wisdom of John of the cross in the writings of Evelyn Underhill, The

Spiritual Life, Summer 2000 by Durkin, Mary Brian

Enlarging upon John's comment, "The soul is like an unopened parcel and only God knows what He has put in it."32 Underhill raises the following questions: Do we open ourselves and offer our gifts generously to others? Do we give what we are and what we have to the eternal purposes of God without any self centered concern about the value or cost of our service? The generous gesture, the sacrifice, and the intention are what matter, not the particular form or value of our work for him. As Underhill observes, our actions may seem like "small green apples," insignificant and humble, but if offered with selfless love, they are fruits of infinite worth.

Underhill reminds retreatants that there is a work that God requires each person to do and which no one else can do. Few will be asked to make heroic sacrifices, but we are all required to serve our Creator in that situation and condition where he has placed us. There is no place where Eternal Love cannot be served, praised, and made known to others. It is up to us, as John bluntly states: "One action, one endeavor of our own is worth more than many done by others." Underhill observes that this is true only when we give unselfish and dedicated service, accepting pain, failure, rejection, and misunderstanding, without desire for personal satisfaction, reward, or recognition. "Real charity," says John of the Cross, "is not shown merely by tender feelings, but by strength, courage, and endurance."33

Teach me to enter the life of service which alone is freedom, which accepts humiliations, hardness, poverty, hiddenness, sacrifice, spendthrift love, with a glad generosity, asking nothing. Cleanse my service of all selfishness, spiritual or material, all criticism or impatience, all secret desire for consolation, recognition or reward. Take all that 1 have and all that 1 am and subdue it to your service. (Prayers, p. 28)

A Life-Long Process

When reminding retreatants that John of the Cross said, "In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love," Underhill emphasized the word "evening" to reinforce once again the thought that our spiritual formation is an ongoing, lifetime process. Incomplete and unfinished, we are gradually being formed and shaped by the Divine Artist who dwells within us. Our faithful, enduring response to the Potter's chipping and chiselling will gradually enable us to seek and find the Eternal in our everyday world of duties, demands, pressures, and pleasures. Only then will we be empowered to carry out the command of John of the Cross: "Be thou the Message and the Messenger."34

Challenging but not daunting, these spiritual goals can be implemented by frequently recalling and acting upon the practical counsels pertaining to ways to grow in detachment, mortification, prayer, and service as explained here by John of the Cross and Evelyn Underhill, two mystics separated by centuries but bonded by their intense desire to follow-and to help others to follow-the way of their exemplar, the Divine Artist.