St. John of the Cross

Tuesday, 14 December 2010 St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church (1542-1591) Intro Mass                                Fr. Mark St John of the Cross’s name conjures up images of the Dark Night of the Soul and of the utter Otherness of God.  Indeed, it seems that he was a very serious type of saint.  But his life was linked with that of St Teresa of Avila, that warm and highly extrovert woman who urged and helped him to reform the Carmelite Order.  Theirs was not just a relationship of opposite sexes but of two different and complementary temperaments which they made to work together for the good of the Church, of the Order and themselves. Penitential Rite 1.      Lord God, you are totally Other and yet in Christ your Son you are very near to us.                           Lord, have mercy. 2.      Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world but you are close to us in our darkness.                            Christ, have mercy. 3.      In the Holy Spirit we find the love and joy of God, now and for ever.                                                     Lord, have mercy. _________________ Conclusion to Prayer of Faithful God our Father, we go to you confident that you hear and help us in our lives through Christ our Lord.