Mysticism?

[hakop]

Why were so many Catholic saints and brothers who were immensely strong in their faith, hope, and charity called mystics? doesn’t mystic pertain to some sort of alchemy or sorcery? other things that are considered mystical are not exactly close to or related to Christ. Yet some of the most renown saints such as Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of avila, St.Margaret Mary Alacoque, etc, were considered mystics.
What does this mean exactly? does this mean they had some sort of supernatural power over the spiritual realm?

 

[keenforgod]

Why were so many Catholic saints and brothers who were immensely strong in their faith, hope, and charity called mystics? doesn’t mystic pertain to some sort of alchemy or sorcery? other things that are considered mystical are not exactly close to or related to Christ. Yet some of the most renown saints such as Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of avila, St.Margaret Mary Alacoque, etc, were considered mystics.
What does this mean exactly? does this mean they had some sort of supernatural power over the spiritual realm?

Dear hakop,

Jimmy Akin from Catholic Answers did a radio show on this question. You can stream the talk here:

catholic.com/radio/shows/qa-open-forum-6864

 

[hakop]

Thank you brother, hope it answers my question! Listening to it now.

 

[keenforgod]

Thank you brother, hope it answers my question! Listening to it now.

We’re listening together, brother…

 

[Vico]

Why were so many Catholic saints and brothers who were immensely strong in their faith, hope, and charity called mystics? doesn’t mystic pertain to some sort of alchemy or sorcery? other things that are considered mystical are not exactly close to or related to Christ. Yet some of the most renown saints such as Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of avila, St.Margaret Mary Alacoque, etc, were considered mystics.
What does this mean exactly? does this mean they had some sort of supernatural power over the spiritual realm?

The Catholic Church " teaches that, what man cannot know by natural reason, he can know through revelation and faith; that what he cannot attain to by his natural power he can reach by the grace of God. God has gratuitously elevated human nature to a supernatural state. He has assigned as its ultimate end the direct vision of Himself, the Beatific Vision. But this end can be reached only in the next life; in the present life we can but prepare ourselves for it with the aid of revelation and grace. To some souls, however, even in the present life, God gives a very special grace by which they are enabled to feel His sensible presence; this is true mystical contemplation. In this act, there is no annihilation or absorption of the creature into God, but God becomes intimately present to the created mind and this, enlightened by special illuminations, contemplates with ineffable joy the Divine essence."

Sauvage, G. (1911). Mysticism. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm

 

[hakop]

I tend to believe an experience i went through was considered atleast to me to be mystical in nature, but it is very hard to discern between what was of God and what was a treacherous deception. However, i understand now, and it seems that it is indeed a supernatural spiritual grace bestowed upon us by God. who would i talk to about being a mystic? does a common priest have any jknowledge or information about mystical experiences or is there another in the universal church with a specific job to help one with such an experience?

 

[Bakmoon]

I think when the Saints are called mystics, this is referring specifically to the depth of their prayer lives, in distinction to the other aspects of their lives such as their patience, charity, chastity, etc…, although of course, these are all traits the Saints would possess together.

 

[RedFox0456]

Should you feel God’s presence, I suspect you will know it, as I imagine nothing can compare to it.

 

[Ambien89]

Why were so many Catholic saints and brothers who were immensely strong in their faith, hope, and charity called mystics? doesn’t mystic pertain to some sort of alchemy or sorcery? other things that are considered mystical are not exactly close to or related to Christ. Yet some of the most renown saints such as Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of avila, St.Margaret Mary Alacoque, etc, were considered mystics.
What does this mean exactly? does this mean they had some sort of supernatural power over the spiritual realm?

A mystic is someone who has some relationship to mysteries. All genuine mysteries pertain to God. False mysteries or deceptions, do not.

The term ‘mystic’ merely takes a bad turn in our rationalistic society. Christianity is a religion of mysteries; it is not a natural religion like Deism or pantheism, but supernatural.

