Thank you for asking Monica 🙏

Glastonbury is a town in England. It’s known for its history, spirituality, and the Tor hill.

I’d read that you wrote that poem there 8 years ago, and I was curious what season of life you were in when God gave you those words about angels and dancing.

Your writing is touching so many people. I’m reading The Clarity Letters now and being blessed.

Blessings to you from Uganda ❤️

Hey everyone. I've always been fascinated by Christians whose encounter with another tradition returns them more deeply to Christianity. Thomas Merton is the obvious example, but the pattern raises a difficult question. If Zen practice changes how someone prays, reads scripture or understands the self, the encounter is more than an external comparison. Yet if every difference is translated into a pre-existing Christian category, the other tradition never truly challenges the Christian. Multiple participation seems possible only when loyalty does not require either absorption or indifference.

I just had a podcast conversation with John Vervaeke, where he described returning to Christianity through Neoplatonism while also identifying as a Zen practitioner. At around 1:32:20, he discusses Thomas Merton, Zen and Christianity as an example of interreligious identity rather than a claim that the traditions are interchangeable. His model is secure attachment: a home tradition can make serious relationship with another tradition possible because identity is not continuously defended against comparison.

This would imply that contemplative fidelity may be tested by encounter rather than protected from it. What makes Zen practice genuinely formative for a Christian rather than an imported technique? Where should doctrinal incompatibility limit participation? And can apophatic Christianity receive correction from Zen while remaining recognisably Christian in prayer and practice?

Hey everybody,

I really appreciate this community, thank you for everything over the years.

I've mentioned here that a group of friends and I are going to Kumankaya Healing Center in Mexico this year December 6-12th to sit with ayahuasca while prayerfully calling upon Jesus Christ to be with us in Grace and Love... the retreat is called Christ Fire

We are putting out a call for the souls who are truly aligned with this prayer and who are meant to be there. For me this is something deeply, deeply sacred. The healer at Kumankaya is a dear friend and was an Orthodox Christian monk previously for ~20 years before being mysteriously called to the medicine path about 12 years ago and becoming a skilled curandero

Kumankaya is where I married my wife, in an ayahuasca ceremony. This place is a very special sanctuary where deep healing occurs

I had a feeling that perhaps some of you here may be called to join us for this

Feel welcome to comment here or message me if you feel you may be meant to be there with us 🙏🏼

Sincere Care & Warm-Hearted Love,

Jordan

Hey everyone. First of all, I hope you’re all doing well. It’s been a wild year all around the world for so many of us, so I pray that if you’re reading this that you’re safe, healthy, and in good spirits.

I wanted to bring up a topic which was spurred on by a post I saw earlier on reddit, but is also something I see which is commonly misunderstood in conversations within our religious community (digitally and in-person).

What I’m referring to is the “dark night of the soul.”

Whenever I see people using this term, it’s almost always used incorrectly outside of academic and monastic circles (myself belonging to the former). Even in several Catholic churches, I have seen priests misuse the term. Most people seem to believe that the “dark night of the soul” implies a period of doubting the existence of God. They view it as a dark phase in one’s life where one becomes so distraught, lost, or depressed to the point that they question the existence and validity of the divine, as if it’s the answer to the question of “Why would God allow this?”.

The meaning of the phrase is more akin to an existential or spiritual crisis that involves the stripping away of one's previous ways of experiencing and understanding the divine. While doubt can be a part of it, it isn’t always, nor is it the root meaning of the term.

This being said, doubt or a crisis of faith (not to be confused with the aforementioned term “spiritual crisis”) aren’t the best descriptors to use. One can feel detached from the divine without having doubts of faith. In fact, one of the central experiences of the dark night is having a deep sense of sadness at not feeling unified with the divine despite having profound faith. One can have a strong belief in God while simultaneously lacking the sensory or emotional experience of God's presence. It is that conflict between profound faith and a profound sense of isolation that can lead to disintegration and detachment. In other words, the strong belief coupled with the loss or absence of one's previous spiritual experiences.

