In the heart of Christian mysticism lies a transformative journey—a path of purification that leads the soul from the shadows of worldly attachments to the radiant embrace of divine union. At the forefront of this spiritual odyssey stands St. John of the Cross, a 16th-century Spanish mystic, Carmelite friar, and Doctor of the Church, whose profound teachings on purgation offer a treasure trove of spiritual wealth. In his seminal works, The Ascent of Mount Carmel and The Dark Night of the Soul, St. John unveils purgation as the essential process of detaching the soul from disordered desires, purifying its faculties, and preparing it for intimacy with God. This journey, though arduous, is not reserved for mystics alone; it is a universal call to every Christian willing to embrace the cross and seek the infinite riches of God’s love. By exploring St. John’s doctrine, alongside the wisdom of other saints and the Word of God, we discover a spiritual path brimming with promise—a path that invites us to unlock the boundless wealth of divine union through effort, surrender, and grace.

St. John of the Cross: The Doctrine of Purgation

For St. John of the Cross, purgation is the soul’s purification from all that hinders its union with God—worldly pleasures, disordered attachments, and even spiritual imperfections. This process unfolds in two stages: the active purgation, where the soul cooperates with grace through deliberate effort, and the passive purgation, where God Himself purifies the soul through trials and spiritual darkness. These stages address the sensory and spiritual parts of the soul, guiding it toward a state of pure love and total surrender.

Purgation of the Senses: Detaching from the Temporal

The sensory part of the soul—its senses, passions, and appetites—often clings to temporal pleasures, such as wealth, comfort, or sensory gratification. Even when not sinful, these attachments can tether the soul to the created world, obstructing its ascent to God.

• Active Purgation of the Senses: St. John calls the soul to actively mortify its appetites through ascetic practices like fasting, prayer, and self-denial. In The Ascent of Mount Carmel, he introduces his famous “nada” (nothing) doctrine: “To reach satisfaction in all, desire satisfaction in nothing” (Book I, Chapter 13). By renouncing inordinate desires, the soul learns to seek God alone, discovering a freedom that surpasses worldly pleasures. This effort is not mere deprivation but a deliberate choice to invest in the eternal riches of divine love.
• Passive Purgation of the Senses: In The Dark Night of the Soul, St. John describes the “dark night of the senses,” a passive purification where God withdraws sensory consolations in prayer and spiritual practices. The soul feels abandoned, dry, and unable to find joy in either spiritual exercises or worldly comforts. This aridity, though painful, is a divine gift, weaning the soul from reliance on sensory experiences and teaching it to trust God’s unseen presence. Like a child transitioning from milk to solid food (Hebrews 5:12-14), the soul grows stronger, preparing for deeper spiritual insights.

This sensory purgation is the gateway to the illuminative way, where the soul begins to glimpse God’s light but remains in need of further purification.

Purgation of the Spirit: Refining the Soul’s Core

The spiritual part of the soul—its intellect, memory, and will—can harbor subtle attachments to spiritual goods, such as intellectual pride, spiritual consolations, or self-will. This deeper purification is essential for the soul to enter the unitive way, where it achieves full communion with God.

• Active Purgation of the Spirit: St. John instructs the soul to purify its faculties through deliberate detachment:
• Intellect: The soul must relinquish curiosity, intellectual pride, and reliance on human reasoning, embracing the “darkness” of faith as its guide (Ascent, Book II). By trusting God’s revelation over its own understanding, the soul gains the wisdom of divine truth.
• Memory: The soul detaches from clinging to past experiences—whether joyful or painful—and rests in hope, which directs it toward God’s eternal promises (Ascent, Book III). This hope anchors the soul in the certainty of God’s faithfulness.
• Will: The soul purifies its will by aligning it entirely with God’s will, renouncing self-love, spiritual consolations, or attachment to specific practices. This involves loving God purely for His sake, not for His gifts (Ascent, Book III), a love that yields immeasurable spiritual wealth.
• Passive Purgation of the Spirit: The “dark night of the spirit” is a profound, God-initiated purification, far more intense than the sensory night. The soul experiences spiritual darkness, a sense of God’s absence, and an acute awareness of its own sinfulness. St. John writes, “The soul feels itself to be perishing and melting away in the presence of its miseries” (Dark Night, Book II, Chapter 5). Yet, this suffering is transformative, as God secretly infuses the soul with His love and light, burning away subtle imperfections like spiritual pride or attachment to divine favors. This night is a crucible, refining the soul into a vessel of divine glory.

The Purpose and Fruits of Purgation

Purgation is not an end but a means to the soul’s ultimate goal: union with God, where it is transformed into a “living flame of love” (Living Flame of Love). The fruits of this purification are abundant and transformative:

• Detachment: The soul gains freedom from all inordinate attachments, enabling it to love God purely and without distraction.
• Humility: Purgation fosters a deep awareness of the soul’s nothingness before God, grounding it in humility.
• Intimacy with God: The purified soul enters contemplative prayer and mystical union, where God communicates Himself directly, offering a foretaste of heavenly joy.
• Charity: The soul’s love becomes like God’s, extending selflessly to others and reflecting divine generosity.

The Role of Suffering: The Cross as the Path to Glory

Suffering is integral to purgation, as the dark nights strip the soul of its comforts and confront it with its limitations. St. John sees this suffering as redemptive, uniting the soul to Christ’s cross. He echoes Jesus’ words: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Through the cross, the soul discovers the paradox of spiritual wealth: in losing itself, it gains God Himself.

The Wisdom of Other Saints: A Shared Spiritual Treasury

St. John’s doctrine of purgation resonates with the teachings of other saints, each contributing unique insights to the journey of purification. Their collective wisdom underscores the universal call to holiness and the boundless spiritual riches available to those who persevere.

