1

Mysticism&theAbrahamicFaithsThistalkwasgiveninStColumba’sCatholicChurch,EdinburghonSaturday27October,2018.I’mabsolutelydelightedtobeaskedtospeakonmysticism

and,inparticular,mysticismwithintheAbrahamictradition.

Iamnotofferinganacademicallyrigorouspaperbutabrief

presentationonmyownjourneyandtheincreasing

importanceofmysticismtome.ThemeswhichIshalltouch

onincludedarkness,ineffability,silence,spiritualintimacy

andscripturalinterpretation.

DefinitionThescholarBernardMcGinnstatesthatwithintheChristian

traditionthe‘Father’or‘PrinceofMystics’isStAugustine.

Augustine,hesaid,was:

adoctrinalandspeculativetheologian,aneducationaltheorist,achurchleader,amonasticfounder,apreacherandpolemicist–buthewasalsoanauthorwhogaveconsiderableattentiontothemysticalelementinChristianityandtowhomalmostalllaterWesternmysticsappealed.

2

Augustinehaselsewherebeendescribedas‘theFatherof

ChristianMysticism’.Usingquasiphysicalsynesthesia,

Augustinewroteof‘theeyeofthemind’or‘theearofthe

heart’.1Wefindintensityinhiswritingtogetherwithan

emphasisontheinnerlife;onexperiencesthephysical

world,theworldofsense,cannotgive.Augustinepractised

silent,privatereading:hesataloneinGod’spresence.2In

Confessions(X,6),Augustinewrote:

Idohaveakindoflight,melody,fragrance,food,

embracementwhenIlovemyGod;forheisthelight,themelody,thefragrance,thefood,theembracementofmyinnerself–wherethereisabrilliancethat

spacecannotcontain,asoundthattimecannotcarry away,aperfumethatnobreezedisperses,ataste undiminishedbyeating,aclingingtogetherthatno satietywillsunder.Writingin1856,inhisbookHourswiththeMystics,Robert

AlfredVaughandescribedmysticismas‘everywhere

synonymouswithwhatismostvisionaryinreligionand

1MargaretRMiles,DesireandDelight:ANewReadingofAugustine’sConfessions(NewYork:Crossroad,1992),36.2Miles,DesireandDelight,186.

3

mostobscureinspeculation.’3Instarkcontrasttothe‘long

conflictsofcreeds’,Vaughanpointedtothe‘unconscious

unityofmysticaltemperamentsineverycommunion.’4

Mysticismisineffable:mysticalstatesdefydefinition;they

aremoreakintofeelingthantheintellect.Thenoetic

qualityofmysticalexperiencesmeansthatthemysticis

unabletoclearlyarticulateindetailthemeaningofa

mysticalilluminationorrevelation.Bytheirnature,

mysticalexperiencesaretransientandcannotbesustained

formorethanhalfanhouror,attheverymost,anhouror

two.Mysticalexperiencesengenderpassivity:themystic

entersaconsciousnessinwhich‘hisownwill[is]in

abeyance,andindeedsometimesasifhe[is]graspedand

3RobertAlfredVaughan,HourswiththeMystics:AContributiontotheHistoryofReligiousOpinion,Vol.I(London:JohnSlark,1888),xxvi.4ibid.

4

heldbyasuperiorpower.’5Mysticsspeakofthe‘Real

Presence’andbeing‘immersedintheinfiniteoceanofGod.’6

Oftenthroughvisions,dreamsorvoices,mysticsexperience

adirectrelationshipwithGod.WeseethisintheBuddha,

Confucius,Moses,Jesus,PaulandMohammed.Christian

mysticismismostoftenChrist-mysticism,inwhichthe

mysticsencountertheHolythroughthemediationofJesus.

Thatsaid,some,likeMeisterEckhart,havesought‘adirect

relationtoGodthatbypassesthepersonsoftheTrinity.’7

Mysticsfocusoninwardness,thespiritual,andthepersonal

experienceinreligion.

