The Science of the Cross

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To celebrate the fourth centenary of St. John of the Cross's birth in 1542, Edith Stein was tasked with preparing a study of his writings. Utilizing her philosophical skills, she reflects on the symbols of the cross and night, illustrating how entering the night equates to carrying the cross. Her analysis condenses John's thoughts on the active and passive nights from *The Ascent of Mount Carmel* and *The Dark Night*, ultimately leading to the glory of resurrection shared through unitive contemplation, primarily discussed in *The Living Flame of Love*. In the summer of 1942, the Nazis arrested Edith, and her profound manuscript was found open in her room. After fleeing to Holland for safety, she faced renewed danger with the Nazi invasion. Her superiors assigned her the study of St. John of the Cross to distract her from the looming threat. Given her circumstances, the theme of the cross became central to her work, allowing her to explore John's unity of being as reflected in his life and writings. Through her phenomenological training, she elucidates the symbolic differences between the cross and night, emphasizing that detachment is a necessary night for the soul's union with God. She describes the spiritual marriage as a surrender of the inmost regions of both God and the soul, where mortal existence is consumed by eternal love, guiding the spirit from the cross of Christ to the glory of resurrection.