Paradox of Poverty: Francis of Assisi and John of the Cross/Transformation in Christ: The Wisdom of St. John of the Cross/John of the Cross: The Ascent to Joy: Selected Spiritual Writings

Spiritual Life, Spring 2004 by Payne, Steven

Paradox of Poverty: Francis of Assisi and John of the Cross. By Lyn M. Falzon Scheuring. Franciscan Press: 1800 Quincy Avenue, Quincy, IL 62301, 2001. Pp. 161. Paper.

Transformation in Christ: The Wisdom of St. John of the Cross. By Ralph Martin. Available in a six audiotape or six CD set. Renewal Ministries: PO Box 8229, Ann Arbor, MI 48107, 2001. $30.

John of the Cross: The Ascent to Joy: Selected Spiritual Writings. Introduced and edited by Marc Foley, OCD. New City Press: 202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538, 2002. Pp. 152. Paper. $12.95.

Recently there has been a remarkable flurry of new works on John of the Cross. Here are a few from smaller publishing houses that might otherwise "pass under the radar" of John's devotees.

Paradox of Poverty is part of the "Studies in Franciscanism" series directed by theologian Zachary Hayes, OFM, and began as a doctoral dissertation at Fordham University. The author analyzes and compares passages from Bonaventure on Franciscan poverty with analogous Sanjuanist texts. (Indeed, the subtitle of the book is somewhat misleading, since John's teaching is juxtaposed not directly with that of Francis of Assisi but with what Bonaventure has to say about Francis and his spirit.) The "paradox" Scheuring explores is part of the message of the Gospel itself-experienced and proclaimed with different nuances by Francis and John-that it is through Christ's poverty that we are enriched, through identification with his cross that we are raised to life, and that freely chosen poverty and self-emptying in imitation of Christ bring the "richness of the experience of God who is the treasure" (p. 38). The author's conclusion is that there is a "complementarity of emphasis in Francis and in John" and that "while both...embraced poverty, interiorly and exteriorly, Francis' witness is notably exterior, while John's witness is significantly interior, and the paradoxes in each are evident" (p. 133). One wishes that Scheuring had been allowed more space to explore the "profoundly significant" contribution of both saints "to the spirituality of poverty in our contemporary world" (p. 142, emphasis mine). Moreover, Paradox of Poverty is not too carefully edited; there are numerous typographical errors and stylistic inconsistencies. Still, anyone interested in John of the Cross's doctrine on poverty will find here a useful compendium and discussion of his key texts.

Ralph Martin is already well known as a leader in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the author of many books. Lately he has also turned his attention to those doctors of the church known especially for their spiritual message, including the Carmelites. Transformation in Christ is a series of six talks originally delivered at Christ the King Parish in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 2001. Martin offers a basic introduction to the life and spirituality of St. John of the Cross, whom he identifies as his "favorite" among the mystical authors he has treated. Martin wisely starts from Vatican II's emphasis on the "universal call to holiness" and Pope John Paul II's encouragement in Novo Millennio Ineunte to return to the study of John of the Cross and other mystics. Next he provides a brief description of who John was. The rest of the series follows the stages of the spiritual journey according to the Mystical Doctor, through the active and passive nights of sense and spirit to transforming union. Martin's approach is lively, often humorous, quoting extensively from John's texts with running commentary. He frequently acknowledges those aspects of John's writings that may sound harsh and does his best to calm undue fears, clarify possible misunderstandings, and show that John asks nothing more than the Gospel itself demands. The talks do not presume that listeners must be involved in the charismatic movement (only at the very end, for example, are "Life in the Spirit" seminars mentioned). There are a few minor slips, such as the statement that John met Teresa "just before" his ordination (actually it was "just after") or his description of Nicolas Doria as the "second general" of the reformed Carmelites (actually he was the second provincial of the "discalced" province). Also, it might have been useful to include a bibliography of secondary literature for those who want to delve further into the study of John. But overall these talks provide an engaging and reliable introduction to one of the Church's great spiritual teachers by one of her most gifted public speakers.

For those who prefer the printed page to audiotapes and CDs, however, I would strongly recommend Marc Foley's John of the Cross: Ascent to Joy, one of the more recent releases in the New City Press series of anthologies of classic spiritual writers (though in the interests of full disclosure, I have to acknowledge that I belong to the same community as the author). The book is divided thematically into thirteen principal sections. After a brief introduction describing the saint's life, texts, and basic doctrines, and a second section on John's major poems, Foley first presents John's vision of the goal of the spiritual journey (namely, union with God) before outlining the stages on the path we must follow to get there, according to the Mystical Doctor. This is a prudent approach, since readers who have a sense of the glory to which John wants to lead us are less likely to be put off by the painful purification process he says is necessary. In each of these sections, Foley first introduces the theme in question and then offers a set of well-chosen Sanjuanist selections. I was pleased to find all my favorite passages included here. Foley has read widely, and one of the more attractive features of his commentary is his ability to invoke clarifying insights, not only from such obvious sources as Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, and Ignatius Loyola but also from authors as diverse as Evelyn Underhill, Karen Horney, Viktor Frankl, Charles Dickens, C. S. Lewis, and Graham Greene. Even those who already know John's writings well will find thought-provoking material here.