Saint John of the Cross is known as the Doctor of Mystical Theology. The central theme of his mysticism is that through a life of pure faith and love of God, the soul may attain union with the Divine. As your retreat master and companion, John challenges you to become like Christ, to be wounded and suffer with Him, to be consumed by His presence and thus to be emptied of self, to be purified in heart and mind, and finally to be overcome and transformed by His love so that you love with God's love and discover your true image at the heart of the Trinity. The ultimate consequence of your 15 day journey with John of the Cross may therefore be the deep mystical union with God that John placed at the center of the Christian life.