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Mystics, Biographies andNarratives
We couldbeginthis discussionby quoting numerous denitions of the mystical experience cognitio Dei experi-
mentalis as it is called in classical theology, following the thought of Saint Thomas Aquinas. What seems more
important today, however, is to focus on some characteristics that, although typical of Christian mysticism, can
alsobe appliedtoall authentic mystical experience, whatever the religionor tradition.
The rst characteristic is that the mystical experience is a theo-pathic one, whichis rootedina primordial passivity
that takes inandsuffers Gods loving action. This is experiencedbefore any concrete possibility for actionor deci-
sionmadeinfreedomandopenness, andit recongures ones life, realizingthroughit theNewCreation. Mystics and
thinkers of different schools of thought have talked about this pathos in various ways. For example, Simone Weil
speaks of actionnonagissante, whileEmmanuel Levinas claims that thehumanbeingis ahostageof theOther, and
forthissamereason, inspiteof himself, heisaMessiah.
The second characteristic is the one of Divine Otherness, who is at the center of the mystical event and has an an-
thropological element that constitutes its identity. InChristianitythis is certainlyevident oncetheexperiencedGod
kenotically assumes humaneshandshows a humanface inHis Revelation(Phil :: ,-II). Inthis way, all that is nar-
ratedinthe mystical experience cannot be separatedfromwhat is truly human. Mysticismis paradoxically inradi-
cal proximity toeverything human evenif the humanconditionis thought of as weak, contingent andprovisional.
Addressinghead-ontheaccusationthat mysticismis alienatinganddisconnectedfromreality, mysticism, fromthis
upside-downperspective, is continuously challenged to discover its identity, its place, its paths, turning its gaze to-
ward the human as the necessary path towards the Divine. Additionally, as Simone Weil says, mysticismis chal-
lenged to turn its gaze toward human suffering and human needs, with an eye illuminated by grace, seeking and
nding concrete and historical answers for these issues. Ecstasy is thus, very concretely and truly, not only the rap-
turethat thrusts themysticbeyondconsciousness withextraordinaryphenomenaoccurringinhis body, senses and
psyche, but more signicantly, it is that experience that leads himtoembrace the Others difference, feeling his joys
andpains, servingandsufferinghis pain.
The main source of the content of mystical experience is the testimonies of the mystics themselves. They are rst
andforemost the theoreticians of their experience. The biography of the believer is the conditionfor the possibility
of a theological reading of the mystical experience and its message in todays world even more so if those afrma-
tions andreections springfromtheChristianfaith.
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Many contemporary theologians stress the importance of going froma highly speculative theology to a narrative
theology inwhichthe revealedmysteries canbe told, narrated, andthenreectedupon. There is alsoanincreas-
ing emphasis today on the importance of building a theology not only based on texts, but also on the testimony of
the witnesses. The connectionof the faithwiththe praxis of following Jesus implies that this cannot be done just
through reections or historical research. Theology is to a certain extent forced to think by using the following of
Jesus as a starting point. It canbe calledtheology only whenthis following denes its ownplace of reection, and
alsowhenreectionitself is thepracticeof anexistential commitment andof thefollowingitself.
When this happens, the reading of the life of the mystics will be the reading of the very revelation of God, who is
writing with the Spirit in the body and life of the mystics. Saint Paul refers clearly to this in : Cor ,:,: and you
showthat youare a letter fromChrist deliveredbyus, writtennot withinkbut withthe Spirit of the livingGod, not
ontablets of stone but ontablets of humanhearts. Thus, the theological reectiondoesnt occupy itself withGod
as anexternal object, but withGodina personthat imposes itself ontohumanthought throughthe ecstasy of a
believer.
As Gustavo Gutirrez very appropriately says, What comes afterwards is the theology, not the theologian. Inthis
context, thetheologianis calledtobeacommittedperson, aspokespersonof thewitness whoselifeheor sheis read-
ing and narrating. The commitment sometimes implies risks, dangers and always the death of the wisdomof the
wise and the intelligence of the intelligent (I Cor I:I,). For this reason, it is possible to say that to speak of rst and
secondmoments inthetheological activityis not onlyanissueof method, but alsoof lifestyle. Finally, it is aproblem
of spirituality. Our methodologyis our spirituality.
Fromthis point of viewthen, the theological reectionis derivative of mystical and spiritual experiences and their
visibility in the world and in history. The task of the theologian is thus to look most attentively at Gods action in
humanlives, sothat hecanintegrateit inaspacefromwhichhecanquestionChristianlife, thechurchandtheologi-
cal thinking itself. On the other hand, the theologian is invited to consider seriously these experiences in order to
questionhimself andothers as well.
Mysticismis not a synonymof morality. It is the irruption of God through human history, generating answers to
historical challenges andgivingtotheseexperiences anddeeds anormativesensefor all thecommunityof believers.
This is the reason why it is so important to value twentieth century mystics. The so-called godless century was not
empty of Gods presence; however, perhaps this presence happened and made itself visible in a different way. The
medieval worldandthe beginnings of modernity were modeledby a Christianculture andcivilization. Ina godless
century, inasecular erainwhichthetracks andvestiges of Godarealmost invisibleandwherereligionseems totake
a somewhat vague andnebulous form, the mystics experiences keephappening, strongandunexpected, but witha
different synthesis thantheonetheyhadbefore.
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Nolonger are mystics foundonly or mainly inthe cloisters of religious orders. We canndtheminfactories amidst
the noise and stressful clattering of industrial machines, or in the streets among the poorest of the poor and those
rejectedby progress, or injails because their activity andcommitment are considereddangerous by the authorities,
or inthehell of LagersandGulagsof all origins andshapesthat is tosay, inverysecular situations. Howdowe
knowthat they are mystics andnot only political activists, ethical andhonest people engaging the big battles of hu-
manity alongside the believers of any tradition? We knowit by the sign of Gods love. That love which conscience
moves and transforms life is the reason they are there and not somewhere else, in spite of their weakness, their
frailty, andinspite of their indignity. Their lives, their words, are precious material for theology, andperhaps a way
inwhichour contemporaries canrediscover the life-meaning for whichthey thirst andthat surely cannot be found
in frantic consumerismor in supercial and volatile sensations, or in weak affective relationships, provisional and
ephemeral.
M.v.Ci.v.Bixcvxvv
Department of Theology
Pontical Catholic Universityof Riode Janeiro
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