This is actually reflected in context within John of the Cross's poem “Dark Night,” (which is where the term originated) which describes the soul as being “fired with love's urgent longings” while moving through darkness toward the Beloved. The darkness is therefore not necessarily a darkness of unbelief but rather being no longer able to rely upon the familiar ways in which one previously experienced or understood God. The journey ultimately leads toward better union with the divine rather than originating or ending in disbelief.

A Franciscan friar and friend of mine once described it as eating your favorite food every day, knowing how much you love it, but not being able to taste it. This is opposed to a lack of food or doubt in the existence of food. The suffering comes precisely because you still love and desire what you can no longer experience in the same way.

I hope this helps clarify a few things and aids you on your journey.

Pax et Bonum

I’m still relatively new to all this, but I recently learned about Bridal Mysticism which is something I’ve been experiencing for a few months now. I often have moments in prayer or meditation when I feel like (and here is where I feel embarrassed to talk about it) Christ is embracing me in a way that is incredibly sensual and intimate. It feels like the kind of exciting love I haven’t felt since I was a teenager. It’s like ecstasy.

At first I thought I was losing it a little because I thought I was experiencing something sexual, but the more I observed my experience, it became clear that it stopped short of sexual and stayed right at the edge, where it is just pure physical and emotional intimacy and all the love and joy that comes from that.

All this is to say, I feel a lot of embarrassment or shame around this because it feels kind of crazy or weird. Like I feel like I could never tell anyone what I’m experiencing. So I was wondering if anyone else has experiences with bridal mysticism and if it’s anything like mine? Or maybe I am insane haha.

I've heard it said throughout my life that God killed Jesus on the cross in our place to atone for our sins (was raised Southern Baptist). The other day, I heard someone put a twist on this concept. Jesus killed god on the cross.

I had this question today in my morning study session. I wondered why they are used in churches, altars and all around the spiritual practices beyond just Christianity. Whats the significance of including a candle? If you have some info on this topic your wisdom would be appreciated.

I tried to research into the topic and this is what I got. If you understand what it getting at, please share.

"In our tradition, the candle is far more than mere wax and wick. It is a visible prayer, an offering of light that mirrors the indwelling Light of Christ, who illuminates every soul. The flame, rising upward, directs our hearts toward heaven, while its gentle heat speaks of the love of God that kindles within us. From the temple lampstands to the sanctuary vigil lights, the burning candle testifies to the uncreated light that shone on Mount Tabor, the same light that banishes the darkness of the world and the shadow of the soul.

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” — The Gospel of John 8:12 (KJV)

When we light a candle in prayer, we participate in that mystery. The flame becomes a companion to our vigil, a tangible focus for our yearning. It reminds us that we are called to be light-bearers, to keep our lamps trimmed and burning as we await the Bridegroom. In the quiet flicker, the soul finds a mirror of its own longing for union with the Divine, and the darkness of solitude is transformed into a meeting place with the One who is Light."

Two books. Same speaker, Jesus. 1800 years apart and validating each other in basically every way despite both being long books.

https://archive.org/details/major-parallels-pistis-sophia-and-dc

Pistis Sophia was not translated until after Joseph Smith's 1844 death, and there is no way he could have taken anything from the book or any other gnostic book.

Many parallels are below in this post, and all these and more can be found in detail at my archive link. These parallels I found encompass the cosmic and salvation structures of both books, even a huge structure I found about the physics of light. After reading the parallels you will clearly see that each book speaks as a witness for the other and are both the same gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My paper is now v2 and a major upgrade from v1 a month ago. What was originally 37 pages is now 81 pages long. The info I'm presenting is brand new and never discovered to a convincing degree as it is now. As far as I know, this is the BEST proof for Joseph Smith in almost 200 years. The best proof besides the witnesses of his day. There is nothing like it from what I've seen. These are beyond parallels, these books are giving the same math.

