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Document Details : Title: Pensée et parole dans l'union mystique Subtitle: Hadewijch, Jean Ruusbroec, Jean de la Croix Author(s): MOMMAERS, Paul Journal: Studies in Spirituality Volume: 25 Date: 2015 Pages: 139-205 DOI: 10.2143/SIS.25.0.3112892 Abstract : The aim of this essay is to explain how three great mystical authors can demonstrate, each in an individual way, how the human person thinks rationally and speaks intelligibly even in the most advanced union with God. It may come as a surprise that those who, as we rightly say, have gone ‘beyond’ the realm of common comprehension and are ‘lost’ in God, show enjoyable lucidity as well as the capacity for using language understandably. The first is Hadewijch (13th c.), who epitomizes love mysticism, and knows how to speak ‘with an inspired soul to an inspired soul’; while in the union she is celebrating in Letter 28, she actually speaks about ‘feasts’ that are ‘holy words’. Next, two great mystical masters, Jan van Ruusbroec (14th c.) and John of the Cross (16th c.), help to clarify the mystic’s thinking and speaking: the former presents pertinent prose passages on which he comments; the latter explains how his love-poems are an integral part of his deepest experience of union with God. |
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