Christ Mystical

A book that I repeatedly return to is Christ Mystical by Joseph Hall (1647).

I found a very rough copy last year, and it has been a constant companion, particularly on trips up to Newcastle.

The little I know of Joseph Hall comes from wikipedia.

The main point of the book is union with Christ: The kind, the resemblance, the certainty, the privilege and benefits of this union.

Here are my favourite bits:

This last section is of particular beauty and relevance for me. On the days when I feel distant from Christ, I remind myself that He is always present. I remind myself of the wonder of His presence in the Holy Eucharist.

A Love Supreme

I have had two things occupy my mind in the past week or so:

Jazz and Mysticism.

The jazz in question is of the Blue Note mid 1960's variety. the likes of Wayner Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill etc. This has been something of a rediscovery. In my early 20s (in fact a week before my 21st birthday) I started a huge jazz learning curve that started from going backwards from my great love; "Bitches Brew" to Thelonious Monk. It has been nice going back.

I remember the feeling of excitement of hearing "A Love Supreme" for the first time. This time of course, I understand the spiritual nature of the work.

Although the liner notes are overtly religious (not necessarily Christian. Jesus is not mentioned.), the music is certainly more abstract. It is completely possible to enjoy the album without thinking about religion. However, I think it would be hard to not feel some sort of spiritual nature to the music. There are moments when Coltrane's playing is out of his control; an ecstatic spirit (the Holy Spirit?) binds the group together. Remarkable stuff indeed.

I attempted to explain all this to a pentecostal woman this week. She was talking about speaking in tongues, and I told her about Coltrane. She didn't seem that impressed by my analogy.

This of course ties in with my feelings about mysticism. The way jazz like Coltrane can express something that is non verbal, free, ecstatic, strikes me as analogous to that of the mystic experience.

Is 2008 the year of 1 John?

The following are my favourite parts of 1 John, if not the whole NT. These lines play in my mind, sink into my daily thoughts and actions, generally wander into my day.

God is light,
and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5 RV

We know that,
if he shall be manifested,
we shall be like him;
for we shall see him even as he is.
1 John 3:2 RV

He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.
1 John 4:8 RV

God is love;
and he that
remains in love
remains in God,
and God remains in him.
1 John 4:16 RV

And we know that the Son of God is come,
and hath given us an understanding,
that we know him that is true,
and we are in him that is true,
even in his Son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God,
and eternal life.
1 John 5:20 RV

The following is a pile of books that I have by my bed, then take back to my library, only to bring them back to my bedside. This has happened many times this year.

Westcott, Brooke Foss. The Epistles of St. John: The Greek Text, with Notes and Essays. London: Macmillan, 1883.
Law, Robert. The Test of Life: A Study of the First Epistle of John. Edinburgh: T.&T. Clark, 1909.
Findlay, George Gillanders. Fellowship in the Life Eternal: An Exposition of the Epistles of St. John. London & New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1909.
Brooke, Alan England. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles. International Critical Commentary. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1912.
Gore, Charles. The Epistles of St. John. London: J. Murray, 1920.
Howard, Wilbert Francis. Christianity according to St. John. London: Duckworth, 1943.
Dodd, C. H. The Johannine Epistles. Moffat NT Commentary, 19. London, Hodder & Stoughton; New York:1946.
Lee, Edwin Kenneth. The Religious Thought of St. John. London: SPCK, 1962.
Brown, Raymond E. The Epistles of John. Anchor Bible, 30. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1982.

If last year was the year I (think) I really got the Christian idea, and further, the Gospel of John; this year is 1 John in waves and shimmers.

Jesus the Socialist

Johan Christoph Weigel
1695

Go,
sell whatsoever thou hast,
and give to the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come,
follow me.
Mark 10:21 RV

One of the things that I found so attractive about Chrtistianity initially was Jesus inherent Socialism.

It was even more attractive when I found that the tradition I had been drawn to, also has a strong sense of this true meaning of Jesus' teachings: Anglo Catholic Socialism

I believe this to be one of the keys of the future for Christianity. Many people in Western society are tired of materialism. Capitalism has failed more people than it has succeeded for. This ratio of have and have not is implicit within it's laws. Many of these same people feel betrayed by consumerism's false hope. Our society steamrolls ahead, advertising screaming at us to buy such and such, more colours, volume, disposable useless rubbish. It makes me physically sick. Like eating too much.

While those of us who have had the chance to partake in this spend and credit fest may regeret our actions, like a drunk with a hangover, there are many who have been exploited so we could experience it. There are many who can not conceive that we live like this, while their society struggles for basics.

I thought about this as I scraped much rice from several plates this evening.