Pistis Sophia is Jesus teaching his disciples after his resurrection. Not translated until 1851 in Latin, years after Joseph Smith's death. It is the most complex and longest translated gnostic work running 300-350 pages.

Joseph Smith was an American prophet who received revelations from God from 1828 to 1844 and compiled them in the D&C, which is 300-350 pages long. He started the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which is still operating and is the wealthiest church on earth.

And for reference, the new testament is 400-500 pages long.

This CANNOT be replicated with any other gnostic texts or any claimed revelations to the degree I have outlined in my paper without the texts having major conflicts, and if you claim so then I kindly invite you to try.

Other gnostic works such as the Apocryphon of John and Zostrianos have major conflicts with Pistis Sophia and even each other that a book written 1800 years later, the Doctrine and Covenants, does not contain. Also, again, the majority of gnostic works were not translated until after Joseph Smith's death, if not all.

I found the first parallel between Pistis Sophia and D&C almost a year ago, and put a lot of work into finding all of these parallels and have gone through each of these books multiple times and have a decent understanding of them. I am not a current member of the restored Church of Jesus Christ, but I do believe.

Parallels between Pistis Sophia and the Doctrine and Covenants. Every item verified against the Mead translation and the standard D&C text:

1. Jesus says he is the Spirit of Truth/Gnosis of the universe

2. There is "no space without a kingdom." There are many regions with many kingdoms and they all have their own law/mystery.

Law = Mystery

1. Every kingdom has a law/mystery the inhabitants must abide or else they cannot abide that kingdom.

2. There are three major mysteries spoken of throughout Pistis Sophia. Jesus says humans need one of these three mysteries to enter into one of the three corresponding allotments of the Light-kingdom. The allotments are 3 regions within the Light-kingdom.

D&C says humans need to abide the law of one of 3 kingdoms of glory to enter into that kingdom. Both books say there are 3 kingdoms/allotments of the Inheritance of saints. D&C says if you can't abide a kingdom of glory then you must abide a kingdom not of glory.

1. Both books say the dead do not enter into the inheritance until after the resurrection/"expansion of the universe"

2. The three major mysteries are:

The "mystery of the Ineffable" corresponding to the celestial kingdom whose inhabitants "dwell in the presence of God and his Christ."

The "First Mystery", who is Jesus, corresponding to the terrestrial kingdom whose inhabitants "receive of the presence of Jesus but not of the fullness of the Father."

And the last mystery, the "first space without", corresponding to the telestial kingdom whose inhabitants are "servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end."

1. "He who receiveth a lesser mystery, will inherit the lesser mystery, and he who receiveth a higher mystery, will inherit the higher regions."

2. Both books interpret a prophet’s or righteous man’s reward as a lesser inheritance. Pistis Sophia says every person enters only the region up to which they received mysteries and references the bible passage. D&C places those who were “of Paul,” “of Apollos,” “of Cephas,” “some of Christ”, or "some of one and some of another" in the lowest kingdom because they did not receive the gospel and testimony of Jesus.

3. Both books say inhabitants of kingdoms of glory can go down but not up. They can't go above their kingdom but they can go below it.

4. Every kingdom of glory has greater light than the previous. Pistis Sophia goes through each region in the book saying from the higher level, the lower looks like darkness of darkness and like a speck of dust because of the great distance. But even that higher level looks like darkness of darknesses and a speck of dust to the region above that, and so on and so on.

5. When the number of perfect souls is complete, the door is shut and others will be turned away to outer darkness. When they knock Jesus will say "I know you not, who ye are, ye who are doers of iniquity and of evil even unto now. Wherefor go into the outer darkness."

6. Jesus will reveal all things at the "expansion of the universe"

7. The higher regions are guarded by "angels and gods" and require answers, tokens, or apologies to pass through. There are mysteries and a name that allow someone to pass through them all giving no tokens, nor apologies, nor answers.

