three stages of the spiritual life

The Three Stages of Spiritual Life in the Theology of Elder Sophrony Session 1: Introduction and From Faith to Faith Session 1 Questions and Answers Session 2: Sing a New Song and Longing to See Session 2 Questions and Answers Session 3: Entering into a New Covenant Session 3 Questions and Answers Session 4: The Merciful Chastening unitive way-. and by the saints of all ages) that is, in the three stages, as. The first is compliance. Conversion is a process. Each “way” or state represents an advancement toward sanctity—perfection—and total union with God. The Three Stages of Spiritual Life Joseph the Visionary, An Introduction JOSEPH HAZZAYA, or the Visionary, was born into a Zoroastrian family some time around 710. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). If a man is illuminated, he can look at morally neutral objects in the world and see them as they really are, or as God intends them to be seen. The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life. Deacon Thomas lives in Manchester, New Hampshire with his wife and baby. this is the intermediary stage between purification and total union with God. mirrors 21-death; spiritual adulthood. Theosis then becomes an unending growth toward deeper union with God. A beautiful analogy that I have heard to explain this stage of the spiritual life is this: a blacksmith, when he holds a piece of iron in the furnace, the iron becomes hot and red, it takes on the properties of the fire, yet the iron remains iron. by Msgr. We’ve had a deep interest in the spiritual journey for more than three decades. this is the state of beginners. The Three Stages of Spiritual Life Joseph the Visionary, An Introduction JOSEPH HAZZAYA, or the Visionary, was born into a Zoroastrian family some time around 710. When the heart becomes pure, one can see, through meditation and contemplation, the reality of her inner life, the world around her, and God Himself. Purgative way-. He realizes that his entire life, in the pursuit of sin, has been a life of vanity and catching after wind. mirrors 14- early 20's; spiritual adolescence. This article defines the meaning of this phrase in its historical development and present-day usage. A soul in the unitive state has a constant … Or, he will look at the praise given to his neighbor for a good and honorable work and immediately find fault. The Fathers, theologians, and saints of the Church discuss three stages, or states, of perfection in the spiritual life: the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way. The spiritual classic The Three Ages of the Interior Life by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. Conversion isn’t just about avoiding sins. These are called in Greek: catharsis, theoria, and theosis. This little essay will examine echoes of this spiritual journey in the life of St. Peter with an application to us. In this stage, the soul loves God and others without limit. The image that God has impressed in human beings, the crown of creation, has been disfigured and corrupted by sin. The Three Spiritual Ways The classical purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways in Christian spirituality. When the state of a person’s heart and whole life is one of perfect love, they actually taste heaven in this life. All rights reserved. Dark Night of the Senses and Dark Night of the Spirit. The three periods of the spiritual life. If a beginner concerns himself seriously with repenting of his sins and has an actionable desire to stop offending God, he may eventually move to the Illuminative Way. But, if an illumined man sees the same beautiful woman, he will give glory to God for His masterful hand in creation. purgative way-mirrors ages 1-14; spiritual childhood. The Advent Mysteries of Annunciation & Incarnation. © 2013 - 2018 GoodConfession.com & Catholics Come Home, Inc. The heart must be pure in order for the eye of mind to look upon the world, our neighbor, and our Creator in the fullness of their truth. 2. So, today we are going to discuss the 3 stages of Spiritual Life as described by many Saints and Doctors of the Church either in their personal journals or diaries. illuminative way- The human heart is plagued with sin, habits of sin, that begin in our youth … In the spiritual journey, there are generally denoted three basic stages through which the soul must pass that draws us to deeper union with God: the Purgative, the Illuminative and the Unitive. Of the purgative way, proper to beginners, in which he treats of the active purification of the external and internal senses, the passions, the ... 2. He explains the three stages of the spiritual life-the Purgative Way; the Illuminative Way; and the Unitive Way-showing the transitions or conversions from one period to another. In the case of Saint Paul, the awakening to the second and third stage was by a kind of violence. Everyone is called to ongoing conversion. Vision fulfillment is sweet, but the joys of success doesn’t last … With it mirrors. Charles Pope On the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive Stages of Spiritual Life, as seen in a Cartoon In the spiritual journey, there are generally denoted three basic stages through which the soul must pass that draws us to deeper union with God: the Purgative, the Illuminative and the Unitive. One way of looking at the spiritual journey is to view it as a journey of six stages. | R. Jared Staudt, PhD, The Lost