Iamdrawntomysticismbecause,asageneralrule,mystics

arecautiousabouttheclaimsthattheymakeaboutthe

Divine.Mostoften,mysticismoffersanapophatictheology;

atheologywhichaffirmswhatGodisnot.Perhapsmy

5WilliamJames,VarietiesofReligiousExperience:AStudyionHumanNature(London:FolioSociety,2008),322.6Ibid.,338.7Ibid.,9.

5

favouritequoteforthisisfromEckhart.Intheliturgy,

Eckhartsaidtothecongregation,‘Godislight’;andthe

peoplewouldreply,‘Godisnotlight’.Everything,every

word,conceptanddoctrineisametaphor,areachingoutfor

theHoly.Inapieceofbeautifulwriting,TheCaseof

Contradictories,SimoneWeil,atwentiethcenturymystic

whomTSEliotdescribedas,‘awomanofgenius,akindof

geniusakintothatofthesaints’,said:

Acaseofcontradictories,bothofthemtrue. ThereisaGod.ThereisnoGod. Whereistheproblem?Iamquitesurethat thereisaGodinthesensethatIam suremyloveisnoillusion.Iamquitesure thereisnoGod,inthesensethatIamsure thereisnothingwhichresembleswhat IcanconceivewhenIsaythatword.Likemanymystics,Iamcarefulaboutmyuseoftheword

‘God’.Tooreadily,itimpliessomethingorsomeone

separate,upthere,outthere.Imuchprefersuchtermsas

Eternal,Sacred,Holy,Absolute,Mystery,Silence,Breath.

6

Darkness

InScripture,someofthemostdramaticandfamiliarstories

areinthedarkness.ItisunderthestarsthatAbrahamis

promisedmanydescendants.InGenesis,wereadhowGod

tookAbramoutside:

AndHetookhimoutsideandsaid,‘Nowlook

towardtheheavens,andcountthestars,ifyouareabletocountthem.’AndHesaidtohim,‘Soshallyourdescendantsbe.’

Similarly,intheGospelofStMatthew,theMagifollowthe

startofindtheChrist-Child;theirencounterwiththeSacred

isinthedarkness.IntheGospelofStJohn,thelife-changing

encounterforNicodemuswasatnight,inthedark.These

arespiritualtextsandaretobereadspiritually.Thestory

ofBartimaeus,oftheblind-seer,isoneofencounterwith

Jesusinthedark.AndwhatoftheResurrectionandthe

emptytomb?Manymystics,JohnoftheCrossandMother

Teresa,spokeofdarknessasthedesertinwhichthey

encounteredtheHoly.

7

Ishallreturntodarknesslaterbutalongsidedarknessin

mysticismthereisacentralplaceforsilence.Inthesecond

centuryProtogospelofJamesthereisastoryaboutthe

momentofChrist’sbirth:

Josephhasgoneofftofindamidwife;Maryisstillinthecave.AndasJosephiswalkingintothevillage,suddenlyeverythingstops.Josephhimselfrelateshowheseesashepherdinthefielddippinghisbreadintothepotandhishandarrestedhalfwaytohismouth;abirdinmid-heavenhaltedasitflies.Foramomenteverythingstandsstill,thenmovementbeginsagainandJosephknowsthatthebirthhashappenedinthatmomentofabsolutesilence.

IthinkifwereadsensitivelymanystoriesinScripture,listen

tothemwiththeearoftheheart,wewilldiscovermoments

ofsilence,albeitfleetingandunnamed.Inthestoryofthe

richman,thereisamoment,almostunnoticed,inwhich

amidstthedialoguewearetoldthatJesuslookedattheman,

andlovedhim.Itwasamomentofintimatespiritual

encounter.MaryofBethanysatatthefeetofJesusand,

surely,lookedintothefaceofJesus:whatisthatgazingif

notanunspoken,silent,gazingintothefaceofGod?

