Where are you on the path: Purgative Way → Passive Purification → Spiritual Age 12
What happens in the soul?
The absence of sensible consolations becomes deeper and can be accompanied by temptations and strong events.
The soul may feel disconcerted. What previously seemed clear is no longer experienced with the same sensible security and the presence of God may seem hidden.
However, the Good Lord has not abandoned the soul.
What the soul experiences as darkness may be precisely the place where God is preparing the soul for an even deeper purification.
The action of the Good Lord
God allows this darkness to continue purifying faith.
The soul can no longer rely in the same way on emotions, fervor or inner security. The soul is forced to trust more deeply.
God seems to hide from the senses while continuing to work deep within.
How does the soul respond?
Remain faithful in the midst of what you do not understand.
The soul may feel humanly overwhelmed by difficulties, temptations or painful events, but the soul continues to seek the Good Lord.
The fundamental answer is no longer to find an explanation for everything, but to persevere and trust.
The prayer
Prayer continues to lose its sensitive supports and becomes more interior.
Although there may be dryness and difficulty, the soul remains before the Good Lord.
Prayer thus begins to depend less and less on words, emotions or consolations and more and more on persevering faith.
Signs that may accompany this age
• Withdrawal of sensible consolations.
• Sensation of spiritual darkness.
• Stronger temptations.
• Difficult events that test faith.
• Perseverance even without understanding what is happening.
• Trust in God in the midst of trial.
A phrase to remember
“Even if I don’t understand, I will stay with you.”
Where does it lead
This desolation prepares the soul for the last great step of the Purgative Way: the Dark Night of the Senses.