The most depressing thing about Catholicism - no mystics living on earth

[petra22]

Respectfully…Are you actually listening? Not with your ears, but with your heart. Are you listening? God does speak to us. For most of us, not out loud. But pay attention as you pray. Do thoughts come to you that surprise you, thoughts that you can be fairly certain you didn’t come up with by yourself? Do you see things in your imagination? Also- pay attention to see if what you ask for is granted to you.

I think you are placing way too much emphasis on hearing God speaking to you like a human being does…but why? God is so much more than we are, and He communicates with us in so many different ways. You’re trying to pigeon hole Him into communicating with you like a human, but our method of communication is so much more limited than what He can do. Why don’t you ask instead, “Lord, that I may see? Lord, that I may hear?” and ask Him to open you up spiritually that you might hear Him and see Him the way He wants you to.

THIS is actually beautiful!



Isaiah 55:8-9

 

[BobCatholic]

Being desperate for God is not a sign of mental instability, it is something God puts in our heart. I have been depressed too, and Mark Virkler admits he would question if God was even real. He would backslide and Almost leave the church, but he couldn’t because he was the pastor and had to preach on Sunday.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

All I’m doing is asking for help, and I appreciate the ideas you gave me. I’ll look into the videos and the steps (4 steps to hear God’s voice).

Some people are content to judge me harshly and declare me as mentally or psychologically defective for asking questions and having a negative emotional reaction because of suffering in life. To these people, I’m supposed to suffer quietly or with a big juicy smile on my face. I can’t relate to that kind of living. I’m not a masochist and I can’t relate to masochism. Does God want us to be masochists? A question I struggled with.

 

[Maddie26]

First of all, it’s quite possible for you to have a 2-way conversation with God. First of all, who speaks through scripture if not God Himself? Second of all, you might want to pray meditative prayers. Stay in silence before the Blessed Sacrament. Tune out your distractions. God will speak to you in the smallest corner of your heart. And if not there, He will send you people to guide you in the direction He wants you to go.

As for mystics - mysticism is quite alive and well. But to be a mystic is as much a cross to bear as it is a gift. It’s not easy to bear Divine visions on a fairly regular basis. And, most people aren’t declared to be “mystics” until after they have passed on and their lives have been opened and examined. Why? Because the Church needs to examine whether their private revelations and charitable works jive with the gospel.

Yup.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Yes, there are tons of them living in heaven.

But none on earth.

I wanted to talk to someone who had a connection with God so I could ask questions to God through them. God won’t talk to me, but maybe I could talk to God through them.

There are no living mystics on earth.

This is depressing.

This means there is no way for me to ever have a two-way conversation with God.

I disagree with this, I think there are plenty of mystics on earth. You may even know one and not know it!

 

[Maddie26]

Many wonderful replies here, but I know it can be hard to hear anything when you’re hurting. I will pray for you.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

 

[BobCatholic]

I disagree with this, I think there are plenty of mystics on earth. You may even know one and not know it!

They’re hidden. This is top secret. Only God knows where they are.

I don’t know where they are.

 

[AKDee]

They’re hidden. This is top secret. Only God knows where they are.

I don’t know where they are.

That’s not true at all. Mystics don’t generally just discuss their experiences, but if you get to know one they will likely share their experience with you. I know there is a mystic at our parish who has had some amazing experiences, and I have been told I should ask her about them someday. I’ve had some minor mystical experiences myself. My sponsor has had at least one mystical experience that she has told me about.

You’re expecting people to shout their experiences from the rooftops, or maybe have a website Mystics-R-Us and that’s not how it works. Mystical experiences are a personal experience that would likely only be shared with one’s spiritual director and/or friends.

In our Blessed Sacrament Chapel there is a book that people can write in to share their experiences, if they want. I keep a journal to write mine in.

I can think of one book that is full of mystical experiences and miracles- it’s called “God Stories” - it’s not all mystical experiences, some are about answered prayer or other things but it might give you the reassurance you need that normal people do have encounters with God at times and you may well be one of them. To be honest, some of my experiences I might have written off as coincidence or luck if I wasn’t open to the idea of God touching my life. It’s like that joke about the guy driving around NYC looking for a parking space praying to God that if he’d only give him a place to park he would amend his life, and then a parking spot opens up for him and he says, “Never mind! Found one!”. I think it’s possible that people have had answered prayer, miracles and mystical experiences and wrote them off as luck, happenstance or daydreams. You have to be open to it.

 

[BobCatholic]

You’re expecting people to shout their experiences from the rooftops, or maybe have a website Mystics-R-Us and that’s not how it works.

I know.

What I’m expecting is someone having the reputation of being a mystic with the supernatural stuff happening. And people recommending them. Or websites talking about them, with contact information.

Yes, I see lots of websites with ‘claimed mystics’. But there’s no way for me to know if they’re legit.

So the true mystics are hidden. Top secret. Classified information.

 

[AKDee]

I know.

What I’m expecting is someone having the reputation of being a mystic with the supernatural stuff happening. And people recommending them. Or websites talking about them, with contact information.

Yes, I see lots of websites with ‘claimed mystics’. But there’s no way for me to know if they’re legit.

So the true mystics are hidden. Top secret. Classified information.

