glorycloud's Diaryland Diary

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the eye of the affections

"The unitive stage is the ultimate stage; on this third pathway the
soul proceeds toward union with God, toward being �transformed into
God,� as Hugh declares. He maintains that mystical wisdom is an im-
mediately infused knowledge of God that is not available except by way
of unitive apprehension, which occurs not by means of �the eye of the
intellect� but by means of �the eye of the affections.� Unitive appre-
hension takes place beyond reason, intellect, mind. It takes place where
all reflection, all contemplation, all conceptualizing have been left be-
hind and where the soul takes leave even of all consciousness of itself
as a self. The unitive pathway begins with a series of industries, i.e., of
holy endeavors that bring the soul nearer to its Beloved. During the
course of these endeavors there is guiding reflection and devout con-
templation. However, at the highest level of unitive elevation all such
guiding- and motivating-reflection, all such conceiving and cognizing,
are transcended, so that the soul ascends ignorantly and �mindlessly�
to the unknown God. There is no further contemplation of the Lord�s
Prayer, of the Lord�s sufferings, of the Holy Trinity, of the angels, or of
the saints. Rather, love is divinely infused into the summit of the soul�s
affective power (supremus apex affectivae) as the soul is elevated un-
reflectingly unto �the brightness of the Divine Incomprehensibility.�
At some moment amid this empty receptiveness, characterized
only as a supremely yearning directedness, the soul mystically and ec-
statically encounters God and is spiritually united to Christ in a bond
of indescribable love and joy. This is the moment when mystical wis-
dom is infused, so that the soul knows immediately that which could
never be learned through the operation of the senses, the imagina-
tion, reason, or the intellect. Now is the timeless-like moment when
the loving soul finds its longings satisfied and finds rest from all its
strivings. This state of quietudo is a foretaste of the unspeakable peace
and gladness that will both comfort and delight redeemed souls in
the future, Heavenly life."

a quote from "Hugh Of Balma On Mystical Theology: A Translation and an Overview of his "De Theologia Mystica"" by Jasper Hopkins (found online)

music: The Black Angels "Passover"

6:06 p.m. - 2006-05-28

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