St. Teresa of Ávila: The Interior Castle of Prayer

As St. John’s contemporary and fellow Carmelite reformer, St. Teresa of Ávila complements his teachings in The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection. While St. John emphasizes detachment and darkness, St. Teresa highlights the growth in prayer and virtue that accompanies purgation.

• In the early mansions of the Interior Castle, the soul struggles with sin and worldly attachments, requiring active mortification and prayer. The third mansion involves deeper purification, where the soul practices humility but may still cling to spiritual consolations. The fourth mansion marks the onset of passive purgation, akin to St. John’s dark night of the senses, where God acts directly to draw the soul closer.
• St. Teresa sees suffering as a pathway to divine favor, writing, “The Lord never sends trials unless He intends to grant great favors” (Interior Castle, Sixth Mansion). Her emphasis on humility and prayer aligns with St. John’s vision of purgation as a preparation for union, offering the soul a wealth of mystical graces.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Ordered Love and Restless Hearts

St. Augustine, the 5th-century bishop and Doctor of the Church, parallels St. John’s teachings with his concept of ordered love (ordo amoris). In Confessions, he describes his conversion as a purgation of the heart, redirecting his love from sin and worldly pleasures to God. His famous words, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” (Confessions, Book I), mirror the soul’s longing in St. John’s dark nights. Augustine’s emphasis on grace as the source of purification aligns with St. John’s passive purgation, reminding us that God’s transformative love is the ultimate treasure.

St. Catherine of Siena: The Bridge of Love

St. Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century Dominican mystic, describes the soul’s journey as a “bridge” to God in her Dialogue. She sees purgation as a growth in love, where the soul comes to know and love God more deeply. Like St. John, she views suffering as a purifying fire, burning away self-love and uniting the soul to Christ’s passion (Galatians 2:20). Her teachings affirm that the effort to love God through trials yields a wealth of divine intimacy.

St. Ignatius of Loyola: Discernment and Detachment

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, integrates purgation into his Spiritual Exercises, particularly in the “First Week,” which focuses on repentance and purification. His practice of examination of conscience aligns with St. John’s active purgation, helping the soul identify and renounce attachments. Ignatius’s concept of spiritual desolation, where the soul feels distant from God, parallels the dark night of the senses, encouraging perseverance in prayer. His principle of indifference—detachment from all but God’s will—echoes St. John’s “nada” doctrine, promising the soul freedom and divine purpose.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Little Way of Sacrifice

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century Carmelite, offers a simple yet profound approach to purgation through her “Little Way.” She teaches that small acts of love and sacrifice purify the soul, aligning with St. John’s call to mortify appetites. During her final illness, Thérèse endured a trial of faith, feeling heaven was closed to her—a dark night akin to St. John’s. Her trust in God’s mercy amidst this darkness reflects the spiritual wealth of humility and surrender, accessible to all who offer their lives to God.

The Word of God: The Foundation of Purgation

St. John’s teachings are deeply rooted in Scripture, which illuminates the path of purgation and reveals its spiritual riches. The Bible calls every Christian to holiness, offering divine promises to those who embrace purification.

• Detachment and Discipleship: Jesus’ words, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33), underpin St. John’s “nada” doctrine. The call to “take up [your] cross” (Matthew 16:24) invites the soul to detach from self and discover the treasure of eternal life.
• Purification through Suffering: Hebrews 12:5-11 assures us that “the Lord disciplines the one he loves,” yielding “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” The trials of the dark night, like the “refiner’s fire” (Malachi 3:2-3), purify the soul, preparing it for glory.
• Faith, Hope, and Love: St. John’s purification of the intellect, memory, and will corresponds to the theological virtues: faith (Hebrews 11:1), hope (Romans 8:24-25), and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). These virtues guide the soul through darkness, offering the wealth of divine communion.
• Union with God: Jesus prays, “That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you” (John 17:21), pointing to the ultimate reward of purgation—union with God, where the soul is transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Spiritual Wealth Awaits: A Call to Effort

The doctrine of purgation, as articulated by St. John of the Cross and enriched by other saints and Scripture, is a beacon of hope for every Christian. It reveals a spiritual treasury overflowing with divine riches—freedom from attachments, intimacy with God, and a love that mirrors Christ’s. Yet, this wealth is not handed to us; it requires effort, perseverance, and surrender to God’s grace. The active purgation demands our cooperation—through prayer, sacrifice, and detachment—while the passive purgation invites us to trust God in the darkness of the dark nights.

The journey is not without cost. The cross of suffering, the aridity of spiritual dryness, and the humbling awareness of our imperfections test our resolve. But herein lies the paradox of the spiritual life: in losing ourselves, we gain everything. As St. John writes, the soul purified by God’s love becomes a “living flame,” radiating divine light and charity. The saints bear witness to this truth, showing us that every step toward purification—whether through grand asceticism or small acts of love—yields eternal rewards.

To each of us, the message is clear: the spiritual wealth of divine union is within our  reach. We need to embrace the call to purgation with courage. We need to mortify our appetites, persevere in prayer, and trust God’s refining fire. The effort we invest will not be in vain, for it leads to the infinite riches of God’s love—a treasure that surpasses all earthly joys and endures forever.

Conclusion

St. John of the Cross’s doctrine of purgation is a masterful guide to the soul’s transformation, offering a path of active and passive purification that leads to divine union. Complemented by the wisdom of St. Teresa, St. Augustine, St. Catherine, St. Ignatius, and St. Thérèse, and grounded in the Word of God, this teaching unveils a spiritual journey rich with promise. The dark nights, though challenging, are gateways to humility, freedom, and love. For those willing to make the effort, the rewards are boundless: a soul transformed into a living flame of love, united with God in eternal joy. Begin the journey today, and discover the spiritual wealth that awaits you.