Well if you’re expecting the Church to advertise a modern day Padre Pio, can you imagine what would happen in this modern age? Padre Pio got overwhelmed with snail-mail letters and with visitors as it was. A modern Mystic of his caliber would be receiving hundreds if not thousands of emails a day, people visiting all the time. And at that point- when would they have time to be a mystic and actually spend time with the Lord?

Bob, I honestly think you’re putting way too much stock into the whole Mystic thing. As per a reading from Sunday two weeks ago:

1 Corinthians 12:4-11:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same[a] Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Please accept that it might not be God’s will that you be a mystic. He surely has blessed you with other gifts. Make use of those. That’s not to say that you should stop praying for what you want, but accept that it may not be His will.

 

[BobCatholic]

Please accept that it might not be God’s will that you be a mystic.

I’m not asking to be a mystic. I know I could not handle that.

I’m trying to find a mystic so I can get an answer from God, by asking the mystic to two-way communicate with God (since I cannot two-way communicate with God)

 

[AKDee]

I’m not asking to be a mystic. I know I could not handle that.

I’m trying to find a mystic so I can get an answer from God, by asking the mystic to two-way communicate with God (since I cannot two-way communicate with God)

Okay, except you also indicate that you are skeptical of people who tell you they’ve had mystical experiences. How are you going to find the mystic if you won’t believe them? It’s unlikely the Church is going to make a list of “approved” mystics.

I still disagree that you cannot two-way communicate with God. I think your definition of that communication is too narrow. It’s like you’re expecting the booming voice, the burning bush, the pillar of fire. But it’s not like that for most people. It’s usually a still, small voice and it’s usually heard internally. Like a thought you have, except you know it’s not your thought. Or a feeling you have, only you know it was inspired, perhaps because of the way it came to you. For example, I was praying the Rosary in the BSC the other day and it was the Sorrowful Mysteries. As I got to the Crowning with Thorns, in pops a thought of an acquaintance of mine who is a fallen away Catholic and how I should invite that person to Mass. Which contains the potential of rejection…and then it occurred to me that the fruit of the mystery of the Crowning with Thorns is “Spiritual Courage” which is the grace I would need to ask this acquaintance to come to Mass. A person might see that simply as their mind wandering, but I see it as a message from God that He wants me to extend an invitation to this acquaintance to come to Mass.

This might have been asked but if so I missed it- have you spoken to your parish priest about this? You seem very weighed down by it. Perhaps they can direct you to a spiritual director who can assist you.

 

[BobCatholic]

Okay, except you also indicate that you are skeptical of people who tell you they’ve had mystical experiences.

You mean the TV preachers who claim to have experiences with God, but they preach heresy?

You mean the people who claim to be mystics but try to get into someone else’s pants?

I generally accept a testimony, but if some things contradict that, I’m going to be skeptical

I think your definition of that communication is too narrow. It’s like you’re expecting the booming voice, the burning bush, the pillar of fire. But it’s not like that for most people. It’s usually a still, small voice and it’s usually heard internally.

I don’t expect the booming voice. I expect the whisper. I expect something where God touches my senses and makes himself felt.

I know. That’s horrible of me. I must be so deep in the flesh and that’s why God refuses to communicate with me. I am so imperfect…

This might have been asked but if so I missed it- have you spoken to your parish priest about this? You seem very weighed down by it. Perhaps they can direct you to a spiritual director who can assist you.

I talked to my parish priest. Due to one priest going away for 6 months, he’s going to be horrendously busy. He gave me some advice but doesn’t really have the time to do more. And he just said to contact the Archdiocese (which this failed) to find a spiritual director.

 

[AKDee]

I know. That’s horrible of me. I must be so deep in the flesh and that’s why God refuses to communicate with me. I am so imperfect…

Now THIS I don’t believe. You are seeking God. We’re all sinners, it’s true, but I think it speaks very well of you that you so deeply yearn for a deeper relationship with God. I don’t know if God is withholding and you are experiencing a Dark Night of the Soul for reasons of His own, or if your understanding of other people’s relationship with God (and therefore your own expectations) are markedly off. True mystics- the St. Pio or St. Faustina type- are not that common, I don’t think. Trust that God wants what is best for you, and that whatever you are going through will be used for His purpose, and He certainly wants to draw you closer to Him. Just perhaps not in the same way you wish.

 

[BobCatholic]

Now THIS I don’t believe. You are seeking God.

And he stays away. He plays ‘keep away’

I’m not seeking God because he is attractive. Actually to me God is distant and cold, like the father in “Jumanji”

The devil is repulsive to me and I don’t want anything to do with him. I hate him.

you are experiencing a Dark Night of the Soul for reasons of His own,

Most definitely not!

To have a Dark Night of the Soul one must have Dark night of the senses first.
To have a dark night of the senses, one must have a series of consolations and an awesome sensing of closeness to God. I never had that.

Trust that God wants what is best for you, and that whatever you are going through will be used for His purpose, and He certainly wants to draw you closer to Him.

I don’t see that. I see God wanting the best for everyone else EXCEPT me.

I’ll go to a healing service, see miracles where God heals OTHERS but nothing for me. I’ve done this many times!
I’ll go to a prayer service and see people connect to God, and I’m still out in the cold.
Every attempt I’ve done to get closer to God has failed.

He does not want me.

And I don’t want the other guy!

So I’m stuck in a horrible place.