Official feasts used to be an important part of the human community. People would gather together to remember something sacred, express their faith and hope for the future, and / or just be together formally, recognizing each other as being part of a shared community. Few things express a desire for shared companionship and social intimacy more than dining together. Sadly, the gathering together for feasting is increasingly a relic of the past – at least here in the West.
It need not be so! Today we will remember the ancient feasts.
THE FEAST DAY OF ST. John of the Cross
This feast is a Christian religious celebration of St. John of the Cross (Spanish: Juan de la Cruz; Latin: Ioannes a Cruce; born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez.)
by Zurbaran
Who is St. John of the Cross?
John of the Cross, OCD (Spanish: Juan de la Cruz; Latin: Ioannes a Cruce; born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez; 24 June 1542 – 14 December 1591) was a Spanish Catholic priest, mystic, and a Carmelite friar of converso origin. He is a major figure of the Counter-Reformation in Spain, and he is one of the thirty-seven Doctors of the Church.
John of the Cross is known for his writings. He was mentored by and corresponded with the older Carmelite, Teresa of Ávila. Both his poetry and his studies on the development of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature and among the greatest works of all Spanish literature. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. In 1926, he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI, and is also known as the “mystical doctor”.
via Britannica:
John schematized the steps of mystical ascent—a self-communion that in quietude leads the individual from the inharmonious distractions of the world to the sublime peace of reunion between the soul and God. John’s schematization combines a poetic sensitivity for the nuances of mystical experience with a theological and philosophical precision guided by his study of St. Thomas Aquinas. By virtue of his intense poems—“Cántico espiritual” (“The Spiritual Canticle”), “Noche oscura del alma” (“The Dark Night of the Soul”), and “Llama de amor viva” (“The Living Flame of Love”)—he achieves preeminence in Spanish mystical literature, expressing the experience of the mystical union between the soul and Christ.
In “Noche oscura,” perhaps his best-known work, he describes the process by which the soul sheds its attachment to everything and eventually passes through a personal experience of Christ’s Crucifixion to his glory. The lyric consists of eight stanzas “in which the soul sings of the fortunate adventure that it had in passing through the dark night of faith…to union with the Beloved.”
Though John reaches peaks of lyricism, he also presents the reader with considerable difficulties because his approach is rigorously intellectual. The same word may recur twice within four lines of a poem with a different symbolism on each occasion.
He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. Pope Pius XI declared him a doctor of the church in 1926.
What do you eat for The Feast of St. John of the Cross?
St. John of the Cross is one of the major patrons of the Carmelite order. He was of Spanish origin, so a Spanish meal may often accompany his Feast Day.
One traditional Spanish meal is called gazpacho, a cold tomato soup.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1/2 c. water
- 1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan and garnish
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 slices country bread, cubed
- 2 tbsp. thinly sliced basil
Directions
- Step 1: Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, garlic, vinegar, and water in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then add oil and blend to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar if needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add bread and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp. Remove from heat, season with salt, and let cool.
- Step 3: To serve, divide soup among bowls and top with basil, croutons, and a drizzle of oil.
What is an example of this famous poet’s writing?
St. John of the Cross is a patron saint of contemplative life, contemplatives, mystical theology, mystics, and Spanish poets. As to the last, he was an accomplished writer in his life. One piece of which you might be familiar is the following:
The Dark Night of the Soul
BY ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS
TRANSLATED BY DAVID LEWISI.
In a dark night,
With anxious love inflamed,
O, happy lot!
Forth unobserved I went,
My house being now at rest.II.
In darkness and in safety,
By the secret ladder, disguised,
O, happy lot!
In darkness and concealment,
My house being now at rest.III.
In that happy night,
In secret, seen of none,
Seeing nought myself,
Without other light or guide
Save that which in my heart was burning.IV.
That light guided me
More surely than the noonday sun
To the place where He was waiting for me,
Whom I knew well,
And where none appeared.V.
O, guiding night;
O, night more lovely than the dawn;
O, night that hast united
The lover with His beloved,
And changed her into her love.VI.
On my flowery bosom,
Kept whole for Him alone,
There He reposed and slept;
And I cherished Him, and the waving
Of the cedars fanned Him.VII.
As His hair floated in the breeze
That from the turret blew,
He struck me on the neck
With His gentle hand,
And all sensation left me.VIII.
I continued in oblivion lost,
My head was resting on my love;
Lost to all things and myself,
And, amid the lilies forgotten,
Threw all my cares away.
When is the Feast Day of St. John of the Cross celebrated?
This Feast Day is celebrated on December 14. If you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful day.