Interior life (Catholic theology)

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Interior life" Catholic theology – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article or section possibly contains synthesis of material which does not verifiably mention or relate to the main topic. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. (November 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Interior life is a life which seeks God in everything, a life of prayer and the practice of living in the presence of God. It connotes intimate, friendly conversation with Him, and a determined focus on internal prayer versus external actions, while these latter are transformed into means of prayer.

According to John Paul II, Jesus' statement "without me you can do nothing" (cf. Jn 15:5) is a truth that "constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness."

In his first encyclical Deus caritas est, Benedict XVI emphasized that man "cannot always give, he must also receive," and pointed to the urgency and importance of experiencing in prayer that God is Love. He taught the Christian's dialogue with God "allows God to work" for God is "the only One who can make the world both good and happy."

According to John Tauler(1290-1361)interior life is the condition of our soul, the offenses against God that we have committed. Man may learn the difference between various kinds of sin, to think of them more intelligently, and thereby have greater sorrow for them and guard more carefully against committing them. Attack thy faults, condemn they faults with resolute courage. Interior faults are a real hindrance to spiritual life. We need to be on guard for God will not let these faults go unpunished.