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Wisdom Words
And each new union is a new, deeper self-effacement. Then the soul takes joy in seeing before its eyes an immense abyss into which it can descend, for it knows from sweet experience that each degree of self-abasement is a more intimate embrace with the Beloved....
*Archbishop Luis M. Martinez (1881-1956; Archbishop New Mexico City). Secrets of the Interior Life. Trans. H. J. Beutler.
He made me understand that there is an intimate and universal priesthood, absolutely and necessarily united to his, which should be the portion of all souls, but which is so of only very few.
*Marie-Adele Garnier (1838-1924). French founder of the Adorers of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, a Benedictine congregation. Unpublished account from Garnier, 1888. Trustees Tyburn Benedictine Congregation.
Today's Scripture
1 Lord, my heart is not proud;
I don't look down on others.
I don't do great things,
and I can't do miracles.
2 But I am calm and quiet,
like a baby with its mother.
I am at peace, like a baby with its mother.
3 People of Israel, put your hope in the Lord
now and forever.
*Psalm 131, NCV
1You have looked deep
into my heart, LORD,
and you know all about me.
*Psalm 139.1, CEV
47 As Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said, "Here is truly an Israelite. There is nothing false in him."
48 Nathanael asked, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered, "I saw you when you were under the fig tree, before Philip told you about me."
*John 1.47-48, NCV
Wisdom Story
Marsha Kaitz, a psychology professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, did a test to see how well mothers know their newly-born infants. The forty-six mothers had given birth in the previous five to seventy-nine hours. They each had breastfed the child.
The mothers were blindfolded and asked to identify which of three sleeping babies was her own. Nearly seventy percent identified her baby. Most of the mothers said they knew her baby by the texture or temperature of the infant's hand. The mothers seem to have learned the identifying aspects by routine contact, Kaitz said, for they were not permitted to study their infants to prepare for the test.
Comments
What is Christian contemplation? Christian contemplation is a Trinitarian Mysticism. Trinitarian consciousness does not have to be in the forefront of thought for a Christian to grow in a most-intimate, growing intimacy in the Divine Mystery. Often Trinitarian consciousness is not explicit; however, Trinitarian symbolism is always implicit in Christian contemplation, if not explicit.
Michael Downey, a Christian spiritual theologian, writes of this Trinitarian focus of Christian mysticism: "From the perspective of Christian faith, God's plan has been disclosed in the Word through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Christian mysticism is simply the experiential participation in this mystery."
Downey proceeds, clarifying, again, the Trinitarian focus of Christian contemplation, while grounding the mystical within the historical-creational transformation of all nature: "The mystery experienced is the providential plan of God for human beings and the whole world, mediated in and through the incarnate Word and in the specific, particular, earthly work of the Holy Spirit who brings about the reordering of all creation."
Marital love is likely the most apt metaphor of the grace-action drawing us toward closer and closer union with the Trinitarian Mystery ~ implied is union is not a final state to which we attain, but, as taught by some Christian theologians, such as the Church Father Gregory of Nyssa, a changing process of growing in oneness, or deification. Downey writes: "Real mystery invites and allures us into fuller participation, all the while exceeding our want to grasp it, hold on to it, contain it. Indeed, in much the same way, human love is a mystery."
Certainly, the language Trinity and Trinitarian becomes more relative as one grows in union with God. Relative does not mean untrue, however. Christian contemplatives have spoken of the "Godhead" being God before and outside understanding of "Trinity." Still, they have not denied Trinity as an apt metaphor of the true Mystery of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. "Metaphor" means true, truly, but not literally so. "Metaphor" never means untrue. Therefore, we honor the symbol Trinity and plumb its depths to know better and enjoy more participation in the Divine Mystery, while we do not expect such metaphor to contain all potential understanding of God.
Trinity does say something wonderful at the heart of Christian contemplation. The Trinity speaks of the inter-dependency and intimacy within God Godself. God contains a plural-ing of a singular Essence-ing. This speaks of the inter-communion in the Divine substance. God is One and Three.
Ecumenical Church Councils sought to define this Trinitarian theology more precisely, noting such matters as the following: Does the Son and Holy Spirit proceed from the Father? Or does the Holy Spirit proceed from both the Father and Son? The Latin Church and Eastern Church came to no agreement on the matter. Likely, we would do well to loosen any expectation that we can plumb such depths of Mystery, and act with a humble heart and restrained intelligence ~ choosing to adore the Mystery for its very incomprehensibility and innate resistance to human grasp.
The purpose of contemplative, or mystical, Christian living is growing participation with and in God ~ not somehow creating a grand ideology that frames the Wind. The metaphors of intimacy will be central to mysticism in the Church; yet, while we grow deeper into this Mystery, an ironic happening occurs ~ symbols become increasingly enriching, subtle, open, and pliable, but they serve, exactly thereby, to deepen and grow the Christian contemplative in participation with the Holy Communion.
Our opening Scriptures speak of intimacy with God. And that of Nathanael meeting Christ even implies that Christ truly knew Nathanael before the latter met Jesus physically ~ that is how intimate and knowing God is of us each.
Finally, how does the Christian practice Christian mysticism? In contrast to some traditions, the Christian Way is more open to Nature, or the world. Indeed, the Christ Path leads us to walk right through the world and all creatures. Christian mystics often become very engaged, and powerfully so, in the world for good, at times after a period of withdrawal.
This leads us back to the question of practicing Christian mysticism. Downey provides a good, though limited, response ~ that is, the details to the general prescription can take many forms: "Every form of authentic communion is a potential avenue for union with God, known in the sending of the Son and in the gift of the Spirit, who enlightens, enlivens, guides, heals, and sends us forth to live in and from the mystery of God's love."
Authentic communion in any form opens the way to experiencing intimacy of union with God. This communion is an expression of and witness to communion within God, the Trinitarian Mystery.
Ultimately, then, Christian mysticism is not about how much we know, or think we know, about God; Christian mysticism is about how much we are willing to be graced to love God, others, and our selves. A person could be a very weak theologian and a great lover of God; another person could be a great theologian and a weak lover of God.
This, our leaders of the Churches need to take into account, for Love is the heart of Christian mystery, and this Love defies attempts at intelligent grasping and does so to teach us more to love. You will grow in true God-Love to the extent that very Love frustrates your futile attempts to know Love as something or someone you can say you know. You will come to know God through increasingly unknowing, which is an act of true Christian faith.
Love is always humble, and to the extent the Spirit of Christ leads a person to plumb her inability to know, to that degree Grace lifts the spiritual faculties to know the Divine in the darkness of a mysterious, beautiful Love. This Love, being God, is the Mystery, the Beauty. As C. S. Lewis reminds us, in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer: "Every idea of Him we form, He must in mercy shatter."
Spiritual Exercise
1) In your own words define "Christian Mystery?" "Christian Mysticism"? "Trinity"?
2) What are spiritual practices that encourage you to experience the Trinitarian Presence?
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*Quotes from Michael Downey from "Mysticism." In The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation. Ed. Keith Beasley-Topliffe.
*The Wisdom Story is from Contemporary Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, & Writers. Ed. Craig Brian Larson.
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For replies and biographical information, and submission to "The Light Shines" daily devotionals ~ a ministry of Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL, see next page:
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