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simmania
Guest
What exactly is Christian Mysticism? How is it any different from the regular teachings to laypeople of Christianity? Are Christians allowed to practice it?
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PJM
Guest
FROM Father John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary:
"MYSTICISM
The supernatural state of soul in which God is known in a way that no human effort or exertion could ever succeed in producing. There is an immediate, personal experience of God that is truly extraordinary, not only in intensity and degree, but in kind. It is always the result of a special, totally unmerited grace of God. christian mysticism differs essentially from the non-Christian mysticism of the Oriental world. It always recognizes that the reality to which it penetrates simply transcends the soul and the cosmos; there is no confusion between I and thou, but always a profound humility before the infinite Majesty of God. And in Christian mysticism all union between the soul and God is a moral union of love, in doing his will even at great sacrifice to self; there is no hint of losing one’s being in God or absorption of one’s personality into the divine."
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Christian Mysticism relates directly to the mysticism which involves Holy Scripture. Transfiguration, Burning Bush of Exodus etc.
Most all of which has been defined and then clarified over the years.
Most all of which has been defined and then clarified over the years.
W
Wesley7
Guest
It is seeking the things of the spirit and the supernatural.
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CatholicFireman
Guest
Here’s a good book to read:
Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies Throughout the Ages by Ursula King
amazon.com/Christian-Mystics-Their-Legacies-throughout/dp/1587680122/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1291668698&sr=8-2-fkmr0
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Christian Mystics: Their Lives and Legacies Throughout the Ages by Ursula King
amazon.com/Christian-Mystics-Their-Legacies-throughout/dp/1587680122/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1291668698&sr=8-2-fkmr0
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Wesley7
Guest
Yes, we’re allowed to practice it. Its not like someone will make it illegal
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Oh there is same facinating reading on the Saints who were Mystics… Francis of Assisi. Teresa of Avila, Cathrine Laboure.
Devine Mercy of my Soul, Dairy of Saint Fautina, could be read on-line. Just google the words as I typed them.
Padre Pio is another. there’s many who without a doubt were touched by God.
Devine Mercy of my Soul, Dairy of Saint Fautina, could be read on-line. Just google the words as I typed them.
Padre Pio is another. there’s many who without a doubt were touched by God.
J
JReducation
Guest
We need to be careful not to confuse asceticism and mysticism. Asceticism is the part that we do. Mysticism is the part that grace does.
If you were to get into a deep theological study of the two, you will find that Mysticism is the activity between grace and the soul. The citation given above sums it up nicely. It is not something that we can cause to happen. However, it is not going to happen without an ascetical life on our part.
Do not confuse mysticism with mystical experiences. Some great sinners, such as St. Paul, were converted by a mystical experience. However, if we examine the scriptures carefully, we can see the big difference between Paul and John. John is clearly the mystic between the two. In his writings we see that there is an intimate knowledge of God that was not handed down to him by tradition. That’s why his Gospel and other writings are so different.
When we look at John’s writings we are struck with the realization that this was written by a man who knew Jesus at a whole other level than the rest of the Apostles. He understood the nature of Jesus. He understood the relationship within the God-head. He undertood the relationship between the soul and God. He understood the journey of the soul to God. He could literally picture it. This come through very clearly in the Book of Revelation. The journey of the soul, it’s struggle with sin and evil, the triumph of God over sin outside of time and space, is not something about which John speculates, but something that he knows because he has been allowed to see it from God’s point of view.
Mysticism is the ability to see the relationship within God (Trinity) and between God and man, from God’s point of view. But only a few ascetical souls are given this grace. It’s not something that we should make our life’s goal, because it may not be the gift that God intends for us to have.
However, we must study the mytstics, because from them we learn great truths about our nature, our journey, God’s plan for us and God’s love for us. They can teach it, because they have seen it.
The mystics are also men and women of great asceticism. Asceticism is simply discipline. But it’s the kind of discipline that has a meaning. It’s more than just following the rules. Asceticism is about being a certain kind of person. The mystics were ascetics. What kind of people were they?
They were men and women who tried as hard as they could to be mirrors of Christ. Every thought, action, deed, scheme, and feeling was carefully guarded to make sure that it reflect Christ and that it pleased Christ. To achieve this, the life of prayer was essential. They prayed, not just at the assigned times of the day. But every chance they got. When they walked, they talked to God. When they worked, they thought about him. When they read, they wondered what God was saying. The constant lifting of the heart and mind to God is prayer.