 

[hakop]

thank you for your responses. i really need the guidance of a spritual director. I hope he’ll speak to me about m=my experiences in the mysteries without me being a true catholic yet!

 

[Casilda]

I tend to believe an experience i went through was considered atleast to me to be mystical in nature, but it is very hard to discern between what was of God and what was a treacherous deception. However, i understand now, and it seems that it is indeed a supernatural spiritual grace bestowed upon us by God. who would i talk to about being a mystic? does a common priest have any jknowledge or information about mystical experiences or is there another in the universal church with a specific job to help one with such an experience?

I have needed spiritual direction since I was little and was not allowed the nurture of being in the church. However, looking back, I see that I was nurtured by the Holy Spirit. I have always talked/prayed to God. I have experienced what you call mystical experiences. No, a common priest can not help you. They will stare at you blankly. I even related my experiences to an Eastern Orthodox monk and he honestly answered he did not know about that. I am trying to seek a Catholic nun or monk or other religious, as they are called now. Maybe they have the spiritual aptness that can help guide others. Priests and deacons are too busy with church business to help with spiritual matters. I am actually withdrawing from Roman Catholicism (where I was born into and baptized) and joining an Eastern Catholic parish. Its the first time in my entire life that a priest actually not only heard but listened to me.

I pray you can find the ear that will listen to you.

Read spiritual books, I am currently reading St. Faustina’s diary and finding a kindred soul and realizing I am not weird after all, just in God’s hand and protection. My next book will be the writings of St. John of the Cross. I find that I am a kin of Carmelite spirituality. I pray you find your way.

 

[keenforgod]

I have needed spiritual direction since I was little and was not allowed the nurture of being in the church. However, looking back, I see that I was nurtured by the Holy Spirit. I have always talked/prayed to God. I have experienced what you call mystical experiences. No, a common priest can not help you. They will stare at you blankly. I even related my experiences to an Eastern Orthodox monk and he honestly answered he did not know about that. I am trying to seek a Catholic nun or monk or other religious, as they are called now. Maybe they have the spiritual aptness that can help guide others. Priests and deacons are too busy with church business to help with spiritual matters. I am actually withdrawing from Roman Catholicism (where I was born into and baptized) and joining an Eastern Catholic parish. Its the first time in my entire life that a priest actually not only heard but listened to me.

I pray you can find the ear that will listen to you.

Read spiritual books, I am currently reading St. Faustina’s diary and finding a kindred soul and realizing I am not weird after all, just in God’s hand and protection. My next book will be the writings of St. John of the Cross. I find that I am a kin of Carmelite spirituality. I pray you find your way.

Dear Casilda,

You may also want to read Fr. Garrigou-LaGrange’s book on spiritual theology, “The Three Ages of the Interior Life.” You will find a rich synthesis of all the works of the great mystics of the Catholic Church in this book by LaGrange: St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Thomas Aquinas. You will find much counsel on the mystical/spiritual life there from one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the 20th century.

God be with you,

KfG

 

[SoulSolace]

I have needed spiritual direction since I was little and was not allowed the nurture of being in the church. However, looking back, I see that I was nurtured by the Holy Spirit. I have always talked/prayed to God. I have experienced what you call mystical experiences. No, a common priest can not help you. They will stare at you blankly. I even related my experiences to an Eastern Orthodox monk and he honestly answered he did not know about that. I am trying to seek a Catholic nun or monk or other religious, as they are called now. Maybe they have the spiritual aptness that can help guide others. Priests and deacons are too busy with church business to help with spiritual matters. I am actually withdrawing from Roman Catholicism (where I was born into and baptized) and joining an Eastern Catholic parish. Its the first time in my entire life that a priest actually not only heard but listened to me.

I pray you can find the ear that will listen to you.

Read spiritual books, I am currently reading St. Faustina’s diary and finding a kindred soul and realizing I am not weird after all, just in God’s hand and protection. My next book will be the writings of St. John of the Cross. I find that I am a kin of Carmelite spirituality. I pray you find your way.

