Abstract
Drawing from St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul, this essay explores the spiritual transition of the soul through the maternal image of God. Initially, God nurtures the fragile soul with the passive dependence, warmth, and sweetness a mother provides an infant. However, spiritual maturity requires a process of weaning, moving beyond infantile imagery to find independence within a profound divine bond. This painful transition—likened to a mother applying bitter aloes—constitutes the dark night experience. Ultimately, the soul embraces a scriptural image of God as the ultimate Other, fostering freedom, responsibility, and mature intimacy.
Recommended Citation
Porcia, Michael C.
(2020)
"Dark Night: Weaning from One’s Image of God: Toward Spiritual Maturity,"
Landas: Vol. 34:
No.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://archium.ateneo.edu/landas/vol34/iss1/6