The nothing Catholic hermit asked some questions about this to the regular confessor the other morning after Mass, in the confessional. What is one had some mystical experience that seemed as if it would be helpful to write out?
One priest had firmly advised that nothing of mystical experiences should be written except under obedience to the order of the spiritual director, confessor or Bishop.
But, what if one wrote it anonymously so, or as a means of carthasis, or as a means to help others know how to deal with such experiences should they have them?
The regular confessor and the nothing went over possibilities of the right and the wrong of sharing mystical experiences. Of course, St. John of the Cross and many other saints advise to not speak of or share atypical spiritual events in one's interior life. They are to be discerned with one's confessor or director, and mostly these are dropped off by the wayside as excess baggage for the journey.
There may be peak mystical experiences in which God has given the soul a message needing to be acted upon, such as that given to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, to St. Bernadette, and the children of Fatima. There are many private messages that the Lord desires individual souls to heed, such as St. Silouan's being told in prayer to "Keep thy soul in hell, and despair not" or the angel Gabriel telling the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the son of God, or St. Joseph being told in a dream to take the child and his mother and flee immediately into Egypt.
Obviously some mystical experiences are not to be discounted or ignored. But there is a protocol with such emanations.
Should one write about them anonymously, then? Well, the nothing and the confessor put it to scrutiny. Would it lead anyone astray? Would it cause the person sharing temptation to pride? Would there be good in helping others, or would that be off-set by a negative?
The anonymity did not present a problem with personal pride. The sharing would not lead anyone astray from the faith. BUT... the best reason for NOT sharing spiritual experiences, is that those listening or reading might feel as if they are not close to God or something is wrong with their faith, if they do not likewise have similar mystical experiences. Thus, the answer is no, do not share mystical experiences anonymously or not, not for educating others as to how to handle them, not for catharsis except in a private journal.
On another topic--the ever returning sin of detraction--the nothing asked about how to avoid discussing a person if one is asked to counsel with another, and both know the person/s included in the interpersonal conflict. How can one discuss the issues and yet avoid mentioned the persons involved and the problems?
The confessor said that in those cases, of course one may need and rightfully discuss the people involved and what is occurring. BUT...it must be discussed with compassion and never with any detrimental inferences, accusations, or opinions given regarding the other persons being discussed. The purpose is to help bring resolution, and to do so in a manner glorifying to God and helpful to the persons involved. He added that there is the saying regarding the problem of an alcoholic person, and no one willing to discuss the problem: There is an elephant in the room, and no one will mention it is there. Yes, sometimes the elephant needs to be acknowledged and discussed.
But in the counsel and discussing, the nothing had, for example, mentioned a couple of other persons the nothing knows, and their similar problems which led to unhealthy situations. Ah, in those cases, one should not mention specific persons as the example, but rather vaguely refer, such as, "I knew of some people who did thus and so, and it hindered them in this or that way."
In the book Self-Renunciation, the author points out that if one can learn to train the thought and tongue, so as to not detract--and be aware that there are all kinds of subtle rationalizations, even excuses in the name of piety, for otherwise detracting--one can draw far closer to perfection. St. James wrote about the power of the tongue, and the sin of the tongue not controlled.
It could become overwhelming, trying to learn these matters. Practice is the best way to learn. It would be maybe easier to not speak at all, but then, that is not realistic, is it? The nothing pondered that if the tongue were cut out, the detraction fault would be solved. But no, the fingers would have to go, also, so as to not write. And then the eyes would have to go, so there would be no criticism of others to talk about, and the hearing, so as to not hear, and the very thoughts would have to be slaughtered, so as to not think detractions.
Best to keep practicing, writing, discussing, and then going to confession.... The nothing thanked the confessor for the explanation, and said, "Maybe by the time I'm dead, I'll have this learned." He said, "Maybe...."
That's the truth. It might take nigh well into purgatory, should the nothing be fortunate enough to make it to the purifying fires. God willing and soul able.
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2 comments:
Very interesting. I had occasion to deal with this topic, my daughter had such an experience.
We did not know what to do, so we told the priest involved and I did blog on it.
It never occured to me that others would be hurt, though I think they were as no one spoke to me about it and one evn discounted it saying: "she's a child."
I think it was very important for the priest involved to hear and the religious brother I told seemed to be bolstered by it.
I agree though it is better left unpublicized. Sometimes I am dumbfounded by the event and still think: why our family?
Thank you for reminding me of atruly wonderful event.
Deo Gratias
Dear Holy Water Salt,
Yes, these are graces, it seems, for the soul involved and those others (if any) involved in the situation. Priests and religious can be edified, but I've heard of situations in which even priests become envious, and one even complained that it wasn't fair--why didn't he have those experiences? But one's confessor or spiritual director DO need to know, and these experiences MUST be related to them, for discernment and guidance--and even help, if there is demonic activity involved or if there are certain instructions given in a locution or such.
People can become frightened, too, if told of such matters. The Holy Spirit will guide, though. But the persons having the experiences do need to vent them, to be "de-programmed", as I call it! The confessor/director is best for this, and then one can write in a private journal, if writing things out helps. It seems to be a good modality for most.
The great graces that come from mystical experiences seem to be foremost that they uplift the soul, and remind the soul of the REALITY of God! Then, when crosses become heavier, as they do, the grace of the experience can be remembered, and even if a demonic experience, the omnipotence and omniscience of God is renowned to the soul; faith is increased, and humility is increased for keeping it relatively private, and charity is increased for having not caused others to feel inadequate if they do not have such experiences.
If God desires them to be known in writing, it can be done in a way so as to give the gist without giving the persons to whom the experiences happened. That is why St. Teresa of Avila, writing under obedience, would say, "I know of a person who..." when it was actually herself. But she wrote these things as examples for her sisters, as a means of helping them learn. This was what she was ordered to do, though, to write; and it was her position as Abbess which required her to be a teacher and guide of the sisters in her care.
I know of a case in which something needed to be reported, and there were supernatural aspects which allowed the person to know about it, and so the person had to be honest in telling the Bishop, even though he was rightly skeptical. But then the other person who had been reported, when asked, admitted the supernatural experiences, and all led to an increase in faith for all. There are times when one, out of duty, cannot be concerned if others feel inadequate, but the Holy Spirit will let the soul know, by His peace.
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