you who go Through the sheep-cots up the hill," "If you shall see, Him whom i love, tell him i languish, suffer and die." "In search of my love I will go over mountains and strands;" "I will gather no flowers, I will fear no wild beasts;" "and pass by the mighty and the frontiers." "My God!" "How beautiful!" "How beautiful!" "In search of my love, i will go over mountains and strands;" "I will gather no wild beasts, I will gather no..." "No, no..." "In search of my love..." "In search of my love, I will go over mountains and strands  I will gather no wild beasts..." "I will fear no wild beasts, and pass by the mighty and the frontiers!" "In search of my love..." "I will go over mountains and strands;" "I will fear no In search of my love.." "In search..." "Friar Juan!" "What if we were right and you weren't?" "No, it can't be" "You're so arrogant Friar Juan for the love of God, be reasonable." "Why should you be the chosen one, and no one else?" "Me, for example..." "Why not you?" "No, not you" "Why not?" "I could be wrong" "If i were wrong..." "If i were wrong..." "He, would have let me know" "If you have any doubts, why don't you confess it before our brothers?" "We all have been tempted by notoriety, the vanity of being the chosen one, of being more than anyone else, your obedience to the rules, would be an example to all..." "And he's to be left there, unburied, in the open, to be devoured by beasts and birds of prey ...Angels immediately went to the chosen place and stood guard, right next to the remains of the saint," "even a raven, being rapacious by nature, collaborated with the heavenly spirits, protecting the remains of the martyr, hovering at certain height, over the dead body" "I admit it, i admit i was wrong" "I admit it" "I admit it brothers," "I'm an arrogant." "I deserve punishment." "Repeat it Friar Juan, so that our brothers can hear you." "I admit it." "You admit what?" "You have just admitted you were wrong, haven't you?" "You said: "I admit i was wrong, i'm an arrogant and deserve punishment"" "You said that didn't you?" "!" "Did you said that yes or no?" "It's only been a moment of weakness brother, it wasn't me talking." "You can't trust a man that renounces to his deepest beliefs at the slightest chance of trouble." "I'm truly convinced that i've been right about everything i've said" "I have not been wrong you have," "Only you've been right?" "Yes" "God willing.." "We won't be wasting more time with you nor listen to your nonsense anymore" "Take him to his cell!" "MAY" "Upon a darkened night..." "No..." "In the darkness of the night" "With love and longing seized," "With love and longing seized for her, not him" "With love.." "With love and longing seized.." "Her," "Her..." "I've got nothing to write now" "Nothing" "I've got nothing today." "In the darkness of the night, with love and longing seized," "Oh delightful happiness, i went abroad unnoticed." "Excuse me brother, i've brought you thread, needle and a pair of scissors, so you can mend your tunic as best you can." "How are your songs going Friar Juan?" " Bad," "Now that you have the means to write..." "I'm missing the most important..." "Days are getting longer," "It's spring time already" "Fields must be beautiful" "This year, god willing the weather stays good, we'll have a nice harvest." "In search of my love," "I will go over mountains and strands;" "I will gather no flowers, I will fear no wild beasts;" "and pass by the mighty and the frontiers..." "Is it yours?" "It's a beautiful song, a profane song, no doubt about it." "These are songs between the soul and the bridegroom." "Listen.." "Return, dove, the wounded stag, is in sight on the hill" "cooled by the breeze of your flight." "I'm not sure what you're trying to say." "The language of love, and the mystical intelligence, can't be explained in words of any kind, because..." "Who could describe in writing... the understanding he gives to loving souls in whom he dwells?" "it shall be born." "And who can express with words, the experience he imparts to them." "Where are you taking me to brother?" "it's not punishment day today" "Friar Maria de Jesus want's to see you" "She's been so insistent, that the prior has granted permission to see you" "The poor man is gravely ill, and we fear that, sooner or later, the Lord will have him by his side." "Benedicat vos." "Deus." "et miseriatur, anima tui." "Amen." "Brother, this is Friar Juan de la Cruz" "Friar Juan de la Cruz..." "Teresa de Jesus..." "told me about you," "She said you were a saint." " A Saint?" "... god willing..." "Can you relieve my suffering?" "I can't endure so much pain," "Where are have You hidden Yourself, O my Beloved!" "and abandoned me to my sorrow." "What do you see, brother?" "What do you see, brother?" "I see nothing, nothing further, brother," "Only darkness." "There is light beyond there, can you see the light shining?" "Take a look, look." "Beyond life, there's eternal light." "Now you'll begin your journey, towards the light, towards the Beloved" "Withdraw them, Beloved, I am taking flight!" "No, dear God." "There's nothing further." "There is light, Brother!" "A strong and healing light." "A strong light..." "Dear God, have mercy on his soul." "You can't tell anyone what you just heard." "It shall remain under confessional secrecy." "JUNE" "On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings." "Oh happy chance!" "I went forth without being observed," "My house being now at rest." "In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised," "Oh happy chance!" "in darkness and in concealment." "My house being now at rest." "In the happy night," "In secret, when none saw me, Nor i beheld aught," "Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart." "This light guided me more surely than the light of noonday," "Where he -well i knew who-, was awaiting me," "A place where none appeared." "Oh, night that guided me!" "Oh, night more lovely than the dawn!" "Oh, night that joined Beloved with loved," "Lover transformed in the Beloved!" "Upon my flowery breast, Kept wholly for himself alone," "There he stayed sleeping," "And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze." "The breeze flew from the turret," "As I parted his locks." "With his gentle hand he wounded my neck" "And caused all my senses to be suspended." "I remained, lost in oblivion," "My face i reclined on the Beloved." "All ceased, and i abandoned myself Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies" "You must leave Friar Juan." "You must leave It's useless for you to stay any longer." "You have further duties and work to be done." "JULIO" "How are you feeling today brother?" "Fine" " I've brought you this." "For me?" "How.." "How could i ever thank you?" " By wearing it" "I feel cleaner now." "Would you allow me to throw away my own wastes?" "Sure." "You'll have to do it while the rest of the friars are taking a nap." "I'll open the door for you and take you to the toilet" "You may leave when you're ready." "Cross the room and walk all the way down the corridor." "You will find the restroom there Please try to keep it quiet." "You may go now brother." "I'll be back later." "Thank you." "You still haven't finished?" "What are you waiting for?" "Excuse me brother." "It's the heat..." "Lets leave the door open until sunset, so your room can cool off" "Thank you."