L’âme cristal

Jean-Jacques Olier was born on 20th September 1608. Founder of the Church of Saint Sulpice, he wrote many works but published few. This unique mystical text constitutes a true discovery. Written with a simple vocabulary reminiscent of the great masters of Christian mysticism such as Eckhart, Tauler, Ruysbroeck, or Saint John of the Cross, the treatise begins with a Method for contemplating God and the divine attributes: the soul, having passed through states of adoration and praise, enters a form of communion with God. The path to unity with God involves being stripped completely: it is a path of annihilation. The portrait of humanity sketched by Jean-Jacques Olier is pessimistic: man is subject to passions and lustful desires. But he can arrive at communion with God, and thus come to know the divine attributes (perfection, infiniteness, simplicity, holiness, greatness, immensity, eternity, love, goodness, ...)