8

TheSyriacOrthodoxChurch,liketheCopticChurch,claims

totraceitsoriginrightbacktotheverybeginningofthe

EarlyChurch.AccordingtotheSyriacChurch,therewere

twelvemagi.InasecondcenturytextcalledtheRevelation

oftheMagi,theyaredescribedasanOrderofMystics;they

aredefinedas‘thosewhoprayinsilence.’Theycamefrom

themythicallandofShir,theextremeeasternedgeofthe

knownworld.Inthistext,thestaristheChristHimself,

wholeadsthemtothecaveinBethlehem.Oncethere,the

startransformsintoaluminousinfant.Aftertheirvisit,the

MagireturntoShirandtellthepeoplethattheytoocan

experiencethePresenceofChrist,iftheyreceivethefood

whichtheChristoffers.AstoryfromtheSyriacChurch

aboutsilence,darknessandlight.

IntheChurchofScotland,standingintheReformedand

PresbyteriantraditionofChristianity,notabranchofthe

vinetypicallyknownforitsmysticalfruits,nevertheless,the

blindministerofInnellaninthelateVictorianperiod,George

9

Matheson,wroteoflightanddarkness.Tohiscongregation,

hesaid:

Wepray,‘Enlightenoureyes!’butoftenwecanonlygetourinnereyeenlightenedbyhavingtheoutereyeshaded.Isthesoulnevertogetmomentsforrepose–formeditation,self-reflection!Isitnevertohaveanhouralltoitself–andhourwhenitsdoorsareshut,whenitswindowsarecovered,whenitsoutsidevoicesarehushed,whenitisuntouchedbytheheatoftheday!Godsays,‘Yes,itshallhavesuchmoments’;andHepreparesaplaceforitinthewilderness.Hestopsmemidwayintherace.HelaysHishanduponme,andIfall.Hebearsmeintothesilence,intothesolitude.Heputsthemultitudeallout,andlocksthedoor.Heclosestheshuttersofthecasement.Heinterruptsthemusicinthestreet;Heforbidsthedancinginthehall.Hesays,‘Yournervesarewearywithexcitement;inthisdesertplaceyoushallrestawhile.’

TheSufimystic,Rumi,said,‘Thequieteryoubecome,the

moreyouareabletohear’.

Innerlife

ThereisastorytoldofSarapiontheSindonitewhowenton

pilgrimagetoRome.Hehadheardofarecluse,awoman,

wholivedthereinasingleroom.Asatraveller,hecouldnot

10

imaginesuchinactivity.Whenhemether,Sarapionasked,

‘Whydoyoujustsithere?Shereplied,‘I’mnotsitting.I’m

onajourney.’

ThestoryofthePassoverhasbeeninterpretedbyJewish

mystics.Forthem,thenarrativeislivedoutinthesoul.

TheHebrewwordforEgyptisMitzrayim,whichmeansa

tightplace,aplaceofconstriction.Ifwefeelthestory,

perhapswecanbegintothinkofaspectsofourownlife

whichareconstricted,inwhichweareconfined,suppressed,

oppressed,sufferingandinneedofhopeandfreedom.Part

ofuswillalwayswanttostaywiththeold,inourcomfort

zone,butpartofuswillwantgrowth,freedomandchange.

Theentirenarrativeisaboutlife.Inourmother’swomb,we

thrivedandthenitbecameatightplace.Ifwecanfree

ourselvesfromliteralism,thestoryoftheExodusandthe

Passoverisaboutourinnerjourney.RabbiHanochof

Alexandersaid,‘ItwaseasiertotaketheJewsoutofEgypt

11

thantakeEgyptoutoftheJews’.Sometimes,evenwhenwe

changeourexternalcircumstances,allthathindersus,

diminishesus,remainsalivewithin.Ofteninlife,weneed

towrestlewithandchangethedeep-seatedimagesof

ourselves.Itisthesoulthatneedshealing.Onemystic

suggeststhatweneedtomovefromthebondageoftheego,

fromPharaoh,tothehigherself,toMoses;fromanarrow,

constrictedconsciousness,intoawider,fullerhumanity,a

moreinclusiveconsciousness.