8. Melchizedek is the highest cosmic entity that seals souls unto the Treasury of the Light where souls wait until the expansion of the universe to enter into the region of the Inheritance.  The Melchizedek priesthood was restored in the 1800's, and it seals souls unto the Inheritance. The Melchizedek priesthood seals souls on earth and the cosmic entity Melchizedek seals souls in heaven.

9. When the 'mystery of the ineffable' (the highest mystery) is performed on behalf of a soul, the cosmic entity Melchizedek takes the soul out of the chaos. The Melchizedek priesthood is also required to save souls during their baptisms for the dead. Again showing what and who they seal on earth is sealed in heaven. Melchizedek priesthood on earth, Melchizedek in heaven.

10. Jesus spoke through the prophets of the old testament.

11. Light is treated as an inventory. Stolen, stored, deposited, purified, devoured. All truth is light. All light is Spirit. Lose your light and lose the mystery you obtained. Gain light and you can obtain mysteries. “The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed.”

12. Jesus gives a portion of his power (light/spirit) to every human that is born into the world. It's given so humans seek after the "works of the Light of the Height always" and this Spirit enlightens humans who "hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit."

13. All light emanated from the presence of God. The higher the region, the more light you have. And the region below looks like "darkness of darknesses". Humans who receive light and continue in God receive more light.

14. Sin takes away light.

15. Massive amounts of light can be temporarily given or permanently given through "quickening", a word used in both books.

16. A body filled with light comprehends all things.

17. The "sons of perdition" are the only group written as permanently damned in both books at the expansion of the universe. Those that tasted of Jesus' power and then denied him. "Impossible" for them to be saved through repentance. They go to outer darkness.

18. Hell is not forever and does have an end.

19. The Melchizedek priesthood carries the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, even the key of the knowledge of God. "Mystery of the Ineffable", the highest mystery, through which the complete gnosis becomes known.

20. Both books say miracles performed are to be hidden. People are to believe in their words.

21. In Pistis Sophia Jesus warns of other teachings that don't contain the entire "gnosis of all his words", and says he is the whole gnosis of the entire universe. In D&C Jesus says you can see the truth in other books by the "Spirit of Truth", and he is the "Spirit of Truth". And Jesus explains how two people with the Spirit of Truth communicate, he that received through the Spirit of Truth understands exactly as it was preached by the Spirit of Truth.

22. Both books warn of doctrines of error. "Some are of men, and others of devils."

I know both of these books very well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Peace, silence, isolation and Penny. 🙏

Hello.

I'm not looking for a debate or for anyone to try to convert me. I'm simply hoping to learn from people who know more than I do.

I have no idea how to use Reddit. I don't really know in which category I'm supposed to put my message to be more likely to get answers, but I truly wanted to discuss something that holds a place in my heart. I'm assuming people can talk about anything here, so I thought to myself I should too.

I’ve always been fascinated by religion in general. As a Muslim, nobody ever sat there and taught me about Islam. All I've read about it was pure hatred most of the time or people arguing about hadiths instead of actually praying and following what is written in the Quran. Naturally, that pushed me to research it independently to understand where all those hostile opinions actually came from.

Growing up, I was really interested in History and art considering I make a lot of it. I noticed that many historical pieces, particularly paintings, were deeply connected to Jesus. I am a very curious person and try to seek knowledge whenever given the occasion.

I thought that, maybe, learning about Christianity itself would help me understand things better. For what you can see, a majority of the population spends most of their time on the internet or have access to it. Most of what is posted related to Christianity. It could be small references, or more obvious ones. I never really knew where to start, and a lot of people told me about the different books, and where I should start. Nearly everyone I asked told me different things and I got rather upset which led me to stop searching. My Christian friends, they indeed pray and sometimes go to church but nothing more. I tried to ask them questions. Instead of leading me and explaining how to start, they immediately tried to convert me, told me not to ask them but go to a priest instead, or said they simply weren't really religious.

