"I believe that everyone who wants to love unconditionally is a mystic. All children are born mystics, and if you were once a child, you were once a mystic. Christian mysticism is following the example of Christ as he followed the Father. And mysticism is not by any means restricted to Christianity: the Bible says, ?everyone who loves is begotten of God, and knows God.? (1 Jn. 4.7) God speaks in various ways, in every time and every place to "whosoever will."
From: Christian Mystics
Another Definition of a Christian Mystic
"As with any religion, there are two types found within Christianity. The first is the tribal member. He or she favors a literal, concrete reading of Christianity, asserting that God is a judge with a rule book. Those who don’t play for "our team" are damned to eternity, and it can be our job to help them along the way to that end."
"The second person is concerned not with knowing the rules and dogma, but with knowing the Mystery itself, which is to say living from within the experience of that Mystery. This is the search for and experience of that connection to and affirmation of God’s Presence on an ongoing basis. Here, the ideal is to live life from the very center of the Mystery, and to manifest into this world God’s compassion, love and mercy. It is to this group that Jesus of Nazareth belonged, and it is why, beneath the centuries of overlays in the name of scripture and tradition, we can still find at the heart Jesus to be of such central importance to our particular spiritual path."
Christian Mysticism
"In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love. ? 1 Jn 4.18.
I believe Christian mysticism is the essence of what Jesus Christ wanted. He didn’t come to have temples errected in his honour. It was his hope that people would find in their own hearts the living presence of God "The Peace that passeth understanding." Jesus came into the world not to condemn but illumine humanity.
"If anyone hears my wordsand does not keep them faithfully it is not I who shall condemn him, since I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world. ?Jn. 12.47"
The Christian mystics are a source of great inspiration for us. Unfortunately they were often persecuted, but they showed that it was possible to experience the divine Christ Consciousness. One story that is quite striking is about St John of the Cross. St John of the Cross was tortured and kept imprisoned. But even in these pitiful conditions he experienced the Divine. This is a poem "I cobbled their shoes" which explains how he was guided to see the divine in all. It reminds me of Jesus Christ’s immortal utterance.
"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."
For more poetry of Christian Mystics. See Christian Mystics at Poetseers
- My writing on Jesus Christ
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