TheteacherofJewishmysticism,EstelleFrankel,saysthat

eachmorningshewakestoherself.Afteramoment’s

meditation,amomentinwhichsheisstill,prays,isopento

theSpirit,shewakesasecondtimewithanexpanded

identity,anawarenessthatsheembodiestheDivine.The

moresheisatpeaceintheSacred,themoreshefeelsdrawn

intoeternity.Frankelsays,‘Thisisthegoalofspiritual

practice.ThisisthegoalofthePassover’.ThePassoverisa

12

leavingbehindofallthatconstricts,diminishesand

dehumanisesus.Ontheinnerjourney,Godsetsusfree.

FromthePassovertothefourthcenturymonkandhermit,

MacariusofEgypt,knownas‘TheLampoftheDesert’;

Marcariussaid:

Theheartisitselfbutasmallvessel,yetdragonsarethere,andtherearealsolions;therearepoisonousbeastsandallthetreasuresofevil.Therearealsoroughandunevenroads;thereareprecipices.ButtheretooisGod,theangels,thelifeandtheKingdom,thelightandtheapostles,theheavenlycitiesandthetreasuresofgrace–allthingsarethere.

Mysticismhasanintensefocusontheinnerjourney:the

facingdownofourowndemonsandourpilgrimageof

sanctification.Forme,wemuststepawayfromthe

interventionistgod,withthegodwhocrudelyintervenesin

history,anddiscovertheDivinewithin.AftertheJewish

Holocaust,wecansaythattheGodoftheExodusisdead.

ThelifeoftheDivine,theEternal,istheinnerlife.Afterthe

mythologyofthecreationnarratives-thefirsteleven

13

chaptersofGenesis-anewanddistinctsectionofthebook

begins.Weread:

NowtheLordsaidtoAbram,‘Gofromyourcountry andyourkindredandyourfather’shousetotheland thatIwillshowyou.Iwillmakeofyouagreatnation, andIwillblessyou……inyouallthefamiliesofthe earthshallbeblessed.’SoAbram went,astheLord hadtoldhim.ItwasafterAbraham’sfatherdiedthatAbraham

encounteredGod.Abraham’sencounterbeganwiththe

word‘Go’,whichinHebrewislekhlekha.‘Gofromyour

country’GodtoldAbraham.Lekhlekhahadneverappeared

inGenesisbeforethispoint.God’srelationshipwith

Abrahamisintenselypersonal:‘Iwillshowyou,Iwillmake

ofyou,Iwillblessyou.’Abrahamsetsoutforalandthat

Godwillshowhim,alandhehadneverseen.

WhatismoststrikingaboutwhatGodsaidtoAbrahamisthe

firstwordused-‘go’:lekhlekha.Itmeans‘Gotowards

yourself.’Itisaninvitationtojourneytoanewland,apiece

ofphysicallandsurely,butitisalsoandmoredeeplyan

14

invitationtojourneywithin.Afterthecreationnarratives

andlongbeforetheappearanceofMosesorJoseph,God’s

firstwordistoAbraham,tothefatherofJudaism,

ChristianityandIslamis‘Gotowardsyourself.’

ForStPaul,wearethetempleoftheLivingGod.Weareone

withChrist.Jesussaid,‘AbideinMeasIabideinyou.’The

shekinahdwellswithinus;thesoulisthedwelling-placeof

God.ThePhariseeNicodemusistoldthatnoonecansee

theKingdomofGodwithoutbeingbornfromabove.The

Spirit,theshekinah,needstobebornwithinus.Lekhlekha,

‘Gotowardsyourself’,meansembarkontheadventure;let

theSpiritbebornafreshinyou.Taketoheartthewisdom

ofJesus:‘AbideinMeasIabideinyou.’Thestoryof

Abrahammaybeoneoftheoldesttoldinhumanhistorybut

itisaboutyouandme,nowinthe21stcentury.

