St. John of the Cross, great mystic of the Christian tradition, knew suffering firsthand: his personal “dark night” included exile, imprisonment, starvation, abuse. Yet sustained by tremendous faith and steeped in an enormous love for God and humanity, John surrendered to the Divine and was drawn through his experiences to a profound compassion for and solidarity with others.

“… A marvelous gift to readers of this Spanish mystic. Hardy’s life of John of the Cross is clear, concise, up-to-date, and completely reliable—the work of a scholar whose book will benefit both scholars and a general audience.”

—Keith J. Egan
Adjunct professor of theology,
University of Notre Dame,
Aquinas Chair in Catholic Theology Emeritus,
Saint Mary’s College, South Bend, Indiana

“ A skillful and thoroughly wonderful journey with John of the Cross! Hardy’s writing contradicts the idea that John is harsh and difficult to read as he exposes a compassionate and joyful saint in love with God. While we come to know John through Hardy’s careful presentation, we are also led toward self-discovery.”

—Marilyn Palermo, T.O.Carm.
Regional Coordinator, Lay Carmelite Order

“… Most welcome….Hardy’s writing is lively as he describes sixteenth-century Spain in vivid colors, and tells the story of the reform of Carmel in dramatic fashion. John of the Cross comes alive as a human being greatly in love with God and God’s world.”

—John Welch, O.Carm.
Author of When Gods Die: An Introduction to
John of the Cross and The Carmelite Way:
An Ancient Path for Today’s Pilgrim

“Individuals and groups making a first-time study of John will welcome Hardy’s thoughtful new appendices, which offer suggestions regarding how to read John’s works, an anthology of passages from the saint’s writings, and suggestions for further study.”

—Jane Ackerman
Department of Philosophy and Religion,
University of Tulsa