“Religion is simple.” That is one of the hardest parts about it.

I have been reading Fire Within at a slow pace, usually only on the bus to work in the morning, although sometimes at other times a little. Finished it now. Probably won’t read it again immediately, but if I live a while, I definitely want to read it again.

Fr Thomas Dubay makes a convincing case that infused prayer leading to union with God and heroic virtue is not only possible, but the natural destination of any Christian. He proves with many references that the life and teaching of the two Carmelites, St Teresa and St John of the Cross, were in full accordance with the Bible and the fundamental doctrine of the Church. (As one would expect with them being canonized, I guess. The point was more that this was what Christians are really called to.)

At this point the reader will probably want to know the details, and the “recipe” as it were, to see if it is possible for them. Fr Dubay has written several books on this topic so that may be one way to go. But he stresses that this is not in the least a matter of technique. It is a matter of loving God. Different people will have different experiences (and some may not have much experiences at all), as God deals with each soul according to His will and its needs. Apart from some basics, there really isn’t anything one can do except pray, shut up when God shows up, and spend the rest of one’s time resisting temptations as best one can, do good and above all be obedient. Obedience is better than sacrifice, even the sacrifice of time spent in prayer.

Well, that’s what I took away from it. It seems quite far apart from my mundane life, but it does make some temptations easier some of the time, so that’s something. Now downloaded (free gift) The Life of St Teresa of Jesus by St Teresa. I wonder how far I get into that. I gave up on her Interior Castle once I got noticeable ahead of my own life. It felt kind of like peeping on her love life, in a manner of speaking, so intimate was she with the Lord. I suspect the same may happen again.