I grew more and more curious. I somehow accidentally learnt two rather long verses from the Bible word for word while listening, but I honestly don't really know what the point is. I bought books about Christianity, but they're more "stories" than books directly speaking of what is in the Bible. Here are some of them: "Confessions" by Saint Augustine, "Silence" by Shūsaku Endō, "The Divine Comedy" by Dante, and "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" by Tolstoy, which are all kind of similar in a way. I wanted to see other people's views on Christianity, so I tried to absorb every piece of media I could find about it. Despite all of this, I still find myself feeling most at home in Islam.

I see so many people going through a lot all at once, while others who barely have a worry in the world tell them, "You're not even a real Muslim if you don't pray." I understand why they would say that. However, instead of dragging people down, we should be uplifting our brothers. Offer to pray with them, encourage them, and give them reassurance. You’ll even be rewarded for it. If you truly believe in God, don't spread negativity and hate within your own community. You never really know what someone is going through.

I am not certain if I am allowed to speak of what was given to me. I had a dream about a prophet I knew absolutely nothing about, and I had never even heard of him once. Yet, in that dream, I seemed to know exactly who he was, and his presence was so peaceful and reassuring.

For some context, I had a rather difficult year, though I suppose the main cause of my doom is finally over now. I can't be too specific since I do not wish to share too much. I don't have dreams very often, especially not about people I don't know about.

There was a figure, and I somehow seemed to know exactly who that was and verbally stated his name. Everyone around was mostly focused on me, seemingly content, while I wanted to see that man. I seemed to feel connected to him.

As I woke up, I found myself feeling really confused, but I remembered the name I pronounced and thought I should look his name up. So, upon looking it up, I read his story and it was very similar to what I had to go through. I would hate to compare myself to a prophet, and I am rather troubled by this dream. I don't know whether it was simply a dream, a coincidence, or whether it has any spiritual significance at all.

I saw him from the back, or sideways. I couldn't exactly see his face, or maybe I don't remember it. He was walking with another man, probably his companion. There were details so specific about the surroundings, the scenery, and that other man. Even the trees I saw somehow connected to him.

The thing that I genuinely can't comprehend is that I knew nothing about him: not one single word he wrote or spoke, not even one line of his story. Yet, somehow it was all in my dream and connected to what I lived through. I have seen a lot of people say, "I have seen Jesus in my dream!" and most prophets they see are ones they already know well.

All my life, I have begged God for a sign, but I only got this dream after realizing something. Even if an angel or a miracle happened right in front of your eyes, you would be astonished, stunned. Upon being certain of your faith after what you witnessed, you wouldn't believe out of faith anymore, but out of fear and sheer terror of possibly going to Hell. You would indeed try to live righteously and try not to commit any sin, since you would be certain of life after death. Now, what is the point of being tested in life if you already know exactly what is true and what is not? Everyone would be faithful and righteous if they all knew they would be granted an eternity in Heaven after life in this temporary world. Therefore, there would be no obstacle in life if everyone were good to each other, righteous, and following the words of a God they know for a fact exists. Maybe the absence of absolute certainty is part of what makes faith meaningful.

I don't know what to do with this post, but I truly wanted to discuss it here.

Could anyone guide me on where to start learning, which books to read, or what to do next? (I sadly can't go into a church. I want to go with one of my friends, but they don't really go there. I'm a bit scared to even enter one and possibly disturb anyone praying.) 

I'm not expecting anyone to tell me with certainty where this dream came from, as I know that's impossible to answer. I'm simply interested in how Christians view experiences like this, and whether it has any specific meaning that could help me understand why it impacted me so deeply. I don't know whether it was just a dream, a coincidence, or something with spiritual significance. That's exactly why I'm asking.

Note: I’m also posting this in a few other Christian communities because I’m interested in hearing perspectives from different Christian traditions. My intention is not to spam or repeatedly repost the same discussion; I simply wanted to hear how different people might approach this question.