The Liturgy of the Hours was the crown around the Eucharist. In the lives of these men and women, the two were inseprable. Their life was a liturgical life. This speaks to this constant question of reverence that often comes up on TC forum. The great mystics, did not spend a great deal of time on the question of reverence. Why not? Because they were ascetics. Remember, mysticism is where God led them. Ascetcism was what they did to open themselves up to God’s grace.
When they approached liturgy, they approached it with great reverence, while paying little or no attention to anyone else. I remember two wonderful examples, one from Francis of Assisi and the other from Teresa of Avila. Both were great ascetics and msytics.
During Francis’ time the Liturgy of the Hours was chanted in choir. Francis was neither a priest nor a monk. He did not have a vocation to be either. But he did have a vocation to be an ascetic and a man of prayer. The Liturgy was essential to him. At the same time, he found the rubrics and the formality of the choir to be suffocating. He did two very interesting things that had never been done. He took the LOTH outside of the choir. His brothers prayed it where ever they were. That could be in a church or while walking. The other thing was that he took Gregorian chant out of the LOTH. His brothers were to recite it, not chant it. He discovered that in reciting the psalms he could go as slow or as fast as the Spirit guided him. In other words, his desire for himself and his brothers was to pray with the Spirit as the Spirit guided them, not as the rubrics guided them. However, he was very aware that the purpose of the rubrics was to maintain some kind of order, especially because monastic houses were very large. His brothers did not need such strict order, because their houses were usually 3 or 4 of them. He did not point his finger at the rubrics in condemnation. He understood their purpose. He also understood that the reverence was in uniting one’s hear to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The ascetic is the man or woman who prays with the Holy Spirit, regardless of the externals. If they’re there, you use them. If they’re not there, you do without them.
If you were to get into a deep theological study of the two, you will find that Mysticism is the activity between grace and the soul. The citation given above sums it up nicely. It is not something that we can cause to happen. However, it is not going to happen without an ascetical life on our part.
Do not confuse mysticism with mystical experiences. Some great sinners, such as St. Paul, were converted by a mystical experience. However, if we examine the scriptures carefully, we can see the big difference between Paul and John. John is clearly the mystic between the two. In his writings we see that there is an intimate knowledge of God that was not handed down to him by tradition. That’s why his Gospel and other writings are so different.
When we look at John’s writings we are struck with the realization that this was written by a man who knew Jesus at a whole other level than the rest of the Apostles. He understood the nature of Jesus. He understood the relationship within the God-head. He undertood the relationship between the soul and God. He understood the journey of the soul to God. He could literally picture it. This come through very clearly in the Book of Revelation. The journey of the soul, it’s struggle with sin and evil, the triumph of God over sin outside of time and space, is not something about which John speculates, but something that he knows because he has been allowed to see it from God’s point of view.
Mysticism is the ability to see the relationship within God (Trinity) and between God and man, from God’s point of view. But only a few ascetical souls are given this grace. It’s not something that we should make our life’s goal, because it may not be the gift that God intends for us to have.
However, we must study the mytstics, because from them we learn great truths about our nature, our journey, God’s plan for us and God’s love for us. They can teach it, because they have seen it.
The mystics are also men and women of great asceticism. Asceticism is simply discipline. But it’s the kind of discipline that has a meaning. It’s more than just following the rules. Asceticism is about being a certain kind of person. The mystics were ascetics. What kind of people were they?
They were men and women who tried as hard as they could to be mirrors of Christ. Every thought, action, deed, scheme, and feeling was carefully guarded to make sure that it reflect Christ and that it pleased Christ. To achieve this, the life of prayer was essential. They prayed, not just at the assigned times of the day. But every chance they got. When they walked, they talked to God. When they worked, they thought about him. When they read, they wondered what God was saying. The constant lifting of the heart and mind to God is prayer.
The Liturgy of the Hours was the crown around the Eucharist. In the lives of these men and women, the two were inseprable. Their life was a liturgical life. This speaks to this constant question of reverence that often comes up on TC forum. The great mystics, did not spend a great deal of time on the question of reverence. Why not? Because they were ascetics. Remember, mysticism is where God led them. Ascetcism was what they did to open themselves up to God’s grace.