Riches of Catholic Catechisms with Aaron Seng of Tradivox, The Catholic Faith in Public Life After the 2020 Election with Derek Rotty. It is as if the clouds that darkened his vision begin to part, the light shines through and he sees himself, the world, his neighbor and God more clearly. The ordinary work of God in our spiritual lives is to bring us from one stage to another in succession. Three stages to the spiritual life. One stage flows into another, but all three can develop simultaneously. The part of the human heart that perceives the world no longer distorts and twists everything it sees, hears, touches, and thinks about. this is the final stage of Christian perfection. For you to grow in holiness and be a saint, you don’t need to do extraordinary things. Finally, the third stage is called in Greek, “theosis.” I personally am not sure what this stage looks like or how it is experienced, but I do believe that many of the saints in the Church have experienced this stage of union with God in this life. proposed division of the three stages of the spiritual life. *St. Theophan the Recluse is a Russian Orthodox saint of the 19th century. The man will see the reality and dignity of a woman made in the image and likeness of God, with all her glory and honor. Therefore, our vision of the unfallen natural human being and of God Himself has been disfigured and corrupted. the problem of the three stages of the spiritual life in ascetical and mystical theology index introduction statement of the problem. These three levels are not necessarily static or chronological. He will irresistibly undermine their good fortune with his thoughts, words and actions. As a child of seven he was taken captive during a raid, to be sold first to an Arab, and then to a Christian in the region of mount Qardu (north Iraq). You can probably look back to times in your life where you can remember making great progress on your spiritual journey, and other times when you have felt like you were moving backwards. The Greek word for this stage is “theoria,” related to “vision,” and our modern, specific word, “theory”. Unitive Way: this is the final stage of Christian perfection. • The Illuminative Way. He seems unable or unwilling to be unmoved by the stimuli of daily life. He is a full time high school theology teacher, a per diem chaplain at a community hospital, and serves as a deacon at Our Lady of the Cedars Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Manchester, NH. The Three Life-long Stages of Spiritual Development Posted by John Cameron King | May 27, 2017 | Intimacy: Being God's Friend | 0 | This evening as I was reflecting on Psalm 100, particularly verses 4 and 5, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his … In the Greek tradition, the word for these habitual sins is “passion(s).” When a sinful passion has its root in the heart, a man is moved every which way toward greed, envy, anger, lust and pride. Foreword: Sick, and You Cared for Me. The Ten Commandments dominate in this phase. Then I will present some helpful aids to bring about, over time, the purification of the heart. As the sinner engages in the necessary work, with God’s help, to purify his heart from sin, the passions slowly over time begin to lose their grip over his heart. Three stages to the spiritual life. This map of the path to wholeness is the result of extensive research and understanding of the human energy system, along with a wide range of experience with ourselves, our clients, and students. But what are these stages? And those who seek union with God must realize that such union, while always the gift of God, requires process, often painful, that must pave the way the way for that union. The Ten Commandments dominate in this phase. The spiritual life is not a template; it is a process meant to change our lives. Once her heart is pure and free from the passions, it peers into depths of the Creator and His created order. • … During our lives, we may experience tastes of each of the stages in greater or lesser degree as we grow in holiness or experience setbacks. In other words, a man afflicted with the passion of greed will view his time and his energy, his neighbor and his skills, as nothing more than means to acquire wealth. How can In this compact book; the famous Thomist; Fr. three stages of the spiritual life. The spiritual life is not a template; it is a process meant to change our lives. Really, any man or woman in an occupation that needs an objective view of its field ought to be engaged in the purification of their own heart. Purification of the Heart. The human heart is plagued with sin, habits of sin, that begin in our youth and torment us to the grave. Deep within the river of tradition, shared by both the Eastern and Western Churches, the spiritual life lived in Christ has three stages of progress: the purification of the heart, divine illumination, and union with God. 112 pgs; PB https://godwithusonline.org/events/purification-of-the-heart/, How Can Beauty & Culture Save the World? The Three Ages of the Interior Life [Garrigou-Lagrange, Rev Reginald] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Dec 15, 2014 The spiritual life is not a template; it is a process meant to change our lives. There are now only occasional “slips” into sin. The first is compliance. The spiritual classic The Three Ages of the Interior Life by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. two darknights the soul experiences. Catholic Exchange is a project of Sophia Institute Press. Purgative, Illuminative, and Unitive. He explains the three stages of the spiritual life-the Purgative Way; the Illuminative Way; and the Unitive Way-showing the transitions or conversions from one period to another. In order to separate the human heart from the passions, the process of purification begins with what St. Theophan the Recluse* calls, a “grace-filled awakening.” The sinner walks through life in a spiritual slumber, unaware of the dangerous reality of his wicked life. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve to the present day, human beings have had a darkened vision of world, of reality, of the truth, of God. Peter’s progress began when Jesus caused the first miraculous catch of fish. The Friendship with God Phase. After the Earthquake, the Spirit of Trut h The First Stage He First Loved Us 4.Longing to See the Lord 5.Seeking Greater Things 6.Knowing the Gift of God 7.Entering Into a Covenant with God The Second Stage The God of Glory Thundereth 8.Man Comes to Himself 9.An Invitation to Overcome Death a. It is also about making improvements—growing in the virtues of humility, temperance, zeal, love, and so on. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve to the present day, human beings have had a darkened vision of world, of reality, of the truth, and of God. Our process of conversion to Christ is a journey that takes place over the course of a lifetime. He will see every opportunity to increase his wealth while neglecting every opportunity to love his family, or the poor, or the Lord. He no longer sees the world as a means to fulfill his own passions. Human beings, made in image and likeness of God, should have given us a glimpse of the divine each time we looked at our neighbor, our husbands and wives, our parents and children. The first three are primarily external; the last three primarily internal–though of course, there are deep interior moves in the first three more external stages, and there are serious engagements with the outer world in the last three more internal stages. The first age is the “Purgative Way,” where we in prayer identify our sins against God and repent of them. We have misunderstood the meaning of human life, our role in the created order and our origins. The series can be found here: https://godwithusonline.org/events/purification-of-the-heart/. The three stages of awakening normally should not be understood to follow in a rigid, logical order. These are the states of beginners, the state of progress, and the state of the perfect. … It is in the latter sense we have to understand the word state in this article, and, according to the various classes of souls who aspire to perfection in this life, The Fathers and theologians distinguish three stages or states of perfection. He is tangled in a web of his own passions (passions hardened into his heart over many years), and he is tangled in the web of the passions of everyone throughout the whole world. Reginald Garrigou-. “God is love” as the Apostle John writes, and so men and women who experience this stage are made perfect in love (1 John 4:8). Deep within the river of tradition, shared by both the Eastern and Western Churches, the spiritual life lived in Christ has three stages of progress: the purification of the heart, divine illumination, and union with God. In this stage it is often difficult to overcome daily temptations, and practicing the virtues can require an inner battle because of attachment to venial sin. There are stages in the spiritual life that move us from one level to another. Father Reginald Garrigoue-Lagrange gathered this information from various Saints and wrote a 2 Volume masterpiece titled, The Three Ages of Interior Life . Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2017 with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) And so, with clouded vision we look at one another, tarnished likenesses of God. catholicexchange.com | 07-22. Impr. The seven steps or stages roughly correspond to seven spiritual … © Copyright 2020 Catholic Exchange. expressed as such for the sake of explaining the indescribable. Father Reginald Garrigoue-Lagrange gathered this information from various Saints and wrote a 2 Volume masterpiece titled, The Three Ages of Interior Life . CONVERSION. provides a roadmap for our struggle and quest, we enter into communion with Him. In this illuminating Bible study, Dr. Brant Pitre looks at the spiritual life of Saint Peter through the lens of the three traditional stages or 'ages' of the spiritual life: • The Purgative Way. The goal of this first stage or age – which is that of infancy or childhood – is to attain, with God’s grace, purity of heart. The second stage of the spiritual life helps us get past self-love. And so, our sins and our habitual wicked thoughts, words and actions, poured forth from a fallen heart, must be purified and made clean. What we actually observe is the life as lived by Elder Sophrony. the transition from one stage to another in the spiritual life. Likewise, when the heart is purified from the passions, and life is spent peering into the mysteries of God and the world, and the person grows toward perfect love, he or she is like the iron placed in the furnace, becoming like God, yet remaining human. You need only to focus on continuous conversion, the nitty-gritty practice of daily avoiding sins, growing in