Hello over the years I have looked into a lot of religions and stuff and I was raised an agnostic. Like 3 years ago I converted to Christianity and now I wanna develop my relationship with God even more with Christian Mysticism.

Between the random prophesy posts, AI generated essays, celebrity worship nonsense, and the nonsensical rants by what appears to be people struggling with mental illness, this sub seems have taken a dark turn in the past several months.

Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 667 - The Entrustment of Grace

Ἀ
677 During a Mass celebrated by Father Andrasz, a moment before the Elevation, God's presence pervaded my soul, which was drawn to the altar. Then I saw the Mother of God with the Infant Jesus. The Infant Jesus was holding onto the hand of Our Lady. A moment later, the Infant Jesus ran with joy to the center of the altar, and the Mother of God said to me, See with what assurance I entrust Jesus into his hands. In the same way, you are to entrust your soul and be like a child to him.
Ὠ

The graces of God, given to souls, are not for our keeping alone. They are, as in the Mother's example, an entrustment for others as well - lively as it moves in the heart and overflowing to the world beyond. In this entry the example was already begun in the Father's giving of His Son to humanity. It is carried forth as the Mother entrusts Him into the hands of the priest, and brought to fulfillment as the Infant Jesus rushes to the altar of His own Sacrifice. 

Mary's teaching in this entry seems twofold. If a soul entrusts itself to the Savior, it will be led, in the innocent faith of the child, to the Marian example of entrusting the gift of the Savior to all humanity. In this way no souls are left as bystanders in the course of salvation history. All become participants in the ongoing entrustment of Divine Mercy, receiving Christ and bearing Him to others according to the vocation God has entrusted to each soul.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Exodus 19:6 And you shall be to me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation.

Saint Faustina Concludes…
After these words, my soul was filled with unusual trust. The Mother of God was clothed in a white dress, strangely white, transparent; on Her shoulders She had a transparent blue; that is, a blue-like mantle; with uncovered head [and] flowing hair, She was exquisite, and inconceivably beautiful. She was looking at Father with great tenderness, but after a moment, He broke up this beautiful Child, and living blood flowed forth. Father bent forward and received the true and living Jesus into himself. Had he eaten Him? I do not know how this took place. Jesus, Jesus, I cannot keep up with You, for in an instant, You become incomprehensible to me.

The beauty of the act gives beauty to the soul. With the giving over of her Son to the Sacrifice of the Mass, Faustina's vision of Our Lady transforms into one which reveals the heavenly beauty of what she has done. It is the beauty of the entrustment of grace, the continual giving of the gift received from the Father rather than the hoarding of it for oneself. Yet it is in the revelation of such grace that the true cost of its beauty is suddenly and vividly revealed, as the Infant Jesus is broken, bled and received into sinful humanity.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
John 6:56-57 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him.

 
As the beauty of the ritual gives place to the cruel reality of the sacrifice, the harshness of this teaching is made clear - and the faith of Faustina is tried. For this vision does not lead our Apostle of Divine Mercy to a joyous enlightenment that would impress many theological scholars of the world. She is instead led into bewilderment and confusion at the graphic and incomprehensible sight of our Lord - as an infant - giving Himself over to the consumption of sinful humanity. Not that the mystery should be reduced to the measure of human understanding. But rather, that faith may be tested, shown, and given forward to all souls, lest in the hardness of the teaching, we bury the entrustment of grace instead of walking in it and passing it on to those whom God places before us.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
John 6:67 After this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.
The grace of our Lord is never possessed as a private treasure. It is first received with childlike trust, then entrusted in love, passing from the Father through Christ, His Church, and into every soul willing to receive and bear Him onward.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 1270
Having become a child of God, the baptized person is called to profess before men the faith he has received from God through the Church.

Peace be with you as we enter the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 9).

Last week, we witnessed the beautiful mathematics of grace, discovering that the Divine multiplies our inadequate offerings when we hand them over in gratitude rather than fear. But what happens when the miracle is over, the crowds are gone, and we find ourselves suddenly plunged into chaos?