I have never been that consumer driven. I like second hand clothes, books etc. I can't imagine spending $50 on a shirt. I would feel terrible. Yet, I still don't really do enough.

Could I give away all my stuff?

My current whats, whys, and whens concerning the Eucharist

And as they were eating,
he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it,
and gave to them, and said,
Take ye: this is my body.
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them:
and they all drank of it.
And he said unto them,
This is my blood of the covenant,
which is shed for many.
Mark 14:22-24 RV

I have been thinking plenty about the Eucharist in the past few weeks, in particular:

• The Epiklesis
• The Gloria
• when the bells are to be rung

That may all seem rather external, or extraneous, but there you have it.

I am unsure why the term "epiklesis" has been roaming my mind. It is the moment when the Holy Spirit is called down upon the elements of bread and wine so that they may, become for us the Body and Blood of Christ. Pretty heady and mystical stuff.

I have recently read that here in Sydney, the Anglican Church would like to make the Eucharist less "special."

I was stunned by some aspects of the national church. For example, the extent to which the eucharist, administered by priests, has been elevated to an almost mystic, transcendental experience in some quarters was a shock.
Karin Sowada

What's wrong with "mystic and transcendental"? I don't get it. The whole thing is so unusual and out of the ordinary that to try and make it normal would go against what is actually happening.

The Gloria within the Anglican liturgy has had two places: at the beginning, or at the end. I am still unsure why it was changed from it's traditional place (at the beginning, after the Kyrie) to the end, just before the concluding Blessing. I have to admit, I like this later placing. After receiving the Sacraments, it makes sense to me to give this final and joyous thanks.

The bells I am referring to are altar bells. They are rung by the server during the Eucharist. I like these bells, but there are a variations as to the exact times they are to be rung. They are rung three times - once before the Words of Institution, and once at each elevation of the Host and of the Chalice, and after the Priest has recieved the Sacraments, when the congregation can come forward. It is the timing that has me confused. It seems there are many ways, and the way I used to ring them at my old church, and the way they are to be rung at my present church are somewhat different.

How wonderful and interesting.

It's all about abiding

He that eateth my flesh
and drinketh my blood
abideth in me,
and I in him.
John 6:56 RV

I had a terrible weekend. I need not go into details, but it was dreadful (Let's say St John's Wort stopped working)

To be fair, things have been on a gradual decline for the past few weeks, including where I am within my spiritual development.

I believe questioning one's faith is vital for development. However, I have been feeling somewhat detached from it all of late: church, spirit, word; the whole lot.

Anyway, on Sunday, I went to Mass in my grim state and found the whole thing flat and difficult. When saying the Creed, I heard myself mumbling what I believed, but they were words; not beliefs. When it came to recieving Communion I could not look my Priest in the eye to receive the bread. Nor the Chalice assistant.
Walking back to my pew, I was relieved.

When I knelt to pray, I was overwhelmed. Tears streamed down my face. I could feel them running down my neck. My body was shaking, my mouth quivering. It was very real and uncontrollable. Then there was a slight brief taste of blood. I felt relaxed and relieved, and was wondering why I had felt so bad. When I stood up to leave, I saw my tear splatters on the wooden floor. In embarrassment, I left without saying anything to anyone.

This experience reminded me of the reality of my faith. Wherever my head is, no matter how bleak, or "rational" or mystical, God is there. Not as an idea, or a concept, or something to question; but as an undeniable presence that goes beyond thought.

God is love;
and he that abideth in love
abideth in God,
and God abideth in him.
1 John 4:16 RV

But what did you see, Paul?

Johan Christoph Weigel
1695

I must needs glory, though it is not expedient;
but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago
(whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth),
such a one caught up even to the third heaven.

And I know such a man
(whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth),
how that he was caught up into Paradise,
and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 RV

I awoke this morning with a strong sense of Paul. Like I had spent some time with him, or he had been around me. An unusual occurrence by any rate; moreso because I have not spent any time studying his writings.

I know why I had this feeling. I have been reading The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, in which the above quote is spoken of.

I have had a very difficult time with Paul. Many of his diatribes about women etc have left me thinking he was a bit of difficult man. Yet this quote is very close to my thinking.

Was Paul a mystic? Does he here speak of receiving divine revelations? Out of body experiences? His conversion was certainly a mystical experience:

And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus:
and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven:
and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
cts 9:3-4 RV

How can it be that the writer who to me, most epitomises the orthodox position, can express something that even 1 John only hints at?

I believe in religious experience. To read them mentioned in the "super straight" Paul has been a minor revelation, and one that makes me aware that I while I am not orthodox, not only is there a place for people like me within the Church, we have scriptural backing for our experiences.

Now, how can I get John to hang out in the morning?