SPIRITUAL LIFE - Volume 2 - September 1956 - No. 3 - Editorial - Christian Inwardness

Sep 29, 2026

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A Catholic quarterly issue focused on spiritual life, presenting articles on Christian inwardness, the life of Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity, and the Trinity’s indwelling. The editorial reflects on divine love and friendship revealed in Christ’s sacrifice, linking the inner life of God to the Incarnation and the Mystical Body. Additional sections include prayer and Trinitarian worship, with book reviews covering faith, maturity, psychiatry, and religious reflections.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages68

Reading Time1 h 45 min

AccessFree to download

Editorial

Christian Inwardness

Conversation with Christ

The Repose of the Abyss

Book Reviews

(Volume 2,No.3September,1956CHRISTIAN INWARDNESS:Elizabeth of the Trinity(50th Anniversary)Cardinal Lercaro Fr.Gabriel of St.Mary Magdalen,O.C.D.Fr.Denis,O.C.D.E.I.Watkin CONVERSATION WITH CHRIST Peter Rohrbach,O.C.D. An introduction to mental prayer,the book is an ex-pansion of St.Teresa's five general steps in meditation.Father Rohrbach's only purpose is to provide a hand- book on how-to-meditate.Just released,$3.75THIS WAY TO GODRev.John Rossi This is an unusual volume of brief medita-tations.The reader is taken from the highestflights of the spiritual to the most concretesituations of everyday life. AT ALL BO0K ST ORE SFIDES PUBLISHERSCHICAGO 19 ASSISTANT EDITOR: Fr.Peter-Thomas of the Sorrowful Mother,O.C.D.ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Fr.Christopher of the Blessed Sacrament,O.C.D. Fr.Edward of the Sacred Heart,O.C.D. Fr.Richard of the Immaculate Conception,O.C.D. Fr.Denis of the Holy Family,O.C.D. SPIRITUAL LIFE A Catholic Quarterly PUBLISHED BY THE DISCALCED CARMELITE FATHERS FATHER WILLIAM OF THE INFANT JESUs,O.C.D.,Editor | VoLUME 2 | SEPTEMBER,1956 | No.3 | | --- | --- | --- | Contents Editorial. . · · · .. · 134 Christian Inwardness. . 137Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro,Archbishop of Bologna A Sketch of the Life of Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity. . 146Father Denis of the Holy Family,O.C.D. The Repose of the Abyss · · . ·. ·156 E.I.Watkin Prayer of a Praise of Glory to the Trinity ·. · .165 The Indwelling in Sister Elizabeth of the Trinity.. . .173Father Gabriel of St.Mary Magdalen,O.C.D. BOOK REVIEWS The Eternal Woman,Gertrud von le Fort· 189Challenge to Action,Monsignor Joseph Cardijn. 190Christian Maturity,John Donohue,S.J... 191Faith,Reason,and Modern Psychiatry,Francis J.Braceland,M.D.193Richard Raynal,Solitary,Robert Hugh Benson ..195Elizabeth of Dijon,Hans Urs von Balthasar .195 Editorial “THIS is the greatest love a man can show,that he should lay downhis life for his friends.”No man ever showed this kind of love inhis life so concretely and convincingly as our Lord:“For these sheepI lay down my life....Nobody can rob me of it;I lay it down ofmy own accord." No man ever loved like that before.No man ever will.But Christsaid something once that sounds like even greater love than this.It does not contradict the other statement,for although laying downhis life is the greatest love a man can show,it need not be the great-est love that God can show. Divine love is boundless,reckless,and beyond the wildest dreamsof man when Christ introduces us into the mystery of the Trinity,into the family-life of God.“I do not speak of you any more as myservants;a servant is one who does not understand what his masteris about,whereas I have made known to you all that my Fatherhas told me;and so I have called you my friends.” Friendship is based on love.And this is the most amazing andmagnificent expression of love:that God should reveal and manifestHimself to us,share with us His eternal and infinite knowledge ofHimself!And that's what makes us His friends.One can almostpicture our Lord like a little boy,running with exquisite,carefreeabandon from friend to friend telling all the secrets of the Godhead.No greater love than that! Now we know something of the inner life of God.We know thatGod lives an infinite life of knowledge and love.We know that God,knowing Himself with infinite knowledge,thinking of Himself withinfinite power,generates an idea of Himself.This idea,the Wordthat God generates,is necessarily the total,perfect,and adequateexpression of Himself-infinite,eternal,living,a person,equal in EDITORIAL every respect to Him who generates it.And this Word is His Son,of the same nature as the Father,God as He is God. The Father loves the Son,whom He engenders.The Son lovesthe Father,who engenders Him.They contemplate each other,loveeach other,love the glory of the Godhead,which is their own;andjust as the act of knowing produce

FAQs

What theme does the editorial emphasize in this issue?

The editorial emphasizes divine love expressed through Christ’s sacrifice and friendship, linking the Trinity’s inner life to human participation through the Incarnation and the Mystical Body.

What spiritual practice is discussed in “Conversation with Christ”?

“Conversation with Christ” introduces mental prayer as an expansion of St. Teresa’s general steps in meditation, presenting it as a practical handbook on how to meditate.

What kinds of content appear in the “Book Reviews” section?

The section reviews religious and spiritual works, including titles addressing eternal themes, action, Christian maturity, faith and reason, and reflections related to the Trinity and related figures.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by nayy☆