A webcast with James Finley
God has to work in the soul in secret and in darkness because if we fully knew what was happening, and what Mystery, transformation, God, and Grace will eventually ask of us, we would either try to take charge or stop the whole process. —John of the Cross
In a webcast originally broadcast on the Feast of St. John of the Cross, James Finley explores the 16th century Spanish mystic’s life and writings. John went through a purifying process of the Dark Night of the Soul. His description of this experience helps us navigate our own times of darkness and unknowing, coming to a profound knowing of God’s presence in our lives. Through reflections on John’s texts, Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul and Spiritual Canticle, Jim shares how our powerlessness in prayer is gradually transformed into contemplative intimacy with God. John believed that Infinite Love is the architect of our hearts. We are made in such a way that nothing less than an infinite union with Infinite Love will do. The Dark Night deepens our desire and openness to this love.
James Finley is a core faculty member of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His written and recorded teachings include Jesus & Buddha, Following the Mystics through the Narrow Gate, Merton’s Palace of Nowhere, The Contemplative Heart, and Christian Meditation. Jim is a clinical psychologist in private practice with his wife in Santa Monica, California.