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Serina
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| Joined: | Tue Jun 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 28 |
| First Name: | Serina | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic, Lapsed, Now Hopelessly Devoted |
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Posted: Fri Jun 29th, 2007 11:01 am |
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| I have heard someone say about a particular person at church that "she is a mystic"--What is a mystic? What makes a person a mystic?
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Our Lady of Fatima said, "Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions."
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2109 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Jun 29th, 2007 10:12 pm |
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This is a difficult question to deal with, Serina, because different people have very different ideas.
For non-Catholics, a mystic is usually a person with extraordinary spiritual powers, not to exclude witchcraft. Such a person would, they think, be surrounded by “phenomena.” Within the Catholic Church, common parlance remains close to this “cultural” definition, but with the added idea that such a person is definitely not a witch or “wizard,” but probably very holy, a “living saint,” as it were.
However, the theological definition is quite distinct from these popularizations. Let me supply a few succinct descriptions of related terms from Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary (available online at http://www.catholicreference.net/ ):
Mystical Theology: The science of the spiritual life, with stress on the operation of divine grace. It deals with the higher forms of mental prayer and with such extraordinary phenomena as are recorded in the lives of the saints. It is the science of the study of the mystic states. It is commonly distinguished from ascetical theology, which emphasizes free co-operation with and predisposition for divine grace.
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.
Mystical Union: The union of a soul with God in deep contemplation. It is characterized by a deep awareness of the divine presence, and has a variety of grades, not necessarily successive, but distinguished by spiritual writers. They are: the two nights of the soul (senses and spirit) before mystical union, the prayer of quiet, the full union, ecstasy, and spiritual marriage or transforming union.
As stated above, the primary factor in a person becoming a mystic is divine grace. This cannot be merited; like faith, it is a gift, not earned. One of the requisite practical graces for a person to be considered theologically a mystic is infused prayer — prayer that is literally “poured into” the soul by God, rather than emanating from it by creaturely effort. A person’s generosity towards God, his willingness to try hard to please God and allow him to work within his soul without interference, is the second most dominant trait. We call this disposition “asceticism.”
If you would like to learn more about this topic, I would recommend Fr. Thomas Dubay’s very popular introduction, Fire Within. It is quite accurate and instructive without going over most people’s heads.
David
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Serina
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| Joined: | Tue Jun 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 28 |
| First Name: | Serina | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic, Lapsed, Now Hopelessly Devoted |
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Posted: Sat Jun 30th, 2007 11:47 am |
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Thanks David, I have heard of the book "The Fire Within" and several times it would catch my eye to buy it, but would always for some reason or another, decide not to buy it ( I guess God knows when I need to read it--in His own time, not mine).
I guess it is time for me to read it because this is something I am struggling with at this time in my spiritual walk--having a hard time praying and feeling not connected to God. I hate this feeling--I feel I am just right there, as if I am standing on the other side of the border from Him. I need more of Him. This is so frustrating!!!
____________________
Our Lady of Fatima said, "Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions."
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1402 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Jun 30th, 2007 12:04 pm |
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| Dear Serina, this has helped me in the past: go to the place where you are least distracted, whether it's a room in your house, or the church, or even in your car. Read your Bible, possibly pray the rosary, but then be silent and ask for God to come to you. Then wait. Think of Him putting His arms out to you. And just wait. Not for trumpets or flashing lights or a loud voice from above, but He will come to you because that's what He wants too. It's hard for me to de-clutter my mind, it even wanders during rosary and adoration. I have fallen asleep saying the rosary! But I think we have to make space in our minds for God to come in. Hope I have helped.
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
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| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Jun 30th, 2007 04:58 pm |
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I am struggling with at this time in my spiritual walk--having a hard time praying and feeling not connected to God. I hate this feeling--I feel I am just right there, as if I am standing on the other side of the border from Him. I need more of Him.
This is known as aridity (dryness), and I agree with you that at first it is frustrating. You want more, not less, and your Beloved is not cooperating. Or so it seems.
Serina, if your walk with him is otherwise healthy, God is beginning to wean you from the milk of spiritual babes and to feed you a little solid food. He is expecting you to grow and mature in your spiritual life. In other words, he wants your prayer to be genuinely spiritual instead of emotional and psychological. You must love him for himself, and not because of those sweet feelings.
As Marsha has suggested, simply remaining quiet in the Lord’s presence, acknowledging that he is there, even though you don’t feel him, can be of great help. (Keep a bible or prayer book around, though, in case you fail to make contact; you can return to “watching” as the Lord allows. But never let the book keep you from his presence, for the simple, loving repose is what he is calling you to.) Eventually the communication will start to grow, and you will see what right now seems like a brick wall melt into thin air as God penetrates to the core of your being.
But be patient and persevering. This process can take years. Why? Because, as scripture says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:22–23). Obedience is the remedy for sin, past and present. And you obey the Lord by first listening to him and receiving his command.
David
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