Dark Night of the Soul: A Study Edition of St. John of the Cross in Clear Modern English, with Commentary, the Original Poem, and Reflection Questions MERRICK PRESS

When prayer goes dry and God seems silent, you are walking a road the saints have walked before.

In 1578, a Spanish friar escaped by night after nine months in a prison cell. The love poem associated with that escape, about a soul slipping out into the darkness to meet its Beloved, became the heart of his teaching, and his commentary on it has been read as a classic of Christian spirituality ever since. For more than four centuries, Dark Night of the Soul has helped believers understand why faith sometimes goes dark, why the old ways of prayer stop working, and why God's apparent absence may be a sign of His nearness.

This study edition presents the complete text in clear modern English, so you can follow St. John's careful teaching without struggling through archaic prose.

Inside you will find:

- The complete Dark Night, Books One and Two, with nothing abridged

- The poem "On a Dark Night" in the original Spanish and an English rendering made for this edition

- A short commentary after every chapter explaining what St. John means and how it applies today

- Three or four questions For Reflection after each chapter, for personal prayer, journaling or group study

- An introduction to St. John's life, his imprisonment in Toledo and the key words of his teaching

- A closing guide, Recognising the Dark Night, on the three signs, how to pray in the dark, how the night differs from depression and when to seek help

- An eight-session plan for study groups, classes and prayer groups

Whether you are in the middle of a dry season, coming out of one, or walking with someone who is, this edition keeps St. John's hard-won wisdom within reach: the log in the fire, the secret ladder of love, the disguise of faith, hope and love, and the promise that the night leads to union with God.

Begin the journey with St. John of the Cross, one chapter at a time.