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Introduction To The Letters

The number of St. John of the Cross's Letters, or letter fragments, thus far discovered is unfortu nately small. One would have hoped for many more than 33. The date on the earliest is as late as 1581. One reason for the scarcity is that during the investigation against John in the final year of his life many of his disciples burned his letters, as well as other little works, out of fear that calumnies would be spread against both him and themselves. But even at that, we have no letters to his mother, who died in 1580, or to his brother of whom he was so fond. None of his words to Teresa, who did not save letters once she had answered them, has remained; nor of hers to him. But even as his letters were being destroyed and he was on his death bed, John continued generously, with the help of his secretary, to carry on correspondence.

One recipient of his letters, a Carmelite nun in Toledo, testified that a letter from him had the same effect as hearing him speak. Revealing John as warm, compassionate, and deep, his correspondence served mostly for the purpose of spiritual direction. It provides examples of the application of his teaching to the particular needs of individuals. The general content of the letters is unmistakably his: live in the poverty of faith, hope, and love because to receive the embraces of God you must be empty of desire for earthly and heavenly satisfaction.

The places where extant autographs are conserved will be mentioned in the footnotes. Manuscript copies of the other letters, with some exceptions that will also be pointed out, are conserved in the National Library of Madrid.

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