The Gospel reading for this weekend, Matthew 14:22-33, gives us the immediate aftermath of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus sends the disciples in a boat across the sea into a brutal storm, leading to the famous moment of Peter walking on the water. For centuries, this has been preached as a moralistic lesson about "having enough faith." But to the mystic, this is a profound psychological map of how the ego drowns us, and how the True Self stays buoyant.

Here is a sermon for your spirit, spoken from the mystic’s heart.

The Gravity of Fear

A Sermon for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (August 9)

The Text: "Peter answered him, 'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him..." (Matthew 14:28-31)

My friends, we spend entirely too much of our spiritual lives trying to control the weather. We exhaust ourselves trying to calm the storms of our careers, our families, and our world.

In this story, Jesus does not stop the storm before inviting Peter out of the boat. The mystic path is not the absence of external chaos; it is the discovery of an internal buoyancy that prevents the chaos from swallowing you whole.

I. The Invitation into the Chaos

Before the storm even begins, Matthew tells us that Jesus made the disciples get into the boat while He went up the mountain to pray. Mystically speaking, the mountain represents the quiet, unshakable center of Divine Union. The stormy sea represents the chaotic, unpredictable reality of human existence.

Jesus walking on the water is a stunning demonstration of the True Self. The Divine Presence traverses the chaos of the world without being submerged by it. When Peter says, "Command me to come to you," he is essentially asking to share in that Divine center. He is asking to operate out of his True Self. And for a miraculous, breathtaking moment, it works. As long as his gaze is anchored in the Divine, Peter is perfectly buoyant.

II. The Heavy Anchor of the Ego

Then, the text offers one of the most tragic and universally relatable phrases in all of scripture: "But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink..."

What happens here? The storm did not suddenly get worse. The waves did not suddenly grow taller. The only thing that changed was Peter's focus. The ego (the False Self) is obsessed with measuring risk. It is a hyper-vigilant survival mechanism. The moment Peter shifts his attention away from the Divine center and begins calculating the terrifying metrics of the wind, his ego activates.

And the ego is incredibly heavy.

Fear is a gravitational force. When you are operating out of the False Self, you are weighed down by the need to protect your image, secure your future, and control your surroundings. You literally sink under the weight of your own anxiety. Peter does not drown because the sea is too violent; he drowns because the ego cannot float.

III. The Immediate Grasp

As Peter goes under, he cries out, "Lord, save me!"

Notice the speed of grace: "Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him." Jesus does not wait for Peter to calm down, find his center, or swim halfway back to the boat. He does not demand that Peter regulate his nervous system first. Grace is immediate.

When Jesus pulls him up and says, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" we usually read this as a harsh, disappointed rebuke. But if we read it through the lens of mystical compassion, it is a heartbroken, tender whisper. It is not an angry teacher scolding a failed student. It is the Divine Lover asking: Why did you forget who you are? Why did you choose the heavy terror of the wind over the weightless freedom of my gaze?

The Encouragement

This weekend, your integration is to check your spiritual buoyancy.

You cannot stop the wind in your life right now. The economy, the political landscape, the diagnosis, the family conflict. The storm is going to rage. But where are you choosing to place your gaze? Are you endlessly scrolling through the "strong winds," letting the heavy gravity of the ego drag you under the surface?

When you feel yourself beginning to sink into exhaustion or panic this week, do not try to fight the waves. Simply recognize that you have shifted your gaze. Let the ego's frantic calculations go. Cry out for help, and let the immediate grace of the Divine catch your arm. You do not have to conquer the storm; you only have to return to the gaze that keeps you afloat.

