Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Contemplative
What’s in a (Sacred) Story? Meditating on the Mysteries of Your Faith

What’s in a (Sacred) Story? Meditating on the Mysteries of Your Faith

Last updated on: July 11, 2018 at 4:21 pm by Carl "Skye" McColman

What’s in a (Sacred) Story? Meditating on the Mysteries of Your Faith 2018-07-11T16:21:30-04:00 Carl "Skye" McColman

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image Courtesy Shutterstock

To be a mystic is to be the explorer of both Divine and human mysteries (which corresponds to Jesus’s two essential teachings, “Love God” and “Love your neighbors”).

We often think that the essential way to do this is through spiritual practices such as meditation, contemplation, chanting the psalms, and working with a spiritual guide or companion. And, yes, all those things are important.

But there’s also the question of how we find the mysteries in the midst of the stories that give our lives shape and meaning.

I think this is why certain movies or books — think of Avatar, or the Harry Potter Series, or the Chronicles of Narnia — it seems there are some people who become so immersed in the story that it’s almost as if they belong “in” the story — rather than in the “real world.”

Indeed, each of the examples that I listed above begin with a person traveling from the mundane world to an alternative or interior world — where the magic is real, interior transformation happens, and the person finds his or her calling and destiny.

Friends, when we look at the great contemplative traditions of the world, at their heart is always a story — a narrative, that more or less conforms to the “hero’s journey” and that invites us to become so engaged with it, that we “enter into” the story in some real way and allow it to transform us, enlighten us, and empower us for a life filled with purpose, meaning, and service to others.

So, here’s where my thinking is going: contemplative and mystical spirituality invite us into the great story, just as they invite us into the silence within. In both of these venues: the sacred story, and the sacred silence — we are invited to a life transforming union with the Divine.

This is the working thesis for a new book that I have begun working on (see the bottom of this post to learn how you can be one of the first ones to read it).

Enjoy reading this blog?
Click here to become a patron.

Let’s Meditate on the Mysteries

Karl Rahner said “the Christian of the future will be a mystic or… will not exist at all.” Both David Steindl-Rast and William McNamara said “The mystic is not a special kind of person; each person is a special kind of mystic.” And — speaking in a more secular sense, but I think he’s on target — psychologist Rick Doblin points out that “mysticism is the antidote to fundamentalism.”

When I put these three soundbites together, I begin to think that mysticism is something that really needs to be explored as widely as possible — especially among Christians (of course, I write as a Christian; I hope adherents of every faith will plumb the mystical treasures of their own lineage). Let’s put aside for now what it means to be a mystic — although, to take McNamara and Steindl-Rast at their word, everyone already is one; the problem is, most of us don’t realize it.

So for now, we’ll just that issue aside, and instead focus on: what can I do to cultivate mystical spirituality in my life, starting today?

For years now, I my writing (books and blog) I have operated under the assumption that the best answer to that question is, “be silent.” And I still advocate silent prayer as a core mystical practice.

But today I want to invite my readers to consider joining with me in a corollary spiritual practice: let’s enter the Christian story, with an eye to its mystical heart, it’s wisdom for contemplative living.

So I’ve been mulling over, for a number of months now, a book that is organized similar to a catechism — it would take us step-by-step through the key elements of the Christian faith — but it would do so with this eye toward “entering the story” in a contemplative/mystical way.

My working title for this project is “Meditations on the Christian Mystery.” Don’t hold me to that: when a good editor gets involved in a book, lots of things usually change, and usually for the better. The title is often one of the most visible of changes.

But for now, let’s call this project Meditations on the Christian Mystery. I’m writing this post today, not just to announce this project (which is still in its infancy), but to seek your feedback. Do you like the idea? Any suggestions of topics I should explore, books I should read to deepen my understanding of the theology and spirituality of story? Or anything else you might want to suggest?

(If you think the idea stinks, you’re welcome to say so, but I’m pretty much committed to it so I think we’ll all have to agree that not everyone will like it and leave it at that).

Would you like to be one of the first to read this book?

My other reason for sharing this concept with you is related to a very mundane need. I rely on readers like you to provide financial support to keep the blog viable.

I recently spoke with a friend of mine who is a true patron of the arts — he provides financial support to about a dozen different writers and other artists through the service I use, Patreon. Since this friend is so knowledgeable, I asked him “What do you find most rewarding from the writers you support?” He mentioned that several of them are in the habit of sending their patrons their works-in-progress, one chapter at a time.

I realized I could do the same thing — and that Meditations of the Christian Mystery is probably the best book to be sending out.

This book is still in “first draft” mode, and I don’t have a publishing agreement on it (yet). That’s not a problem: if no publisher offers to bring it out, eventually I’ll self-publish. But that’s down the road a ways.

For now, I’m excited about the idea of sharing the book, a chapter at a time, with the patrons who support this blog; hopefully they will provide feedback and input that will help make the revision process go more smoothly.

So… if you would like to be among the first people who read Meditations of the Christian Mystery as it is being written, please make a $5 or more monthly pledge to this blog, via Patreon. That’s all it takes.

Now, I understand that not all people want to, or can, provide financial support to a blog. The blog remains free for you to read. And the book will eventually get published just like any other book. So please: only make a pledge if it gives you a sense of joy to do so. Otherwise, no worries, just know that I am glad you read the blog!

But if you do choose to make (or already have made) a monthly pledge, then look out: starting in August, you and I will be entering the story together! And may the mysteries help us to find the kind of mystics God created us to be.

Enjoy reading this blog?
Click here to become a patron.

Previous Post

July 5, 2018

The Slowing: On the Contemplative Gift of Poetry

Next Post

July 14, 2018 Why Are the Mystics So... Weird?!?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Activism Announcements Art Books Catholicism Celtic Christianity Christian mysticism Christianity Contemplation Current events Etc. Family humor interfaith dialogue Interfaith Wisdom Interspirituality Lay Cistercians Living the Faith Meditation movies Mysticism Mystics nature Poetry Reviews Scripture silence Spirituality Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 June 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 May 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 March 2012 December 2011 September 2011 October 2010 August 2010 March 2010 September 2009 July 2008 January 2008 December 2007 September 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which minor prophet foretells the coming of Elijah before the day of the Lord?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Haggai Obadiah Malachi Joel

Support this
Column