15

Rumidiedon17December1273.Onhistombtheepitaph

reads,‘Whenwearedead,seeknotourtombintheearth,

butfinditintheheartsofmen.’

Encounter

Ihavetouchedondarkness,silenceandtheinnerjourney.

Anothercentralpartofmysticismisournon-literal

interpretationofScripture.AccordingtotheGospelofSt

John,atevening,underthecoverofdarkness,Jesus

‘appeared’tothedisciples.Theverbusedfor‘appear’is

quitespecific:itmeansanapparition,aninnervision.Itis

somethingthatisexperiencedand‘seen’withinthe

consciousness,inthemindandheart.The‘appearance’of

JesusthatnightinthatroominJerusalemcouldnothave

beenrecordedonaniPhone.Therewasnothingphysicalto

seeandtheverbchosenbythewritertellsusthat.Inhis

conversionexperienceontheroadtoDamascus,Paul‘saw’

Jesus,theRisenChrist,butwhathesawwasnotseenby

16

thosewhowerewithhim.Pauldescribedwhathesawas

similartothatexperiencedbytheapostles.The

‘appearances’areaninnerexperience,anintimate

encounterwiththeHoly.

WhenJesusappearedasecondtimetothedisciplesThomas

waspresent.FollowingHiswordofpeace,Shalom,Jesus

saidtoThomas:‘PutyourfingerhereandseeMyhands.

ReachoutyourhandandputitinMyside.Thomas

answered,‘MyLordandmyGod.’ItisnotclearifThomas

doestouchJesusbut,ifweenterthestoryforourselves,the

physicalityandclosenessofJesusmakeHispresence

overpowering.Thomassaid,‘MyLordandmyGod.’Thisis

thesortofmeditationalintensityandintimacywefindinthe

writingsofthemystics.Forme,Scriptureissacred

mythologyorspiritualwriting,afaithnarrative.‘Myth’,

saysSaraMaitland,‘isthepoetryofthesoul.’Or,inthe

wordsofThomasMann,‘Mythisthewaythingsneverwere,

butalwaysare.’TheancientsunderstoodthatGodis

17

mystery,elusiveandbeyondourcomprehensionor

expression.ThesagespreferredtodescribeGodas

‘Nothing’withacapital‘N’ratherthanletGodbethoughtof

asabeing.

Scripture

IhavementionedAbraham,andsonowtoMoses.Onthe

mountain,anangeloftheLORDappearedtoMosesina

flameoffireoutofabush.Moseslooked;thebushwas

blazingbutnotyetconsumed.Hesaid,‘Imustturnaside

andlookatthisgreatsight,andseewhythebushisnot

burnedup’.RabbiLawrenceKushnerhassaidthatwhen

Mosesstoodtobeholdtheburningbush,itwasamiracle

but,asksKushner,whatwasthemiracle?Therabbireplies

thatthemiraclewasnotinthefireorinthebushorthefact

thatthebushwasnotconsumed.‘Themiracleatthe

burningbushwasthatMosesstoppedandturnedasideto

18

notice’.8Inthescorchingheatofthedesert,abushonfire

wasnotsounusual.ItisonlywhenMosesstops,turnsaside

hetrulyseesagreatsight;itisonlywhenhehadstopped,

whenhewasstill,silentbeforethismysticalvision,thathe

heardthevoiceofGodaddresshim.Hecouldsoeasilyhave

failedtopayattention.Itwaswiththeinnereye,theeyeof

theheart,thatMosesencounteredEternity.Insoundand

syllableunknowntotheouterear,Mosesheardthevoiceof

God.MeisterEckhartsaid,‘Nothinginallcreationissolike

Godasstillness.’

