“La fonte” - John of the Cross’s poem about the trinity, the eucharist, longing for god, and faith

Abstract

This article is a systematic study of the theological content St. John of the Cross conveyed in his prison poem called, “La Fonte,” or  under the title John gave it, “Song of the soul that rejoices in knowing God through faith.” Four evocative themes emerge from the  investigation: first, a connection between the Trinity and the Eucharist, second, John’s hunger for the Mass, third, longing for God, and  finally, connections between faith, the Eucharist, and the mercy of God. John characteristically packs profound spiritual wisdom into  beautiful yet compact poetry, but in “La Fonte” he combines some of his typical themes (faith, longing for God, night, God’s mercy)  with something he rarely mentions in his writings: the Eucharist. This results in penetrating insights about the Christian life and  suggests areas for further study of John of the Cross. Among these, connections between his doctrine of nada and Eucharistic  adoration, and the influence of John’s Marian devotion on his spirituality seem promising. This article includes a comprehensive review  of the published scholarship on “La Fonte.”