Mysticism is the highest stage of the development of human nature
Today's concept of God has both a pragmatic and an intuitive nature. We must take advantage of favorable circumstances and teach the intuitive person to see God where He is not hidden from us and where He is accessible to our reason as an object of our contemplation. Understand me well! ...
In our time, I consider it essential to learn to view all existence in its dependence on God and to see it as coming from God. We must see in it God's work, recognize His presence (in it), acknowledge Him as God, and (thus) worship Him – and first of all within ourselves. God is here and reveals Himself to us. He wants us to 'catch sight' of Him here and recognize Him as God. Ultimately, He is nowhere more recognizable than in the essence of our being. If the thought of God's dwelling within us, of the complete dependence of all nature on God, of His guidance and self-revelation in all creation, were alive, people would act quite differently, and their deeds would align with God's revelation.
People must learn again to 'see' God and live in the 'contemplation' of God. This is called mysticism, and I gladly join this, if it is meant that mysticism is the highest stage of the development of human nature, the achievement of which is possible only through special divine grace. Mysticism does not conflict with nature; rather, nature is called to see in God the noblest object of its knowledge. It is a pity that people no longer understand this. The mystical works of Ruysbroeck (1) can teach us again how we can, by using the natural gift of reason, come to an ever clearer 'contemplation' of God. The reason for great joy is that today people are asking again about the works of mystics, that one is consulting the mystics again to learn to see God, to adopt their image of God. From the intuitive insight of God in the essence of all creation then grows the enthusiasm that necessarily translates into action.
We observe with joy that many, especially young people, are inspired to service by the sacred enthusiasm that stems from a connection with God. The God they worship in their inner selves, with whom they feel connected even more intimately through grace and with whom they unite in daily holy communion, guides these people. And it should be so. Simply doing a good deed is no longer enough today. Rather, it must come from the awareness that our unity with God obliges us to it. This awareness must be the driving force behind good deeds. At the same time, on the other hand, it holds true that mere faith is not enough; faith must live in deeds, thus allowing people to see its value.
The image of God outlined in this way is so convincing that it not only quickly prevails over vague and unclear ideas about God, but also proves itself in struggles and stands firm in the face of all possible obstacles.
(1) Jan van Ruysbroek (1293–1381) was a Flemish theologian, mystic, and writer.
Extracted from the book: Engagierte Mystik
Author: Titus Brandsma
Published by: Bonifatius-Verlag Paderborn, 1991
Translated and edited by: Norbert Žuška, OCarm.
