Description
Trade Review"Thomas Davis makes an invaluable contribution in his fresh translation of the
Meditations and his insightful commentary on William’s account of the contemplative ascent into God, situating the abbot of Saint-Thierry’s spiritual itinerary in his broader theological vision. That ascent is motivated by ardent love and longing to see God’s face, yet paradoxically necessitates a descent into the truth of a person’s deepest self where one comes face to face with one’s utter brokenness and the need to die to self. There one also discovers the truth of one’s unimaginable beloved-ness in the eternal Word. Ascending then through the Incarnation, one’s will is united with God’s love—the Holy Spirit—in the
unitas spiritus where one’s life is transformed and one’s spirit is enfolded the ineffable embrace of the Divine Persons of the Trinity."
Glenn E. Myers, PhD, Professor of Church History and Theological Studies, Crown College "Father Thomas Davis takes his readers on an extraordinary journey through the depths and heights of William of Saint–Thierry’s spirituality. The revised translation and commentary illuminate the complexity of early Cistercian thought through the lens of William’s poetic imagery. Offering a guided tour through the metaphorical landscape of William’s meditations, Father Davis provides intellectually rich insight, as well as a personal appreciation of Cistercian spiritual practice. This book is a source both for future Cistercian scholarship and for anyone who is drawn to the experiential, authentic nature of monastic prayer.“
Dr. des. theol. Delphine Conzelmann, University of Basel, Switzerland “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” So wrote St. Augustine at the beginning of his
Confessions, one of the most remarkable prayer-texts in the Christian tradition. Some 700 years later, a closely related insight drove William of St. Thierry to pen the meditative prayers of this book. Blessed with an intimate knowledge of the Bible and the medieval interpretive tradition, a poetic sense of imagery, a refined Christian metaphysics, and an ardent personal faith, William delivered a remarkable text to guide thoughts to God. This new volume gives us a precious new portal into one of Christian history’s outstanding minds."
Fr. Joseph Van House, O Cist, Our Lady of Dallas Abbey, University of Dallas "This volume is highly recommended for all who want to deepen their appreciation of medieval monastic spirituality."
Catholic Books ReviewTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments xi
Abbreviations xiii
Foreword, by David N. Bell xvii
The Meditations 1
Preface 3
The Meditations 5
The Beginning of William’s Contemplative Ascent into Intimacy
with the Triune Divinity as Presented in His
Meditations:
A Monastic Commentary 89
Two Protagonists: Meditation 1.1–6 91
Foreknowledge and Predestination: Meditation 1.2–6 94
Divine Foreknowledge as Eternal Wisdom: Meditation 1.7–10 96
Bonding between Eternity and Time: Meditation 1.8 97
Ascending vs Circling: Meditation 1.9 99
Divine Predestination/Intimate Relationship: Meditation 1.11 100
Pride: Meditation 1.12–13 102
Go to Him and be Enlightened: Meditation 2.1–3 104
A Remarkable Scriptural Image and Metaphor: Meditation 2.2–8 107
Divine and Human Darkness: Meditation 2.5–8 108
Imagination in Respect to a Vision of God that Enlightens: Meditation 2.9–12 110
Two Categories of Understanding: Meditation 2.13–15 113
Enlightened Understanding Coming from Above: Meditation 2.14 113
Face and Countenance: Meditation 3.1–5 116
Meaning of the Face 117
Meaning of the Countenance 117
A Succinct Unfolding of the
Meditations 118
The Paradigm of Your Countenance 118
Your Love: Meditation 3.6–7 120
Divine Revelation: Meditation 3.7–8 123
Understanding from Reason: Meditation 3.9–11 125
Understanding God: Meditation 3.12–13 127
Understanding the Trinity: Meditation 3.14 128
Embracing the Trinity: Meditation 3.15–16 130
Personal Change via the Lord’s Prayer: Meditation 4.1–5 132
Nine Factors Bringing Personal Change: Meditation 4.6–19 133
1. Opening Personal Inner Depths: Meditation 4.6 134
