Living Our Faith: Mysticism

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Catholic News Service
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694

A statue of St. Joseph is seen in Rome. An angel "appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you'" (Mt 2:13). Was this a mystical experience? The Gospel's assurance is that Joseph experienced an intimate connection between his family and God. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
A statue of St. Joseph is seen in Rome. An angel “appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you'” (Mt 2:13). Was this a mystical experience? The Gospel’s assurance is that Joseph experienced an intimate connection between his family and God. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

 
 
 
Pope Francis defines a mystic as one who “experiences the intimate connection between God and all beings.”
The Catholic tradition boasts great saints who were mystics, including St. Joan of Arc, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Hildegard of Bingen.
How do we reconcile mystical experiences today in an age of skepticism?
If God is in all things, and intimately involved in our lives, then perhaps we are all called to be mystics on some level.
           

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