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Below, I quote the great Christian contemplative-philosopher and Cardinal, Nicolas of Cusa (1410-1464), and his remarks on union, in the form of a dialogue with God. Note how Cusa relates realization of the paradox of God-Self as occurring in the "silence of contemplation." So, he remarks on an experience of the coincidence of apparent opposites, which is most reasonable for it transcends conceptualization: this is implied in Paul referring to the Church and Christ ~ "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" . Also, observe the apparent experience of tension in mystical contemplation between self-initiative and God-initiative. Only in contemplative experience is this, and all apparent logical contradictions, resolved, for the self-as-Self is enlightened with Absolute Reason.
To God: ... what would be more absurd than to ask that you give yourself to me, you who are all in all? And how will you give yourself to me if you do not at the same time give me heaven and earth and all that are in them? And, even more, how will you give me yourself if you do not also give me myself?
And when I thus rest in the silence of contemplation, you, Lord, answer me within my heart, saying: "Be yours and I too will be yours!" O Lord, the Sweetness of every delight, you have placed within my freedom that I be my own if I am willing. Hence, unless I am my own, you are not mine, for you would constrain my freedom since you cannot be mine unless I also am mine. And since you have placed this in my freedom, you do not constrain me, but you wait for me to choose to be my own. This depends on me and not on you, O Lord, for you do not limit your maximum goodness but lavish it on all who are able to receive it. But you, O Lord, are your goodness. But how will I be my own unless you instruct me? You teach me that sense should obey reason and that reason should be lord and master. When, therefore, sense serves reason, I am my own. But reason has no guide except you, O Lord, who are the Word and the Reason of reasons. I see now that if I listen to your Word, which does not cease to speak in me and which continually shines forth in my reason, I will be my own, free and not the slave of sin. And you will be mine and will grant me to see your face, and then I will be saved. May you be blessed, therefore, in your gifts, O God, who alone are able to comfort my soul and to lift it up so that it might hope to attain to you and to enjoy you as its very own gift and as the infinite treasury of all that is desirable.
*H. Lawrence Bond. Nicholas of Cusa: Selected Spiritual Writings. In The Classics of Western Spirituality.
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