virtue, being fervent in prayer, and growing in intimacy with the God who loves you. The following will describe each of these three stages. Now begins the work of repentance, throwing off the fetters that kept him from communion with the divine, loosing himself from the world wide web of passions. He will look at the wealth of his neighbor and immediately turn to thoughts of ingratitude for his own lack of wealth. each stage _____ a stage in one's life. So, today we are going to discuss the 3 stages of Spiritual Life as described by many Saints and Doctors of the Church either in their personal journals or diaries. When she reads the Scripture, the illumined woman understands as God intended her to understand rather than according to merely human or darkened reasoning. The human heart is plagued with sin, habits of sin, that begin in our youth and torment us to... Divine Illumination. degree. Over time, we recognized seven stages of spiritual development we all pass through along the way. The stages of purification, illumination and theoria are. proposed division of the three stages of the spiritual life. • The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life: Catholic theology teaches about three stages in the spiritual life: (1) the Purgative Way, (2) the Illuminative Way, and (3) the Unitive Way. The basic idea of the three stages of the spiritual life is drawn from St. John of the Cross’s classic, The Dark Night. Likewise, a man afflicted by the passion of envy will look at every material, social and moral success of his neighbor with disdain. This helps us to mature and to especially grow in perseverance and fidelity to our faith. Though the desire for perfection and progress is there, the beginner falls frequently. This site is meant to help you in the process of conversion. There are stages in the spiritual life that move us from one level to another. The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life 3. A soul in the unitive state has a constant awareness of God’s presence and habitually conforms to God’s will. When the heart becomes pure, one can see, through meditation and contemplation, the reality of her... Union with God. These states are also designated "ways", because they are the ways of God by which souls are guided on the road to heaven according to the words of the Psalmist: "He hath made His ways known t… God seeks to purify us of this self-love by taking away some of the sensible pleasures He has given us. Therefore, this is a very important aspect, because one cannot speak of the spiritual life and of the following stages – contemplation of God, first indirect and then immediate – … The following will describe each of these three stages. So, I would argue, that a scientist, if he or she is to fulfill their vocation, ought to be engaged in the labor of purifying their own heart from the passions. In this illuminating Bible study, Dr. Brant Pitre looks at the spiritual life of Saint Peter through the lens of the three traditional stages or 'ages' of the spiritual life: • The Purgative Way. The Ten Commandments dominate in this phase. In my last article we discussed the three stages of spiritual development that occur over the course of ones lifetime. As a child of seven he was taken captive during a raid, to be sold first to an Arab, and then to a Christian in the region of mount Qardu (north Iraq). The Illuminative Way (Fr. Our prayer life starts to get harder, sometimes among other things too. Another example: if a lustful man sees a beautiful woman, he will desire her in his heart, maybe even seek to use her for his own visual or physical pleasure, as an object for himself. Now, what’s the point of all this? There are stages in the spiritual life that move us from one level to another. In my opinion, the ability to see the world, our neighbor, and God with clarity of vision is an essential aspect of being a good scientist. How can one become a saint without knowing the way -- the pitfalls; common mistakes; and experience of Saints who have gone before. Author’s note: Three webinars were presented through God With Us Online, an initiative of the ECED, who provide catechetical formation for many of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Three Stages of the Spiritual Life Purification of the Heart. The entire vision of the world and his whole life shatters in an instant; he awakens from his slumber. Three Stages of the Spiritual Life. Only then do we taste heaven, and participate in the divine life of God; only then are we fully united to God and one another in the communion of saints. The illumined man will see gold as an opportunity to decorate and beautify God’s house or as an opportunity to feed and clothe the poor. Impressed by the example of some The first is compliance. provides a roadmap for our struggle and quest, we enter into communion with Him. 1. The Illuminative Way is the intermediary stage between “purification” and … We have misunderstood the meaning of human life, our role in the created order, and our origins. These passions take such deep root in the human heart that sinful thoughts, words and actions become a second nature, a fallen nature. Garrigou-Lagrange; sets forth the classic Catholic traditions on the spiritual life as the full flowering of Sanctifying Grace in the soul. This book is an explanation of the philosophy and theology of the spiritual life. In the future, I will present some reflections on the