'This dark night is an inflowing of God into the soul,
which purges it from its ignorances and imperfections, habitual natural
and spiritual, and which is called by contemplatives infused
contemplation, or mystical theology. Herein God secretly teaches the
soul and instructs it in perfection of love without its doing anything,
or understanding of what manner is this infused contemplation. Inasmuch
as it is the loving wisdom of God, God produces striking effects in the
soul for, by purging and illumining it, He prepares it for the union of
love with God. Wherefore the same loving wisdom that purges the blessed
spirits and enlightens them is that which here purges the soul and
illumines it.
But the question arises: Why is the Divine light (which as we say, illumines and purges the soul from its ignorances) here called by the soul a dark night? To this the answer is that for two reasons this Divine wisdom is not only night and darkness for the soul, but is likewise affliction and torment. The first is because of the height of Divine Wisdom, which transcends the talent of the soul, and in this way is darkness to it; the second, because of its vileness and impurity, in which respect it is painful and afflictive to it, and is also dark.'
But the question arises: Why is the Divine light (which as we say, illumines and purges the soul from its ignorances) here called by the soul a dark night? To this the answer is that for two reasons this Divine wisdom is not only night and darkness for the soul, but is likewise affliction and torment. The first is because of the height of Divine Wisdom, which transcends the talent of the soul, and in this way is darkness to it; the second, because of its vileness and impurity, in which respect it is painful and afflictive to it, and is also dark.'