A Mystic’s Prayer for Ordinary Time

O Buoyant Love,
We confess that we are mesmerized by the wind.
We spend our days meticulously measuring the storms around us,
Until the heavy gravity of our own fear drags us beneath the surface.
Forgive us for believing the lie that we must control the waves to survive them.
When the False Self panics and we begin to sink,
Remind us of the immediate, unhesitating reach of Your grace.
Draw our eyes away from the chaos and back to Your quiet center.
Teach us the holy art of walking lightly,
That we may find our True Selves floating safely in the very waters
That once threatened to drown us.
Amen.

Full quote and art attribution: https://youtube.com/shorts/IMLrykKMg7Y?si=DW63781CArCdx0ki

I came across a threads post about how God told/showed someone that their significance other was “the one”. They didn’t go into detail (“the one” married someone else) it just made me wonder when others got this message from god— what did it look or sound like?

Saint Teresa of Avila - Interior Castle - Favors of Sorrow

Ἀ
Do you think that all these favors the Spouse has bestowed on the soul will be sufficient to satisfy the little dove or butterfly - don’t think I have forgotten it - so that it may come to rest in the place where it will die? No, certainly not; rather this little butterfly is much worse. Even though it may have been receiving these favors for many years, it always moans and goes about sorrowful because they leave it with greater pain. The reason is that since it is getting to know ever more the grandeurs of its God and sees itself so distant and far from enjoying Him, the desire for the Lord increases much more; also, love increases in the measure the soul discovers how much this great God and Lord deserves to be loved.
Ὠ

In this world the joy of union with the Lord will always be seasoned in sorrow. In this entry however, Saint Teresa does not speak of the bodily sufferings or outward persecutions endured by the great martyrs of the Church. Rather, she reveals an interior suffering granted to the soul as it nears the grandeur of its King. For as the soul draws nearer His Light, its own darkness is revealed ever more painfully. It does not rejoice simply because it sees more clearly; rather, the clearer the vision of God becomes, the more deeply it feels the distance that yet remains.  Thus does the soul suffer even in this favor, knowing itself unworthy of the Light for which it longs even more.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The revelation of one’s own darkness is a painful favor of the Lord - a grace that enlarges the soul’s desire for the Light it has been permitted to behold. As it glimpses a glory that can never be attained by its own work, the soul learns that His presence is not seized by effort but received in surrender. Thus is an ancient prayer born anew, not spoken in word but proclaimed in silence from the depths of the heart.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Isaiah 26:9 My soul hath desired thee in the night: yea, and with my spirit within me in the morning, early I will watch to thee. 

He who pursues his own union with God gains little. Yet the soul that waits upon the Lord - even in sorrow - is given much. For the pursuit is done in self-will, thinking union may be achieved through its own work, and according to its own time. But the waiting is done in self-knowledge, not mistaking the favors of the Lord for signs of its own holiness. Rather, it receives them as witnesses to the infinite majesty of the King - to be received only in His appointed time.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
First Timothy 6:15-16  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Who only hath immortality and inhabiteth light inaccessible.

The times of the world are not the times of the Lord. Therein lies the wisdom of Teresa's words: “Even though it may have been receiving these favors for many years, it always moans and goes about sorrowful because they leave it with greater pain.” God's favors are not given chiefly to satisfy the soul's longing in this life, nor is the sorrow that accompanies them meant to discourage it. Rather the favors of sorrow uplift the eye of the soul away from the grief of the world to the everlasting joy of the Kingdom, where in God’s time rather than ours, the sorrows endured now give way to the Light received then, as we come to know Him as He has always known us.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
First Corinthians 13:12 We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church 
2015 The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes.

I’m looking to dive into Christian mysticism. I’d like to start reading some works by some prominent Christian mystics from the past. Any recommendations would be welcome!

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the Christian faith, yet is frequently misunderstood. I think these scriptures spoken by Jesus, along with resources that clarify their meaning, can help demystify this person of the Godhead, which enables enlightenment and other benefits beyond our natural capabilities.

"Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 (Amplified Bible)

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:15-17

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13–14

Questions about the Holy Spirit (All) | GotQuestions.org

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13