Spiritual/Mystical union/marriage

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I hoped you could help me. Is it possible for a married person to be spiritually united/mystically married or is this just for nuns and priests? A holy man, a priest, has told me that the Lord is calling me to be His spouse. I was unsure of the wording. If this is ok or not, please let me know and give me your sources. Thank you.
 
GrowingInGod said:
I hoped you could help me. Is it possible for a married person to be spiritually united/mystically married or is this just for nuns and priests? A holy man, a priest, has told me that the Lord is calling me to be His spouse. I was unsure of the wording. If this is ok or not, please let me know and give me your sources. Thank you.
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Then I’d listen to this fine priest 🙂

What you’re refering to is called the Transforming Union, discussed extensively by our Saints - most notably St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, mystical Doctors of the Church.

Scripture repeatedly states the universal call to contemplation, of which the Transforming Union is the pinnacle. The universal nature of this call is discussed extensively by Fr. Dubay in his book “Fire Within” which provides a broad overview to the teachings of Sts. John and Teresa . . . if you’re looking for a good place to learn more.

So being married is not an obstacle to the Transforming Union . . . what is, however, is our refusal to cooperate with His will - especially in the sometimes painful purifications that take place along the way.

You are very blessed the Lord seems to be calling you down this path. I will keep you in my prayers!

Dave 🙂
 
I don’t really have much to add to what DBT says, other than a quote about contemplative prayer and the transforming union from Fr. Dubay:
“Hence, we may say that our contemplation is a divinely originated, general, nonconceptual, loving awareness of God. At times this is a delightful, loving attention, at times a dry, purifying desire, at other times a strong thirsting for Him. In the beginnings it is usually delicate and brief, but as it develops it becomes burning, powerful, absorbing, prolonged. Always it is tranformative of the person. If all goes well, it eventually culminates in the transforming union itself.”
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-From Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and the Gospel On Prayer p. 70
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I highly recommend this book, which I bought after DBT’s suggestion in another thread. 😃
I couldn’t put it down when I first read it, and I refer to it often.
 
. . . and how appropriate this thread was started on the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. 🙂 Several years ago when I had a similar discussion with a very holy priest - and I was unsure of things - he had very straightforward advice: “Ask Mary to teach you how to pray.” 🙂

I was sent this prayer today by a sister in Carmel. I think it wonderfully captures the longing of the heart of those drawn to contemplation:

Queen and Beauty of Mount Carmel,
Virgin of the solitude
In the wilderness of Carmel
Lies the world’s eternal good.
Draw us to its deep seclusion
And make God alone our goal
In the mystical Mount Carmel
That lies hidden in the soul.

Dave.
 
Thank you all very much. I have another question to add to that. This priest I’ve been speaking of has been my spiritual director for years. I trust him completely. God is truly working in him. Here’s the question: Is his actual wording correct? Calling me, a married woman to be Jesus’ spouse? Or are all these titles, such as spiritual marriage, spiritual union, mystical marriage, mystical union, union with God, etc. correct, or are some wrong?
 
All of those are wordings refer to the same thing. There are references throughout the Bible comparing marriage between man and woman with God’s love for us. The Song of Songs is based on this concept.

Here’s some more information on the transforming union or “spiritual marriage” from Spritual Theology:

Prayer of Transforming Union

Married people are still called to the transforming union. Just because you have a husband doesn’t mean you are excluded from the spiritual marriage.
 
GrowingInGod said:
Is his actual wording correct? Calling me, a married woman to be Jesus’ spouse? Or are all these titles, such as spiritual marriage, spiritual union, mystical marriage, mystical union, union with God, etc. correct, or are some wrong?
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The short answer is yes. All the mystical writers lament that human language can do no justice to the experience of God in infused contemplation . . . which lies beyond all thoughts, words, images and ideas. Look back on BeckyMarie’s post. Expressions like “nonconceptual loving awareness” are another way of saying this. So we are left with terms like you mention . . . mere approximizations of the reality.

The spousal references have a very long tradition in Church teaching originating, I believe, in the Song of Songs. In fact, St. John of the Cross based his soaring work “Spiritual Canticle” on the Song of Songs . . . describing the union of the soul with Christ through various stages like the spiritual betrothal and spiritual marriage. St. Teresa does this as well.

So I guess the main thing at this point is to try and view such expressions from their mystical intent rather than from their human context. We are all called to be spouses of Christ. And being a man this was a language hang-up I had to face head-on 😃

Hope this helps.
Dave 🙂
 
Thank you all so much. Your answers have helped me immensely. I just joined the forum, but I’m hooked. God Bless.🙂
 
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