MosesencounteredGodmanytimes:onmountaintopand

intheTentoftheLord’sPresence.Eachtime,Godis

representedasacloud.Whyacloud?Perhapsbecauseitis

dark,visuallyimpenetrable,andGodalwaysremainshidden

andelusive.Thissamemythologicaldeviceisusedinthe

GospelsinthestoryoftheTransfiguration.Theonlyspotin

thewholestorywhichisdarknessisthecloud;itisfromthe

8RabbiRachelTimonerBreathofLife:GodasSpiritinJudaism75

19

cloudwehearthevoiceofGod.ThehiddennessofGodis

essentialandcentraltomysticism.

FromAbrahamandMoses,thereisthestoryofElijahinthe

cave,inthedarkness,andhearingthesheerestsilence.We

mightsaythatthetheologicalprogressioninwhatwecall

theOldTestamentisfromthespokenwordtoAbrahamand

MosestothesilenceencounteredbyElijah.Butnowto

Jesus.InameditativereadingofScripture,inthestoryof

Jesuscalmingthestorm,whatdowesee?Thefirstthingwe

seeisthedarkness:wearetoldthatitisevening.Again,

thisisnotanincidentaldetail.Goddwellsindarkness.In

thisdarkness,weseethepowerofthewindandthesea,the

powerofnature,themagnitudeanddestructivepowerof

nature,andweseethesmallnessofthedisciples,their

helplessnessandvulnerability.Atthecentre,weseeJesus:

wesenseHispeace,Hiscalm,Hisstrengthandwelearnin

ourheartsthatasgreatasthepowersofnatureand

universemaybe,theseareasnothingcomparedtothe

20

sacredpeaceofGod.Thereisadeeppeace,astillness,an

eternalsilence,attheheartofGod,whichthetrialsand

troublesandpowersofthisworldanduniversecannot

disturb.Inaprayerful,meditativereadingofScripture,God

inJesuscomestous.

InScripture,wearetoldmanytimesthatJesussoughtthe

solitudeandsilenceofthehills.Hisownspiritualpractice

wasoneofaloneness;Hefounditessentialtosustainthe

ordinarinessandburdensofeverydaylife.

TheResurrectionstoriesdrawheavilyontheOldTestament.

InthestoryoftheTenCommandments,itisonthethirdday

thatMosesascendedMountSinai.Amidstthethunder,

lightningandblastofatrumpet,Mosesenteredthethick

darknesswhereGodwas.Crucially,Mosesencounteredthe

Eternalonthethirdday.IntheAbrahamstory,Isaacis

releasedfromdeathonthethirdday.

21

IntheGospelofJohn,twoangelsappear:oneatthehead

andoneatthefootofwherethebodyofJesushadlain.For

aJewishlistener,thisdetailissuggestiveofthecherubim

whichsatonthelidoftheArkoftheCovenant.Theark

restedintheHolyofHoliesinthetemple,themostsacred

placeonearthfortheJews.Itispossiblethatthefourth

evangelistwantsustoseethattheemptytomb,therisingof

Jesusfromthedead,isthenewHolyofHolies,thedwelling-

placeofGod.

MyfavouriteencounterintheResurrectionnarrativesisthe

storyoftheBelovedDisciple,theonewhomJesusloved

especially;perhapstheonewhoseinsightintoJesuswas

mostprofound.Wearetoldthat,thoughhereachedthe

tomb,theemptycave,theplaceofdarkness,emptinessand

silence,beforePeter,itwasPeterwhoenteredfirst.After

Peterlookedaround,heleft.ButtheBelovedDisciple

22

enteredandbelieved.Wearetoemptyourselvessothatwe

willbefilledbytheemptinessofGod.

BesidesAbraham,MosesandElijah,inJewishmysticismwe

canturntothestoryofJonah.InHebrew,thenameJonahis

Yonah.ThenameYonahmeans‘dove’.IntheOld

Testamentbook,TheSongofSongs,theJewishpeopleare

thedovebecausethedoveisfaithfultoitspartner.InThe

SongofSongs,theJewishpeopleareGod’slovers:they

neverleaveGod;theyareYonah.Yonahmeansdove:God’s

lovers.Ifwegoonestepfurther,inmysticalJudaism,Yonah

representsthesoul,thesoulwhichisalovertotheSacred,

totheDivine.TheverynameJonahorYonahsuggeststhe

soulasaloverofGod.Jonah,Yonah,thesoul,theDivine

lover,isonlyarousedfromslumberwhentheboatisabout

tosink.ThestoryofJonahisoneofspiritualawakening.

