Spiritualities of the Heart

"Spiritualities of the Heart: Approaches to Personal Wholeness in Christian Tradition", edited by Annice Callahan, R.S.C.J.

Catholic spirituality is the way of prayer and work by which Catholics follow Christ. Most seasoned Catholics are inspired to follow the spirituality of a Saint whose life inspires them, or whose path in following Christ is a path similar to theirs. Now, every Saint follows a distinct way of praying and working in the Catholic mission or apostolate. Some saints are more contemplative and others are more active. But both are just as holy and just as close to the imitation of Christ in their particular way of following the Lord. What is important is to discern what balance of contemplative or active life one can follow Christ, and the Saint he is inspired to follow, so that the outcome of one's work and life is beneficial not only to oneself, the community where one belongs, but also for the common good.

For anyone who wants to know the Saints, and how their influential spiritualities have contributed much to the building of the Christian faith with institutes that dotted two millenia of history, the book Spiritualities of the Heart is a very good source. It spans the development of Christian spirituality from as early as the time of Irenaeus of Lyons, up to present day writer Henri Nouwen. The focus of the book is seeing the "heart" as the locus of faith in God and others.

Contains primary sources and current scholarship

The book combines primary sources (from the original writings of the 14 spiritual masters featured in the book) with current scholarship (contemporary expositions on the 14 Catholic spiritualities). This manner of presentation is a great help to understand the general history of Catholic spirituality. Though there are many contributors in the book, all have focused on the importance of the heart as a major symbol of Catholic spirituality.

Use of the book

This book is applicable for academic purposes or for personal growth - especially for those who have advanced in their understanding of the Catholic faith. It is also an excellent supplementary source for those who wish to advance in their knowledge of Christianity, its history, its great Catholic spiritual teachers, and their theological thinking.

Spiritual writers featured

The great spiritual writers featured in this book:

• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Augustine of Hippo
• Bonaventure
• Thomas Aquinas
• Catherine of Siena
• Martin Luther
• Ignatius of Loyola
• Teresa of Avila
• John of the Cross
• Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal
• Madeleine Sophie Barat
• Teilhard de Chardin
• Jean Vanier
• Henri Nouwen

A very scholarly exposition

Each of the 14 contributors of the book have treated their subjects in an excellent manner. They have provided exceptional endnotes in the book for further research and study. Those who are doing any formal paper on Catholic spirituality will find this book a boon for his research.

The 14 contributors who wrote about the 14 spiritual writers mentioned above:

• Mary Ann Donovan
• Walter Principe
• Harvey D. Egan
• Wendy M. Wright
• Michael Downey
• Mary T. Clark
• Suzanne Noffke
• Margaret Brennan
• Mary Quinlan
• Annice Callahan [the editor of the book, is professor of spiritual theology at Regis College in Toronto]
• Elizabeth Dreyer
• Jared Wicks
• Keith J. Egan
• Robert Faricy

Though very scholarly presented and theologically insightful, the exposition of Christian principles taught by the 14 Catholic spiritualities featured can be basically applied today. From Irenaeus in ca. 130-202 A.D. to Henri Nouwen in our own time, what can easily be digested is that one's love for God and others, can be appropriately symbolized and seen in all simplicity, in the "heart" of one's core and being where the love of God and His love for all dwells..

Commemoration of Saints (April 11)

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

• Stanislaus, bishop and martyr
• Barsanuphius, hermit and writer
• Isaac of Spoleto, hermit and abbot
• Godeberta, virgin
• Guthlac, hermit
• Gemma Galgani, virgin [1]

Commemorated this day, April 11, are 1 bishop and martyr, 3 hermits, and 2 virgins. Foremost among the Saints commemorated today is St. Stanislaus, whose feast is celebrated as an Obligatory Memorial. According to author McBrien of the book Lives of the Saints, when the former Karol Wojtyla, archbishop of Cracow, was elected to the papacy in 1978 A.D., he thought about taking the name of Stanislaus for his papal name in honor of the Saint who was also bishop of Cracow. However, he decided to finally take the name John Paul II [3].

St. Stanislaus (ca. 1030-1079) was ordained a priest and became the bishop of Cracow in 1072 A.D. At first, he was in good terms with the king, King Boleslaus. However, the king resented Stanislaus' attacks on him for his personal behavior and in the way he treated his subjects. A conflict thus ensued between them. Stanislaus excommunicated the king and the king ordered the bishop killed. The king pursued Stanislaus who was said to have fled to a chapel from the Cracow cathedral. Together with his guards, the king entered the chapel and ordered his guards to kill Stanislaus. But the guards refused. So the king himself stepped in, struck St. Stanislaus with a sword and killed the bishop on April 11, 1709 A.D. St. Stanislaus' martyrdom is likened to the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket and St. John Nepomucen who also were both slain at the order of their kings [3][4].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [April 11]

• St. Antipas, Bishop-Martyr of Pergamus
• Pharmuthius [2]

Venerable Pharmuthius the Anchorite of Egypt lived in the 4th century A.D. in a desert monastery. He gave food to St. John who practiced an ascetical life and lived in a well. Not much is known of Pharmuthius save for providing food to St. John, who lived a more ascetical life [5].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [4] St. Stanislaus, Catholicnewsagency.com
• [5] Venerable Pharmuthius, Oca.org

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