When they approached liturgy, they approached it with great reverence, while paying little or no attention to anyone else. I remember two wonderful examples, one from Francis of Assisi and the other from Teresa of Avila. Both were great ascetics and msytics.
During Francis’ time the Liturgy of the Hours was chanted in choir. Francis was neither a priest nor a monk. He did not have a vocation to be either. But he did have a vocation to be an ascetic and a man of prayer. The Liturgy was essential to him. At the same time, he found the rubrics and the formality of the choir to be suffocating. He did two very interesting things that had never been done. He took the LOTH outside of the choir. His brothers prayed it where ever they were. That could be in a church or while walking. The other thing was that he took Gregorian chant out of the LOTH. His brothers were to recite it, not chant it. He discovered that in reciting the psalms he could go as slow or as fast as the Spirit guided him. In other words, his desire for himself and his brothers was to pray with the Spirit as the Spirit guided them, not as the rubrics guided them. However, he was very aware that the purpose of the rubrics was to maintain some kind of order, especially because monastic houses were very large. His brothers did not need such strict order, because their houses were usually 3 or 4 of them. He did not point his finger at the rubrics in condemnation. He understood their purpose. He also understood that the reverence was in uniting one’s hear to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The ascetic is the man or woman who prays with the Holy Spirit, regardless of the externals. If they’re there, you use them. If they’re not there, you do without them.
J
JReducation
Guest
Teresa of Avila did something similar with the mass in her newly reformed houses. They were very poor. They did not have the structure of the older Carmelite monasteries. They were also very small. The nuns would receive Holy Communion and then step outside into the courtyard to pray their thanksgiving, where they could be alone and without distraction. Then they came back into the chapel for the closing rites. Teresa was accused of heresy before the Inquisition. This was one of several things that they held against her. She defended herself by saying that her nuns were being more reverent than those who often knelt in great gestures of prayer inside cathedrals and monasteries. The point that she made was that the reverence was in the person’s desire and effort to be before God, regardless of whatever someone else was doing. While they were in the courtyard praying, they were not paying attention to each other. It made no difference to God, because it was a moment when God and the soul were in union. Whether it was inside or outside did not matter, because union between God and soul is not bound by space and time. Man places himself in God’s presence and God comes and dwells within the soul as a visitor who is gentle, never taking away the soul’s identity, but consoling the soul and sanctifying it.
Mysticism, is the fruit of asceticism. For some it can be achieved in this life. For most it will happen in the next.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
Mysticism, is the fruit of asceticism. For some it can be achieved in this life. For most it will happen in the next.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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simmania
Guest
Thanks for the explanation everyone. I never knew there were so many Mystics O_O maybe I just never knew the term 
. I’ll surely check out the Christian Mystics book from Amazon.
"They were men and women who tried as hard as they could to be mirrors of Christ. Every thought, action, deed, scheme, and feeling was carefully guarded to make sure that it reflect Christ and that it pleased Christ. To achieve this, the life of prayer was essential. They prayed, not just at the assigned times of the day. But every chance they got. When they walked, they talked to God. When they worked, they thought about him. When they read, they wondered what God was saying. The constant lifting of the heart and mind to God is prayer. "
As for that quote by JReducation (Br. JR, OSF)
Shouldn’t that be the case for every Christian? I mean, what’s the point of being Christian if you truly don’t live a life that mirrors Christ?
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. "
-Revelation 3:15-16
. I’ll surely check out the Christian Mystics book from Amazon."They were men and women who tried as hard as they could to be mirrors of Christ. Every thought, action, deed, scheme, and feeling was carefully guarded to make sure that it reflect Christ and that it pleased Christ. To achieve this, the life of prayer was essential. They prayed, not just at the assigned times of the day. But every chance they got. When they walked, they talked to God. When they worked, they thought about him. When they read, they wondered what God was saying. The constant lifting of the heart and mind to God is prayer. "
As for that quote by JReducation (Br. JR, OSF)
Shouldn’t that be the case for every Christian? I mean, what’s the point of being Christian if you truly don’t live a life that mirrors Christ?
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. "
-Revelation 3:15-16
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