Reflections on Asceticism and Mysticism

Introduction

This blog post studies the ascetical life and the spiritual path of the mystics in the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The source of the former is In Search for True Wisdom, by Sergius Bolshakoff and M. Basil Pennington. The Orthodox faith sees the ascetical life, as a Christian life where the "acquired" virtues are obtained through personal effort, and accompanied by the general grace of God given to all who seek it. The "mystical life", on the other hand, is a life in which the gifts of the Holy Spirit are predominant over human efforts, and in which "infused" virtues predominate over "acquired virtues". Ascetic life is predominantly an active life; mystical life is more passive and contemplative.

An analogy

If one uses an analogy to describe the difference between the ascetical and the deep mystic life in the Christian faith, the former is like rowing a boat and sailing it. We would use the oar like we would spend efforts to obtain God's grace. On the other hand, the mystical life is like letting the sail of a boat, which is now unfurled, catch the wind so that it would sail smoothly. And this wind we could roughly equate with a divine Wind - the Holy Spirit.

Ascetical and mystical life converge in the Prayer of Jesus

In the Orthodox tradition, the practice of the Prayer of Jesus ("Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"), is where the ascetical and the mystic life converge. Orthodox tradition states that in beginning this Prayer of Jesus, the exercitant is called to lead a wise and abstemious life, avoiding all luxuries and all carnal pleasures (asceticism). At this stage, he guards his sight, hearing, and other senses, and limits his speech to what is needful. To enter this ascetical stage, the exercitant retires into solitude: which includes the solitude of the heart where he is secluded from the world's influence.

Orthodox monks' suggestions for asceticism

To have an idea of how the Orthodox practice asceticism, these are spiritual exercises they perform:

• They master their passions by frequent vocal prayer and the praying of the psalms
• They practice mental prayer - meditation
• They seek lamentation - the sentiment of deep repentance of heart, and sorrow for committed sins
• They pray with penance to prevent spiritual illusions
• They desire to be unknown and to leave behind worldly vanity

Deep mystical life

According to spiritual masters, deep mystical life starts after praying with much effort - continually rejecting distracting thoughts and the attacks of passion. This is the time when the exercitant labors to obtain God's grace. The exercitant knows that he has entered a deep mystic state when he starts to feel the Presence of Divine Grace. His mind now becomes united with his heart. His prayer then becomes a 'Prayer of the Heart'. This prayer becomes free from distractions and is accompanied by tender, penitential tears. Sinful thoughts are purified from his mind and his spiritual life grows and develops clearly in peace.

Asceticism-mysticism in the Roman Catholic faith

In the Catholic tradition, the exercitant begins with the ascetical stage. In this stage, he practices fasting and abstinence - not only in food and drink but also in his other senses and appetites. Prayer at this stage is also laborious. The exercitant prays with a multiplicity of words, and his mental prayer is like what St. Teresa of Avila describes in her spiritual writings: "like one who is drawing with great difficulty, water from a very deep well".

Perseverance in this ascetical stage moves the exercitant gradually from an intellectual to an affective mode. His thinking decreases and his heart is moved to prayer. He becomes still and silent and his prayer becomes simpler - with the presence of God in himself and around him. At this stage, the exercitant prays without words; he is just content to gaze in loving awe and wonder at the goodness and mercy of God. This mystical prayer leads the exercitant to all simplicity - the fullness of God's life through Christ.

What all these mean for Christians today?

Asceticism and mysticism have always been part of Christian spiritual tradition. But it should not be relegated as an outdated and ancient way of living the Christian faith - reducing it to complete irrelevance to the present. Sometimes, it can be a path toward healing because of the many present distractions and disruptions in modern life that tear the healthy psyche apart. As it was practiced more often by the monks of the middle ages, it can be a way of becoming whole - in mind and soul. If asceticism and mysticism are practiced in contemporary life situations and many secular contexts of work, business, or profession, it can strengthen the focus necessary to do what is right and just in a fragmented way of work and living. Lent and Holy Week are the best times to understand this spiritual practice of asceticism and mysticism. The best context to understand these classic spiritual practices is to learn from highly specialized retreat masters - who may introduce elements of these practices in their retreat inputs.

If however, one has no access to such spiritual retreats, a simple decision to abstain or fast from meat, food, and drink is a valuable beginning. It can also mean fasting and abstaining from the many comforts of modern life: environments that are: air-conditioned; the exhilarating experience of shopping sprees; dining out; strolling in the malls; leisure tours; and situations that can lead only to the satisfaction of appetites.