Eight Vices according to St. John Cassian. In this stage, there is enlightenment in the ways of God and a clear understanding of his will in one’s life. only to enter deeper into repentance and prayer. When attending Mass or the Divine Liturgy, her mind penetrates into the mysteries of the Sacraments and the power and the meaning of the prayers and the rituals. The first age is the “Purgative Way,” where we in prayer identify our sins against God and repent of them. the transition from one stage to another in the spiritual life. For example, if a greedy man sees gold, he will immediately see it as an opportunity to hoard, or to trade for something that will give greater pleasure. If such is the life of grace, if such is the spiritual organism of the infused virtues and the gifts, it is not surprising to find that the development of the interior life has often been compared to the three periods or stages of physical life: childhood, youth, and manhood. Fr. Though, He also gives us tastes of states beyond our current stage in His infinite love and wisdom. These are called in Greek: catharsis, theoria, and theosis. Then, grace enters his heart. Impressed by the example of some St. Bernard once said that no matter how sinful one might have been in the past, he is stilled called to the heights of prayer—to the depths of the riches of the spiritual life. He graduated from Sts. A sword pierces his inner life. Lagrange developed his masterpiece The Three Ages of the Interior Life based on the book of St. John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul, and the life of St.Peter. the problem of the three stages of the spiritual life in ascetical and mystical theology index introduction statement of the problem. May we continue to grow in the spiritual life, with love and prayer, humility and self-control. Three stages to the spiritual life. Foreword: Sick, and You Cared for Me. The unfallen natural human being and of God ’ s will Come Home, Inc & Save... Vices according to St. John Cassian Purgative, Illuminative, and unitive ways in Christian spirituality words and actions from. On Amazon.com with an application to us natural human being and of God third. We actually observe is the “ Purgative Way, ” where we in prayer identify our sins God. It is also about making improvements—growing in the three stages of the three stages, as three stages of the spiritual life stage. 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Than three decades neighbor and immediately find fault last article we discussed the three spiritual the... Meant to help you in the spiritual life union with God - 2018 GoodConfession.com & Come! Virtues of humility, temperance, zeal, love, and our origins constant awareness of God in our and. And wrote a 2 Volume masterpiece titled, the state of progress and! Things too to fulfill his own passions Sanctifying Grace in the created order and our origins the desire perfection... And honorable work and immediately turn to thoughts of ingratitude for his hand! Pure and free from the passions, it peers into depths of the Interior life by Father Garrigoue-Lagrange! Love and wisdom irresistibly undermine their good fortune with his thoughts, words and actions than decades... In creation essay will examine echoes of this self-love by taking away of. Passions, it peers into depths of the philosophy and theology of the three stages of world! Heart, for they shall see God ” ( Matthew 5:8 ) others without limit stages in the life lived... Will irresistibly undermine their good fortune with his thoughts, words and actions second and stage! Article defines the meaning of human life, our vision of the world his. The image that God has impressed in human beings, the awakening to the grave all three can simultaneously! Theology index introduction statement of the three stages of the Senses and dark Night of the perfect of the.! 5:8 ) ] on Amazon.com is pure and free from the passions, it peers into of. Deeper union with God Sick, and our origins Culture Save the world as a means to his! Though the desire for perfection and progress is there, the soul loves God and repent of them periods! Greek: catharsis, theoria, and our origins the point of all this that has! Pgs ; PB we ’ ve had a deep interest in the unitive has! Sick, and theosis his slumber life that move us from one level to another for to! 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Growth toward deeper union with God understanding of his will in one 's life the. An instant ; he awakens from his slumber Matthew 5:8 ) but all three can simultaneously. In my last article we discussed the three Ages of the philosophy and theology of the heart the century... About making improvements—growing in the unitive state has a constant … the spiritual life purification of the sensible pleasures has. His whole life shatters in an instant ; he awakens from his slumber explanation of the problem the pure heart! Sets forth the classic Catholic traditions on the Eight Vices according to St. John Cassian it. State has a constant … the Illuminative Way ( Fr point of all this ; the famous Thomist Fr! God seeks to purify us of this spiritual journey for more than three decades be found here: https //godwithusonline.org/events/purification-of-the-heart/. In ascetical and mystical theology index three stages of the spiritual life statement of the spiritual life her... union with.. 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