Spiritual dryness
In
Catholicism
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) describes spiritual dryness as a difficulty sometimes experienced in one's prayer life, which may lead to discouragement. Dryness can expose a lack of "rootedness" in the faith, but also provides an opportunity to cling more strongly to God. The CCC makes reference to the seed that fell on the rocks in Parable of the Sower, as well as to the Grain of Wheat allegory found in the Gospel of John.[2] The Catholic Encyclopedia calls it a form of "passive purification," the fruit of which is "the purification of love, until the soul is so inflamed with love of God that it feels as if wounded and languishes with the desire to love Him still more intensely."[1]
The theme of spiritual dryness can be found in the Book of Job, the Psalms, the experiences of the Prophets, and many passages of the New Testament, as illustrated above.[3]
Judaism
The Nefesh Hachaim deals with this issue, as do the Hassic and Mussar movements. Books that write about it include Chovas Hatalmidim
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Description by saints
A number of Catholic
See also
- Mystical theology
- State (theology)
References
- ^ a b c
Augustin Poulain (1913). "Mystical Theology". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2731
- ^
Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP. "The Three Ages of the Interior Life: Ch 4 : The Passive Purification of the Senses and the Entrance into the Illuminative Way". Catholic Spiritual Teaching. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ^ Scott, D., Mother Teresa's Long Dark Night, Catholic Education Resource Centre, 2013, accessed 18 August 2018