Mysticism or mystical spiritual practices can mean entering into a contemplative spirit anytime, but more especially during Lent. To slow down one's work pace, put more time for prayer and reflection, more visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and read the Bible and other spiritual works. These are all spiritual means that can help us understand the Christian faith and how Christ has come to grant us the true hope we all need. This decision during the Holy Week can obtain that healthy balance needed in work, family life, and personal growth. This balance certainly leads to eliminating the desire to chase a level of success that can be illusory if not checked with the balance of a healthy spiritual life. It can put into order all matters of one's work and life.

Sources of this blog post

• Our Catholic Prayer, by Therese Johnson Borchard
• In Search for True Wisdom, by Sergius Bolshakoff and M. Basil Pennington

Lenten Reflection

Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday in the Philippines, always receives attention in the media. The Catholic Church in the country continues to exert a lot of influence over the people's lives because the Catholic faith is 75%-85% of all religions practiced in a nation that was once under Catholic Spanish colonial rule. Whatever the exact statistic or percentage is, what is certain and easily verifiable through the physical senses, is the Catholic faith's rootedness in the landscape of the entire archipelago.

Despite the things that happen in the politics of the country and of the Church, people continue to love the Church because of their devotions - devotions rooted in family traditions and the traditions of many provinces and islands that dot the entire Philippine archipelago. These devotions are called popular religiosity - religious traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation of Catholic families.

Since the Catholic faith strongly emphasizes the role of the family in the practice of the faith, these strong family ties contribute to the cohesiveness and the strong bonds that connect Catholics - bonds that include extended families, friends, and acquaintances of the family in the political, economic or social order. These friends and acquaintances are often considered by the people a kind of "second family" because of relationships forged through work and profession.

During Lent, but especially during Holy Week, beginning with Passion Sunday, families begin their trip back to the provinces. It is a kind of reunion with family and friends they have known since their childhood and early years. It is in these provinces where all Filipinos get to experience once more the folk religiosity or popular religiosity of the people. They are often expressed in traditional processions, Holy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies that are unique to each one's province, the "Pasyon", Easter vigil liturgical practices that involve big religious statues of the Mater Dolorosa and the Risen Christ (the popular "Salubong"), Holy Week plays and dramas, etc.

Passion Sunday and Holy Week is also the time for people to reorient their work and lives to what is foremost - values that all have been taught since the cradle. It is a time to listen to the homilies of the clergy for moral guidance and how to adopt a Christian attitude in the face of life's vicissitudes. The Christian faith of the people is one factor that contributes to the resilient nature of the Filipino spirit - which is often beset by crises in many sectors. It is amazing to witness how despite all that life has dealt the people, instead of wallowing in abject negativity, they can seek refuge in the faith and devotions of their parents and the moral guidance of the Church.

The history of the Church in the Philippines often paints a picture of a clergy involved in politics. But this is not "all" of the clergy. Many bishops have stressed the importance of spirituality and the wisdom of being non-partisan. Many educated clergy in high positions in the Church often state that as history attests, when the Church becomes partisan, it not only questions what is wrong with the status quo, (which is their moral duty to do so), but when they become party to the political bloc that wins, a spirit of corruption often enters the Church and its members. This is of course secondary to what is important: the commitment to Christ and the building of a kingdom of justice and peace in the work and the life of the country.

Commemoration of Saints (April 9)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Mary of Cleophas, matron
• Waldetrudis, widow
• Hugh of Rouen, bishop
• Gaucherius, abbot [1]

St. Gaucherius (1060-1140 A.D.) was born in France. He opted to live as a hermit in the forests of Limoges when he was 18, and together with a friend, Germond, they attracted many followers. These followers were inspired by the life of the two friends and built hermitages near to theirs. In time, St. Gaucherius organized all these followers into a monastery at Aureil and led them as their abbot. He also founded a convent for women. In both of these religious communities, St. Gaucherius followed the rule of St. Augustine of Hippo. Foremost among the followers of Gaucherius were: Lambert of Angoulême, Faucherus, and Stephen Muret (the founder of Grandmont monastery). St. Gaucherius died when he fell from his horse at 80 years while returning to Aureil from Limoges. He was canonized 54 years later in 1194 A.D. [2][3]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [April 9]

• St. Eupsychius, Martyr [2]

St. Eupsychius, martyr of Caesarea in Cappadocia, died for the Christian faith in 362 A.D. for leading in the destruction of a pagan temple to the goddess Fortuna, whom the Emperor Julian the Apostate revered. He is venerated as a martyr by the Orthodox Church and his feast is commemorated every April 9 in the Byzantine Calendar [4][5].

References: Books, Websites & AI Overview Search Responses

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Gaucherius, En.Wikipedia.org
• [4] Search Labs AI Overview for the Search query st. eupsychius martyr, Google.com, April 9, 2025
• [5] Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea, in Cappadocia Commemorated on April 9, Orthochristian.com