Book II, Chapter V Summary and Analysis

The second dark night is when a soul does nothing but wait on God for instruction and perfection of love. If this is a time of illumination of the soul, why is it called a dark night? First, divine wisdom is so far above the soul's wisdom that it seems as darkness to the soul. Second, because the human soul is so vile and impure, the divine wisdom of God is actually painful to the soul. The pain associated with this dark night comes when a sinful soul tries to accept divinely-infused thoughts or contemplations. The two opposites war against each other, causing pain and anguish. The soul also feels pain when it realizes how unworthy it is of God and fears that God will no longer bless the soul. The soul is also given...