Christian mystical quotes

[Vouthon]

I put this same thread up on Mysticism DR. Since it is to do with Christian Mysticism in particular, rather than Mysticism in a general sense across religions, it occurred to me that I should probably post it in Christianity DR as well. So here ya go

The past couple of days, when I've had a few free moments in and around my exam studies, I've been creating wikiquote profiles of Roman Catholic mystics and providing online a sampling of some of their main works. I've enhanced these wiki pages with images and quote snippets underneath, for easy reading - in case some viewers don't like trawling through large mounds of text but would prefer reading very short quotes affixed to images that express the essence of them in some way.

If anyone is interested in learning more about Christian mysticism, or more broadly mysticism in general, but does not have or has never had the patience to read through medieval or early modern literature with its at times antiquated style, I am hoping this might be a useful way of engaging people directly with prominent exemplars of the Christian mystical tradition. Wikiquote is a most useful web-source in general for immediate access - in short, condensed, easy-to-read form - to a broad range of authors, films, literary and political figures.

Here are a few recent additions I've made this year to the website:


Johannes Tauler - Wikiquote

Angelus Silesius - Wikiquote

Henry Suso - Wikiquote

John Ruysbroeck - Wikiquote

Jacopone da Todi - Wikiquote

John of St. Samson - Wikiquote


Also on wikiquote but not created by me are pages on St. John of the Cross (Catholic) and Meister Eckhart (Catholic), Thomas Traherne (Anglican), Simone Weil (Catholic) and Evelyn Underhill (Anglican):


John of the Cross - Wikiquote

Meister Eckhart - Wikiquote

Simone Weil - Wikiquote

Thomas Traherne - Wikiquote

Evelyn Underhill - Wikiquote


....Amongst others.

I plan, after my exams, to create many more profiles, including for Protestant and Orthodox Christian mystics as well.

My next planned "mystics" to put up on wikiquote will be Mechthild of Magdeburg, a female Beguine of the 13th century, as well as Hadewijch of Antwerp, also a Beguine and a renowned love poet from the same era.

 

[Matemkar]

Thank you for your effort. God bless you. I bookmarked this. And I like the islamic images added there too..

 

[Vouthon]

Thank you for your effort. God bless you. I bookmarked this. And I like the islamic images added there too..

Thank you so much! :yes: I appreciate your kind words.

I consider Islamic art/calligraphy with its stylized geometric shapes to be especially beautiful, and I hope that other Christians don't mind me using it here and there for a few Christian mystical quotes . It allows one to reflect very deeply, I think with its sheer abstractness. Its all very implicit and subtle, which is good in my book.

The Allah symbol image is my favourite, I used it because the quote was speaking about experiencing one single Being alone. What is better to represent this than that, from the world religion stressing the oneness of God so adamantly?

Sufi Muslim images are also used frequently by me. Again, there is something deeply poignant for me in that side of Islam.

Again thank you.

 

[Shiranui117]

I like the targeted focus. It'll be interesting to see the variety we get...

 

[Paulinusxz]

Dear friend, you do not need to learn all those books in order to know that God in His essence is the Unknowable. It is enough to keep it in mind, that is all what concerns with Christian mysticism. All our mysticism can be expressed by this single thesis. I can tell you about it because this is my own experience. Another thing, much more complex, is to follow the teaching of Christ.

After I had been a strong supporter of the mystical tradition for a number of years, making posts all over the Internet, my views changed a little. Well, I agree that God is the Mystery, the Unknowable. However, in practice this attitude does not abolish the command "love your neighbor", it even makes our ability to follow this command much more stronger. I intend to explain all this in more details in my posts in the nearest future.

 

[Vouthon]

Dear friend, you do not need to learn all those books in order to know that God in His essence is the Unknowable. It is enough to keep it in mind, that is all what concerns with Christian mysticism. All our mysticism can be expressed by this single thesis. I can tell you about it because this is my own experience. Another thing, much more complex, is to follow the teaching of Christ.

After I had been a strong supporter of the mystical tradition for a number of years, making posts all over the Internet, my views changed a little. Well, I agree that God is the Mystery, the Unknowable. However, in practice this attitude does not abolish the command "love your neighbor", it even makes our ability to follow this command much more stronger. I intend to explain all this in more details in my posts in the nearest future.

Dear Paulinus :bow:

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you for your post. I agree with you that one does not need to learn books to understand that God is beyond comprehension. It is experience, not book-learning, that is essential.

My interest nonetheless is partly spiritual and partly academic. There are mystics and there are mystical theologians. Both are necessary and while I have had 'experiences', I also enjoy studying the phenomena of mysticism from a William James type of perspective.

The reason I study these writings is because we are part of a living, breathing, mystical tradition stretching back 2,000 years. Christianity is a faith rooted in tradition, sacred tradition, whether of doctrine, practice or indeed spirituality, from the Early Desert Fathers, to the medieval Hesychasts and Rhineland mystics, to the Spanish Carmelites and the English Metaphysicals.

I think it is fruitful and beneficial not only to become familiar with the works of those who have walked the path before us and attained the goal, so as to help guide and anchor us towards imitation of Christ both in His humanity and in His divinity, but also to make sure that our understanding of our experiences is firmly rooted in tradition.

As a Catholic, the tradition aspect is particularly important. Mystics such as St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Bonaventure and St. Catherine of Sienna have been declared Doctors of the Church, others such as Blessed Henry Suso and Blessed John Ruysbroeck have been declared Blessed, making there writings nearly an essential for the spiritual life of the Catholic who wants to root himself firmly in the church's spiritual tradition. We have such a great cloud of witnesses in our Christian past. As a Catholic Christian I feel strongly that I should be aware of their gifts of knowledge which they have left to the world in their spiritual writings to help people grow in Christ and proceed along the mystical path to transformative union with the Godhead.

I completely concur with you when you say that mysticism does not abolish love of neighbour. Ruysbroeck, the 14th century Flemish mystic, continually stresses that mysticism is the "common life", a life of twin action-and-contemplation, in which one retreats into contemplative union with God and flows out into good works towards all creatures like the simultaneous ebb and flow of the sea upon a beach.

I very much look forward to your future postings :yes:

 

[mgray]

In Matthew 15:32-37, Jesus creates a Hebrew poem using the following words:

15:33 “Satisfy” לשביע
15:34 “Seven” שבעה
15:35 “Grass” העשבים
15:36 “Seven” השבעה
15:36 “Broke them” וישברם
15:37 “Satisfied” וישבעו
15:37 “Seven” שבעה


Matthew 15:32 Now Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 Then the disciples said to him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed {“Satisfy” (לשביע)} such a great crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven {“Seven” (שבעה)}, and a few small fish.” 35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground {“Grass” (העשבים)}. 36 He took the seven {“Seven” (השבעה)} loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them {“Broke them” (וישברם)} and gave them to the disciples. And the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied {“Satisfied” (וישבעו)}. And they took up seven {“Seven” (שבעה)} baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

J. Clontz – Editor of the Comprehensive New Testament