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Day: Two
Reference: Mansion I, Chapter II

Short Description by E. A. Peers
"Describes the hideousness of a soul in mortal sin, some part of which God was pleased to manifest to a certain person. Says something also of self-knowledge. This chapter is profitable, since it contains some noteworthy matters. Explains in what sense the Mansions are to be understood."

Standing in the first mansion, a courtyard of sorts, the snakes and creepy, crawly things are all about. Here, we see the world is full of such things, and still more the souls who numbly walk about. These souls know that there is something good here in this castle, but they do not know, nor understand exactly what it is that is so good. There doesn’t seem to be a door to pass through, but we know there is another mansion to enter. We want to draw closer to the center of this diamond, but we do not know the way.

The passage to the second mansion is quite easy if one knows. Precisely, what one knows! I mean to say that the door is in understanding that God loves you, and he calls to you. The simple understanding that God indeed calls to you, and desires you to come nearer to him, nearer to goodness, nearer to beauty, and nearer to truth. Come nearer, he beckons, and you understand. You may not know precisely how, but you know the will of God in this respect. It isn’t something that can be communicated from on person to another, or learned from simply reading it. It must come from within, a simple understanding that is not easily won by all.3

The clarity that comes from within, does not lead directly to something, but rather away. The realization of the snakes and poisonous creatures that infest the first mansion are all too much to bear. It isn’t that you know they’re perilous, because you knew that all along. It is more that you know that you do not belong here anymore. We come to know these things through prayer, and it is prayer that helps us to see with the clarity that comes from God and from within. For one to know that he or she does not belong, this in itself will lead you away, and in prayer you may discern such things. There is a certain wisdom in all of this, and the completeness of it we can not know. Nonetheless, we know through prayer that it is time to move-on.4

We come to know and learn many things from God by way of good and holy "people, sermons, or through the reading of good books…and many other ways,"5 such as suffering and the crosses we bear. It is in this understanding that you receive and know it is time to move-on that you find yourself ready for the journey. Combining this with prayer, that reaching-out to God, you have not only found the door to the second mansion, but you find yourself drawn to it. To be rid of those vipers and trials of the world, which you seem to have left behind, you find prayer helpful, but it isn’t as you thought. A poisonous creature appears before you and you try to turn away. It isn’t enough, what must you do? With this understanding and partial clarity that comes with prayer, also comes the devil and now you can see something of what he is. In fact, it is the devil who tempts you and brings the vipers to your view, but at least you know it is the devil.6

There is confusion in this place. It is here in the first mansion that you will find it difficult to proceed for fear you may be going the wrong way. Is this all nonsense, or perhaps the way in which the devil will try to mislead you? The confusion comes from not knowing with certainty what God wills you to do, or the sneaky, subtle deceptions of the devil. Not all temptation comes with great force, and it is the subtle deceptions that often lead to the greatest estrangement to God. And so, what must one’s soul cling to in these times of confusion? The confusion results in part because we are rational beings. We try to reason, what cannot be fully understood. It is in these moments that we must reach out to God in prayer and trust. Through faith, weak or strong, we may settle for the mystery of what is unknown to us, and begin to see the goodness and love of God. It is here all around us, if only we look. The One who loves us never leaves us, but often we cannot see this. By willing to love the One who loves us, we come to better know something of our Creator and ourselves. This knowledge is not attained by intellectual or rational pursuits, but the soul realizes a little more of what it seeks.7

"Ah, my Lord! It is here that we have need of Thine aid, without which we can do nothing. Of Thy mercy, allow not this soul to be deluded and led astray when its journey is but begun. Give it light so that it may see how all its welfare consists in this and may flee from evil companionship."8 This is what it means to approach the second mansion. This is the recognition, the piece of clarity, the lifting of confusion in part, but it is still only the beginning. Although, this simple and small understanding is a gift from God through faith, do not rejoice in this gift as if it is the end to which you seek. St. Teresa stresses the following, time and time again, and so I say to you that there is importance when she says, "that at the beginning one must not think of such things as spiritual favours, for that is a very poor way of starting to build such a large and beautiful edifice. If it is begun upon sand, it will all collapse: souls which build like that will never be free from annoyances and temptations. For it is not in these Mansions, but in those which are farther on, that it rains manna; once there, the soul has all that it desires, because it desires only what is the will of God."9 For now, we must not forget that although we are aware of the devil and the temptations that come from him, we are not free of him, and so we must press onward and keep our gaze upon God!