The Devil in the Castle Quotes

“At the end of your life, you will be recognized if you are familiar and intimate with the King of Kings, as one who is not a stranger but a friend. You cannot claim friendship and intimacy with someone you do not know or ever speak to. Prayer is nothing less than an intimate relationship with the loving God who Himself is your life and salvation. God came in the flesh so that you might know Him as both fully human and fully divine. You must commit to knowing Him in the same way you know your closest friend — and more so — and this is done through prayer. Without prayer, you will never find your way into and through the castle.”
― Dan Burke, The Devil in the Castle: St. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Warfare, and the Progress of the Soul

“It is unfortunate that one of the most common false teachings in the Church (even among faithful Catholics) is that if a person has peace, he is in God’s will or in a good place spiritually. It is very common to hear people offer the advice: “If you have peace in your decision, then it is the right decision.” The only way to determine if peace is an indication of God’s will or blessings is to know the entire context of a person’s spiritual life. This cannot be emphasized enough. All those who give this advice should simply cease to do so and instead begin to study Ignatian discernment of spirits, both first and second rules, begin to practice them diligently in daily life according to their spiritual progress, and study the writings of St. John of the Cross.”
― Dan Burke, The Devil in the Castle: St. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Warfare, and the Progress of the Soul