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St. Bonaventure (c. 1221-1274), "The Seraphic Doctor," is known as one of the foremost mystical theologians of the Church. He is recognized as one of the most learned persons in history.
Giles, a follower of St. Francis of Assisi and aged at the time, asked, "Can one who has no book-learning love God as much as one who does?" The leader of the Franciscan Order, St. Bonaventure, answered, "An old woman can possibly love God more than a master."
Giles proceeded to the edge of his garden. He called out for any who might hear, "Hear this, all of you: an old woman who never has learned anything and cannot read, can love God more than brother Bonaventure!"
St. Bonaventure, unlike St. Francis, who had leanings away from formal study, had given firm impetus in the Franciscan Order to intellectual learning. Giles, like many persons through history, feared learning would destroy simplicity and piety, and inflate with pride.
The exchange of St. Bonaventure and Giles evidences the priority given to devotion in the life of the former. However, he valued learning, for in Creation St. Bonaventure discerned the image of the Divine. He, writes Fr. Christopher Rengers, held: "Learning, properly guided by love, must lead to greater love of God" (The 33 Doctors of the Church).
We seek to integrate knowledge and love in the spiritual Life; then we have a loving knowledge. Knowledge guides to God through intellect; love directs to find innate longing fulfilled in the Source of Longing, God.
Finding God, however, is finding the other, while finding the other is finding God. For Love in the One is, by nature, one, indivisible Loving, for all lovings is the Single Love.
Yet, this loving knowledge does not direct us merely to some detached piety. We are plunged into the world in a universal embrace of Life and Person. We discover the Person, the Living Word ~ Logos ~ , imaged in persons, indeed, all of Nature in varying degrees of luminescence.
Therefore, Logos Mysticism ~ or Christ Mysticism ~ is a self-transcendence of the self ~ not negation of the self ~ in such embrace that nothing and no one is outside our empathy. This does not mean we are perfect in ourselves in loving knowledge. Rather, we have entered mystically as one in the Logos, Who, as One, holds all as one in the Father, or Source, in Himself. Our embrace, then, grows through a relation of loving knowledge in the Word, the Son, through the Spirit ~ God who energizes to thought and action in accord with Wisdom.
Christian Mysticism, then, as I speak of it, is grounded in a relationship with the Word, or Logos, manifested in Jesus Christ in history. This affiliation is of loving knowledge, and loving is priority. The union with the Word means union with all, and the image of the Source, or Father, becomes more clear in all, while affection for the Source extends, progressively, to all.
If we do not ground Christian mysticism in this world, such becomes arid, void denial. If we do not ground empathy in God, empathy is bounded by human capacity. If we fail to integrate knowing and loving, love lacks intelligence and knowledge lacks compassion.
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1) What things have you learned that helped in your loving God? Loving others?
2) What does the following mean to you?
Knowledge guides to God through intellect; love directs to find innate longing fulfilled in the Source of Longing, the Being of God.
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Story and data about St. Bonaventure found in Fr. Christopher Rengers. The 33 Doctors of the Church.
*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives in Punta Gorda, FL, and Clearwater, FL, with his wife, step-son, and two beloved dogs. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry focused on Christians living as spiritual disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a vowed, contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with God-in-Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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