Andwhatofthefish,thewhale,theseamonster?Perhaps

thestorysuggeststhatJonahhaddied:noonecouldsurvive

23

theviolent,destructivepowerofthesea.Inmystical

Judaism,itissaidthatthefishisasymbolofreincarnation;

reincarnation,notresurrection.Itisperhapsinhissecond

lifethatJonahmakeshiswaytoNinevehasGodcalledhim

todo.ItisinhissecondlifethatJonahmakeshiswayback

tothepresenceofGod.TheFranciscanRichardRohrsays

thatitisinthesecondhalfoflifethatwemakeourwayto

God.Itisonlyafterweunderstandthatthefirsthalfoflife,

thelifeofthisworld,doesnotsatisfy,doesnotbring

wholeness,thatweenteruponthesecondhalfoflife.Itisin

Nineveh,therestoredNineveh,theNinevehatonewithGod,

thatJonahencountersthepresenceofGod.

Thesecondonestobecalledarealsofishermen,Jamesand

John.JamesandJohnleavetheirfatherZebedee.Thestory

isverysimilartothatofthecallofElisha:Elishaleaveshis

fathertofollowElijah.Atamoment’snotice,Elishasaid,‘I

willfollowyou.’InHebrew,thenameJohnisJohanan,

whichmeansYahwehisgracious.James,fromtheHebrew

24

Ya’aqov,canalsoberenderedJacob.IntheOldTestament,

Jacobwasthefatherofthetwelvefoundersofthetwelve

tribesofIsrael.Isitpossiblethatinthisfaithnarrativeof

thecallofthefirstdiscipleswelearnthatGodofJesusis

graciousandthatinChristthetwelvetribesofIsraelare

reunited,restored,madeone?Isthiswhywearetoldtheir

namesinsuchapparentlyfanciful,strangestories?

ThefirstcenturyJewishphilosopher,Philo,saidthatthe

mannawhichthepeopleofIsraelreceivedinthedesertwas

thewisdomofGod.ThepeoplefedonthewisdomofGod.

InJewishmysticism,eatingmannameanstransmuting

holinessintomatter.Eatingmannadissolvedthedivide

betweenGodandhumanity.John’sGospelbeganbytelling

usthattheWordorWisdomofGodwasreflectedinJesusof

Nazareth.WhenJesussaid,‘EatMyflesh;drinkMyblood’,

HeintendedthatwearetofeedontheWisdomofGod;we

aretofeedonGod,onthePresence,ontheShekinah.

25

Mystics ThenineteenthcenturyCarmelitenun,ThérèseofLisieux

describedpractisingthePresenceofJesus.Shesaid:

Iwaslikethosewhoareblindorindarkness;theyspeakwithapersonandseethatthatpersoniswiththembecausetheyknowwithcertaintythattheotheristhere(Imeantheyunderstandandbelievethis,buttheydonotseetheother…

ThepracticeandexperienceofclingingtoChristisnowhere

morepoignantlyfoundthaninthehoursofherdeath.After

theagonyoftuberculosis,adeathwhichseemedtoafriend

likeacrucifixion,Thérèsesaid,‘Iassureyou,thechaliceis

filledtothebrim!ButGodisnotgoingtoabandonme….He

neverhasabandonedme.’Sheclosedhereyesincomplete

trust.

JohnoftheCross

ICobbledtheirBootsHowcouldIlovemyfellowmenwhotorturedme?