2. Good Conscience: Meditation 4.10 135
3. Reason in Its Proper Responsibility: Meditation 4.11 136
4. Knowledge of One’s Personal God as the Fruit of Solitude: Meditation 4.12 136
5. A Desire to Taste, See, and Delight in This Personal God: Meditation 4.13–14 137
6. Pursuing the Place Where God Is: Meditation 4.15 138
7. Removing All Types of Idols Formerly Used to Comprehend God: Meditation 4.16 139
8. Becoming Intelligent and Devoutly Knowledgeable: Meditation 4.17 140
9. Authentic Listening to God: Meditation 4.18–19 141
The Prayer of Jesus: Meditation 5.1–3 143
Prayer as Being Crucified,
Concrucifixus, with the Lord Jesus: Meditation 5.4 144
Concrucifixus and Its Consequences: Meditation 5.5 145
A Treacherous Problem: Meditation 5.6 147
Christ’s Prayer on the Cross: Meditation 5.7–10 147
Love and Truth: Meditation 5.10–12 149
William’s Bonding to the Human and Divine Natures of Christ: Meditation 5.14–15 151
Mutual Anointing and the Amplexus: Meditation 5.15–19 152
Heaven’s Open Door: Meditation 6.1 155
Earthly Heaviness and Human Pride: Meditation 6.2–5 155
Jesus, Incarnate Merciful Love, Is the Open Door into Heaven: Meditation 6.6–7 157
The Proper Way to Think Regarding Heaven and Earth: Meditation 6.8–9 158
Further Thoughts on Heaven: Meditation 6.10–14 159
Heaven Is Likeness to the Creating God: Meditation 6.15 161
The Comprehensiveness of the Incarnation: Meditation 6.16–19 161
The Obedience of Charity and the Charity of Obedience: Meditation 6.18 162
The Pierced Heart of Jesus: Meditation 6.20–22 164
A Yearning to Rejoice with the Saints: Meditation 6.23–27 164
Boldness in Seeking God’s Face: Meditation 7.1 167
Two Aspects of Humility: Meditation 7.2–4 167
Signs of the Divine Face: Meditation 7.6–8 169
To Know by Not Knowing: Meditation 7.9–11 170
The Implication of Being Illumined: Meditation 7.11 173
Good Will, Good Zeal: Meditation 8.1–2 175
The Kiss of Truth and Mercy: Meditation 8.3 176
The Passion of Christ as a Contemplative Spousal Kiss: Meditation 8.4–5 177
The Sacred Heart as Hiding Place: Meditation 8.6 179
Ruminating on the Passion: Meditation 8.7 180
Delightful Love: Meditation 8.8–9 184
The Effects of Christ’s Face upon a Human Face: Meditation 8.10 184
Torment of Hell: Meditation 8.11–14 185
William Descends into His Inner Self: Meditation 9.1–2 187
Rowdy Thoughts Hinder Inner Peace: Meditation 9.3–7 187
Total Openness in God’s Presence: Meditation 9.8–9 189
Experiences of Alternations: Meditation 9.10–11 190
Truth, Accurate Self-knowledge, Comes from God’s Presence: Meditation 9.12–13 191
The Fullness of Love Depends on the Fullness of Faith: Meditation 9.14–17 191
An Intuitive Vision of God: Meditation 10.1–2 193
The Bonding Role of This Wisdom: Meditation 10.3 195
Prayer with Images: Meditation 10.4–10 196
The Incarnate Christ as the Open Door to Eternal Life: Meditation 10.9–12 200
The Theme of Ascent: Meditation 11.1–3 203
The Scriptural Image of Bartimeus of Jericho (Mark 10:46): Meditation 11.4–11 204
Word of God, the Divine Protagonist: Meditation 11.12 206
His Total Destiny, the Discovery of God’s Truth, Is in God’s Hands: Meditation 11.13–14 207
Scrutinizing Intention, Thoughts, Soul, and Spirit: Meditation 11.15–33 208
Intention: Meditation 11.15–20 208
Joints: Meditation 11.21–24 210
Marrow: Meditation 11.25–30 211
A Dialogue between William’s Spirit and His Soul: Meditation 11.31–33 214
Your Love: Meditation 12.1 217
William Addresses His Past Life: Meditation 12.2–8 218
Your Love as an Advocate: Meditation 12.9–10 219
Your Love, an Experience of Love: Meditation 12.11 221
The Life of the Trinity Working in William: Meditation 12.12–13 222
Your Love Expands Conscience: Meditation 12.14–15 223
Way of Ascent: A Will—Great, Enlightened, Ardent: Meditation 12.16–20 224
Great Will 225 Enlightened and Ardent Will: Meditation 12.20–21 227
Your Love Imparts Participation with the Saints: Meditation 12.22 228
Your Love Reshaping Persons: Meditation 12.23–24 228
Your Love Forms Unpretentious Persons: Meditation 12.25–27 229
Eucrasis and the Saints 230
To Love Much: Meditation 12.28–30 231
Meditation Thirteen 234
Bibliography 241
