Hi, I'm Edward Sree, and welcome to all things Catholic where real faith meets real life.

Have you ever gone through a long period of darkness where everything is just not going well in life?

You know, whether it's your career, your work, your plans aren't going well or maybe there's tension in the home

tension in your marriage or

friendships that used to give you great joy are actually a source of tension.

They're just harder and more difficult now.

Just everything just seems to just be off,

but it's not just your life in general,

it's also your spiritual life.

You're not feeling very close to God as well.

You want to turn to God in this time of difficulty,

but yet God doesn't seem close to you.

Your prayer is dry.

You feel empty when you go to prayer. you're wondering where are you Lord are you

still there are you still guiding my life what's happening Lord have ever

ever had moments like that? If you have, maybe, just maybe you're experiencing what St John

of the Cross described as, the Dark Night of the Soul. Now when I use that expression it sounds scary doesn't it?

The dark night of the soul. It sounds really intense and what is this really all about if Jesus is the

light of the world why would he throw some souls into darkness? It sounds terrifying.

What is the dark night of the Soul really all about?

That's what I want to talk about today.

I want to look at the Dark Night, and we're going to see it's not about God abandoning anyone.

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