I don’t understand clearly. Why are you leaving the Roman Catholic Church?

 

[Casilda]

I don’t understand clearly. Why are you leaving the Roman Catholic Church?

I never left. I was taken out as a child, all I ever wanted since was to go back. But as a teenager they ignored me, i was totally lost with the new mass. Then in college and working fulltime, a coworker invited me to her Baptist church for Christmas. I married outside the church, and now that my husband wants to be Catholic it has been over a year of struggle for appointments with priests and confusing requirements that just left me spiritually, emotionally and physically drained. It was the Eastern Catholic priest who listened to us both and instead of putting up obstacles, helped us through all the requirements to get us established as productive members in full communion.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Mysticism

(From myein, to initiate).

Mysticism, according to its etymology, implies a relation to mystery. In philosophy, Mysticism is either a religious tendency and desire of the human soul towards an intimate union with the Divinity, or a system growing out of such a tendency and desire. As a philosophical system, Mysticism considers as the end of philosophy the direct union of the human soul with the Divinity through contemplation and love, and attempts to determine the processes and the means of realizing this end. This contemplation, according to Mysticism, is not based on a merely analogical knowledge of the Infinite, but as a direct and immediate intuition of the Infinite. According to its tendency, it may be either speculative or practical, as it limits itself to mere knowledge or traces duties for action and life; contemplative or affective, according as it emphasizes the part of intelligence or the part of the will; orthodox or heterodox, according as it agrees with or opposes the Catholic teaching. We shall give a brief historical sketch of Mysticism and its influence on philosophy, and present a criticism of it.

newadvent.org/cathen/10663b.htm

Jim

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Dear Casilda,

You may also want to read Fr. Garrigou-LaGrange’s book on spiritual theology, “The Three Ages of the Interior Life.” You will find a rich synthesis of all the works of the great mystics of the Catholic Church in this book by LaGrange: St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Thomas Aquinas. You will find much counsel on the mystical/spiritual life there from one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the 20th century.

God be with you,

KfG

If one believes they may be experiencing mystical experiences, it doesn’t work to try to read books (especially such theologically advanced writers as you have mentioned) on your own. DIY Spiritual Direction doesn’t work in these instances. One NEEDS to talk to a good, holy, and faithful and objective Spiritual Director/Priest who knows spiritual theology and how to discern spirits.

There are a number of criteria that need to be met before making the distinction of whether or not something is experiencing mystical experiences. Some of this criteria is stuff that we ourselves can’t really make an objective judgement about because it’s a judgement about ourselves. Our interior life, our virtues, are vices, etc. We can’t objectively judge ourselves because our sin has made us blind and stupid.

It has been my experience that most priests from the FSSP who are well read have a good understanding of these things. Also, a good and holy religious priest from a contemplative order that hasn’t gone off into the ditch are also good resources.

That being said, there is a general guiding principle when dealing with these kinds of things. Don’t seek them out and don’t get attached to them. Use whatever good comes out of them, but don’t think about them.

 

[SoulSolace]

I never left. I was taken out as a child, all I ever wanted since was to go back. But as a teenager they ignored me, i was totally lost with the new mass. Then in college and working fulltime, a coworker invited me to her Baptist church for Christmas. I married outside the church, and now that my husband wants to be Catholic it has been over a year of struggle for appointments with priests and confusing requirements that just left me spiritually, emotionally and physically drained. It was the Eastern Catholic priest who listened to us both and instead of putting up obstacles, helped us through all the requirements to get us established as productive members in full communion.

Sorry it took so long to reply back… I have over 70 threads subscribed to . and again!

I will pray for you. I sense that you strongly believe in the Roman Catholic faith, but you feel you don’t have a choice since there are so many obstacles to be in full Communion in the RC. (?)
Sorry if I am presuming too much.

God bless and keep you and yours.