26

OnenightIwasdraggedintoaroomandbeatenneardeathwiththeirshoesstrikingmehundredsoftimesintheface,scarringmeforever.IcriedoutforGodtohelp,untilIfainted.Thatnightinadream,inadreammorerealthanthisworld,astrapfromtheChrist’ssandalfellfrommybleedingmouthandIlookedatHimandHewasweeping,andspoke,‘Icobbledtheirboots;howsorryIam.WhatmovesallthingsisGod.’ Sufi Jesussaid,‘WheretwoorthreearegatheredtogetherinMy

name,thereIaminthemidstofthem’.IntheJewish

tradition,itissaidthatwheretwoaresittingtogetherand

27

wordsoftheToraharespoken,theDivinePresence,the

Shekinah,restswiththem.InIslam,theSukainah,theSpirit

ofTranquility,descendedupontheProphetMuhammed.In

Islamicmysticism,theSakinahissentintotheheartof

believers;itbringsstillness.ItistheDivinePresence.

MysticsstresstheunknowabilityofGod.Thesixthcentury

writer,Dionysius,spokeofGodasveiledindazzling

obscurity,insecretSilence,astheluminousDarkness,

utterlyincomprehensible.ThomasMerton,describedby

theDalaiLamaasaspiritualbrother,wrotemanypoems,

includingpoemsaboutthehiddennessordarknessofGod:

Myloveisdarkness! OnlyintheVoid Areallwaysone: Onlyinthenight Areallthelost Found. Inmyendingismymeaning……. Closerandclearer Thananywordymaster ThouinwardStranger WhomIhaveneverseen,

28

Deeperandcleaner Thantheclamorousocean, Seizeupmysilence HoldmeinThyhand!ListentopartofthisSufipoem: Inthemarket,inthecloister–onlyGodIsaw. Inthevalleyandonthemountain–onlyGodIsaw. HimIhaveseenbesidemeoftintribulation; Infavourandinfortune–onlyGodIsaw. Inprayerandfasting,inpraiseandcontemplation, InthereligionoftheProphet–onlyGodIsaw.ThereareanumberofstoriesaboutAbraham(orIbrahim)

intheQur’an.Thereisthemiracleofthefourbirds.

IbrahimasksofGod,‘MyLord,showmehowYougivelifeto

thedead.’Godsaid,‘Doyounotbelieve?’Hesaid,‘Ido!

Butthisissomyheartmaybecalm.’Godsaid,‘Thentake

fourbirdsand[cutthemintopieces].Thenplaceapartof

themoneachmountain.Thencallthem;theyshallcometo

youinarush.And[seeingthat]knowthatindeedAllahis

overpowering,all-wise.’

29

CommentatorssaythatwhenAbrahamcalledtothebirds,

Allahcausedtheirpartstoberejoinedandrefilledwith

pulseandlife.TheythenflewtoAbrahamwithaspeedthat

showednosignoftrauma—nosignthattheyhadjustbeen

dismemberedandscattered.Thepointofthemiracle,of

thefaithnarrative,istoshowthatGodgiveslifetothedead.

CloseThehistorian,KarenArmstrong,saysthat‘doctrineisself-

indulgentguessworkwhichmakespeoplequarrelsomeand

[incredibly]sectarian’.Thetruthtobediscoveredis

Presence.Ourspiritualpracticeistocontinuallybring

ourselvesintoGod-consciousness.GodisasingleReality:

GodisBeing,Tao,Father,Allah,Mother,YHWH,Brahman,

GreatSpiritandmanyothernames.TheJewishmystical

teacherRabbiRamiShapirowrites:

30

Tome,religionsarelikelanguages:nolanguageistrueorfalse;alllanguagesareofhumanorigin;eachlanguagereflectsandshapesthecivilizationthatspeaksit;therearethingsyoucansayinonelanguagethatyoucannotsayaswellinanother;andthemorelanguagesyouspeak,themorenuancedyourunderstandingoflifebecomes.Judaismismymothertongue,yetinmattersofthespiritIstrivetobemultilingual.