The Christian Mystic

Image: Life of Francis of Assisi by José Benlliure y Gil 

When people don't understand something they begin to say all kinds of terrible things about it. Do you know the early Christians used to be called atheists because they don't worship the many gods that others worshiped? They were also accused of practicing incest because they call each other brother and sister yet they married each other.

And they were accused of cannibalism, because they gathered regularly to drink the blood of Jesus and eat his flesh. They were called a cult. Their neighbors just continued to spread all kinds of bad rumors against them because they didn't understand what they were doing.

Well, you may have heard people talk about about Christian mysticism like it's some kind of occult and devilish thing. People love demonizing something they are not a part of, especially if it involves just a small group. It all boils down do ego. You see this small group of people doing things differently, and you just want to feel that you are better than them so you put horns and tales on their pictures and demonize them.

Just like the unbelievers demonize that small group of Christians just to make themselves feel that they are better. Those among us in Christianity today who experience the mystic life are very few, so as usual we are being demonized by the mainstream Christianity. The truth is that they envy us, they wish they have what we've got. But since they don't have it they decide to make themselves feel better by demonizing us.

So let's quickly look at the word mysticism. It means the belief and practice of a mystic. Now that brings us to the question, "what is mystic?" Well the dictionary says a mystic is "a person who seeks by contemplation and *self-surrender* to obtain *unity with or absorption into the Deity*." Oh, look at those beautiful words; 'Self-surrender', 'union with the Godhead', that's what the Christian mystic is all about.

We are called to become one with God. In Christ we are already one with God, but in order to enter into this reality experientially we press in through contemplation, self-surrender and prayer. A Christian mystic is one who would not just read the Bible about our union with God, say "Amen, hallelujah", with the rest of the church, and go home and continue to live like the Bible didn't mean what it says.

It didn't say that some day we would be united with God. No, we are united with God *now* in Christ Jesus. This is the reality in Christ, and the mystic is one who would press into this reality. He takes the word of God and runs with it, he would not rest till he experience this union with God that the Bible speaks about. He wants the word in the Bible to become real to him, he wants to live out the reality of these words.

Wikipedia also says, "Mysticism is the practice of religious ecstasies," Ecstasy means intense pleasure or a state of such intense emotional rapture. We are called to be the bride of God. This of course involves intimacy which result to oneness or union. And this intimacy also involves pleasure and emotions. "In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psa 16:11).

The whole essence of the New Covenant is to bring God into union with man. It is a marriage involving God and us, His bride. The true practice of the New Testament (testament mean covenant) is the practice of union. Hence, practicing the New Testament is practicing union with God. Yes, it is all above pursuing this union with God, seeking to experience it in a real way, to enter in this reality and walk in it. True Christianity is a mystic life.