“In the days ahead, you will either be a mystic (one who has experienced God for real) or nothing at all.” (Karl Rahner SJ, a German Jesuit priest who is considered to be one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century.)
These words are becoming more and more relevant and popular because they strike at the heart of a problem acutely felt by millions of believers. The sad truth boldly expressed by Karl Rahner: “The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim Him with their mouths and deny Him with their actions is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.”
Mysticism is not a special quality and practice of the Christian elite found in abbeys or convents. It is a quality and practice for every Christian in the modern world.
We need to discover the mystical heartbeat that is already alive in the center of our souls and our tradition. Mysticism is not something we achieve, but something we receive and enter into. The ultimate guide to union with God can only be God. Unlike everything we need to learn about or even build a relationship with, God is hidden within each of us.
Our goal is to learn the curriculum of a truly spiritual life grounded in love, mercy, tenderness, compassion, forgiveness, hope, trust, simplicity, silence, peace, and joy. To embody union with God is to discover these beautiful characteristics emerging from within and slowly transfiguring us.
Luke 17:21 “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
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